Rental Listing Grader

Monthly rent, security deposit, move-in date, square footage and bedroom/bath count, amenities, location and walk score, application requirements (credit, income, background check), utility responsibilities, and pet policy. Fair Housing Act prohibits language that discriminates on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin.

Not legally required federally, but it is an increasingly popular value-add. Mention Energy Star appliances, new HVAC, smart thermostats, or a home energy audit score. Some states and cities (NYC, Portland, Berkeley) require energy disclosure at rental.

It evaluates 10 criteria: accurate rent and security deposit, square footage and bedroom/bath count, photo quality and quantity, home energy features, property tax info (for lease option listings), walk score and transit access, pet and parking policy, lease terms, available date, and Fair Housing compliance.

An A grade (80-100) means your listing attracts qualified applicants quickly. A-grade listings typically receive 3x more inquiries and lease 50% faster than C-grade listings, according to Zillow Rental Manager analytics.

Add professional photos (listings with 10+ quality photos lease 40% faster per Zillow data), be transparent about rent, deposit, fees, and application criteria, and include amenity details, school ratings, and transit access. Transparency attracts pre-qualified applicants and reduces wasted showings.

Each of 10 rules is checked against your listing content. Rules are weighted by impact on application quality, photo quality, pricing transparency, and location details carry the most weight.

Include the monthly rent, security deposit, move-in date, square footage, bedroom and bath count, pet policy, utilities breakdown, and application requirements. Apartments.com data shows rental listings with 6 or more photos and virtual tours fill 30% faster. Be transparent on all fees and terms to attract pre-qualified applicants and reduce wasted showings.

200-400 words.

It covers cap rate tracking, tenant screening (credit, income, rental history), preventive maintenance, landlord insurance and umbrella coverage, mortgage refinance review, vacancy minimization, Fair Housing and state landlord-tenant law compliance, annual rent review, property condition, and property management evaluation.

A good gross rental yield (or cap rate) is 5-10% for US investment properties.

A good realtor achieves a higher sale price in less time than market average while keeping sellers informed and reducing contract fall-throughs.

New construction typically carries a 10-20% premium over comparable existing homes.