Over the years, the rental market has changed a lot. For example, Zillow, Zillow Rentals, and Zillow Rental Manager have become go-to sites for millions of renters and landlords in the United States, even in high-demand areas like Zillow NJ. Zillow is one of the most popular online real estate marketplaces, with over 36 million visitors each month. It has a huge network for listing properties on Zillow Rentals, Zillow Rental Manager, and related sites like Trulia and HotPads. Even though Zillow Rentals is popular and has a lot of great features, renters have said they want improvements that would make their experience even smoother and more personalized to their requirements. This blog talks about the most important things that renters want Zillow Rentals and Zillow renting Manager to incorporate in future updates to make the renting experience better, more open, and more satisfying for users. We’ll also talk about how these changes can affect Zillow stock and how popular the site is in competitive markets like Zillow NJ.
1. More openness about fees and costs
One of the most prevalent concerns from tenants who use Zillow Rentals is that they don’t know about fees up front. The Consumer Housing Trends Report from Zillow says that 80% of renters put staying within their budget first. However, many are shocked by extra costs like application fees, broker fees, or move-in fees. For instance, Zillow Rental Manager charges tenants $35 for each application and screening report. This might mount up for people who are applying to more than one property. Before they apply, renters want Zillow Rentals to add a Cost of Renting Summary that clearly lists all possible fees, such as application, pet, parking, and utilities. This tool may have a calculator that helps tenants in places like Zillow NJ figure out how much it will cost to move in, so they don’t receive any shocks in their budget.
Renters also want Zillow Rental Manager to show if landlords pay for utilities or if tenants are responsible for them. In areas like New York and Boston, where broker fees can be high, a filter for postings with “no broker fee” would be a huge help. This kind of openness would fit with Zillow’s work with the White House to lower hidden costs, which would make Zillow Rentals a more reliable platform and could even raise Zillow’s stock price by bringing in more customers.
2. Better filters for amenities and more up-to-date preferences
Recent Zillow Rentals data shows that renters are less interested in standard amenities like pools and fitness centers, which see 26% and 10% fewer discounts, respectively. Instead, tenants are more interested in things that are useful and improve their quality of life, such as turfed pet areas (76% more saves), coworking spaces (16% more saves), and community happy hours (50% more saves). Zillow Rentals does not have special criteria for these popular amenities, though. Renters want Zillow Rental Manager to incorporate more specific filters for pet-friendly places, air filters, and community events so that their searches are more in line with what they want.
For instance, a filter for “pet-friendly with turfed area” or “coworking space available” could make it easier to find what you’re looking for on Zillow NJ, since renters in cities and suburbs have different demands. Renters also want to be able to sort ads by those with in-unit laundry or off-street parking, which now get 76% and 85% more savings, respectively. Zillow Rentals could get more people to use its site by making it easier to search. This could lead to more traffic and a rise in Zillow stock prices.
3. Interactive features and virtual tours
Zillow Rentals has a free 3D house tour app, but renters want more interactive and immersive options. A lot of listings still use static photographs, which might not show the whole layout or condition of a home. Renters want Zillow Rental Manager to require all listings to have high-quality video walkthroughs or 360-degree virtual tours, just like the video option that was added in 2016. These tools let tenants see spaces more clearly, especially in competitive markets like Zillow NJ, where it may be hard to schedule or get to see a place in person.
Also, tenants want an augmented reality (AR) function that lets them “place” furniture in a virtual tour to see how well the space works. Younger tenants who like tech-based solutions would really like this. Zillow Rentals might set itself apart from competitors like Apartments.com by investing in these kinds of new ideas. This could lead to a rise in Zillow stock as more people utilize the service.
4. Strong tools for talking to tenants
Zillow Rental Manager doesn’t do a good job of helping landlords and tenants talk to each other. Renters want Zillow Rentals to have a separate messaging center to make it easier to talk to landlords or property managers. Right now, communication is restricted to simple messaging for questions, and there is no structure in place for continued communication between tenants and landlords once the lease is signed. A central hub might let renters send in maintenance requests, keep track of their payment histories, or even talk about lease conditions right on the site.
For example, those who rent through Zillow NJ often have to deal with a lot of applications and showings at the same time. A communication platform that keeps track of messages, sets up showings, and sends reminders would make things less stressful and more efficient. Apartments.com and other competitors already have facilities for making maintenance requests. Adding this to Zillow Rental Manager might make it more appealing to both tenants and landlords, which could make Zillow’s shares more valuable.
5. More advanced ways to screen tenants
Zillow Rental Manager does background checks, credit checks, and eviction checks on tenants, but renters desire more control over their application profiles. Many people want a “Renter Resume” function that lets them post a profile that has already been checked for income, references, and personal introductions. This would make the application process faster and lower the $35 price for multiple applications, since tenants could use their profile for 30 days across all postings.
Renters also want Zillow Rentals to tell them why their applications were turned down. A Reddit thread from 2023 talked about how upset people were with Zillow Rental Manager’s lack of transparency on denials. Users suggested sending automated notices of adverse action to clarify why applications were turned down. This openness would help tenants feel appreciated and establish trust, which might lead to more people using Zillow Rentals and help Zillow’s stock price go up.
6. Local laws that protect people and tools to help them afford things
People who rent, especially in expensive places like Zillow NJ, want Zillow Rentals to add more useful legal and affordability information. Zillow’s rent affordability calculator is a good start, but renters want a tool that compares their budget to local rent trends and identifies locations that are reasonable. For instance, since 2020, nationwide rentals have gone up 28.7% to $1,858, but salaries haven’t kept up, so renters need tools to help them find their way around.
Renters also want Zillow Rental Manager to show more local legal safeguards, like rules against discrimination based on sexual orientation or source of income, on all of its listings. This would give tenants the tools they need to make smart choices and make sure that landlords follow fair housing rules. By putting affordability and legal clarity first, Zillow Rentals could draw in tenants who care about social issues, which could raise Zillow’s stock price by making the platform more trustworthy.
7. Ratings and Reviews from the Community
Many renters want Zillow Rentals to have a review system that lets prior tenants assess landlords and houses. Zillow Rental Manager is mostly for landlords, but renters want a feature like Yelp where they can read and post feedback on how safe the neighborhood is, how quickly the landlord responds, and how well the property is kept. This would be quite helpful in Zillow NJ, where tenants often have to deal with competitive marketplaces and need solid information before making a decision.
To stop fraud, a review system might also contain verified ratings. This would address concerns made on sites like Trustpilot concerning Zillow’s customer service problems. Zillow Rentals might build trust and engagement by creating a feedback loop that is driven by the community. This could bring in more traffic and help Zillow’s stock price go up.
8. Work with other ways to pay
Zillow Rental Manager lets you pay your rent with ACH for free, but if you use a credit card, you’ll have to pay a 2.95% cost, and if you use a debit card, you’ll have to pay a $9.95 fee. Renters want new ways to pay, like being able to use digital wallets like PayPal or Venmo, or even cryptocurrencies for people who are good with technology. Also, tenants want to be able to split rent payments directly on the site, which would make transactions easier and conflicts less likely.
A roommate payment-splitting tool would be quite helpful in Zillow NJ, where renting out multiple apartments is widespread. Zillow Rentals might attract younger tenants and make users happier by offering more ways to pay. This could lead to more transactions and a higher stock price for Zillow.
9. Better experience with the mobile app
People like the Zillow Rental Manager mobile app because it’s easy to use, while tenants want the interface to be more user-friendly. Some suggestions include to let users access saved listings offline, send them push notifications when new properties that fit their criteria become available, and make the search based on a map better for mobile. These changes could make Zillow Rentals easier to use and more competitive with applications like Apartments.com in Zillow NJ, where renters typically look for somewhere to live on the move.
10. Fixing technical problems and helping customers
Lastly, tenants often say that Zillow Rentals has technological problems, such maps that don’t work right or payments that take too long to complete. A 2023 Trustpilot review talked about a scenario when a landlord never got rent that was paid through Zillow Rental Manager because of problems with third-party processing. Renters want better customer service, including being able to chat or call someone, and they want technical problems to be fixed more quickly. Better support would make people trust Zillow Rentals more, which might raise Zillow’s stock price by lowering negative feedback.
In conclusion
Zillow Rentals and Zillow Rental Manager are still the most popular rental sites, but if they listen to what tenants want, they might become the best choice for both renters and landlords. These changes would make Zillow Rentals more user-friendly by adding features including better fee transparency, modern amenity filters, virtual tours, strong communication tools, and community reviews. In competitive areas like Zillow NJ, these features could bring in more users, lower the number of empty apartments, and make it easier for landlords and tenants to talk to each other. Zillow might not only make users happier by making these changes, but it could also boost the value of Zillow stock, which would strengthen its position as the leader in the real estate business. Renters want Zillow Rentals to be more open, participatory, and easy to use, and the platform has the chance to do that.