Finding a new place to live might be hard at the moment thanks to social distancing. So many prospective renters are unable to tour apartments right now and may be hesitant to meet landlords or real estate agents in person as well. Zillow hopes its tools can help bring the entire renting process online during the coronavirus pandemic.
Renters can find a home on one of Zillow’s platforms, including Trulia, HotPads and Zillow itself, and if the landlord or property manager used the Zillow 3D Home iPhone app, they can take a virtual tour of the property too, while renters can apply online. A flat fee will cover a month’s worth of applications for participating apartments. If approved, all paperwork and payments can be handled online too.
All of these things have been possible in one way or another for a while, but Zillow has packaged them together for a centralized experience, which could make the rental process easier. However, whether or not these features are available for a property is up to the landlord, and if they aren’t very tech savvy, renters may have to either move on or consider renting an apartment sight unseen. But it should help many people.
Source Engadget
