Landlord guide
Rent It Faster: The VacancyView Posting Guide
You've got pro photos, a 3D tour, a floor plan and a listing page that looks better than 95% of what's out there. Now let's put it where renters actually look, and make sure nothing between "Is this available?" and a signed lease drops the ball.
Every day a unit sits empty costs you money. This guide is about cutting that number down.
10 short sections About 9 min read Copy-ready templates
On this page
1 How renters actually search
Before you post anywhere, it helps to know how the other side shops.
- It's all on their phone. Most renters browse, message and book showings from a phone, often on a lunch break or late at night.
- They search by area, then filter hard. Price, bedrooms, pets, parking, laundry, move-in date. If your listing doesn't say it, they assume the answer is no and scroll on.
- The first photo decides the click. In a feed full of listings, your cover photo is your dating profile pic. Nobody swipes right on a photo of the driveway.
- They message five listings at once. Whoever answers first and answers well usually gets the showing. Speed wins.
- They're nervous about scams. Rental scams are everywhere online. Real photos, a real tour and a real listing page tell renters you're legit before you've said a word.
- They want to "see it" before they visit. A 3D tour and floor plan mean the people who book showings already like the place. Fewer tire-kickers, fewer wasted Saturdays.
2 What you got and how to use it
| You got | What it's for |
|---|---|
| Photos | Upload them to every listing site. Order matters (see section 5). |
| 3D tour | Your Netflix trailer: renters binge it before they book. It's on your listing page. |
| Floor plan | Answers "will my couch fit?" before anyone asks. Huge for vacant units. |
| Your VacancyView listing page | Home base. Photos, tour, floor plan and details in one link. Send it to every renter who messages you, and Google can find it, which Marketplace posts can't. |
Save your listing link somewhere handy (your phone's notes app is perfect). You're going to paste it a lot.
3 Where to post (and how each one works)
Post in as many places as you can manage. Each site reaches different renters. Most have free options; fees and features change, so check each site's current terms.
Facebook Marketplace
The busiest place for small-landlord rentals, and the noisiest.
- Put the town in your title. Renters search by town and most listings skip it.
- Upload your photos in the order from section 5. The first one is your cover.
- Website links in the description aren't clickable on Marketplace, and nobody retypes a long URL. Instead, write "Message me for the full 3D tour and floor plan", then send the link in Messenger, where links are clickable. Bonus: every renter who asks is now a conversation.
- Fill in every field (laundry, parking, pets, A/C). Those are the filters renters use, and blank fields can knock you out of their results.
Facebook groups
Local rental groups and community or neighbourhood groups.
- Links are clickable in group posts, so include your listing link.
- Read each group's rules first. Some only allow rental posts on certain days.
Kijiji, Rentals.ca and similar sites
Kijiji, Rentals.ca, Zumper, PadMapper, liv.rent and others.
- Use as many photos as the site allows, in the same order.
- Fill in every filter field.
- Include your listing link wherever the site allows it.
Student housing sites (if you're near a campus)
Places4Students and school off-campus housing boards. Students search in waves before each term, so post early.
A sign
- A simple "For Rent" sign with your contact info still works, especially for people who already love the neighbourhood.
- Put it at eye level, facing the sidewalk. In a window works great. Taped to a fence post at knee height does not.
Word of mouth
- Text or email your listing link to friends, family and coworkers. A lot of great tenants come from "my coworker is moving".
- Ask your outgoing tenants if they know anyone. Happy tenants know other good tenants.
MLS (through a Realtor)
If you're listing through an agent on MLS, let us know. Your photos can go there too, and we can talk about what that needs.
4 Writing the post
The title
Size + type + best feature + town.
850 sq ft 1-Bed w/ Private Deck & Parking, Lindsay
Not:
1 BED 1 BATH APARTMENT!!!!
No all caps. No exclamation points. You're a landlord, not a car dealership commercial.
The first three lines
On most sites, people only see the top of your description before "See more". Put the good stuff there: what it is, the price, when it's available, and how to see the tour.
Fill-in-the-blanks template
Bright [#]-bedroom [unit type] in [neighbourhood/town], [best feature]. $[rent]/month [+ utilities / utilities included]. Available [date / now]. Message me for the full 3D tour and floor plan. - [#] bed, [#] bath, [sq ft] sq ft, [floor: main floor / basement / 2nd floor] - Parking: [details] - Laundry: [in-suite / shared / none] - Heat and A/C: [details] - Utilities: [what's included, and a monthly estimate for what isn't] - Pets: [details] - Smoking: [details] - Lease: [12 months / other] [Two or three sentences about the unit and the area: transit, shopping, parks, what makes it nice to live in.] How to apply: [your process]
For Facebook groups and other sites where links work, swap "Message me for the full 3D tour" for:
Full 3D tour, floor plan and photos: [your listing link]
Answer the questions before they're asked
Every question you answer in the post is one less message and one less showing with someone it was never going to fit. The template covers the big ones: rent, what's included, move-in date, parking, laundry, pets, smoking, floor and how to apply.
Be honest about the quirks
Basement unit? Low ceilings in the bedroom? Street parking only? Say so. The renter will find out at the showing anyway, and you'll have burned an hour. Honest listings attract renters who are actually a fit.
Describe the unit, not the tenant
The Ontario Human Rights Code covers rental ads. Phrases like these can get you into trouble:
| Don't say | Say instead |
|---|---|
| "Perfect for a professional couple" | "Quiet building, ideal for working from home" |
| "No kids" | "Two-bedroom unit, third floor" (describe the space) |
| "Mature tenant preferred" | "Quiet, non-smoking building" |
| "No social assistance" | "Rent: $2,400/month, first and last required" |
| "Ideal for a single person" | "Cozy 1-bedroom, 550 sq ft" |
Rule of thumb: talk about the space, the rules and the price. Never about what kind of person you want.
This is general information, not legal advice. When in doubt, check with a paralegal or the Ontario Human Rights Commission.
5 Using your media: do this, not that
Photo order that works
- Your best shot (usually the living room or kitchen, never the driveway)
- Living space
- Kitchen
- Bedroom(s)
- Bathroom(s)
- Outdoor space (deck, yard, balcony)
- Floor plan
- Building exterior
- Extras (laundry, storage, parking, views)
Lead with the inside. Renters live in the unit, not the front steps.
Do
- Keep the same photos and order everywhere. Consistent photos across sites look professional and help renters recognize your listing.
- Use the full-size files we delivered, not screenshots of them. Screenshots look blurry and cropped.
- Point renters to your listing page. That's where the 3D tour and floor plan live, and it's what shows up when someone Googles the address.
- Keep the originals. You'll want them again next time the unit turns over. Most landlords can reuse them for years unless something changes.
- Ask us about a refresh if you renovate, repaint or the season makes the exterior look dated. A snowy front yard in July is a bad look.
Don't
- Don't add text, stickers or filters to the photos. "FOR RENT!!" in red letters across the living room says "scam" to a nervous renter.
- Don't crop or re-edit them. They're already corrected for colour, lighting and straight lines. Phone editing apps usually make them worse.
- Don't mix in phone photos of the same rooms. One dark phone shot next to pro photos makes the whole listing look off.
- Don't use the photos for a different unit, even in the same building. Renters notice, and it kills trust instantly.
- Don't share the photos with other landlords or agents for their listings. They're licensed for marketing your unit.
- Don't post virtually staged photos without saying so. If you use staged images, they must be labelled "virtually staged".
6 After you post
Answer fast
Renters message several listings at once. The first good answer usually wins the showing. Turn on notifications for Messenger and each site's app, and answer within the hour if you can.
Save this as a reply (most phones let you save text shortcuts, and Messenger may let you save replies):
Yes, it's available! Here's the full 3D tour, floor plan and photos: [your listing link]. Have a look and let me know if you'd like to book a showing.
And for after it rents:
Sorry, this one has been rented. Thanks so much for your interest!
Sending the link first means the people who book showings have already walked through the tour. Fewer wasted trips for both of you.
Renew every 7 days
Newer posts show up higher. On Marketplace, renew or repost about once a week. Bump your group posts where the rules allow.
Read the signs
- Lots of views, few messages? Price or first photo. Look at comparable listings nearby.
- Lots of messages, few showings? Something in the listing isn't matching expectations. Check the details are complete and honest.
- Lots of showings, no applications? The price is high for what renters see, or something at the showing is putting people off.
Keep it current
Price drop? New move-in date? Update every post, and let us know so we can update your listing page too.
7 Showings and safety
- Group your showings. Booking several viewings back to back on one evening or weekend afternoon saves you hours, and a little competition helps.
- Confirm the day before. No-shows happen. A quick text cuts them down.
- Bring someone, or let someone know where you are, especially for a vacant unit.
- Have the application ready. Know how renters apply (form, credit check, references, employment letter) so a keen renter can apply the same day.
- Never take or ask for money before a renter has seen the unit. Renters are told to walk away from anyone who does, so it scares off good ones.
- Know the money rules. In Ontario, landlords can generally collect a rent deposit (no more than one month's rent) and a refundable key deposit. Damage deposits aren't allowed. Most tenancies also require the Ontario Standard Lease.
General information, not legal advice. The Landlord and Tenant Board and a paralegal are your friends for the specifics.
8 Price it right
A slightly high price is the most expensive mistake in renting.
Here's the math on a $2,400/month unit:
- One empty month costs you $2,400.
- Dropping the rent by $50/month costs you $600 over a year.
If $50 less gets it rented a week sooner, you're ahead. If it sits for a month at the higher price, you've lost more than a year's worth of that $50.
Before you post, search your area on Marketplace and Rentals.ca with the same bedroom count. That's your real competition.
9 When it rents
- Let us know so we can mark your listing page as rented.
- Take down or mark your posts as rented on every site.
- Use the "sorry, it's rented" reply for the stragglers.
- Keep your photos, tour and floor plan. Next time the unit turns over, you're ready to post the same day.
10 Need a hand?
Want us to refresh the photos, add virtual staging, or shoot your next unit? Contact PathFront Media and we'll take it from here.
General information for Ontario landlords, not legal advice.