As a residential Realtor - I often get asked about rentals. I also have investor clients that buy rentals - so knowing the downtown Seattle rental market is key. Im interested in any real estate transaction you might consider, so I can help with rentals. A good place to start a Realtor relationship is during the rental phase. I do a fair amount of rentals and have some great client testimonials about finding a great place to rent for my clients. Often someone relocating to Seattle will rent first and I can help find the right area for their lifestyle. Here are some sources of information you should check when looking to rent a place in the city of Seattle.
#1 Craigslist http://seattle.craigslist.org/
Craigslist is the leader in finding a place to rent in Seattle. I would say this is the standard for finding a place in Seattle. Its very heavily visited by both landlords and renters. You can find most (but not all) listings for rentals on Craigslist.
#2 Your Realtor http://mattwarmack.com/
There are a lot of unique and amazing places to rent that DO NOT hit Craigslist, but are searchable on your favorite Realtors site as Residential Lease. These places are posted by Property Management firms on the NWMLS system accessible through a Realtor. You can view these properties with your Realtor and gain valuable insight into the area. In addition, its much more efficient looking at properties with a Realtor that has access to keyboxes. It can be a very efficient process for you.
#3 Northwest Source http://marketplace.nwsource.com/rentals/
NWSource Classifieds are heavily advertised and utilized for rental properties. It can be a good source of information due to the tie in with newspaper advertising. The site is run by two largest local Seattle newspapers.
Where are you moving from? What area of Seattle do you need a little more information on? Please leave a comment.
-Matt Warmack
Comments
I know your name, so I think we have common friends on Facebook or something! Anyway, good post. I wanted to note that my lender just gave me a Fannie Mae update on second homes or investment properties (in case the people looking at this post want investment property to rent out)
Update: Borrowers may only have a total of 4 financed properties including their primary residence. This is with Fannie Mae loans. There are still other sources for loans not sold to Fannie Mae, but it's a good thing to keep in mind for your investment clients.
Cheers and good luck!