How to List a House for Rent for Free

Co-authored by Carla Toebe

Last Updated: November 16, 2022 References

You can choose from a variety of different ways to advertise your rental property. If you have a tight budget, you can list the property for free on several different sites or on your own website. To rent the property as quickly as possible, choose services that share your ad with a network of other websites. This allows many more potential renters to see your advertisement.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Free Internet Listings Services

1
List a rental house with Postlets. Postlets is a free listing service that shares your ad with a network of other companies. Once you create your listing (referred to as a “postlet” on the site), it is published on all of the other sites. If you have to edit your listing at any time, it is automatically updated on all of the partner sites. Being able to post on so many sites at once boosts the number of people who see your ad.^{[1]
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- Postlets works with over 20 well-known companies, including Zillow, Trulia, HotPads, Yahoo Homes, HGTV Front Door and MSN Real Estate.^{[2]
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- Begin by signing up for the service on the Postlets website (www.postlets.com). You will have to enter your name and email address.
- Create your postlet by submitting the address, a description of the house, the monthly rent and uploading pictures.
- Activate your postlet to send it to all of the partner sites.
- You can edit your postlet anytime. Your ad will be automatically updated on all of the sites.
- Once someone rents your house, expire your postlet to remove it from the market.
2
Post an ad on Rentlinx. Go to the Rentlinx website (www.rentlinx.com). On the homepage, you will be prompted to enter the address of your rental property. Click on the orange “List for Free” button. You will then be redirected to a page where you can enter more details about your property. For example, specify the property type and the number of available units, write a description of the property, provide details about amenities and upload photos of the property. Once you submit your information, your ad is created and advertised on dozens of sites, such as Trulia, Show Me the Rent, Zillow, Realtor.com and Apartments.com.^{[3]
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- The basic service is free. It includes uploading your ad to dozens of other sites, unlimited photos and email lead tracking so you can follow up with potential renters. It also includes a free renter portal that allows you to communicate with tenants, share documents, receive online service requests and accept electronic payments.
- You can upgrade to paid services that link your ad to pay-to-list services.
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3
List your property on FreeRentalSite.com. This site is used by renters to search for properties. When you go to the site, scroll down to the bottom of the homepage to find the section entitled “List Your Vacancy on Free Rental Site.” Click on the blue “Advertise Now” button. You will be redirected to a page with a form where you can enter all of the information about your property, including the address and a description. You will also be able to upload pictures.^{[4]
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- Become a “Verified Poster” by clicking on the blue “Get Verified” button at the bottom of the homepage. This means that your address and contact information have been confirmed by the site. It gives you more credibility with potential tenants who are searching the site for rental properties. Properties of verified posters are viewed two to three times more often than unverified listings.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Craigslist

1
Initiate the listing. Go to the Craigslist website. In the upper left-hand corner, click on “Post to Classifieds.” Select “Housing Offered” and click on “Continue.” Choose a category. If you have an apartment or house for rent, select “Apts/Housing for Rent.” Click on “Continue,” and you will be directed to a page where you can enter information about your rental property.^{[5]
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2
Create your ad. Fill out all of the sections on the ad creation page. Provide as many details as possible to fully inform potential tenants. Include features of the property such as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the square footage, the monthly rent and when the property will be available. Once you have entered all of your information, click on “Continue.” You will see a draft of your ad, and you will then be able to upload pictures.^{[6]
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- For your contact information, you can choose whether or not the ad will display your personal e-mail address or phone number. If you want potential tenants to see this information, input your phone number and select “Show My Real Email Address” at the top of the form. To keep this information private, do not enter your phone number and select “CL Mail Relay.” This displays a system-generated email address to which tenants can respond to your ad.
- Avoid abbreviations that you would use in a newspaper ad. On Craigslist, you will not be charged per word or character as you would in a newspaper ad. Instead of using abbreviations like “dw” for dishwasher, write out the whole word so people know exactly what you're advertising.
- Describe any amenities, such as new appliances, on-site laundry or access to fitness, swimming or playground facilities.
- Give information about the neighborhood that would attract tenants, such as proximity to stores, schools, historic areas or public transportation.
3
Include pictures. In the page where you can see the draft of your ad, click on the “Edit Images” button in the upper left-hand corner. You can load up to 24 images. Include pictures of the inside and outside of the property. If your property is an apartment, provide a picture of the building. Upload your best picture first. This will be the featured image on the ad.^{[7]
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4
Publish your ad. After you add all of your images, you will again see your ad draft. Proofread the ad to make sure all the information is accurate and everything is spelled right. If you need to change anything, click on “Edit Text,” “Edit Map” or “Edit Images” in the upper left-hand corner. Once everything is right, click on “Publish” in the lower right-hand corner.^{[8]
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5
Stand out from the crowd. Millions of people use Craigslist. To keep your ad from getting lost at the bottom of the list, you may need to repost the ad every few days. Also, respond to potential renters quickly. They will have access to many ads on Craigslist. Waiting to respond to someone who's interested in your property could cost you.^{[9]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Your Own Website

1
Promote your property. Use your own website to connect with potential tenants. Since you own the website, you can control the content. Write text that highlights the benefits of your property. Include testimonials from other happy tenants. Describe the property in detail and include information about amenities, both on the property and in the surrounding neighborhood.^{[10]
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2
Market your property with photos. Including photos with your text makes your site more appealing to a broader audience. People like to see pictures before looking at a property in person. If they like your pictures, they will likely make an appointment to view the property.^{[11]
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- Take indoor and outdoor photos that advertise the benefits of the property.
- Provide accurate information. Don't include pictures of property features that are no longer available.
3
Avoid specifying the number of available units. If you have a lot of units available, this could create the perception of a problem with your property. If only a few units are available, renters will get scared off, thinking they could never get into one of your properties. Also, it's easy to fall behind in updating this information, which could lead to misunderstandings.^{[12]
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4
Advertise your commitment to fair housing. Choose your words carefully. Avoid trying to describe your ideal tenant. This could be misconstrued as being discriminatory. For example, if your property is near a school, mention the proximity to the school. But don't say, “perfect for young families,” as this makes it look like you're excluding certain groups of people.^{[13]
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- Realtors are required to display the fair housing logo from the Office of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) when they advertise a property, so include it when you advertise your property to show your commitment to fair housing.
- You can download the logo by going to www.hud.gov, clicking on "Program Offices," "Fair Housing/Equal Opportunity," "Library," then "Equal Housing Opportunity Logo".
- You can be charged hefty fines if you're found guilty of violating the Fair Housing Act, but the rules differ on what's allowed when you're renting to a roommate or renting an entire home. For example, if you're renting to a roommate, it's acceptable to advertise for a particular gender; however, you can't do that if you're renting the entire home.
- You are allowed to limit who you'll rent to based on criteria such as income, credit history, rental history, employment, and the number of people who will be occupying the property. You must provide the criteria in advance, and, if someone is rejected, provide them with an adverse action letter explaining why. You can also suggest a way for them to gain approval, such as adding a cosigner or paying an extra deposit if they have bad credit.

Warnings

Watermark the photos you post to protect both your advertisement and your potential renters. Scammers sometimes steal the photos and information provided in rental ads and then post their own scam ads. This allows them to use your property to steal information or money from your potential renters.

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