Zillow Rentals: How to Search, Apply and Stay Safe as a Renter

Zillow is one of the most familiar real estate websites in the United States, and its rental section lets you browse apartments, single-family houses, condos and townhomes in one place. This guide walks through how the rental search works, what costs to plan for, and how to protect yourself while you look.

What Zillow Rentals offers

Zillow's rental search is built around a map and a list of matching listings. You can type a city, neighborhood, ZIP code or address, then narrow results with filters such as monthly rent, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, home type and whether pets are allowed. Listings typically show photos, a description, amenities and a way to contact the property manager or landlord.

Zillow also offers a reusable online rental application. According to Zillow, you fill it out once and can send it to as many participating listings as you like for 30 days after activation, for a single fee. The package includes a credit report and a background check, and Zillow says landlords must verify their identity before they can view your screening reports. Some properties also let tenants pay rent online through Zillow.

How to search step by step

1. Open the rental search and enter the city, neighborhood or ZIP code where you want to live.
2. Set your maximum monthly rent first, so you are not distracted by homes outside your budget.
3. Add filters for bedrooms, bathrooms, home type and pets, then zoom the map to the streets you prefer.
4. Save the search and turn on alerts so new listings that match your criteria reach your inbox.
5. Shortlist a few homes, read each description carefully, and note what utilities, parking or fees are mentioned.
6. Contact the landlord or property manager with your questions and ask to tour the home in person or by live video.
7. Apply only after you have confirmed the home is real and available and you understand the lease terms.

Costs and fees to expect

Searching and contacting landlords on Zillow does not require payment. The costs come later and are set by the landlord, the property manager or the screening service, not by this guide:

• Application or screening fee: covers credit and background checks. Zillow's reusable application charges one fee for its 30-day window; other landlords may charge their own fee per application.
• Security deposit: often equal to some portion of monthly rent, and state law may cap it.
• First month's rent: usually due at or before move-in.
• Other possible charges: pet deposits or pet rent, parking, utilities and renters insurance.

Ask for every fee in writing before you sign, and keep copies of all receipts.

Making your Zillow search work harder

The difference between finding a house in a week and searching for months is often how you set up your search. Start broad, with your maximum rent and the minimum number of bedrooms you can accept, and look at what comes back across a few neighbourhoods. Then tighten one filter at a time. If results drop sharply when you add pets or parking, you will know which requirement is costing you the most choices.

Saved searches are worth setting up for each area you like rather than one big search. That way, alerts are easier to scan and you can act quickly on the ones that matter. Check new listings early in the day if you can, because well-priced homes often attract many messages within hours.

Reading a listing like a landlord

A listing tells you more than its photos. Look at how long the home has been listed, whether the rent has changed and what the description says about utilities, lease length and pets. Vague descriptions, missing interior photos or a rent far below nearby homes are all reasons to ask more questions before you go any further.

Compare the listing with the map. Check the walk or drive to work, schools and shops, and look at the street view where available. A home that seems perfect on paper can feel very different once you see the location around it.

Touring and following up

When you contact a landlord, ask the questions that matter most to you before booking a viewing: total monthly costs, move-in date, pet rules and how long the lease runs. During the tour, check water pressure, heating and cooling, signs of damp or pests and the condition of appliances.

After a good tour, follow up the same day. A short message saying you are interested, with your move-in date and a summary of your income and household, keeps you at the top of the landlord's list. If you decide to apply, make sure you understand which fees go to the landlord and which go to the screening service.

Keeping your search organised

When you are watching several homes, a simple list helps. Note the address, rent, total monthly cost, contact details, tour date and your impressions after each viewing. It takes a minute to update and stops you from mixing up homes or missing a follow-up. It also makes it easy to compare two good options side by side when it is time to decide.

Tips and rental-scam warnings

A large site does not guarantee that every listing is legitimate, so stay alert:

• Be suspicious of rent that is far below similar homes nearby.
• Do not pay anyone who says they are out of the country and cannot show the home.
• Never pay with a wire transfer, gift cards or cryptocurrency; once that money is gone it is very hard to recover.
• Do not share your Social Security number or ID photos until you have confirmed who the landlord is.
• Check public property records to see who owns the home, and search the owner's name online.
• If something seems wrong, report the listing to the website and to the Federal Trade Commission.

Taking a few extra minutes to verify a listing can save you from losing a deposit to a fake landlord.

Frequently asked questions

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