Five tech tools every renter should utilize

You’ve decided you need a new place to live.

But the number of rental communities in metro Atlanta is literally overwhelming. And that’s not even considering the huge number of private rental homes available at any given time.

What’s the best way to approach the task of finding the right rental home for you?

The home rental business has become extremely competitive, and that competition directly benefits you, the prospective renter. And because there are so many rental units available in a large metro area like Atlanta, technology is the logical way to tackle the challenge.

Here are the questions I am most frequently asked:

Q: What are your recommendations for finding the best rental for me and my family?

A: There are five worthwhile websites that a renter can use to get a good grasp of what’s out there and available for rent. Each has its own features that cause me to include it here. No. 5 is Apartments.com. Claiming to have a current inventory of more than 25 thousand apartment homes in metro Atlanta, this site is a comprehensive, map-based way to begin your search for a new apartment. For me, it is a logical and easyto-use format. It’s a good place to get started that will move you in the right direction.

No. 4 is Realtor.com, the rental site by operated by the Realtors organization.

Because it’s backed by the Realtors, it’s probably the safest site of the ones I’m giving you.

There’s no guarantee of validity, but most of these site are listed by licensed real estate professionals, and as a result, are more likely to be legitimate than those on a free site like Craigslist.

That being said, the rentals on this site are likely to be more expensive than those on other sites, simply because they are on the upper end of the spectrum. In an effort to become a more comprehensive listing site, Realtor.com now draws many of its rental listings from Apartments. com, so there will likely be some crossover.

No. 3 on our countdown is Zumper.com.

Zumper offers access to an inventory of more than 1 million rental listings, with instant alerts as residences that meet your needs come online.

One of the features here that I find particularly useful is the rental application tool. Zumper has partnered with Experian to provide you with a free copy of your credit report to submit a rental application to a landlord securely through the app.

If you are sensitive to multiple inquiries hurting your credit score, this is worth looking at.

Now we’re down to the top couple of sites we can use to find and compare available rentals.

No. 2 may be the most familiar site, and it is Craigslist.Com.

This is the site that almost single-handedly drove real estate classified sections out of business all over the United States.

Just a few years ago, the primary relevant rental advertising source in the community was the local newspaper, and technology simply passed them by.

With the advent of Craigslist, apartment complexes and more importantly, single family landlords became able to list their homes for free, and then tap into a huge audience of prospective renters.

That not only hasn’t changed, it’s simple gotten stronger as a comprehensive source for those looking for a new home to rent.

The one problem is the one we talked about in my last column, and that is the problem of scam listings. This is where the crook is trying to steal your money on a house or apartment they simply do not own or represent.

It’s not a widespread problem, but it’s one you need to keep in mind. Craigslist has no way to verify any of their posts before they go live, so a fraudulent listing can be posted anywhere and anytime.

Statistics show that less than 2 percent of the posts on this site are scams, but that should be enough to make you cautious.

Beyond that warning, Craigslist can be an extremely helpful source in finding your next rental home. More than any other site, it is utilized by private owners.

That brings us to No. 1 on my list of helpful tech tools for renters.

In my opinion, the top technology tool for prospective renters in Atlanta is now Zillow.com.

Recently, Zillow acquired rival Trulia, and is now aggressively consolidating its position as a top provider of rental opportunities, both in Atlanta and across the country.

Zillow has demonstrated an ability to grow faster and be more innovative than its competitors, not only nationally, but also here in the Atlanta area. The bottom line: The Atlanta rental market is too large and fast-moving to take on without help. Look to these five technology tools to help you get a good grasp of what’s available. In particular, both Zillow and Craigslist are extremely helpful to anyone looking for a new home to rent. Don’t pass up these powerful tech tools.