Facebook has started rolling out new capabilities in its Marketplace section, specifically aimed at Letting Agents.
Currently available in the US only, the new features let property managers list their rental inventory and enable potential tenants to browse listings on Marketplace.
Potential renters can use filters like property type, price range, bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage and pet friendliness to find what they want and then fill out a short form with their contact information. The letting agent can then use these details to contact the tenant.
A few things to know about listing rental properties on Marketplace:
- Agents cannot list properties for sale
- Rental listings will appear only on Marketplace, not on a Facebook Page (unless deliberately shared to a Page).
- Marketplace just connects the listing owner and renter. Facebook does not participate in any transaction.
- By default, Marketplace shows listings within 40 miles of a person’s location. People can change this setting as needed when they search for housing.
There are currently no known timescales for when (or if) these features will become available in the UK, but that doesn’t stop agents using Facebook.
I have already consulted with agents on how to find landlords and tenants using Facebook alone. As more agents adopt these strategies, reliance on property portals like Rightmove and Zoopla could soon become a thing of the past.
