Rent.com Guide: Budget, Search and Tour Houses and Apartments

Rent.com, branded on its site as Rent. and operated by Rent Group, LLC, is a long-running rental search website for apartments, houses, condos and townhouses across the United States. Alongside listings, it offers budgeting tools and renter advice, which makes it a good starting point if you are not yet sure how much you can spend.

Visit Rent.com →

What Rent.com offers

The site lets you search for homes by location and browse by property type, number of bedrooms and features such as pet-friendly policies. Many listings allow you to book a tour or contact the property. Rent.com also offers a rent calculator that considers your income, expenses and desired location to suggest a rent budget, a rental price estimator, and articles that walk renters through the apartment-hunting process. A mobile app is available for saving favorite properties.

How to search step by step

1. Start with the rent calculator to set a monthly budget that leaves room for savings and other bills.
2. Search the city or neighborhood where you want to live.
3. Filter by property type, such as apartment, house, condo or townhouse.
4. Narrow by bedrooms, price and pet policy.
5. Save favorites in your account or in the app so you can compare them later.
6. Book a tour or contact the property with specific questions about fees, utilities and lease length.
7. Visit in person if possible and get all terms in writing before you apply.

Costs and fees to expect

A common rule of thumb is to keep rent to a reasonable share of your income, but the right number depends on your other expenses and debts. Beyond rent, plan for:

• Application fees: usually non-refundable and charged for screening each adult applicant.
• Security deposit: may equal part or all of a month's rent, depending on the landlord and state law.
• Move-in costs: first month's rent, and sometimes administrative or amenity fees in managed communities.
• Monthly add-ons: utilities, internet, parking, pet rent and renters insurance.
• Moving expenses: truck rental or movers, and time off work.

Adding these items to the calculator's estimate gives you a more realistic picture of what a new home will cost. It also helps to keep a small cushion for surprises, such as a utility deposit or a higher-than-expected first electric bill.

Tips and rental-scam warnings

Rent.com includes advice on avoiding scams, and these habits apply wherever you search:

• Be skeptical of prices that are dramatically lower than comparable homes.
• Never pay a deposit or application fee by wire transfer, gift card or cryptocurrency.
• Insist on seeing the inside of the home, in person or by live video with the actual landlord or agent.
• Do not provide your Social Security number until you have confirmed who is screening your application.
• Verify ownership through county property records when renting from an individual.
• Read the lease in full, and ask about renewal increases, early termination and who handles repairs.
• Report scams to the Federal Trade Commission and to the site where the listing appeared.

Setting your budget first and verifying every listing you like are the two habits that make a rental search on any site safer and less stressful.

Visit Rent.com →

Frequently asked questions

Is Rent.com the same as Rent.?

Yes. The site at rent.com uses the brand Rent. and is operated by Rent Group, LLC.

Can Rent.com help me decide how much rent I can afford?

Rent.com offers a rent calculator that uses your income, expenses and location to suggest a budget. Treat the result as a guide, not a guarantee.

Can I book a tour through Rent.com?

Many listings let you book a tour or contact the property directly from the listing page.

Sources

• Rent.com

Disclaimer: This guide is general information only and may not fit your situation or country. Rules, prices and requirements change, so check the details with the official source or a qualified professional before you act. Read our full disclaimer.