Skip to main content

Zumper apartment-rental app launches 24-hour acceptance feature

Finding the right apartment in a tight market can be tough enough. Once you move forward and submit an application, waiting days or even weeks for approval can be a nerve-wracking, frustrating experience.

Seeking to help, apartment-rental property search app Zumper just introduced Book Now, a 24-hour response program designed to help landlords and renters move through the decision process in as little as 15 minutes. Today Zumper announced its first three test markets for the fast-answer feature.

Recommended Videos

You can search Zumper for apartments anywhere in the U.S. Zumper CEO Anthemos Georgiades told Digital Trends in 2016 that young professionals in San Francisco use the app to monitor prices in their neighborhoods.

Before a wider rollout, Book Now properties initially will be limited to three metro areas. The program starts today, December 5,  in Chicago. Denver and New York City are next on the list.

Because Zumper’s role with the Book Now program goes beyond an online marketplace, the company must have licensed real estate agents where it offers the service. Zumper real estate agents represent the landlords.

For a rental property to be listed in Zumper’s Book Now program, the landlord must agree to approve or decline applications within 24 hours of submission. The app uses automated notifications to move both parties through the process and Zumper has a support team in addition to the local real estate agents.

When an apartment hunter sees a Book Now property they like, the first step is to create an account on the site and pay a reservation-hold fee with a credit card to receive a rental application and generate a credit report. Georgiades told Digital Trends it’s a good idea to create an account even before searching for likely properties to be ready to apply as soon as you find a suitable apartment.

According to a Zumper representative, prospective tenants “should be approved” if they have a 650 or higher credit score, three to four times the rent in monthly income, and no evictions or criminal convictions. It takes just 10 minutes to complete an application, the company says, and if a landlord acts quickly, renters can get a decision within 15 minutes.

If an applicant is declined, Zumper said in an email “The renter gets an email with alternate properties to look at. The renter can also contact one of our leasing experts for more information on why he/she was declined, and we’ll offer suggestions to help get qualified (e.g., tools to help improve their credit scores, set them up with a guarantor, etc…).” 

Zumper doesn’t guarantee 24-hour decisions or that landlords will approve applicants who meet the above criteria. The expedited time frame is a goal, and Zumper has set up an automated mechanism with human-assisted backup to meet or beat the 24-hour time frame. It will be interesting to hear how well the pilot programs do in cutting renter approval decision times in the first three markets.

Bruce Brown
Bruce Brown Contributing Editor   As a Contributing Editor to the Auto teams at Digital Trends and TheManual.com, Bruce…
Aiper robotic pool cleaners and bundles on sale for Prime Day — up to $750 off
The Aiper Scuba X1 Pro Max cordless robotic pool cleaner at the side of a swimming pool.

Keeping your swimming pool clean is tough work, but you can say goodbye to manual cleaning by taking advantage of Aiper's discounts on its robotic pool cleaners for Prime Day. Up to $800 in savings are up for grabs, and you'll get an additional 5% off these lowered prices by using the code DGTRENDS5OFF during the checkout process. We're going to say it — these Prime Day deals on Aiper robotic pool cleaners are simply amazing.

These offers are scheduled to last until Prime Day ends, but you shouldn't wait until the final minutes of the shopping holiday before you finalize your purchase. That's because there's no assurance that these Aiper robotic pool cleaners and the bundles featuring them will still be available by then. If any of these bargains catch your eye, we highly recommend proceeding with your transaction immediately to make sure that you pocket the savings — just don't forget that checkout code for the extra 5% discount!

Read more
Tineco carpet cleaner at lowest-ever price for Prime Day — here’s how to save more
A man using the Tineco Carpet One Cruiser Smart Carpet Cleaner.

Not all vacuum deals will be able to provide in-depth cleaning for your carpet. You're going to need something more specialized, and we highly recommend the Tineco Carpet One Cruiser. From its original price of $699, it's available from Amazon's Prime Day for its lowest-ever price of $489, but you can get an additional 5% off with the checkout code TIN25PDPR. That means you'll only have to pay $465 for this smart carpet cleaner, for total savings of $234, but you'll need to act fast as we're not sure if the stocks that are up for sale will last until the final minutes of the shopping holiday.

BUY NOW

Read more
Tineco vacuum nearly $300 off for Prime Day — use this code for extra savings
The Tineco Floor One Stretch S6 cordless vacuum cleaner cleaning a spill.

In one of the most attractive vacuum deals that you can shop for Prime Day, Amazon has slashed the Tineco Floor One Stretch S6 to its lowest-ever price of $319 from its sticker price of $599. However, we've got a code for you to be able to get the cordless wet-dry vacuum cleaner with an extra 5% off — just enter TIN25PDPR during the checkout process so that you'll only have to pay $303, for total savings of $296. That's an excellent offer that you wouldn't want to miss, and you better hurry if you want to take advantage of it as it may not remain available until the end of the shopping holiday.

$303 at Amazon

Read more