Zillow Isn’t Enough: How to Run Reliable Rental Comps in Any Market

Let’s be honest—Zillow is often the first place people look when trying to figure out what a property should rent for. And while it’s a convenient tool, it’s not the whole story.

Zillow, Apartments.com, and other listing platforms can give you a ballpark figure, but they don’t tell you everything you need to know about real market rents. Why? Because listings aren’t always current, don’t reflect actual lease terms, and often fail to account for nuanced factors like condition, location quirks, or seasonal demand.

If you’re relying solely on public listings to price your rental—or to underwrite an investment deal—you could be leaving money on the table or overestimating your returns.

In this post, we’ll break down a step-by-step approach to running reliable rental comps—even if you’ve never been to the market in person.

Before diving into specific comps, understand the rental landscape of your market.

Ask yourself:

• Is this a landlord-friendly or tenant-friendly city?

• Are rents rising, flat, or declining year-over-year?

• What’s the demand like for single-family homes vs. apartments vs. duplexes?

• Are there any rent control laws or permit requirements?

You can gather this data from sources like:

• U.S. Census housing data

• Local housing authority or planning department websites

• Property management companies’ market reports

• BiggerPockets forums or Facebook investor groups focused on the area

This sets your expectations—and helps you filter out unrealistic comps from the start.

Now it’s time to look at actual rental listings. Use sites like:

• Zillow

• Apartments.com

• Rentometer

• Craigslist (still active in many local markets)

• Facebook Marketplace

Search for active listings in a tight radius—ideally within a one-mile range of your subject property. Match as closely as possible by:

• Property type (e.g., SFH vs. apartment)

• Bed/bath count

• Square footage

• Condition (newly renovated vs. dated)

• Amenities (parking, washer/dryer, yard, A/C)

But here’s the key: active listings reflect asking rents, not final rents. And in soft markets, asking rents often drop before a lease is signed.

Use these listings to establish a pricing window—not a definitive rent figure.

This is where your research levels up. Active listings only show what landlords hope to get. But leased listings show what renters are actually paying.

You can find leased comps through:

• Property managers (many will share general rent ranges if you call and ask)

• Local real estate agents with access to MLS (ask for rental histories)

• County assessor’s data (some show recent lease activity or owner-occupied vs. tenant-occupied info)

• Paid tools like Rentometer Pro, Mashvisor, or PropStream

Leased comps provide clarity on:

• How long units sat vacant

• Whether they rented at full asking price

• What concessions (e.g., free month of rent) were offered

• Which unit features commanded a rent premium

Aim to find at least 3–5 recently leased units that closely resemble your subject property. If comps are scattered or inconsistent, average cautiously and err on the conservative side.

No data source can replace local insight. Markets can shift block by block, and small details—like school district lines, street noise, or walkability—can dramatically affect rentability.

Here’s how to get real feedback:

• Call 2–3 local property managers and ask:
  “If you were managing a 3-bed, 2-bath house in [neighborhood], what would you list it for?”

• Ask leasing agents about rent trends, vacancies, and tenant expectations.

• Talk to other investors who’ve recently leased a similar property nearby.

• Join local investor meetups or Facebook groups and post your rental comp question there.

Often, a 5-minute conversation with a property manager can save you hours of guessing and help you refine your assumptions on rent, turnover time, and market saturation.

Whether you’re local or out-of-state, it pays to see what tenants will see.

If you can’t physically walk the neighborhood, use tools like:

• Google Street View to evaluate curb appeal, surrounding properties, and nearby businesses

• Google Maps to check commute times, transit access, and neighborhood layout

• Yelp to identify nearby amenities like gyms, parks, and grocery stores

• Crime mapping tools to assess safety levels by street or ZIP code

A unit may be listed at $2,000/month—but if it's next to a freeway, in a flood zone, or lacks parking, that could be a red flag for many renters. Use the visuals to adjust your comp expectations based on location quality.

Rental demand fluctuates with the seasons. In most markets:

• Spring and summer = higher demand, faster leases, stronger rents

• Winter months = slower activity, more concessions, longer vacancy

If you’re analyzing comps in January, don’t assume you’ll get peak summer pricing. Look at when the comp was rented and adjust accordingly.

Also, consider lease length. A 6-month lease may rent for less than a 12-month lease. Be sure you're comparing apples to apples.

Once you’ve gathered all your data, create a simple rent comp report. Include:

• A table with address, rent, bed/bath, square footage, and source

• Notes on condition and time on market

• Screenshots of key listings

• A summary paragraph of your pricing estimate

• A recommended rent range (low, medium, high) with justification

This not only helps you decide what to charge—it also provides documentation if a partner, lender, or property manager questions your numbers.

Use Tech, Local Insight, and Common Sense

Zillow and similar platforms are useful—but they’re just one layer of the puzzle. To price your rentals accurately, you need to combine:

• Public data

• Closed-leased comps

• Street-level insight

• Local conversations

• Seasonal context

• A bit of investor instinct

A well-researched rent comp isn’t just about maximizing cash flow—it’s about avoiding extended vacancies, setting realistic expectations, and building trust with tenants who know what the market looks like too.