ForRent.com

Author: Kaitlyn Short

ForRent.com was founded as a brand under its parent company Dominion Enterprises, which in turn is wholly owned by Wholly-owned by Landmark Media Enterprises, LLC. It provides a free platform for apartment seekers as well as diverse advertising services in print, social, online, mobile and video on a widespread distribution network for property managers and owners. 

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The Good

• International
• States
• Agents
• Offices
• Real estate options
• Filtering options
• Commission/selling cost
• Specialties
• Experience

International

For Rent has a wide reach, publishing 80 magazines that cover more than 80 markets nationwide throughout the United States and Canada. They also have offices in 4 other countries. More than 20 million ForRent listings are distributed per year in 70 markets across the U.S. This allows apartment seekers to have more options when searching for places to rent nationally and in Canada. It also works well for those renting out apartments, since in the past they have been limited to advertising locally, leaving out people living outside of the area who are seeking to move there.

States

ForRent, through its national magazine rental listings, serves approximately 39/51 states. They also serve 10 Canadian States.

Agents

Since Forrent.com is an online platform connecting apartment seekers with free access to listings, no agents are used. This works well for internet advertising models.

Offices

Forrent.com is a subsidiary of Dominion Enterprises, whose main offices are in Norfolk, Virginia. The company has thousands of employees nationwide. They have 145 offices in 33 states and 5 countries. Norfolk, Virginia has its biggest pool of employees at 600 strong.

Real Estate Options

ForRent offers services to help you rent apartments by conducting customized searches from thousands of apartment listings, property management companies and private property owners nationwide. Unlike some companies in this niche, your search can be done on your mobile device-more convenient since this is where many people are these days. They also offer services if you are renting or leasing an apartment. Property Managers and owners are provided distribution through various marketing and advertising products that display their community listings in various formats, including print, social, online, mobile and video. Since these services are created to drive leads, are easy to use, easy to understand and designed with prospects in mind, this is a valuable service for people owning several properties.

Filtering Options

ForRent offers a total of 9 filtering options (including the Advances Search). There is the Quick Search option where you put in your geographical location (i.e. State and City). Their advanced search offers several additional filters, including: Price range, Beds, Baths, and Pet Policy. ForRent continues to offer more advanced filters like Apartment Amenities and Community Features (i.e. Smoke free or Disability Access). Additionally, apartment seekers can search their list of States to click on for available apartments in that State (or in Canada) and even search apartments by Metro Region (i.e. Southwest or Midwest Region). These advanced features makes it easier for apartment seekers to find what they want and it also saves time that can be wasted researching the wrong apartments that are not what they want or need.

Commission/Selling Cost

There are no sale representatives or agents with Forrent.com, so a commission does not apply. This is better for the demographic they serve, which are everyday people looking to rent an apartment.

Specialties

ForRent.com is solely dedicated primarily to the needs of the apartment rental industry. One specialty niche they serve is college students through their sister website, ForrentUniversity.com. This site offers the same tools as Forrent.com but tailors it for undergraduates, graduate students and university faculty and staff seking off-campus housing. They also have a website called After55.com which offers Seniors seeking Assisted living facilities, nursing homes, continuing care retirement communities and other independent living options that offer varying levels of assistance for seniors. One last niche they serve is those seeking temporary housing. This is done through their other sister website, CorporateHousing.com, which caters to people who have just moved, are on a business trip, are temporarily relocating or just taking an extended vacation. This site offers a variety of temporary housing options depending on your needs, including extended stay hotels, corporate apartments, furnished apartments for rent, privately owned houses, condos and vacation properties. What's great is that the ability to search and find apartments, Off-Campus Housing, Senior Living and temporary housing is free. The search filters allow you to narrow your search to the specific area and living specifications you want or need in a fast and easy "on-Denand" manner. It also is very advantageous to these specific demographics. For example, with ForrentUniversity, students or faculty have another venue for finding apartments that specifically rent to college students. Since most college students are not gainfully employed or have developed credit, this saves time from searching through general rental listings, most of whom won't rent to college students.

Experience

ForRent has been in business since 1989. Over 27 years, the company has expanded from a print magazine listing to online platform serving a larger audience who use mobile devices.

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The Bad

• License

There is no aspect of this company that earns a negative mention.

License

Due to being only a website platform and apartment listing online and in print, Forrent.com does not have agents and subsequently no real estate licensing is involved as it does with realty agencies that sell real estate properties. This is a good thing for those seeking to rent, not buy, as it simplifies the process and cuts out the agents who are in fact middle men. The only possible "negative" may be that you lose the advantage of having an agent qualify leads for you, which they may do a better job of or may save you time if you're a busy person.

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The Bottom Line

ForRent.com is a site that is highly recommended for both renters and rental property owners. The company serves the general population of everyday people but they also serve niche markets for college students, seniors and those needing temporary housing. Apartment seekers can narrow down their search to view the rentals they're interested in. There are also videos, pictures, and reviews so that you can view an apartment before taking your time to go on a tour. The only possible negative is that there are no agents involved to "vet" apartment renters or property mangers/owners on your behalf.