Many potential renters would prefer to rent from a private landlord. Whether you're looking for a deal in a tight market, need flexible rental terms, or prefer to avoid renting from large property management agencies and corporations, private landlords give a personalized touch and may better fit your needs.
Finding private landlords may be challenging as they don't have the same marketing budgets as large corporations. However, a careful search can yield plenty of results from private owners. In this article, we'll suggest various places to look for private landlords and the pros and cons to ensure you make an informed decision to rent from a private landlord.
What Are Private Landlords?
Private landlords own and manage their rental units without hiring a real estate agent or property manager. They single-handedly handle most tasks involved in the rental process, including:
- Advertising or searching for tenants
- Going through rental applications
- Rent collection
- Maintenance
Private landlords can be people who were heirs of the property or bought the space as an investment. Even though dealing directly with the property owners is appealing, perform your due diligence as you search for one.
For instance, check their reputation and rental history with other tenants, scrutinize the requirements for security deposits, and if they have followed all local or state landlord-tenant laws. So, where do you find these private landlords?
How to Find Private Landlords to Rent From
Finding private landlords to rent from is not easy as you will not see them aggressively advertise. You must be prepared to take the time to look around and have the patience to stay the course. The traditional yet effective method is to drive or walk around your desired neighborhood, asking or searching for 'for rent' signage.
Private landlords also use various online platforms to advertise their units. You have a better chance of getting your ideal unit as you'll find more variety from property listings posted directly by private owners. The following are various online platforms you can explore.
Facebook Groups and Marketplace
Facebook offers countless search possibilities for rental properties across the United States. To find the unit you are looking for, go to the left-hand side of your Facebook page and scroll downwards until you see 'marketplace.' Click on it.
You'll be taken to another page where you'll choose property rentals in the category section. Fill in your zip code or town and press search. After you see a house you like, click on the image, and you'll be taken to the landlord's contact details. Here is a sample rental page showing apartments in Los Angeles.
Facebook groups are also reliable for finding private landlords in real-time. Go to the search bar, enter your state or town, and add keywords like rentals, housing, or private landlords. An example of a Facebook group is the Washington DC Rental Housing.
Hotpads.com
Hotpads.com is a convenient home rental and apartment search platform that stands out because it allows you to filter your search to rental units posted by private landlords. Once on their homepage, enter the area you want to relocate and search. Next, go to the 'all filters' drop-down button at the top of the page, check the 'for rent by owners' box, and press done. From there, search for your ideal unit and add more filters according to your needs.
Apartment List
Apartment List is another reliable platform for searching rental space according to your budget and needs. The main challenge with this platform is that it doesn't list whether the unit is owned by private or corporate landlords. But once you click on the unit, the contact detail will inform you who listed the rental unit. Once you get to the homepage, you'll be asked a series of questions to narrow down your search, and you'll gain access to personalized search results once you sign in or register.
Zillow
Having established itself as one of the leading websites with the most rental units, Zillow offers a wider variety of rental units to search. It has additional services that even allow you to get a home loan if you want to buy more than rent a house.
To find private landlords, visit their website, enter the details that fit your rental needs, and press search. It doesn't specify which units are privately owned, but once you click on the preferred rental space, any unit you see with a 'no broker fee' is likely a privately owned home.
Besides, when you scroll, you'll see a section with the heading 'listed by,' which will inform you who listed the unit.
Pros & Cons of Private Landlords
Renting a personal or commercial space from private landlords has attractive benefits. Still, it also has its own set of drawbacks to consider before signing the lease agreement. The following table outlines the advantages and disadvantages of renting from private landlords.
| Private Landlords Pros | Private Landlords Cons |
|---|---|
| Reduced rent due to little to no broker or management fees | Less accountability when you have rental issues |
| Better and more flexible lease terms | Slow or no response to repair or maintenance needs |
| Personalized touch to the landlord-tenant relationship | Little to no budget for improvements and updates |
| No corporate bureaucracy when dealing with some issues | Rental experience is less likely to be professionally managed |
| More room to negotiate based on a tenant's unique needs | Difficult to check landlord credibility and reputation |
| Faster rental application process | May have substandard or questionable application criteria |
| More peace of mind as tenants know who owns the property | Likely to have an unpredictable rent increase |
As you consider these pros and cons, you can assess whether working with private landlords vs. corporate landlords is a better option for you.
Do you need a landlord recommendation letter template to increase your chances of getting a rental unit from a private landlord? Use a template as a guide and make sure you include all the necessary information.
Start your Landlord Recommendation Letter Template now
Helpful Resources:
Texas State Law Library - Landlord/Tenant Law
Mass.gov - The Attorney General's Guide to Landlord and Tenant Rights
Many potential renters would prefer to rent from a private landlord. Whether you're looking for a deal in a tight market, need flexible rental terms, or prefer to avoid renting from large property management agencies and corporations, private landlords give a personalized touch and may better fit your needs.
Finding private landlords may be challenging as they don't have the same marketing budgets as large corporations. However, a careful search can yield plenty of results from private owners. In this article, we'll suggest various places to look for private landlords and the pros and cons to ensure you make an informed decision to rent from a private landlord.
What Are Private Landlords?
Private landlords own and manage their rental units without hiring a real estate agent or property manager. They single-handedly handle most tasks involved in the rental process, including:
- Advertising or searching for tenants
- Going through rental applications
- Rent collection
- Maintenance
Private landlords can be people who were heirs of the property or bought the space as an investment. Even though dealing directly with the property owners is appealing, perform your due diligence as you search for one.
For instance, check their reputation and rental history with other tenants, scrutinize the requirements for security deposits, and if they have followed all local or state landlord-tenant laws. So, where do you find these private landlords?
How to Find Private Landlords to Rent From
Finding private landlords to rent from is not easy as you will not see them aggressively advertise. You must be prepared to take the time to look around and have the patience to stay the course. The traditional yet effective method is to drive or walk around your desired neighborhood, asking or searching for 'for rent' signage.
Private landlords also use various online platforms to advertise their units. You have a better chance of getting your ideal unit as you'll find more variety from property listings posted directly by private owners. The following are various online platforms you can explore.
Facebook Groups and Marketplace
Facebook offers countless search possibilities for rental properties across the United States. To find the unit you are looking for, go to the left-hand side of your Facebook page and scroll downwards until you see 'marketplace.' Click on it.
You'll be taken to another page where you'll choose property rentals in the category section. Fill in your zip code or town and press search. After you see a house you like, click on the image, and you'll be taken to the landlord's contact details. Here is a sample rental page showing apartments in Los Angeles.
Facebook groups are also reliable for finding private landlords in real-time. Go to the search bar, enter your state or town, and add keywords like rentals, housing, or private landlords. An example of a Facebook group is the Washington DC Rental Housing.
Hotpads.com
Hotpads.com is a convenient home rental and apartment search platform that stands out because it allows you to filter your search to rental units posted by private landlords. Once on their homepage, enter the area you want to relocate and search. Next, go to the 'all filters' drop-down button at the top of the page, check the 'for rent by owners' box, and press done. From there, search for your ideal unit and add more filters according to your needs.
Apartment List
Apartment List is another reliable platform for searching rental space according to your budget and needs. The main challenge with this platform is that it doesn't list whether the unit is owned by private or corporate landlords. But once you click on the unit, the contact detail will inform you who listed the rental unit. Once you get to the homepage, you'll be asked a series of questions to narrow down your search, and you'll gain access to personalized search results once you sign in or register.
Zillow
Having established itself as one of the leading websites with the most rental units, Zillow offers a wider variety of rental units to search. It has additional services that even allow you to get a home loan if you want to buy more than rent a house.
To find private landlords, visit their website, enter the details that fit your rental needs, and press search. It doesn't specify which units are privately owned, but once you click on the preferred rental space, any unit you see with a 'no broker fee' is likely a privately owned home.
Besides, when you scroll, you'll see a section with the heading 'listed by,' which will inform you who listed the unit.
Pros & Cons of Private Landlords
Renting a personal or commercial space from private landlords has attractive benefits. Still, it also has its own set of drawbacks to consider before signing the lease agreement. The following table outlines the advantages and disadvantages of renting from private landlords.
| Private Landlords Pros | Private Landlords Cons |
|---|---|
| Reduced rent due to little to no broker or management fees | Less accountability when you have rental issues |
| Better and more flexible lease terms | Slow or no response to repair or maintenance needs |
| Personalized touch to the landlord-tenant relationship | Little to no budget for improvements and updates |
| No corporate bureaucracy when dealing with some issues | Rental experience is less likely to be professionally managed |
| More room to negotiate based on a tenant's unique needs | Difficult to check landlord credibility and reputation |
| Faster rental application process | May have substandard or questionable application criteria |
| More peace of mind as tenants know who owns the property | Likely to have an unpredictable rent increase |
As you consider these pros and cons, you can assess whether working with private landlords vs. corporate landlords is a better option for you.
Do you need a landlord recommendation letter template to increase your chances of getting a rental unit from a private landlord? Use a template as a guide and make sure you include all the necessary information.
Start your Landlord Recommendation Letter Template now
Helpful Resources:
Texas State Law Library - Landlord/Tenant Law
Mass.gov - The Attorney General's Guide to Landlord and Tenant Rights
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