I'm a real estate investor. I'm active in the Charlotte area. I look at the rental rates of the different areas as but one criteria. I like to get the total picture of an area (zip code). I do agree and use the rentometer site as one tool. I also use a tool called OnBoard Neighborhood Navigator. This allows me to campare two zip codes. It also gives me information on household incomes, neighborhood stability, demographics by age, crime stats etc. If you would like more information contact me. fwilson@wilsoninvestmentproperties.com.
I just checked rentometer for a property I am getting ready to list for rent and it is way off. It showed me homes from downtown to the suburbs and it was way below the correct rent for the neighborhood. I would suggest you have an agent send you what has currently rented in the area. However, there is nothing that dictates what someone can charge for rent. Therefore, the real thing you need to look at is what are your current choices for rent. That is really the only thing that matters, as well as how motivated the landlord is to rent the home. Good luck with your rental search!
A matthew recommended rentometer will gve you a good estimate for the area. There are some factors you need to consider when trying to figure out a rent for a property. how many bedrooms the house has? How many bathrooms? Size of the house? neighborhood? Amenties? There are a lot of factors...You can receive more rent for a larger home with more bedrooms and home with more amenties.