How much should I charge for rent?
Questions about pricing your rental?
Our landlord tools and resources have you covered.
Start with a free Rent Zestimate®
The Rent Zestimate® uses millions of public data points — plus local market trends — to give you a starting point.
Research other rental homes in your area
Sort, filter and analyze a customized list of advertised rentals in your area. Information from similar advertised properties makes it easier to set the right price.
Stay on top of market trends
After you receive your Rent Zestimate®, we'll send you resources to help you learn what renters are looking for in your local market.
Common questions about renting your home
- 1. How should I price my rental?
To determine your rent price, consider local rent control laws, the rental rates of homes in your area (rental comps), the features of your home, and changes in your local market. How much you charge for rent is ultimately up to you, but to get a quick starting point, try our free Rent Zestimate® tool. To learn more about pricing your rental, check out this article.
- 2. How is my Rent Zestimate® calculated?
The Rent Zestimate® tool helps provide a rent estimate by address. To come up with the Zillow Rent Zestimate®, we look at publicly available data to determine:
- The home’s physical attributes and amenities (like square footage and number of bedrooms and bathrooms)
- Comparable rental properties and the market rental rates in the area
- Any owner-updated home facts, plus other public data like the last sale price
Remember that this is just a rent estimate — it’s not set in stone but serves as a resource for landlords and property managers. Learn more about the Rent Zestimate® here.
- 3. How can I advertise my rental?
Most renters search online when looking for a home, so it’s important to maximize your listing’s exposure across multiple brands. With Zillow Rental Manager, you can advertise your rental listings across three of the top five rental networks — Zillow, Trulia, and HotPads. exposing your rental listing to over 30 million monthly users.
- 4. What should I include in my rental listing?
Some key elements to include in your listing are:
- A detailed rental property description (including square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms)
- Rent price, lease duration, and required fees
- At least 10 high-quality photos
- Elevate your listing with a 3D Home® tour - easily include a 3D virtual tour using the free Zillow 3D Home® app
- Parking and pet restrictions
- Shared amenities
- Proximity to transit, dining, shopping, etc.
Get more information about writing your listing here.
- 5. When should I raise or lower my rent price?
As a landlord, you may consider increasing your rent if market rates, property taxes, insurance premiums, or homeowners association fees have increased. Also, consider if there are property maintenance expenses that need to be covered. This guide can help you make your decision.
If you’re struggling to find renters, you may consider lowering your rental price. You may also try rethinking your terms (i.e. offering short-term leases) or offering a discount on the first month’s rent. Just make sure you’re aware of what your budget can accommodate.
