These Are the Features You Want in a Rental Website

Gone are the days when finding a good rental apartment meant reading the classifieds in your local newspaper or relying on a friend who knew a friend who knew about an apartment. Now, there are many apartment search websites that aggregate rental listings and offer you an easy and effortless way to look for your next home. But what are the features that the best rental website has?

Not all apartment search websites (also known as internet listing services, or ILSs) are created equal — some may offer more options or make the process of finding your next home easier than others. Generally, a smooth search experience makes the difference between a good apartment search website and a great one.

Below, we’ve detailed the most important and convenient features that you should expect from a rental website for a headache-free experience. So, whether you’re looking to ease the process of finding a new rental or simply want to see what options you have when browsing, here’s what you should look for:

Verified Listings & Resident Reviews

Perhaps one of the most important features of a website that features rental housing is safety: be sure to only use websites that verify their listings before posting them online. By doing so, you’ll significantly reduce your risk of falling victim to a rental scam.

Likewise, as you’re browsing, you may want to know what it’s like to live in a certain rental community or apartment complex. For this reason, reviews and ratings from actual residents are valuable tools that can help you choose the place you want to call home, as well as guide you toward an informed decision.

Filters

Another must-have feature that the rental website should offer is good filters. Most websites will allow you to filter by rent budget, number of rooms or rental type. However, additional filters — for amenities, pet friendliness, availability and property rating — can be deciding points when you’re facing lots of housing options.

Comparison Tools

Once you have your shortlist of properties that interest you, it’s time to compare them. Most people find comparison tools extremely helpful when buying products, so why not do the same for apartments? For instance, you can select up to three properties and compare them side-by-side. The tool then displays differences in availability; rating; community and apartment amenities; and other property details, such as pet friendliness and additional pet costs.

“Save Your Search” Options

Additionally, if you want to come back and continue your search later, some websites also offer you the option to save your search with the filters you added. Others even let you know when similar new listings are posted. This way, you’re always in the loop about any new apartments that may become available in your area.

Video & 3D Tours

The pandemic created a strong push toward digitizing and moving the entire renting process online, on the rental website. Now, you have access to video tours and 3D tours of apartments, so you can look at rentals from the comfort of your couch. When these are not available, you may request a virtual tour. In this case, a leasing agent will walk through the community and apartment for you while you’re on a video call. This is especially helpful if you’re moving to another city and aren’t able to go to showings in person.

Of course, renting sight unseen is not typically advised. Rather, use the virtual tour options to narrow your search, and choose the apartments you want to see in person when your schedule allows.

Rent Budget & Cost of Living Calculators

One essential element when looking for your next rental apartment is how much money you can afford to spend on rent. This knowledge is crucial because it allows you to manage your income and expenses. A rent budget calculator is one of the handiest tools to identify how much rent you can afford based on your gross monthly income.

The rent calculator shows you what it means to spend 20%, 30%, or 40% of your income on rent, as well as how to adjust your wants and needs. For example, do you really need those additional amenities, like that extra room? Or, could downsizing be a good option for you?

Budgeting can become especially challenging if you’re moving to another city and don’t know how expensive it is — which is why having access to a cost of living calculator when browsing new homes is super useful. For instance, you might compare your new location with your current city to get a good idea of what to expect. You could also check the prices of utilities, groceries or transportation to determine how much they would take out of your budget. Or, if you’re not set on one particular city, this tool could also help you choose the place that’s right for you.

City Guides & Rent Trends

Similarly, some rental websites offer city guides and detailed information for people who are looking to relocate there. Reading these guides and learning about the neighborhoods and pace of life in another town can help you get a grasp of where you’re moving to.

Another important aspect to understand is the rental market. Specifically, researching the prices, characteristics, and availability of rental options in the area you’re moving to is crucial to understand the implied costs, as well as make an informed decision. To that end, apartment websites that provide information about rent trends in your area — some even down to the neighborhood level — can be a great source of information.

Demographics Information

Some rental websites offer demographic resource pages with information about the people who live in the area. If you’re researching a new city or neighborhood, this type of data can help you figure out what type of residents live in an area — whether you’re looking for a quiet, family-friendly neighborhood; a lively, youthful area; or anything in between. Of course, there’s nothing like actually visiting and experiencing the city, but this is a good first step. And, having all of this information on one page on the same website is certainly convenient.

There are so many options you can and should take advantage of when browsing for a new rental apartment. Whether it’s researching a new city or neighborhood; figuring out your budget; or finding a new rental that fits you best, these features are must-haves for the rental apartment ILS you are using.

If you’re looking for a new rental apartment, head over to rentcafe.com to take advantage of all these convenient features!