From Frustration to Freedom: Why Homeowners Choose Belong

Not all rental homeowners consider themselves to be landlords building real estate empires. In reality there are many situations where homeowners find themselves on the rental market unexpectedly. It’s so common that it’s created the term ‘accidental landlords’. 

Common scenarios 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

Not everyone who rents out a home loves the idea of even being called 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 who are taking on the challenge of rental home management for the first time. Our goal is to keep homes in the hands of individuals — finding wonderful humans to treat the home as their own and keep homeowner headaches and frustrations at bay. 

Is hiring property management the right choice? What’s the alternative?

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 or DIY:

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. It also provides your residents with the flexibility to pay on their schedule, without impacting yours. 

2. Transparent fees that include a whole lot

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 a transparent 8% and free of junk fees. We never hide costs or charge extra for what we think should be essential. This includes our most in-demand services such as guaranteed rent, flexible payment options, 24/7 support, and up to $15,000 in eviction protection from legal costs if you ever need it. 

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. 

Our industry-leading homeowner app puts everything you need at your fingertips, including:

• Help and support when you need it (yes, even on weekends!) 
• Flexible financing to spread the cost of maintenance or home expenses
• Get rental home insurance to protect your asset
• Access cash flow insights and tax documentation
• Review and approve maintenance requests, connecting with our 10,000+ strong vendor network

And this is just the beginning. As a tech-forward solution, Belong is always innovating to make the rental experience better for everyone. 

4. Happier residents

Belong residents get access to 24/7 support, a user-friendly app for simple payments, and credit towards their home deposit with every on-time rent payment. 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? When you list with Belong, you’ll automatically be featured on all the top sites. 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 maximize your ROI if your home is under lease

Maybe this isn’t your first rental home experience. Maybe you’re fed up with a problematic property management company or burnt out on self-managing your rental home. If this is the case, Belong can help in two easy steps — even if you’re mid-lease. 

If your rental home is currently occupied, you can apply to join Belong and make sure your residents and cash flow are well taken care of. 

1. Get qualified

To get started, you can find our online qualification process here. We’ll reach out to confirm if your home is 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 also include protection of up to $15,000 in legal fees for any residents we place if we ever need to start eviction proceedings. 

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, Houston, Los Angeles, Orlando, Charlotte, Miami and many more.