Your days of relying on Craigslist for finding a roommate may soon be over now that Trulia has introduced Room for Rent. On Thursday, the real estate website introduced a new feature that promises to make it easier than ever to find quality room-for-rent listings.
As apartment costs continue to rise, especially in overcrowded metropolitan areas, finding an apartment often comes with finding someone to share it with. Indeed, Trulia points out, renters can save more than $1,000 a month by splitting a two-bedroom apartment in a city like San Francisco rather than going solo in a one-bedroom. Of course, the process of finding a decent room (let alone roommate) can be challenging, but Trulia is here to help.
Promising a simple posting process, Room for Rent allows you to quickly share and search available rooms by sharing key information like rent price, lease duration, and photos. You’ll have (or be able to post) information that means the most to you, like whether or not there’s a private bathroom, if utilities are included, and how many roommates will be sharing a space.
But perhaps the biggest draw of Room for Rent is Trulia’s promise of more qualified renters. Using its Rental Résumé. tool, which the company debuted last June, you’ll be able to see prospective renters’ income range, credit score, whether they have pets, and more critical information. And on the flip side, if you’re a renter yourself, Trulia’s proprietary fraud filters will help you avoid suspicious listings and protect you from scams. And of course, you can always make use of Trulia’s map layers and local information, which provide you with insights into local price and affordability trends, nearby bars and restaurants, and even crime maps.
So if you’re looking for a new home, you may want to start your search at Trulia.