I’ve moved more times than I planned. Work changed. Rent rose. Life happened. So I got very good at reading apartment ads—like, squinting at photos and counting outlets good. I’ve used Zillow, Apartments.com, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace. I’ve replied to ads, toured places, and even posted my own listing when I needed a fast sublet. Some ads helped. Some kept me up at night.
Here’s the thing: an apartment ad can save you time. Or it can waste your whole weekend. If you want the blow-by-blow of how I sift through listings, I did a deeper dive for Huntmads that you can skim right here.
What I Look For (Before I Even Text)
I don’t need poetry. I need facts. I want the rent, all the fees, the floor plan, and real photos. And please show the windows.
- Monthly rent and what’s included (water, trash, heat)
- All fees spelled out (application fee, deposit, “amenity” fee)
- Square footage and bedroom size
- Pet rules with actual numbers (2 cats okay, $25/month each)
- Laundry (in-unit, onsite, or “good luck”)
- Parking details (assigned, street, a seven-year waitlist)
- Noise and neighbors (top floor? over a garage? next to a bar?)
- Transit and groceries in plain words
If an ad hides the address, I pause. I won’t send a deposit to a mystery dot on a map.
Real Ads I Answered, Real Outcomes
1) Zillow: Looked Perfect. Then… Not.
The ad said: 1BR, $1,450, “washer/dryer in unit,” “quiet street,” North Portland. The photos were bright. Twelve shots. Plants on the sill. The title was “Maple Grove, Unit 3B.” Cute name. I booked a tour.
When I got there, the “in-unit laundry” was actually coin-op in the basement. The map pin was off by two blocks, which put it right by a busy intersection. Great taco truck, yes. Heavy traffic noise, also yes. The leasing agent shrugged. “Most people don’t mind.” I do, at 2 a.m. I passed.
But I’ll give them this: they answered fast, and they had a printed fee sheet. That saved me a second trip.
2) Apartments.com: Clear, Honest, But A Catch
Another ad: 1BR at “Parkview Lofts,” Denver. $1,725. Floor plan included. 3D tour. I could measure the living room right on my phone. The listing broke down every fee, even the $35 “amenity” fee for the gym and package room. The manager, Elena, replied within an hour and let me tour after work. Points for that.
Place was clean. Hallway smelled like lemon cleaner, not “we covered something.” The unit faced south, so it got that nice 4 p.m. sun that makes plants happy. Water pressure? Strong. I always check the shower. Little tip: flush the toilet while the shower runs. You’ll learn a lot.
So why didn’t I take it? Parking. They had a waitlist, and street parking there was brutal after 6 p.m. I didn’t want to walk two blocks at night, arms full of groceries and cat litter. Still, that was a good ad. I wish more looked like that.
3) Facebook Marketplace: Too Good To Be True
“Sunny 1BR in Queens, $1,300, no fee.” Photos looked like a magazine. White sofa. Floor-to-ceiling windows. The message came back fast: “Send deposit today and I’ll hold it.” They wanted Zelle.
You know what? I felt weird. I ran a reverse image search. The photos were from a fancy listing on a different site from two years ago. Blocked. No harm done. If an ad pushes you to send money before you even see the place, walk away. You can run through an entire checklist of warning signs in this concise primer on how to spot a rental scam. I don’t care how sunny it is. For some jaw-dropping examples of other renters getting duped, Huntmads rounded up a few infamous scams in this article.
When I Posted My Own Ad
Last spring I had to leave my place fast. Work said “new city.” I used Zillow Rental Manager and also posted on Facebook, because that’s where my neighbors look. I took 12 photos on a cloudy day, which was dumb, so I came back the next day at 10 a.m. When the light hit the living room, the space looked bigger. I shot a 30-second video too. Just a slow pan, no music, no drama.
Headline I used: “Bright 1BR near the Max Line, cats OK, laundry onsite.” I listed the exact rent, deposit, pet fee, and average power bill. I added room sizes, and I wrote, “North-facing, quieter in summer, windows open to trees.” I also said, “Third-floor walk-up, no elevator.” People thanked me for that part.
Results? The video post got almost twice the messages. In 48 hours, I had 23 inquiries. Most asked the same three things: How much is the deposit, can I see the lease terms now, and is the bedroom big enough for a queen plus a desk? I measured the bedroom again and added the numbers. After that, the questions slowed down and the showings went smoother. Less guesswork.
One more thing that helped: I mentioned the coffee shop down the block and the bus that hits downtown in 12 minutes on a good day. Folks want to picture their morning. Me too.
Red Flags I Now Avoid
- “No credit check” plus “send deposit first”
- Only two photos, both of a couch, nothing of the kitchen or bath
- Stock photos or photos that look too glossy (hotel vibes)
- Vague address like “near the park” but no street name
- Host won’t video call or show the unit, “I’m out of town”
- The price is way lower than similar places in the same area
- “Application fee” in cash only
If even one thing feels off, I slow down. If two feel off, I stop. Fraud investigators say that pausing long enough to compare the listing’s price and communication style with local norms is one of the fastest ways to uncover a fake, according to CNBC’s recent report on rental listing scams.
Little Things That Sold Me (When Ads Did It Right)
- Window directions: “East-facing, morning sun in living room”
- Actual measurements of the closets and the tub length
- A quick note on noise: “Train can be heard on quiet nights” (honesty builds trust)
- A simple floor plan, even a rough sketch
- A photo of the view, not just the walls
- Fee list with real numbers, not “small fee may apply”
- Pets welcome, with a clear cap and cost
I also love when ads say, “Trader Joe’s is two blocks, laundromat is around the corner, and the 14 bus is every 12 minutes.” That tells me they live in the real world, not a brochure.
What I Wish Landlords And Managers Would Do
It’s not hard. Say what it is. Say what it isn’t.
- Put the full address in the ad or at least the block
- Show the actual unit, not a “similar” one
- List every fee by name and amount
- Add one short video and a floor plan
- Mention stairs, storage, heat type, and internet options
- Share parking rules in plain words
- Give a 24-hour window for questions before asking for any money
If you ask folks to pay for a background check, tell them which service you use and how long it takes. That kind of clarity keeps everyone calm.
Which Sites Worked Best For Me
- Apartments.com gave me the clearest info and the most solid tours. Less fluff. Fewer surprises.
- Zillow was great for alerts and fast contact. Some ads were thin, but the manager tools helped when I posted my own.
- Facebook Marketplace got the most messages but also the most junk. You can find gems, but double-check everything.
- Craigslist was a mixed bag. Some old-school landlords post there only, and those can be fine, but there’s more guesswork.
One extra step that’s saved me a few “is this price for real?” headaches: I paste the address into Huntmads, which pulls in nearby comps and recent rent shifts so I know if an ad is wildly off-base.
If you’re hunting, I’d start with Apartments.com and Zillow, then scan the others for hidden finds. If you’re posting, Zillow Rental Manager plus a simple Facebook post brought me real people fast. And if you’re experimenting with smaller classified spots (hello, small towns), I tested a bunch in Utah and shared what really paid off [in this breakdown](https