We have all heard the stories; you know the ones, the tale of a rental listing that pulled in a flood of good replies, and the one that sat for weeks with nothing in the inbox but scammers. For plenty of owners hunting for tenants, Craigslist is still a go-to spot to post a vacancy. But getting a listing to actually work on a platform that busy takes more than a catchy headline and a couple of photos. Diligent and adequate advertising is necessary in order to let a large applicant pool know that your property is rent ready, and a handful of do’s and don’ts go a long way toward keeping the process smooth and safe. Here are the ones worth keeping in mind, along with a look at where rental advertising has moved in 2026.
Do: Set up a free email just for Craigslist
If you plan to post more than a handful of rental listings, it is worth setting up a free email account used solely for Craigslist. That way you can walk away from the account, or simply stop using it, without it bleeding into the rest of your life. One handy option is an “alias” address that quietly forwards messages into your main inbox. If that feels like more effort than you want to take on right now, there is no need to worry about it. You can always establish the aliases later, once you feel comfortable doing so.
Do: Give ample detail about the property
Marketing your property to prospective renters requires a balanced approach designed to blanket the marketplace, and that starts with telling people what they are actually looking at. Spell out the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, along with the extras that sway a decision, such as laundry facilities or a parking spot. Post the rent, and say plainly whether it includes utilities or any other costs that land on the tenant. Note whether the unit is pet-friendly, and any limits on the pets you will allow.
It is also worth steering clear of unfamiliar abbreviations when you describe the place. Instead of “dbl dr,” write out “double door.” A prospective tenant is unlikely to know what “dbl dr” is supposed to mean unless they have already stood in front of the property. If they have not seen it yet, they have no way of knowing there are two doors there, so you are better off being explicit.
Do: Post high quality photos
Taking pristine and fabulous photographs is one of the musts of any rental listing, and it is what piques a prospective renter’s interest and lends your ad some credibility. If you do not have professional images on hand, a cell phone camera does the job well enough these days, or a quick set of snapshots from an inexpensive point-and-shoot. You could even use the webcam on your computer in a pinch. What you want to steer clear of is a wall of tiny, poor-quality photos; overwhelming readers with an excessive number of them tends to make them lose interest in your listing rather than gain it.
Do: Give people a clear way to reach you
It is unreasonable to expect a prospective renter to get in touch if you have not handed them a phone number, an email address, or some sense of how long a reply will take. To save everyone the confusion, spell out clearly what you need from them, along with the length of time they should expect to wait before they hear back from you after sending in an application, if that applies.
Do: Check references
Checking references is one of those steps you simply do not skip. Just about every owner has heard some kind of horror story from a friend, neighbor, or family member about a tenant who seemed wonderful in the beginning and turned out to be the cause of missed payments or severe property damage. Careful attention paid to an applicant’s background, credit, rental history, and financial qualifications is what keeps those stories from becoming your own.
People have been duped by bogus references, and by applicants who fudged their income to land an apartment. When that happens it is not just your property on the line; your own finances are as well. So verify that the references are the real thing before you finalize any agreement, and do not put off confirming that they are legitimate before you enter into a contract.
Don’t: Put personal information in the listing
There are plenty of ways to safeguard your identity when you rent a home out, and giving away as little personal information as you can is the first of them. That means keeping your contact details down to an email address that does not carry your name, and leaving phone numbers and other personal details out of the ad. If a prospective renter wants to reach you, they can do so straight through the Craigslist advertisement.
Google Voice is an excellent solution for a landlord who wants to talk to applicants cheaply while staying anonymous. Once you set up a Google Voice number, you can pick any area code you like, regardless of where the property actually sits, and use it for all of your rental communication. The best part is that the person calling has no idea who they are actually reaching.
Don’t: Ask for sensitive information on the application or by email
It is not a good idea to ask for social security numbers or credit card information on a rental application, or over email. Instead, lean on a secure online screening service to collect applications for you. That way the information is stored safely, and it is not sitting in an inbox waiting to be lost in the mail or lifted by someone in person.
Don’t: Ignore how common Craigslist scams have become
As soon as a deal looks too good to be true, the mind can tend to conjure up images of a bargain rather than a con, and that is exactly the moment a scammer is counting on. The uncomfortable truth about a platform this open is that the fraudsters know it as well as the honest renters do. The Federal Trade Commission put rental scams front and center in December 2025, and the figures below are worth a landlord’s attention before you post a single ad.
- Reported to the FTC since 2020: nearly 65,000 rental scam reports and roughly $65 million lost, with a median loss of $1,000 (FTC Data Spotlight, December 2025).
- Where the fake ads live: about half of reported rental scams in the year to June 2025 started on Facebook, and 16% traced back to Craigslist (FTC).
- FBI IC3 in 2024: 9,359 real-estate and rental fraud complaints, totaling $173.5 million in losses, up from about $145 million in 2023.
- Most exposed: people ages 18 to 29 were roughly three times more likely than other adults to report losing money to a rental scam (FTC).
- Common red flags: a scammer lifting your photos and reposting them below market, or anyone asking a tenant to wire money, send a gift card, or pay through an app before an in-person showing (FTC).
Just about every owner has heard some kind of horror story from a friend, neighbor, or family member about a listing that turned out to be a con. Not saying this happens on every ad, but it happens often enough that a little caution pays off, and it does no harm to warn honest applicants of those red flags right in your own listing.
Craigslist is still a fine place to find tenants, but it tends to do its best work for more affordable listings rather than luxury or high-income rentals. If your properties lean toward the expensive side, you are probably better off leaning on the other platforms out there.
Where landlords advertise now
Thousands of properties are advertised daily on the internet, and Craigslist is no longer the only game in town. Advertising on as many websites as possible is one of the musts of renting a place quickly, so it helps to know where renters are actually looking in 2026.
- Zillow Rental Manager: the first listing is free, then $9.99 per property per week; Zillow Group averaged around 221 million monthly unique users across its platforms in Q4 2025, and now requires listings to show all mandatory fees in the advertised rent.
- Apartments.com: around 26 million average monthly visitors in 2025 across an 11-site network, which processed more than 920 million searches in 2024.
- Zumper: markets 10 million-plus unique renters and over a million active listings, with roughly 178 million visits a year.
- Facebook Marketplace: free to list, but the FTC now flags it as the single largest source of reported rental scams, so screen replies with extra care.
Plenty of owners post the same vacancy on a couple of these at once and simply field the replies as they come in. Advertising on as many websites as possible is one of the musts of renting a place quickly.
Whichever route you take, having as many outlets and opportunities for people to view your home as possible is what cuts down on the time your property sits vacant. Always remember: less vacancy means more money in your pocket. And if handling all of this yourself is more than you have the time or energy for, you can always list your vacancy with us or lean on a property management company to take the hassle off your plate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Craigslist still good for rental listings?
Yes, Craigslist is still a fine place to find tenants, though it tends to do its best work for more affordable listings rather than luxury or high-income rentals. For plenty of owners hunting for tenants, it remains a go-to spot to post a vacancy. If your properties lean toward the expensive side, you are probably better off leaning on the other platforms out there.
How do you avoid Craigslist rental scams?
Watch for the common red flags: a scammer lifting your photos and reposting them below market, or anyone asking a tenant to wire money, send a gift card, or pay through an app before an in-person showing. Keep your personal details out of the ad, and lean on a secure online screening service to collect applications so sensitive information is stored safely.
Where else can landlords advertise a rental?
Beyond Craigslist, landlords now advertise on Zillow Rental Manager, Apartments.com, Zumper, and Facebook Marketplace. The first Zillow listing is free, then $9.99 per property per week, while Facebook Marketplace is free but the FTC flags it as the single largest source of reported rental scams. Advertising on as many websites as possible is one of the musts of renting a place quickly.