Renters who are looking for a new place to live now have another option to find their next home: Facebook.
The social media network announced its partnership with Apartment List and Zumper to add available rental units to Facebook Marketplace.
Users will be able to search units based on a number of criteria, including location, price, number of bedrooms and whether it is pet friendly. Other people, such as brokers, agents and property managers, can also post properties available for rent. Users who are posting housing units can also add 360-degree photos to each listing to provide a virtual tour. However, Facebook does require that any landlord or property manager wishing to list an apartment or rental house on Marketplace must use Apartment List or Zumper.
“Working with the Facebook Marketplace team was like working with a like-minded, rapid growth startup,” said Zumper CEO Anthemos Georgiades. “We got our feed integrated quickly and were able to showcase our accurate, real-time rental listings on Marketplace overnight. By adding Facebook to our network, we are especially excited to expand the audience Zumper’s landlord clients can reach, whether by posting to Zumper Pro or sending us a feed.”
If a prospective renter finds a listing they are interested in, they can fill out a contact form in Marketplace and the property manager or agent will contact them directly. Facebook says it does not participate in the transaction. It solely works to connect property owners and renters.
Facebook currently allows individual homeowners to list their homes on Marketplace, and it also added features for used car ads recently. The network said the new additions to Marketplace are driven by how people are searching and using the service, and it will continue to explore new opportunities with businesses.
“Marketplace is a popular place for people to look for a home to rent,” said Bowen Pan, Facebook product manager. “Now that we’re adding listings from Apartment List and Zumper, people can search even more options in the U.S. to find a place to call home.”