Real estate networking site, RuListing, is poised to be a key tool to source off-campus rentals this upcoming school year, as students can message with landlords from the comfort of their own home. Gaining traction in the highly competitive real estate market, RuListing has 40,000 active buyers and renters posting profiles and messaging with property owners across neighborhoods, globally, and now usage extends to the student rental market.
With classes online this fall semester, students are questioning whether they should return to campus. Yet as schools transition back to campus, students who have not signed a lease for 2021, will scramble to secure accommodation starting in November.
“It is important to look at the pending off-campus housing challenges when students return to campus. Students, particularly those living abroad, will need to secure a lease remotely amidst a November rush,” says Susan Joynt, Founder and CEO, RuListing.
The student housing market has become increasingly tight over the years. Finding off-campus accommodation is an arduous student task. And for landlords, finding good tenants is an even greater challenge. Students sift through “rooms for rent”, meet with landlords and tour properties in-person to find the right property that meets their needs, before it’s leased.
“RuListing is a free site for students to post where and what they’re looking for, which enables landlords to contact them. It makes sense that students would use RuListing as they can’t be physically present on-campus” says Susan.
Securing off-campus housing in the traditional way will be a challenge for international students, who will be studying online while abroad and not returning until the travel ban is lifted. With 642,000 international students in 2019, it is important for students to determine their living accommodations remotely before returning on-campus.
Several universities are lobbying to open the border for international students, as off-campus rentals will be in short supply upon return to campus. To support COVID-19 social distancing guidelines, RuListing takes much of the student and landlord face-to-face rental screening process, online.
RuListing is a real estate networking application, headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. RuListing’s mission is to provide a real estate messaging platform for buyers, renters and sellers, serving real estate providers and advertisers supporting the transaction.
