From Frustration to Freedom: Why Homeowners Choose Belong

There are many savvy investors out there who spend a lot of time and energy analyzing the real estate markets and managing rental properties to achieve their financial goals. But that isn’t the case for everyone who owns a rental home. 

There are many situations where homeowners find themselves on the rental market unexpectedly. It’s becoming so common in 2023 that it’s created the term ‘accidental landlords’. Situations that create accidental landlords include:

• Locking in a record-low interest rate that you don’t want to give up for higher mortgage repayments
• Inheriting a family home
• Owning a house you love, but needing to move for work
• Needing more space for your family but hoping to return one day 
• Being priced out of the neighborhood you want to live, but buying a home you can afford elsewhere to achieve home ownership

The reality is, not everyone who rents out a home loves the idea of being a ‘landlord’ (accidental or otherwise!). The term has such a negative connotation that Belong doesn’t even call our homeowners that! 

One of Belong’s specialties is working with homeowners that find themselves on the rental market unexpectedly or are taking the challenge of rental home management on for the first time. Our goal is to keep homes in the hands of individuals, find wonderful humans that will treat the home as their own, and keep all homeowner headaches and frustrations at bay. 

Why a property management company isn’t the right fit for homeowners

If you love your home, Belong can help in a way that property management companies can’t. 

Property managers are supposed to make your life easier, taking care of your rental home residents so you can enjoy your investment without worry. But the reality is often not so glossy. Common complaints of traditional property management companies include poor communication, hidden fees, low-quality maintenance work, and high property vacancy. Property managers work in a way where your profit comes at the expense of the people who occupy your home. It’s not good for you and it’s not good for your residents. 

That’s why Belong exists. Belong gives rental homeowners an alternative, without having to do all the heavy lifting yourself. We’re solving the broken property management system to create a new residential network, with perks that will make renting out your home more enjoyable and profitable. 

The end result? A rental home management partner that looks out for you, your cash flow, and your residents with innovative solutions that make renting lovable. 

How Belong is changing and simplifying rental management

Belong looks after rental homes, but isn’t a traditional property management company. Think of us more as a technology company with a human heart. Where long-term renting meets hospitality. Belong addresses both sides of the housing crisis by supporting homeowners to meet their financial goals and looking after residents to get them into home ownership sooner. 

Here are five reasons to choose Belong over traditional property management:

1. Guaranteed Rent

Never chase a rental payment again. Ever. 

Belong homeowners earn guaranteed rent, which means you get paid every month — no matter when we receive it. This is our way of “putting our money where our mouth is”. We’re so confident in our resident placement and screening process that we can pay you like clockwork. 

2. Transparent, inclusive fees

Many property management companies will advertise low management rates that seem very appealing up front, but include only the bare minimum. Soon, your 6% management fee can skyrocket to thousands of dollars upfront and per month.

At Belong, our management fee is transparent (8%), capped (won’t exceed $599), and inclusive. We never charge markups or hidden fees for lease renewals, after-hours support, listing, and marketing services. We even include essentials like video marketing, eviction protection, and move-in/move-out services for our homeowners — plus many extra perks.

This dramatically simplifies your life as a homeowner and makes predicting your cash flow a breeze. 

3. Constant innovation and homeowner perks

We pride ourselves on being different from old-school companies that haven’t changed since 1980. That’s why we infuse technology into everything we do. 

From flexible financing products to an industry-leading homeowner app, Belong is always innovating to make your rental experience better and better. 

4. Happier residents

Belong residents get access to 24/7 concierge support, a user-friendly app, a home rented with livability in mind, flexible payment options and build their credit rating. It’s why Belong homes find residents quickly and keep them longer. 73% of Belong residents renew their 12-month lease, keeping vacancies low and your home well cared for. 

5. Get found, faster 

Did you know that Belong integrates into all popular listing platforms such as Zillow and Zumper? You’ll automatically be featured on all the top sites when you list with Belong. This matters because it means, you’ll get 30-50% more views for your home as well as a direct feed of applicants from these sites into the Belong system. This lets us contact potential residents quickly and find the best applicant faster than a traditional property manager could. 

It’s another way that Belong reduces vacancy times and costs for homeowners, with 66% less vacancy than competitors and an average of 29 qualified applications for every home listed. 

How to ditch your property manager while your home is occupied

Whether you’re dealing with a problematic property management company or just burnt out on self-managing your rental home, Belong can help. Even if your rental home is currently occupied, you can apply to join Belong mid-lease and make sure your residents and cash flow are well taken care of.

You can apply for Belong to adopt your home management and guarantee your rental income in two simple steps:

1. Get qualified

To get started, start our online qualification process here. We’ll reach out to you shortly (usually the same day!) to answer your questions and confirm if you’re a good fit for Belong. We’ll also help you with all the logistics if you’re switching from a property manager. 

We’ll work with your residents to make the transition as seamless as possible. They will remain on their existing lease, but also access Belong's easy online payment options and concierge support.

2. Get your residents qualified for guaranteed rent

To access guaranteed rent for existing residents, Belong will need to qualify them with our screening process. 9/10 residents are qualified for our guaranteed rent program.

If your residents move out at the end of their lease, we’ll help you find your next residents so you continue earning passive income with no interruptions. We’ll even include eviction protection of up to $15,000 in legal fees for any residents we place. 

Getting started with Belong

Belong is simplifying the rental experience and helping more homeowners reach their financial goals through real estate. Visit our homeowner's page to find out more about how our services are helping people to ditch property management in Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Orlando, Jacksonville, Miami, and many, many more.