How to Rent Your House (2024)

Landlording Basics

A landlord's complete guide on how to rent a house, including how to prepare it, how to list it and how to screen tenants.

•Jan 31 2020

Have a property management plan

Do you have time to manage a rental property? Do you live near your rental? Are you comfortable and prepared to deal with potentially difficult tenants and making emergency repairs? If the answer is yes, you may be prepared to rent your house on your own. If you answered no to any of the above questions, you can always hire a property manager to handle some or all of the landlord responsibilities for you.

A property management company typically charges 10% of the monthly rent — along with a larger portion of the first month’s rent — in exchange for handling many of the tasks that come with managing a property and dealing with tenants. Make a plan to determine the best way to rent your house.

Invest in additional insurance

Having the proper insurance is vital to protecting yourself and your rental property investment. You’ll likely need landlord insurance on top of your traditional homeowner’s insurance policy when renting a property instead of living in it. In many cases, your insurance won’t cover the renter’s belongings — so it’s also a good idea to encourage tenants to buy their own renters insurance.

Set a rental rate

When determining how much rent to charge, consider researching rental values of homes in your area and stay on top of changes in your local market to see whether rental home values are rising, falling or staying the same. If your rent price is too high, your property may sit vacant. But set it too low and you’ll miss out on potential income. Keep in mind, some cities and states have rent control laws that may limit the amount you can charge for rent. Our rent estimator will give you an idea of what to charge for rent based on your home’s size and location to make sure you’re maximizing your rental income.

Advertise your house for rent

Before putting your house up for rent, get the rental property ready by making any needed repairs, cleaning, landscaping and maybe even staging it with furniture. You’ll want to write a compelling rental ad and take at least 10 high-quality photos of your home’s interior and exterior.

Zillow Rental Manager makes renting out a property easy — you just need to create one listing and it will be posted on the largest rental network on the web, including Zillow rentals, Trulia rentals and HotPads. You can also host open house showings to allow potential tenants to see the home and make sure it meets their needs.

“The number and quality of inquiries was amazing. Very pleased by how user-friendly and fast it is.” – Amanda, landlord, Portland, Oregon

Screen potential tenants

Every rental property owner hopes to find tenants who will respect the house as much as they do. When you show the property to interested renters, ask them pre-screening questions then have rental applications available or a tablet renters can use to apply online. According to Zillow Group Consumer Housing Trends Report 2019 survey data, 58% of renters say that they would prefer to apply for a rental online. After a rental application is completed, you can proceed with the tenant screening process, which typically include these steps:

Run a tenant background check.
Run a comprehensive credit report.
Request pay stubs to verify employment and income.
Call former landlords to verify rental history.

The tenant screening process can help you understand the renter’s background to ensure you rent your home to a reliable tenant. In some locations, you may not be allowed to run certain reports, like background checks. Work with a local attorney to determine the proper screening process for your area.

Create and sign a lease agreement

A lease agreement is a legal contract between you and your tenant. The agreement lays out all the rules for renting a house, and holds both parties liable for certain things throughout the duration of the lease. Make sure to comply with all applicable landlord-tenant laws when creating the lease agreement and have a local attorney review the lease before you present it to the tenant. With Zillow Rental Manager, you can easily create a lease online in select states.

Store security deposits in a safe place

As a landlord, you can choose to collect a security deposit from the tenant before they move in. A security deposit can help minimize your financial risk by covering tenant-caused damage beyond normal wear and tear. In some cases, you may even be able to use a security deposit to cover unpaid rent. Keeping security deposits in a separate account is not required in every state, but it’s good practice and makes it easier to track tenant payments as well as pay taxes. We recommend speaking with a local attorney to determine an appropriate security deposit amount, where to store it, what you are able to use it for and when to return it.

Re-key the locks

It’s always a good idea to change the locks and any garage or door codes before renting out your home to a new tenant. This helps protect you and the new tenant from unauthorized access and liability. New locks can be installed quickly and require a minimal investment for the peace of mind they provide.

Setup a move-in inspection

Before your new tenants move in, they will need to complete a rental walkthrough checklist. This allows you and the tenant to document the condition of the rental house before they move in, and reduces the likelihood of a security deposit dispute when they move out. When doing the walkthrough, be sure to:

Inspect each room and record anything that needs to be repaired, cleaned or replaced.
Keep track of everything that is discussed so you can make sure all agreed-upon improvements are completed.
Have all tenants sign the tenant move-in checklist at the end of the walkthrough and send them a copy.

Start collecting rent

Rent is typically collected online or with a check or money order that’s delivered by mail or in person. However, 58% of renters say they prefer to pay their rent online — and online rent collection is also easy to track for your records. You can use Zillow Rental Manager to collect rent online.

Know when and how to evict a tenant

No landlord looks forward to evicting a tenant, but in some cases it can’t be avoided. Some common reasons for evicting a tenant are:

They conduct illegal activity on the premises.
They pose a danger to you or others.
They break the rental lease agreement.
They regularly make late payments or stop paying altogether.
They cause significant damage to the property.

Be sure to review your lease to verify if your tenant is in violation of any terms. If so, your lease will generally outline the next steps to take. It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the local laws and speak with an attorney, so you know what you can and shouldn’t do.

Read more articles and tips on being a landlord on our Rental Resource Center.