Massachusetts homeowners facing crumbling foundations seek help paying for repairs

A group of central Massachusetts homeowners who have watched their foundations crack and crumble under their houses are now asking state officials for help.

“We have nowhere to turn,” said Michelle Loglisci, founder of Massachusetts Residents Against Crumbling Concrete.

The Massachusetts Residents Against Crumbling Concrete is an organization formed out of desperation.

WCVB’s Ben Simmoneau has reported on the struggle the residents have had after they learned the concrete in their foundations is contaminated by pyrrhotite – a naturally occurring mineral found in parts of the state that causes concrete to fail prematurely.

Homeowners have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on repairs because they were not covered by insurance, and banks generally won’t lend money to cover the work.

“Does it take one to collapse? You don’t know, right? So we need to help the homeowners, and we need to help the communities,” said Karen Riani, of Holden.

Riani is among the 30 or so residents who will be meeting with lawmakers Monday to try to get them to support a house amendment that is expected to be filed to the Affordable Homes Act to set up a program similar to one already in place in Connecticut that helps homeowners pay for repairs.

“I’m more optimistic now, and I’d rather be positive than negative right now to make something happen,” Riani said.

This summer, Massachusetts will mandate quarries test their product for the presence of pyrrhotite.

Homeowners said that while that’s a good first step at preventing the problem from spreading, it’s not enough.

“Going to our Statehouse representatives and senators and ask them to help us just like Connecticut has. They have had a program operating now for over four years, and they have replaced over 900 foundations. We’re just asking for the same,” said Michelle Loglisci of Massachusetts Residents Against Crumbling Concrete

The homeowners are hopeful that the amendment will be filed in the next couple of weeks, and that debate can finally begin.

 

Source: https://www.wcvb.com/article/massachusetts-homeowners-facing-crumbling-foundations-seek-help-paying-for-repairs/60776386

19 Best Rental Listing Sites to Advertise Your Property in 2025

Choosing the best rental listing site can significantly streamline the process of finding your next tenant while reducing the time spent showing your rental properties. However, with so many property management platforms available, it can be challenging to identify which site is the right fit for your rental business.

To help you decide, we’ve reviewed 19 of the best rental listing sites to advertise your properties with an overview of their features, the platforms they syndicate to, and pricing.

1. Avail (Part of Realtor.com®)

Avail (Part of Realtor.com®) is a property management platform for independent landlords to advertise rental properties for free. With the option to list your rental across 20+ trusted rental listing sites, landlords can maximize their property’s visibility while also simplifying the management of tenant lead inquiries, applications, and leases.

Key Rental Listing Features

Avail provides comprehensive tools for advertising and setting a competitive rent price, such as the following:

  • List your rental across 20+ rental sitesPublish your property across multiple platforms in minutes to maximize reach. With one click, you can get your listing across highly visited sites like Apartments.com and Realtor.com.
  • Promoted Listings tool: For increased exposure, get premium placement on Realtor.com, Rent., Rentals.com ApartmentGuide, Redfin, Zumper, and PadMapper with our Promoted Listings tool.
  • Customizable listings: Add photos, virtual tours, and your rental terms to build an engaging listing. You can also get auto-generated listing titles and descriptions based on your rental’s characteristics to save time building your listing.
  • Fraud protection: We have a dedicated team focused on preventing listing protection to provide a safe experience for landlords and tenants.
  • Property tour automation: Interested renters can book or request a tour directly from your Avail rental listings, reducing back and forth. Landlords can more than double their chances of receiving an application by including tour options on their listing
  • Direct application on Realtor.com: Renters can now apply directly from your Realtor.com listing, completing their applications 1.75x faster than standard leads.
  • Comprehensive rent analysis reporting: Set a competitive rent price for your listing with an Avail Rent Analysis report. Gain insights on local rental trends, rental demand, and comparable properties to determine the optimal rent price.

Syndication Platforms

Listings created with Avail appear on over 20 rental platforms, including:

  • Realtor.com®
  • Zumper
  • Rentberry
  • Apartments.com
  • Rentable
  • ApartmentList
  • Rent.
  • PadMapper
  • ForRent.com
  • Apartment Guide
  • Redfin
  • Rentals.com
  • ApartmentFinder
  • Movoto by OJO
  • ApartmentPicks
  • Apartmenthomeliving
  • Westside Rentals

Pricing

  • Unlimited (Free): Includes listing syndication across 20+ rental sites, rental property accounting, maintenance tracking, access to lawyer-reviewed lease agreements, and more.
  • Unlimited Plus ($9/unit per month): Includes all of the free listing features, plus waived ACH fees, FastPay, faster Customer Care support, and the ability to customize rental applications and leases.
  • Promoted Listings tool: Pricing varies on platforms and locations.

2. Zillow Rental Manager

Zillow Rental Manager enables landlords to advertise properties across Zillow, Trulia, and HotPads. With its strong reputation and market data tools, this platform helps landlords reach a large audience, streamline the property management process, and determine competitive rental rates.

Key Rental Listing Features

Zillow Rental Manager supports landlords with features such as:

  • Syndication to partner sites: Listings are automatically distributed to other Zillow-owned feeds like Trulia and HotPads.
  • Dynamic rent pricing insights: Use Zillow’s free market data to adjust your property’s rent price based on local trends.
  • Customizable listing building tool: Add photos, descriptions, 3D tours, and rental terms to create an engaging listing.
  • Direct applications feature: Interested renters can submit a rental application directly through a Zillow rental listing.
  • Visibility upgrades: Paid options allow landlords to enhance their listing’s placement and visibility.

Syndication Platforms

Zillow Rental Manager syndicates listings to:

  • Zillow
  • Trulia
  • HotPads

Pricing

  • Platform fees: Free
  • Paid listings: Pay $29.99 to get premium listing placement on Zillow’s networks for up to 90 days

3. Rent.com

Rent.com (owned by Redfin) offers landlords a simple platform for advertising rental properties while connecting them with renters. The platform syndicates listings to multiple affiliate sites, providing broad exposure and valuable rental pricing insights.

Key Rental Listing Features

Rent.com simplifies rental advertising with these tools:

  • Syndication to Rent.com partner sites: Reach more renters by having your listing automatically syndicate across partner sites, such as ApartmentGuide and Redfin.
  • Free rent price estimator: Access data to help set a competitive and fair rent price for your property.
  • Tenant review system: Build credibility by featuring feedback from previous tenants.
  • Lead management dashboard: Track and respond to tenant inquiries through your dashboard to keep everything in one place.
  • Premium visibility upgrades: Paid features like featured placement enhance your listing’s performance in crowded markets.

Syndication Platforms

Rent.com syndicates listings to its partner platforms, including:

  • ApartmentGuide
  • Rent.com
  • Redfin

Pricing

  • Free Listing: Basic advertisement for your rental property.
  • Paid Upgrades: Cost varies for premium placement and additional features.

4. Apartments.com Rental Manager

Apartments.com Rental Manager offers a reliable way for landlords to advertise rental properties across a vast network of rental platforms. Tools for managing tenant inquiries, screening, and rent pricing make this platform a popular choice among landlords.

Key Rental Listing Features

Apartments.com Rental Manager supports landlords with:

  • Syndication to multiple platforms: Listings appear on Apartments.com, ApartmentFinder, and more, maximizing exposure to renters.
  • Rent price comparison tools: Use rental market data to determine a competitive rent price based on local trends.
  • Customizable listings: Create property profiles with high-quality photos, detailed descriptions, and virtual tours.
  • Auto-generated titles and descriptions: Generate optimized titles and descriptions automatically, or customize them to highlight specific property details.
  • Tenant screening tools: Conduct credit and background checks to qualify renters.

Syndication Platforms

Listings created with Apartments.com Rental Manager appear on:

  • Homes.com
  • ForRent.com
  • ApartmentFinder.com
  • ApartmentHomeLiving
  • WestsideRentals
  • After55.com
  • Corporatehousing.com
  • Apartmentos
  • ForRentUniversity

Pricing

  • Free Plan: Includes basic listing and lead management features. If you have a single property with five or more rentals, you are required to purchase an advertising package to list it.
  • Paid Options: Enhanced listing services and visibility upgrades vary by location and property type.

5. Apartment List

Apartment List uses a match-based system to connect landlords with renters who meet their property criteria. Performance-based pricing ensures landlords only pay for successful leads, making it an efficient option for rental advertising.

Key Rental Listing Features

Apartment List simplifies rental advertising with:

  • Customizable listing profiles: Add detailed descriptions, professional photos, and rental terms to help you generate quality leads.
  • AI lead nurturing feature: Get access to Lea Pro, their AI leasing agent, which helps engage interested renters to qualified leads.
  • Rent pricing insights: Adjust rental rates using data from Apartment List’s network to align with market trends.
  • Match-based lead generation: Connect with renters whose preferences align with your property features.
  • Direct application options: Renters can inquire or apply directly through the platform’s dashboard for seamless communication.
  • Performance-based pricing: Costs are tied to the quality of leads or signed leases.

Syndication Platforms

Apartment List focuses on its own renter network and does not syndicate to other platforms.

Pricing

  • Performance-Based Pricing: Costs depend on the number of qualified leads or signed leases, ensuring landlords only pay for results.

6. Trulia

Trulia, owned by Zillow, offers landlords a comprehensive platform for advertising rental properties while highlighting neighborhood features. Listings created via Zillow Rental Manager automatically appear on Trulia, enhancing visibility.

Key Rental Listing Features

Trulia empowers landlords with tools designed to maximize tenant engagement, including:

  • Syndication with Zillow Rental Manager: Listings appear on Trulia, Zillow, and HotPads, ensuring broad exposure.
  • Neighborhood insights: Add detailed information about schools, amenities, and safety to attract renters seeking specific environments.
  • Dynamic rent pricing tools: Adjust rental rates based on local market data provided by Zillow.
  • Auto-generated titles and descriptions: Automatically generated titles and descriptions make it easy to create optimized listings quickly.
  • Direct application options: Renters can apply through the listing, with applications integrated into your Zillow Rental Manager dashboard.

Syndication Platforms

Listings posted via Zillow Rental Manager appear on:

  • Trulia
  • Zillow
  • HotPads

Pricing

  • Free in Most Markets: Basic listing and syndication tools are included.
  • Paid listings: Pay $29.99 to get premium listing placement on Zillow’s networks for up to 90 days

7. Innago

Innago is an ideal option for those who manage small to mid-sized portfolios. Known for its simplicity, Innago offers free tools for rental advertising, tenant screening, and rent collection to streamline the property management process.

Key Rental Listing Features

Innago provides landlords with essential tools for advertising and managing properties:

  • Customizable property listings: Create engaging advertisements with photos, descriptions, and rental details to attract qualified tenants.
  • Rental application integration: Allow renters to submit a rental application, credit check, background check, and eviction report directly from the rental listing.
  • Lead management system: Track inquiries and communicate with prospective tenants through Innago’s built-in tools.
  • Flexible rent pricing tools: Analyze property performance and market data to set competitive rental rates.

Syndication Platforms

Innago rental listings appear on:

  • Zillow
  • Realtor.com
  • Rental Source
  • Zumper
  • RentLingo
  • ULoop
  • PadMapper
  • Trovit
  • Movoto
  • Doorsteps

Pricing

  • Free: Innago offers its property management tools, including tenant screening, rent collection, and basic advertising features, at no cost.

8. Buildium

Buildium is a property management solution tailored for landlords managing larger rental portfolios. The platform offers robust tools for advertising properties, setting competitive rent prices, and handling tenant communications.

Key Rental Listing Features

Buildium streamlines property advertising and tenant management with features like:

  • Syndication to listing platforms: Publish properties to Zillow, Apartments.com, and Trulia, ensuring wide exposure.
  • Rent pricing insights: Analyze market data to help landlords set fair and competitive rental rates.
  • Customizable listing templates: Include detailed descriptions, photos, and property features to create professional listings.
  • Lead tracking and tenant applications: Manage renter inquiries and applications directly through the platform.

Syndication Platforms

Buildium syndicates rental listings to:

  • Apartments.com
  • Apartment List
  • Zillow Rental Network
  • Zumper
  • Craigslist

Pricing

  • Essentials Plan: Starting at $58/month, includes basic property management features like listings, rent collection, and accounting tools. Depending on the level of your plan, you may have to pay additional one-time charges for features like eSign.
  • Growth and Premium Plans: Scaled pricing for larger portfolios, offering advanced tools like automation and integrations.

9. Hemlane

Hemlane combines property management with rental advertising and local agent support, offering landlords a unique blend of control and professional assistance. The platform’s syndication capabilities and rent pricing tools ensure properties are advertised effectively to attract quality tenants.

Key Rental Listing Features

Hemlane provides landlords with tools to streamline the rental process, including:

  • Syndication to listing platforms: Publish rental properties to Zillow, Trulia, Apartments.com, and Realtor.com® with a single click.
  • Rent pricing tools: Access market data to determine competitive rental rates for your properties.
  • Customizable property listings: Build professional advertisements with photos, detailed descriptions, and rental terms.
  • Lead management system: Track renter inquiries and applications through the platform.
  • Local agent support: Gain access to local agents for showings and other tenant-related tasks.

Syndication Platforms

Hemlane syndicates rental listings to the following sites. However, the total amount of sites you can list will depend on your subscription plan:

  • Zillow
  • Trulia
  • Apartments.com
  • Realtor.com®
  • Regional platforms based on property location

Pricing

  • Free Plan: Allows you to list your rental across four main sites, screen tenants, and track income and expenses.
  • Basic Plan ($28 platform fee + $2/unit/month): Includes essential features like listings, screening, and rent collection.
  • Essential Plan ($28 platform fee + $20/unit/month): Adds automated late fees, maintenance management, and financial reporting.
  • Complete Plan ($28 platform fee + $68/unit/month): Includes local leasing agent support and premium features for hands-off property management.

10. Redfin

Redfin, primarily known as a real estate platform, also offers rental property advertising. With features focused on local market insights and rent pricing analysis, Redfin helps landlords attract tenants while leveraging its trusted reputation in the real estate market.

Key Rental Listing Features

Redfin assists landlords with tools for showcasing rental properties and optimizing listings:

  • Customizable property listings: Create professional advertisements with detailed descriptions, rental terms, and high-quality images.
  • Neighborhood insights: Highlight nearby schools, amenities, and transportation options to attract renters.
  • Rent pricing tools: Access market data to determine competitive rental rates based on local trends.
  • Lead management: Organize and respond to renter inquiries directly through Redfin’s platform.

Syndication Platforms

Redfin does not syndicate rental listings to external platforms. Listings are displayed exclusively on Redfin’s platform, targeting its established audience of property seekers.

Pricing

  • Free Listing: Includes basic advertising and lead management.
  • Additional Fees: Costs may apply for premium advertising or enhanced visibility options.

11. Rentec Direct

Rentec Direct is a platform designed to help manage mid-sized to large portfolios. The platform combines rental listing syndication with robust management tools to simplify operations.

Key Rental Listing Features

Rentec Direct offers tools to help landlords advertise properties and attract tenants:

  • Syndication to major platforms: Post rental properties to Trulia, Apartments.com, and other partner sites.
  • Customizable listing templates: Add photos, detailed descriptions, and rental terms to create engaging advertisements.
  • Rent pricing insights: Access reports and market data to help determine the best rental price for your property.
  • Lead tracking and tenant applications: Respond to inquiries and manage tenant applications directly through the platform.

Syndication Platforms

Listings created with Rentec Direct are syndicated to:

  • Dwellsy
  • Apartment List
  • Rental Beast
  • Trovit
  • Apartment Advisor
  • RentalSource
  • Apartments.com
  • Realtor.com®

Pricing

  • Pro Plan ($50+/month): Includes core features like listings, screening, and rent collection for small portfolios.
  • PMPlan ($50+/month): Adds advanced features for property managers and agents who manage properties for owner clients, such as tenant portals, and additional reporting tools.

12. Stessa

Stessa, known for its financial management tools, also offers a leasing feature that allows landlords to advertise rental properties and manage inquiries. This makes Stessa a dual-purpose platform for both property listing and financial tracking, ideal for landlords seeking a streamlined solution.

Key Rental Listing Features

Stessa combines leasing tools with financial insights to help landlords manage their properties efficiently:

  • Customizable property listings: Create detailed advertisements with high-quality photos, rental terms, and property descriptions.
  • Direct tenant applications: Prospective renters can apply directly through the platform, streamlining the application process.
  • Rent pricing insights: Use Stessa’s market analysis tools to set competitive rental prices based on local trends.
  • Tenant inquiry tracking: Manage and respond to prospective tenant inquiries from a centralized dashboard.
  • Financial integration: Automatically track rental income and expenses linked to your properties.

Syndication Platforms

Stessa syndicates listings to the following platforms:

  • Zillow Rental Manager
  • Trulia
  • Hotpads

Pricing

  • Free: Stessa’s leasing and financial management tools are available at no cost.

13. TenantCloud

TenantCloud is an all-in-one property management platform that helps landlords advertise rental properties, screen tenants, and manage day-to-day operations. Its syndication capabilities and customizable listings make it a great choice for independent landlords.

Key Rental Listing Features

TenantCloud offers a range of tools to simplify rental advertising and management:

  • Syndication to listing platforms: Post rental listings on Zillow, Trulia, Apartments.com, and other partner sites.
  • Customizable property profiles: Create engaging advertisements with photos, descriptions, and rental terms.
  • Rent pricing tools: Use data insights to set fair and competitive rental rates based on local trends.
  • Premium placement tool: Landlords can pay an extra fee to get premium placements on Rent.com, Apartment Guide, Redfin, RealtyStore.com, and more.
  • Tenant applications and screening: Accept applications directly through the platform and perform background checks.
  • Lead tracking and communication: Manage tenant inquiries and applications seamlessly.

Syndication Platforms

TenantCloud syndicates rental listings to:

  • Rent.com
  • Zillow
  • Trulia
  • Apartments.com
  • Realtor.com®
  • PadMapper
  • Other regional platforms

Pricing

  • StarterPlan ($17/month) includes rent payments, maintenance management, listings and applications
  • Growth Plan ($32/month): Everything in Starter plus lease builder and forms
  • Pro Plan ($55/month): Everything in Growth, plus advanced features like tax reports, application customization, and reconciliation
  • Business (not disclosed): Everything in Pro plus team tools, task management, and listings auto-refresh

14. TurboTenant

TurboTenant focuses on helping landlords advertise rental properties and screen tenants. Its free syndication capabilities and tenant application tools make it a popular choice for independent landlords.

Key Rental Listing Features

TurboTenant provides landlords with tools to create and manage rental listings efficiently:

  • Syndication to listing platforms: Publish rental listings on Apartments.com, Realtor.com®, and more.
  • Customizable listing templates: Add professional descriptions, photos, and rental details to attract quality tenants.
  • Rent pricing reports: Access local market data to ensure your rental price is competitive.
  • Tenant applications and screening: Receive applications directly through the platform and perform credit and background checks.
  • Communication tools: Track and respond to tenant inquiries through an integrated messaging system.

Syndication Platforms

TurboTenant syndicates listings to the following. Other sites may be options, but this depends on the amount of units you have and the property type.

  • Apartments.com
  • Realtor.com®
  • PadMapper
  • Rent.com
  • Zumper.com
  • After55.com
  • Apartmentfinder.com
  • ApartmentHomeLiving.com
  • Apartmentos
  • CorporateHousing.com
  • ForRent.com
  • Dwellsy
  • Other regional platforms

Pricing

  • Free Plan: Includes rental listings and applications, but offers limited functionality
  • Screening Fees: Reports start at $35, covered by tenants
  • Pro Plan: Must purchase an annual subscription, at $149/ year

15. Zumper

Zumper is a rental platform designed to connect landlords with prospective tenants quickly and efficiently. With built-in tools for syndication, rent pricing, and tenant applications, Zumper makes it easy to market your rental property to a large audience.

Key Rental Listing Features

Zumper offers landlords several tools to optimize their rental property advertising:

  • Syndication to multiple platforms: Publish your listing on Zumper’s network and partner sites, such as PadMapper.
  • Customizable listings: Create detailed advertisements with professional photos, rental terms, and property features.
  • Dynamic rent pricing tools: Use Zumper’s market data to determine competitive rent prices based on your location.
  • Tenant applications and screening: Renters can apply directly through the platform, with options for credit and background checks.

Syndication Platforms

Listings on Zumper are syndicated to:

  • Zumper
  • PadMapper
  • Additional regional platforms, depending on availability.

Pricing

  • Free Plan: Includes basic listing and syndication tools.
  • Premium Listings ($29.99/month): Increases your listing’s visibility and provides enhanced marketing options.

16. Facebook Marketplace

Facebook Marketplace is a social media platform that allows landlords to advertise rental properties to their local community. With its broad user base and easy-to-use interface, it is one of the most accessible ways to connect with renters.

Key Rental Listing Features

Facebook Marketplace simplifies property advertising with these features:

  • Localized listings: Advertise properties to renters searching within specific geographic areas.
  • Cost-effective advertising: Listings are free, making it an excellent option for landlords on a budget.
  • Integrated messaging: Communicate directly with prospective tenants through Facebook Messenger.
  • Photos and descriptions: Add detailed property descriptions, rental terms, and photos to create an engaging listing.

Syndication Platforms

Facebook Marketplace does not syndicate to other platforms. Listings appear only on Facebook, targeting local renters.

Pricing

  • Free: Includes property listings and messaging tools.

17. RentRedi

RentRedi delivers an intuitive solution for landlords, streamlining the process of advertising rental properties, screening tenants, and managing day-to-day property tasks. Tailored for independent landlords, RentRedi makes it simple to showcase your rentals and connect with qualified tenants efficiently.

Key Rental Listing Features

RentRedi supports landlords with tools to advertise and manage their rental properties:

  • Syndication to listing platforms: Listings are seamlessly syndicated to trusted platforms like Realtor.com®, Apartments.com, Zumper, and PadMapper, expanding visibility to a wide audience.
  • Customizable listings: Add photos, property descriptions, and rental terms to create compelling advertisements.
  • Tenant applications and screening: Prospective renters can apply directly through RentRedi, with screening tools to check credit, criminal, and eviction histories.
  • Rent pricing tools: Use rental data to determine a fair and competitive rental price for your property.
  • Lead tracking and management: Respond to tenant inquiries directly within the platform.
  • Performance tracking: Use built-in analytics to monitor the engagement and effectiveness of your rental listings, enabling continuous optimization.

Syndication Platforms

RentRedi syndicates listings to:

  • Realtor.com®
  • Apartments.com
  • Zillow (with extra steps)
  • And other regional platforms, depending on location.

Pricing

  • Starting at $19.95/per month: Includes rental listing syndication, tenant applications, and management tools.
  • Monthly Plan ($29/95/per month): Discounts can be applied annually or in six-month installments.
  • Annual Plan ($199.95/year): Offers savings for landlords who choose an annual subscription.

18. DoorLoop

DoorLoop is a full-suite property management software designed for landlords and property managers. While its focus is on streamlining property operations, DoorLoop also offers tools for advertising rental properties and setting competitive rent prices.

Key Rental Listing Features

DoorLoop provides landlords with a variety of tools to market and manage their rentals effectively:

  • Syndication to major platforms: List properties on Zillow, Trulia, Apartments.com, and more.
  • Customizable advertisements: Create professional listings with detailed property descriptions, photos, and rental terms.
  • Rent pricing analysis: Use DoorLoop’s market insights to set optimal rental rates.
  • Tenant applications and screening: Renters can apply directly through the platform, with options for credit, eviction, and criminal background checks.
  • Lead management tools: Track tenant inquiries and manage communications from a central dashboard.

Syndication Platforms

DoorLoop syndicates listings to the following sites with the Zapier plug-in:

  • Zillow
  • HotPads
  • Trulia

Pricing

  • Starting at $69/per month: Includes listing syndication, tenant applications, and management tools. However, it’s important to note their pricing scales with the number of units with the first increase at 20 units.
  • Custom Plans: Available for landlords with larger portfolios or specific needs.

19. HotPads

HotPads, a subsidiary of Zillow, specializes in rental property listings with a focus on urban areas and mobile-friendly experiences. The platform is part of Zillow’s network, which ensures wide exposure for landlords seeking to advertise their properties.

Key Rental Listing Features

HotPads offers landlords a variety of tools to enhance their rental property advertising:

  • Syndication through Zillow Rental Manager: Listings created on Zillow Rental Manager are automatically displayed on HotPads and Trulia.
  • Customizable listings: Add detailed property descriptions, photos, and rental terms to attract prospective tenants.
  • Mobile-friendly platform: HotPads focuses on providing a seamless mobile experience, making it ideal for renters searching on the go.
  • Rent pricing tools: Use Zillow’s market data to analyze local trends and determine competitive rental rates.
  • Tenant applications and screening: Accept applications directly through the listing and access credit, eviction, and background reports.

Syndication Platforms

HotPads syndicates listings through Zillow Rental Manager, which ensures visibility on:

  • HotPads
  • Zillow
  • Trulia

Pricing

  • Free in Most Markets: Basic listing tools are included at no cost
  • Paid listings: Pay $29.99 to get premium listing placement on Zillow’s networks for up to 90 days

What To Look For in a Rental Listing Platform

A great rental listing platform should help you get your rental in front of prospective renters and generate quality leads. When choosing the right property for your marketing needs, consider looking for the following:

  • Rental listing visibility: While there are highly visited sites like Zillow, 82% of renters use at least three or more internet listing services (ILSs) during their property search. With that in mind, look for a platform that lists your apartment, condo, townhome, or single-family home across multiple feeds to increase your visibility.
  • Fraud prevention: Rental scams are becoming more common, causing renters to turn to trusted rental sites with fraud prevention programs. So use a platform that can post your listing across secure rental feeds and add visual markers that your listing is trusted to increase clicks.
  • Writing support: Your rental listing title and description can influence overall engagement, so you’ll want to include the details that make your unit stand out. However, if writing isn’t your favorite task, consider using a platform like Avail that offers suggested titles and descriptions based on the provided information.
  • Tenant screening tools: After a prospective renter has shown interest in your unit and viewed it in person, the immediate next step is requesting a rental application and locally allowed screening reports. Look for a rental listing platform that allows you to screen tenants, accept or deny applications, and onboard them for rent collection.

Maximize Your Reach With Avail

Finding the perfect tenant starts with getting your listing in front of as many qualified renters as possible. To make that process seamless, you need a platform that not only boosts your property’s visibility but also simplifies how you manage leads, applications, and tours.

With Avail, you can syndicate your listing to 20+ leading rental sites, including Realtor.com®, in just minutes. Renters can easily schedule tours directly through your listing and apply on Realtor.com®, making it faster and easier to connect with serious prospects.Our landlord tools also streamline the rental process by helping you manage inquiries, screen applicants, and collect rental applications all in one place.

Create an account today to save time, reduce hassle, and find your ideal tenant with landlord software built with your needs in mind.

Source: https://www.avail.co/education/articles/15-best-sites-for-advertising-your-rental-property-listing

Eviction Sealing Effective May 2025 – What Landlords Need to Know

Gov. Maura Healey signed 193 H.4977, also known as the Housing Bond Bill, into law on Aug. 1, 2024. The bill included eviction sealing, effective in May 2025. Here’s what you need to know.

 

Eviction sealing appeared in the House’s version of the Housing Bond Bill as H.4356, and was passed into law with very few changes made during conference committee. It appears as Section 52 of Chapter 150 of the Acts of 2024 and has its permanent location in Chapter 239.

As we did when H.4356 was introduced, we have prepared a line-by-line explainer of this law. The eviction sealing law stands to harm housing providers and good renters, and will place excessive burden on the courts. This article provides an overview of the law’s talking points.

In almost all cases, renters seeking to have their eviction sealed must notify the landlord, who has seven days to object to the process, at which point a hearing would be held. How the landlord must be notified is unclear.

Think a credit report will show owed judgments? Probably not anymore, as credit reporting agencies will have to monitor for sealed evictions constantly. (Image: Licensed 123rf)

No Cause Stated Evictions Sealed Immediately

No-cause-stated evictions, also called no-fault evictions by renter advocates, are typically conducted when the landlord needs to deliver the property vacant for a sale, needs to use the unit themselves, or if the landlord is not able to provide enough evidence to make a for-cause eviction stick.

Under eviction sealing, a tenant can request this record be sealed as soon as the eviction process (including any appeals) is concluded.

This sounds fine until you realize that there are cases in which a no-fault eviction is the only way to get problematic tenants out, particularly if other tenants do not testify. We use Gwendolyn Property Management v. Goodwin as a prime example. The landlord had witnesses to the fact that the tenants were smoking in and around a non-smoking unit, but the judge threw it out as hearsay. A second eviction not for cause was the only way to remove the tenants. Is this a tenant you’d want renting from you?

Nonpayment Eviction Sealed in 4 Years

If a renter is evicted for nonpayment, they too may request that record be sealed. They just have to wait for four years from the conclusion of the case and appeal (if any). As long as they have not been filed against for nonpayment in that time, and they state that the reason for nonpayment was due to economic hardship, their record may be sealed.

The tenant must prove that hardship to the courts, though the law is murky about what constitutes “hardship.” Electric rates have risen sharply this year; will a higher utility bill count if the tenant says they paid Eversource and shorted the landlord to do so?

The landlord may object, and if they do, a hearing will be held. In other words, the court is going to have to listen to the eviction saga all over again before sealing the record (or not).

For-cause Evictions Sealed After 7 Years

A renter who is evicted for cause may petition to have their eviction record sealed as long as they avoid another no-cause-stated eviction case for seven years from the date of their case’s conclusion, and any appeals if applicable.

However, the law does not specifically state that other types of evictions count against the renter’s timeline. For example, if Ronald Renter has a for-cause eviction in 2025, and gets a nonpayment eviction filed against him in 2027, this does not interrupt the seven-year clock for sealing his for-cause eviction. And in fact, none of the timelines for any type of eviction specify that other types of eviction will interrupt the timeline toward getting the first case sealed.

If a renter is evicted for violating the “common nuisance law” (Chapter 139), they too may petition to have the eviction sealed after seven years. The courts will need to determine if they have had any violations in that timeframe. The common nuisance law includes charges such as prostitution, lewdness, gambling, alcohol served to minors, bootlegging, threat of violence, drugs, firearms and other illegal weapons, and explosives.

Cases Where Renter Prevails Immediately Sealed

In any eviction case where the renter wins, they may petition the court to have that record sealed as soon as the case/appeal is concluded.

To do so, the renter must return to the court where the case was held, but in this instance, the landlord does not need to be notified, presumably because the renter won the case.

Landlords: Tell Court When Judgment Has Been Satisfied…Or Else

A judgment for nonpayment is good for 20 years in Massachusetts. If a tenant pays off that money owed, it should be recorded as a satisfaction of judgment with the courts. Not every satisfied judgment was recorded, though; this was a problem eviction sealing advocates were trying to solve.

The eviction sealing law now requires landlords to inform the courts when a judgment has been satisfied, and requires them to do the same for agreements. Again, the wording is unclear. Sometimes agreements are satisfied on a continuing basis, such as a ruling that all rent must be paid by the 5th of the month. Does the landlord need to notify the court monthly?

Regardless, if the landlord does not notify the court that the judgment or agreement has been satisfied, the renter has the option to petition the court to declare the judgment or agreement satisfied.

The landlord must be notified if the renter petitions the court. If the landlord objects, then the court must hold a hearing and determine whether the judgment was actually satisfied.

But if there is no objection from the landlord, the courts must mark the judgment as satisfied. If the renter is prepared to lie in court, the landlord is left to prove a negative (“they did not pay me the owed money”). Proving a negative is very difficult. If the renter is prepared to commit perjury, this is a workaround to the 20-year judgment timeline.

Evictions with satisfied judgments can be immediately sealed if the renter petitions.

Who Can See Sealed Eviction Records?

The law does allow for some instances where sealed records may be accessed. Law enforcement can access them for the purposes of criminal investigation or criminal trials where the sealed eviction is relevant and/or part of evidence.

Journalists, researchers and law enforcement must petition for access to sealed court records. The court has this discretion as long as the request is for “public safety, scholarly, educational, journalistic or governmental purposes only.”

This means it’s up to the court to determine whether the requesting party is asking for the right reasons. Records may never be used for “commercial purposes.” Will the courts consider a media outlet commercial, if the outlet sells ad time or copies of its publication? Another gray area.

If you are a party to the case (landlord or tenant), you may petition to access your own record. Either you or your legal representation can request this.

Credit reporting agencies may not report on information contained in sealed records. Since evictions may be sealed at many different points following the conclusion of a case, such agencies would need to continually scour court reports to see what evictions have been sealed and remove them. This likely means credit reporting agencies will stop reporting for-cause evictions after 7 years, nonpayment after 4 years, or no-cause-stated evictions at all, regardless of whether they have been sealed.

Credit reporting agencies may still report publicly available information.

The Fallout of Eviction Sealing

At time of writing, eviction sealing does not take effect until May 2025, but we can predict some of the negative outcomes.

First, as landlords lose money on unpaid rent and property damage that they could have otherwise foreseen, rents will increase. We see this when rental units are renovated or retrofitted, and the same will apply here.

The 96% of renters who previously relied on a clean eviction history to bolster their application may find it harder to get approved for rentals. Conversely, the 4% of bad renters, such as professional tenants like the Callahans, will be protected as long as they manage to go four years without an eviction for nonpayment. All they need to do to make that happen is move over the state line and cause havoc elsewhere for a little while.

The new requirements on the court, including researching criminal histories and essentially re-conducting eviction hearings, will bog down an already over-burdened system. This is the last thing anyone needs.

We will continue to update this article as eviction sealing progresses.

Source: https://masslandlords.net/laws/eviction-sealing/