In a bid to be all the things, Zillow announced just minutes ago that it has launched new tools that will not only allow property owners and managers to collect rent and vet prospective tenants more easily, but will also provide renters with the ability to submit multiple applications for apartments at once and pay rent online.
The tools will also screen prospective tenants by performing background checks, the company said in a press release.
Renters can apply for multiple rentals by paying $29 to Zillow, and will only have to fill out one application.
“The 35 million renters who visit Zillow Group’s rental sites and mobile apps each month want the rental process to be as easy and seamless as other transactions in their life, like ordering groceries or booking a ride,” the company said in its press release. “According to the upcoming 2018 Zillow Group Consumer Housing Trends Report, the majority of renters want to send applications (59 percent) and pay their rent (57 percent) online.”
In a typical apartment hunt, renters can fill out at least three applications, spending $40 or more per application, making the one-stop shop Zillow has set up (provided it gets the buy-in from enough property owners) a real boon.