We are announcing a $5M Series Seed led by Jeff Jordan at a16z, a $10M Series A led by Jeff Richards at GGV Capital

Announcing Belong's $5M Series Seed, $10M Series A and $40M Series B from a16z, GGV and Battery Ventures

Today is an important day for Belong and all of us personally.

We are announcing a $5M Series Seed led by Jeff Jordan at a16z, a $10M Series A led by Jeff Richards at GGV Capital, and a $40M Series B led by Roger Lee at Battery Ventures, with Comerica providing credit support.

Joining a16z, GGV, and Battery Ventures, we are welcoming individual investors Eric Wu (CEO of OpenDoor), Sarah Friar (CEO of Nextdoor), Austen Allred  (CEO of Lambda School), Kevin Hartz (Founder of Eventbrite), Elliot Cohen and TJ Parker (Founders of PillPack), Manish Chandra (CEO of Poshmark), Laurence Tosi (CFO Blackstone / Airbnb), Sam Corcos (CEO of Levels), Dave Vasen (CEO of Brightwheel), Brett Rotchkind (Former MD General Atlantic), William Barnes (leading the Uber Alumni Syndicate), and Larry Summers (former Secretary of the Treasury)! 

We are a company started by immigrants. As immigrants, we had to redefine, multiple times and in numerous ways, what Home meant to us. 

Is Home the walls around you and the ceiling above you?

With time, we discovered that Home isn't a place. Home is a feeling. Home is where our heart is.

We love building products that make people happy. More specifically, we love surprising people with something they never thought could make them happy. 

So we chose an industry that hadn't changed in centuries and offered no elements of delight to those it was meant to serve. The rental journey is a universally shared experience that’s severely dysfunctional. Whether you’re on that journey as a renter or a homeowner, it is filled with stress, anxiety, headache, and often, ill will. 

That's precisely the type of experience we feel compelled to go tackle. We’ve set about changing every aspect of renting. It’s certainly not the easy route, but we're obsessed with eradicating everything that was once bad, and replacing it with something truly great.

If you’re a homeowner, Belong will handle everything for you. For starters, we’re going to treat your home exceptionally well. Our in-house, full-time team of Pros will take care of all maintenance and reconditioning on your home, showing up on time and doing work correctly the first time around. We'll find really great Residents that love your home, almost as much as you do. And we’re going to treat them exceptionally well too, so that they stay longer, further reducing vacancy. And because we’re building for the future, everything is handled right through your phone, from rent and Pro Services, to communications with your dedicated Concierge. 

We're proud to be building the feeling of Home every human deserves.

Want to learn more about the magic of Belong? HOW IT WORKS

Building something from nothing is incredibly hard. 

So, why do we do it? More importantly, why did we choose to do it again?

We continuously remind each other of this secret: building something the world values is a hack that enables you to choose who to work with.

Case in point, several of the Belong team members have been working together for eight years and plan to continue for many, many more.

Another secret is that you also get to 'hire' your investors when you’re off to a good start. The people you admire the most from your field. We get to learn from these people in a seamless, natural way. In the Jeffs and Roger, we've found extraordinary operators, turned even better investors, that we are proud to call our partners. We don't take that for granted and we are extraordinarily grateful.

But, we couldn't do any of this without our team members, The Belongers, past, and present. All incredibly dedicated, talented, warm-hearted people that make and will continue to make Belong special. 

This announcement is dedicated to each one of you:

Adam, Ahmad, Akash, Alejandro, Alex, Alex, Alex, Alfie, Amy, An, Andy, Anthony, Aprilynne, Ariane, Arlie, Ben, Brandon, Brittany, Bruce, Caleb, Cameron, Carlo, Catherine, Cesar, Chelsea, Chenell, Chris, Christian, Corinne, Cynthia, David, Daniel, DeJon, Diego, Diego, Dion, Divine, Dolores, Doug, Eileen, Ellie, Erin, Erin, Fedelyn, Fernando, Flora, Frankie, Francisco, Freddy, Garrett, Gabriel, Glenn, Haris, Hyuk, Jake, Jane, Jason, Javier, Jerry, Jiffy, Joel, John, John, Jonathan, Jordan, Jordan, Jorge, Joseph, Julio, Kalin, Kar, Katie, Kathryn, Kayla, Khym, Landon, Lara, Leah, Liam, Lupe, Mario, Mark, Mary Bernadette, Mati, Matt, Matthew, Mary, Maxx, Michael, Michael, Michelle, Milan, Montana, Murugesh, Namrata, Noemi, Nica, Nick, Nico, Nimesh, Nitesh, Oggi, Pablo, Pradeep, Priscila, Randy, Ronson, Ruben, Ryan, Sadara, Sajni, Saliq, Sam, Sam, Shawn, Stephan, Sydney, Tanner, Thomas, Tom, Tomek, Travis, Troy, Tyler, Vic, Yanna, and Zeni!

Thank you for your hard work. You've made it possible to get this far.

Would you like to explore careers at Belong? We have lots to do and learn. 

Please send any press inquiries to press@belonghome.com.

Belong's $40M Capital Expansion with Series Seed, A and B Funding

We cover the ins and outs of tenant screening, from how to do it yourself to the best tenant screening services to find the right people to occupy your home.

How To Find Great Tenants: The Best Tenant Screening Services

When you place a tenant in your home, who you choose can make or break your rental experience. Someone who is late on their rent or damages your home can be a costly nightmare for landlords. What you want is a person or family who is reliable with rent and trustworthy, treating the place as they would their own. 

Finding that perfect fit is a big deal, it’s why tenant screening services and property managers are so popular, helping to take the burden off landlords. 

There are four approaches you can take to finding great tenants:

1. Do your own vetting of tenant applications with a mix of research and screening services

2. Outsource background checks to a tenant screening service

3. Hire a property management company to manage applications and tenant screening

4. Hire Belong to take a human approach to tenant screening, pairing all the necessary checks with interviewing potential residents for the perfect long-term fit

Before we dive into the ins and outs of each approach, the best advice we can give is to remember that tenants are more than a financial transaction. They are people looking for a place to call home. If you want reliable people who will treat your home as their own, you need to treat them as such. 

This is why Belong refers to renters as ‘residents’, not tenants. By treating everyone in our residential network with mutual respect, combining best-in-class technology with a human-centered approach, we can foster a feeling of belonging that attracts the kind of people you want to live in your home. 

Approach #1: Conduct your own tenant screening

If you want to go it alone and manage your own rental applications, you will need to conduct a series of necessary checks manually and with a bit of help from some screening services. You should also brush up on Fair Housing Laws to ensure your ads and questions don't discriminate against any potential applicants.

Your tenant screening process should examine the following:

Financial stability/ability to service the asking rent

References from employees and previous landlords or property managers

Tenant identify and past experiences in the rental market can be verified using online tenant screening services including:

Don’t forget to ask for and contact references to verify any information received and be on the lookout for any accidental or willful omissions/deceit.

Approach #2: Hire a tenant screening service to manage the process

If you want to manage part of the process yourself but need some help, you can enlist the help of a tenant screening service that will provide you with a background check and necessary reports for review. 

Background checks, criminal record and credit rating checks are typically covered by tenant screening services. Keep in mind that these checks are just the basics of tenant screening to rule out financial red flags. The rest of the process still needs to be performed by you or your property manager.

To help you do the best screening, you’ll want a service that offers a these 5 services:

1. Consumer credit report (from any of Experian, Equifax or Transunion)

Here are a few tenant screening services to consider:

Approach #3: Hire a property manager to manage applicants and tenant screening

A run-down on what 1031 Exchange Rules mean to landlords and homeowners considering putting their home on the rental market.

What Landlords Should Know About 1031 Exchange Rules

If you own an investment property and are considering selling, it's time to get up to speed with a tax benefit known as a 1031 exchange. A 1031 exchange (sometimes called a "like-kind" exchange) will allow the homeowner to defer paying capital gains tax on the sale of an investment property, as long as the proceeds from the sale are reinvested into a similar home (of equal or greater value, within a certain timeframe). 

What is the advantage of a 1031 exchange?

If you own an investment property that has appreciated in value, you will pay capital gains tax on the sale. The advantage of a 1031 exchange is that it lets you defer capital gains tax, so you have more net cash to invest in a replacement property.

Owners of rental homes use a 1031 exchange for a number of reasons, including:

Buying a property that promises to offer a better rental return;

When selling an investment home, owners have 45 days to identify a replacement property for the sold asset. You're given 180 days in total to complete the 1031 exchange (inclusive of the time you took to identify the replacement). 

You must also satisfy one of the following requirements: 

1. The Three-Property Rule lets you identify three properties as potential purchases regardless of their market value;

2. The 200% Rule allows you to identify unlimited replacement properties, provided the properties’ cumulative value doesn’t exceed 200% of the value of the property sold; or

3. The 95% Rule permits a homeowner to identify as many properties as they like, provided the homeowner acquires properties valued at 95% of their total or more.


The identification must be in writing, signed by the taxpayer, and delivered to the replacement property seller. It’s customary for the identification to be delivered to the qualified intermediary, but a written statement in a contract to purchase the replacement property stating that the buyer is identifying the subject property as his replacement meets the requirements. Note that there’s no licensing or other formal eligibility for intermediaries. However, the tax code disqualifies anyone who’s acted as a taxpayer’s agent and those who are related. The term “agent” includes accountants, attorneys, and realtors who’ve worked on behalf of the taxpayer in the last two years.

There are also a few other requirements to keep in mind:

The proceeds received from the sale of properties must be used to buy the new properties

An intermediary is required to hold all the cash from the sales in escrow, in a segregated account, until it’s used for the new purchases; and

You don’t pay taxes on the recapture of depreciation, but your depreciation schedule doesn’t start over. We will explain that below.

Based on the current tax code, you can make as many exchanges as you want; but when the property is finally sold and the proceeds aren’t reinvested in a new property, any capital gains and depreciation recapture tax liability kick in.

Depreciation is the percentage of the cost of an investment property that’s declared as an expense, such as the effects of wear and tear on the home. Expenditures of that kind can be claimed as a tax deduction when they occur.

When a property is sold, any capital gains taxes are determined based on the property’s net-adjusted value, which is the property’s original purchase price, plus any capital improvements, minus depreciation. 

If an investment property is sold for more than its depreciated value, a homeowner may be required to “recapture” the depreciation, which means the amount of depreciation will be included in his or her taxable income from the eventual sale of the property.

The rules for 1031 exchanges state that properties are of like-kind if they’re of the same nature or character, even if they differ in grade or quality. In general, real estate properties are like-kind properties, no matter if they’ve been improved or not. But note that property in the United States and property outside the U.S. aren't like-kind properties.

The IRS states that if you make a like-kind exchange, you aren’t required to recognize a gain or loss under Internal Revenue Code Section 1031. However, if as part of the exchange, the owner also receives other (not like-kind) property or money, that not like-kind portion of the transaction must be reported to the IRS as a gain when measured against the other property and money received (The IRS says that a homeowner can’t recognize a loss.).

For homeowners to receive the full benefit of a 1031 exchange, the replacement property must be of equal or greater value.

Are there different kinds of like-kind exchanges?

Yes. There are three types of 1031 exchanges that vary by their timing and other details. Each has its own requirements and procedures:

1031 exchanges that are carried out within 180 days get this name because in the past, exchanges had to be performed simultaneously.  In a delayed exchange, the homeowner relinquishes property before he acquires a new property. The “relinquished” property is transferred first, and the property the homeowner wants to purchase is acquired second.

This type of 1031 exchange permits the replacement property to be renovated or newly constructed. Note that because these exchanges are still subject to the 180-day rule,  all improvements and construction on the exchanged property must be completed by the time the transaction is executed.

If a homeowner makes any improvements after this point, they won’t qualify as part of the exchange.

This is when a homeowner acquires the replacement property prior to selling the property to be exchanged. Here, the property must be transferred to what is called an exchange accommodation titleholder (which can be the qualified intermediary) and a qualified exchange accommodation agreement must be signed. With this type of exchange, a third party temporarily holds a homeowner's relinquished or replacement property.

A property for exchange must be identified within 45 days of the transfer of the property, and the transaction must be carried out within the same 180 days.

What properties are eligible for 1031 exchange?

The IRS says that there are many forms of real estate that can be used for a 1031 exchange. This includes any property used for a business that includes a store, manufacturing facility, or office building.

Plus, investment property is also eligible for a 1031 exchange—this includes rental properties.

Again, the properties involved must be “like-kind.” The like-kind requirement is interpreted liberally, and almost all real estate properties qualify as like-kind. The types of like-kind properties may include:

What properties cannot be used in a 1031 exchange?

There are several types of property that cannot be used for a 1031 exchange. They include the following:

Stock in trade or other property held primarily for sale;

Other securities or evidence of indebtedness or interest;

Certificates of trust or beneficial interests;

A chose in action, which is a right to something, like payment of a debt or damages in a lawsuit); and

A run-down on what landlords should know about 1031 Exchange Rules and what it means for homeowners looking to put their home on the rental market.

You can’t predict what 2022 will bring, but you can take these steps for property management success

5 New Year Tips for Self-Managing a Rental Property in 2022

You can’t predict what 2022 will bring, but you can take these steps for property management success.

As the calendar turns to 2022, a lot more happens than just having to write a new date on our checks (assuming, that is, you are still writing paper checks). There’s a switch that occurs in our brains – which is why New Year’s Resolutions have been so important throughout history, and from culture to culture.

The switch is called “The Fresh Start Effect,” and it’s powerful; here’s a study that describes it in scientific terms: Temporal Landmarks Motivate Aspirational Behavior.

By now you may be wondering, “What on earth does this have to do with my rental property?” The short answer is: a great deal!  The best way to plan for a successful new year is by looking at it as a fresh start, rather than a continuation of last year’s stresses.

Here are five tips to help you achieve that goal – some emotional, some practical:

1. Get rid of negative thoughts. Literally.

Research shows that if you write negative thoughts down on a piece of paper – and then crumple the paper up and throw it out – it helps you deal with them.  So why not do just that?  Write down all your negative thoughts about property management, whatever they might be:  the stress of collecting rent; the inability to find a furnace repair person;  the worry over paying the taxes.  Then crumple up the paper and toss it.

We are sure there were stressful moments during the year. Our tendency as human beings is to get emotionally caught up in them, and then once the drama is passed, to move on. Now is a good time for reflection and some learning.

Think back on what made self-managing your property so hard, and then ask yourself: did you overreact, thereby creating friction with your resident? Was the crisis a result of you putting off the inevitable?  Then start to think of possible solutions. Can you get ahead of the “inevitable” when it inevitably recurs? Could the situation have been prevented or mitigated by advance planning? For example, dealing with the sudden onset of a leaky roof is less stressful if you have a list of three trusted roofers in your file. 

Based on this self-reflection, determine the steps you can take now to better cope with the unexpected hiccups that will undoubtedly arise in 2022.  The very practice of planning can in itself be calming.

We don’t know if your tenant will be expecting a gracious note wishing them a happy New Year, but we do know that it will be more than welcome when the email slides into their inbox.

Take the opportunity to wish them the best of 2022, and also to tell them how fortunate you are to have them living in your home – that it means a lot to know someone is living there who loves the property, and takes care of it, as you would.   It will make both of you feel good – and selfishly, it will also create reciprocity and encourage your resident to act even more responsibly.

While you’re at it, send similar messages to the contractors and others you rely on most – whether it’s the plumber or the landscaper.  These people are in great demand, and normally they get complaints, not thanks.  Reaching out now will definitely put you on the top of the list for 2022 projects.

4. Don’t continue your record keeping. Disrupt it.

This gets back to our “Fresh Start Effect” advice. Whether you keep your records digitally or with paper and pencil, or a combination of both, don’t roll into 2022 as if it is the thirteenth month of the year. Start a new excel spreadsheet, or buy a new notebook, or buy a new set of files for your invoices.

You will feel the difference psychologically, we guarantee it!

This is the perfect time to re-set expectations with your resident. For example, if you were overly responsive last year – and that led to frustrations and lifestyle interruptions – then should consider communicating that, with a “2022 Rules of the Road.”

For example, you will be available as soon as possible for something serious, like a leaky roof, but your resident shouldn’t expect the same level of responsiveness for something like a leaky faucet. That kind of task triage is reasonable and once you establish the guidelines, both you and your resident will find life to be much less stressful.

Especially now, when the uncertainty of the pandemic has put everyone on edge, residents need to understand that landlords are people, too!  The vast majority of tenants will be extraordinarily cooperative – and respectful. We see it every day.

The “we” in the language of these hopefully helpful hints is Belong. We are the 21st century innovator who is transforming each and every aspect of what property managers do.  We combine the power of technology to simplify and organize, and a dedicating caring team of humans – starting with a concierge and extending all the way to our vendor network of contractors – who are there to provide nothing short of a magnificent end-to-end experience.

So if this is the year you decide to work with not just any property manager – but one who defies the norms of what has been possible – we would welcome hearing from you.

If not – but you still have some questions that you’d like a professional answer to – we are happy to help as well.

Like many, we are addicted to looking at great homes. For Halloween, we couldn't resist sharing some of our favorite spooky home dress-ups.

Haunted – and Haunting – Houses

Other than Christmas, no holiday incites the imagination and the decorative prowess of Americans like Halloween. It’s one of our favorite traditions, the miraculous (or should we say devilish) transformations that houses nationwide undergo. It’s one of the rare instances where the lovable and the terrifying go hand-in-hand.  If for no other reason than to celebrate that paradoxical combination, we bring you our favorite Halloween houses of 2021.

If this Los Angeles house almost feels like a movie set, maybe it’s because the person behind it – Christine McConnell – is a professional photographer.

Building from the ground up – literally – this homeowner puts their own creative spin on the zombie genre. Like if Danny Boyle art-directed a haunted house.

A unique sense of scale makes this decoration feel particularly grand – almost like the house is being picked up and played with by a terrifying skeleton.

The best thing about this house?  Take away the lights and you’ve got your Thanksgiving decorations already taken care of!

So good we wouldn’t be surprised if it graced the cover of the National Enquirer’s next UFO expose. 

Cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Portland are making it easier than ever to obtain the permits necessary to create an ADU.  But even if you can, should you build one?

Accessory Dwelling Units: Should You Add an ADU To Rent?

Cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Portland are making it easier than ever to obtain the permits necessary to create an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU). But even if you can, should you build one? 

Insufficient housing supply has been a long-running issue in this country, but with the pandemic creating further pressure on the rental market and housing affordability, local and state governments have been forced to look at loosening zoning laws. As legislation changes, it's becoming far easier for homeowners to create Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and create an investment in real estate to enter the rental market. Some states like California -  where undersupply has been a chronic issue, pushing rental prices to the stratosphere - went even further, creating grant programs to incentivize the construction of ADUs. If you have the space on your property, an ADU can make a great investment to enter the rental market. 

Despite an increasing prevalence, there remains a lot of confusion in the public’s imagination when it comes to ADUs. This is largely due to a wide variety of real estate structures falling under the ADU umbrella. 

For example, a former garage that has been transformed into a living space — that’s an ADU; an attic space above a garage that has a plumbing system and heating units — that’s also an ADU; a small lane house or cottage completely detached from a property’s main house — that too is an ADU. Basically any room in a house — or secondary building on a piece of property — that can be used as an independent living quarters is classified as an ADU. 

California — ever the innovator — has even created a new category of ADU: Junior Accessory Dwelling Units. A Junior ADU can be no more than 500 square feet in size, and is permitted to share plumbing and heating systems with the main house.

The pros and cons of adding Accessory Dwelling Units to your home

Most people are attracted to adding an ADU to their property to generate passive income through renting. While renting out a studio or lane house won't attract as much as a larger home, over time the profits add up and can bring down the cost of your mortgage. As house prices continue to climb and the cost of living increases, there is a real emotional and practical benefit to making extra income, allowing you to stay in your home longer. 

They also provide flexibility. Of course, you can rent out your ADU, but if need be, you can use it to house family members. This use-case became particularly prevalent during the pandemic, when extended families were looking for creative (and safe) ways to continue seeing each other during the lockdowns.

If you're living in a State or City incentivizing the construction of ADUs, the upfront costs aren’t nearly as onerous you might think they’d be. To convert a basement or garage to an ADU can cost as little as $18,000.

But even without any help from the government, creating an ADU doesn't have to be expensive — even if you’re building a free-standing structure from the ground up. The laws are a little more lax than they are when it comes to building a primary dwelling.  In California for instance ADUs can be wood-frame constructions, as opposed to infill buildings, which are far more expensive to erect. 

Of course, there are some downsides, too, especially if you’re converting a room or area of your primary residence into an ADU.  Privacy becomes an issue, especially with JADUs. The build-out process might also prove to be disruptive.

And then there are the problems that come with being a landlord — finding and keeping residents, attending to all their problems, and having to chase down rent checks on a monthly basis. That inconvenience, if not awkwardness, is amplified when your tenant is living in such close proximity to you.

Creating or managing an ADU property with Belong

A lot of the concerns you would face as a landlord can be mitigated with the right property manager. Belong takes a unique approach to traditional property management, digitizing what used to be a cumbersome and painful process. From finding the right tenants that will leave peacefully alongside your home, to ensuring you never go without income. 

With Belong, you’ll also avoid the hassle of negotiating with contractors with access to a 24/7 Concierge service and instant access to a vendor network of over 10,000 professionals. Belong can connect you to the right people, whether you’re converting a pre-existing space into an ADU or JADU, or building a whole new structure. They conduct the feasibility report to determine if it’s even possible to build an ADU, collaborate with your architect (or recommend one, if need be), and construct the entire building on site. Belong has also partnered with Modal to install prefab ADUs, if a homeowner prefers to go in that direction. 

So for homeowners who work with Belong, creating an ADU becomes less of a question of why, but of why not? Visit our homeowner's page to find out more about how our services are helping people to ditch property management in Seattle, Redmond, Oakland, San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Miami and many more.

Accessory Dwelling Units: Uncover the pros and cons of adding an ADU to your property as a real estate investment and entry into the rental market.

Now welcoming homeowners and residents in the Pacific Northwest. Join us!

Announcing Belong’s Expansion to Seattle

Coming on the heels of our success in San Francisco and Los Angeles, today we’re excited to announce that Belong has expanded to the Pacific Northwest -- first stop, Seattle! This expansion brings our beloved rental experience to the homeowners and residents of beautiful Washington state!

Belong is changing what it means to rent a home by putting people first. It’s where hospitality meets consumer real estate—and it’s about to redefine an entire industry. We’re backed by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), GGV Capital, and Battery Ventures, just to name a few of our all-star investors. Our mission is to create authentic belonging experiences for those who own much-loved homes, and those longing for that feeling. Belong offers a unique technology-enabled property management platform with end-to-end services for those looking to rent out their home. We’re transforming the transactional nature of the industry into a world-class hospitality service for both homeowners and residents. 

It is hard to dispute that the rental journey, a universally shared experience, is severely dysfunctional. Whether you’re on that journey as a renter or a homeowner, it is filled with stress, anxiety, headache, and often ill will. 

Having moved several times in search of “Home,”  we have experienced first-hand how terrible the traditional landlord-tenant relationship can be; being forced to pay hidden fees, the zero-sum mentality of property managers, delayed and incomplete maintenance service, etc. We’ve also witnessed how painful it can be for a homeowner to act as a landlord -- a second job most never wanted. It is clear that we are not alone.

That's precisely the type of experience we feel compelled to go transform. We’ve set about changing every aspect of renting. It’s certainly not the easy route, but we're obsessed with eradicating everything that was once bad and replacing it with something truly great.

Belong will handle everything for you. For starters, we’re going to treat your home exceptionally well. Our in-house, full-time team of Pros will take care of all maintenance and reconditioning on your home, showing up on time, and doing work correctly the first time around. We'll find really great Residents that will love your home almost as much as you do. And we’re going to treat them exceptionally well too, so that they stay longer, reducing vacancy. And because we’re building for the future, everything is handled right through your phone, from rent and maintenance requests to communications with your dedicated Concierge.

Belong will make the process of renting a new home seamless. We take the hassle out of living in a home from an easy and online application to moving services to online rent payments and in-house maintenance services.

Know someone looking to rent out their home?

Call us at (206) 202-7090 and ask us about our referral program. 

Landlords and renters, Belong is now welcoming homeowners and residents in the Pacific Northwest. Join us in ditching outdated property management for good.

Our guest blogger at 14th Street Capital provides a run-down on how technology is making self-managing your own property much easier. 

3 Ways Tech Innovations Help Landlords Better Manage Their Properties

From our guest blogger Grant McDonald, the Vice President of Corporate Development at 14th Street Capital, a run-down on how technology is making self-managing your own property that much easier.  

I probably don’t need to tell you that being a landlord takes a lot of money and a lot of time. The average annual operating and capital expenditure can be around $2,000 - $3,000 per home. The amount of time it takes from your life is a little harder to quantify, but ask anyone who’s acted as a landlord – you’re sure to get an earful.

Just consider how much needs to be taken care of: getting the place ready; screening tenants; sending rent notifications; resolving maintenance issues; keeping detailed tax records. The list is immense and many landlords describe it as close to a full-time job.

For decades, outside of hiring a property manager, there wasn’t much a homeowner could do in terms of lightening their workload. Recently though, technology has begun to innovate aspects of property management, just as it is transforming other aspects of our lives.

While these new platforms don’t take on all the responsibilities of a property manager, they do make self-managing your own rental property that much easier and more efficient.

Let’s have a look at some of the ways in which technology is making a difference.

Online property management platforms have emerged to meet the needs of DIY property managers. One place to start your research is Investopedia, who’ve done the digging and compiled a list of the 7 best software platforms for rental properties.

Each has different features and benefits, and some are designed for homeowners with multiple properties. What’s more, each requires a different level of technological sophistication, so we advise you to do your homework.

That said, there is a great deal of overlap when it comes to basic functions, like online rent applications; credit screening; billing functionality, and messaging. Some allow landlords to set their own standards, but be careful that you do nothing to violate Fair Housing Laws.

These online platforms allow homeowners to automate the screening process, so they can set their own standards in terms of potential residents’ credit scores, rental history, and employment details.

Landlords report that fulfilling and tracking maintenance requests consumes a huge amount of time – maybe more than any other single responsibility. So it's worth looking into how different platforms manage that process. Homeowners can accept and respond to tenant maintenance requests using online platforms. You also transfer the service requests to the contractors and craftspeople who will be fixing the problem from within many of these platforms; meanwhile, tenants can use them to make maintenance requests, keep track of the repairs, and provide feedback to landlords, which simplifies their lives a little, too!

Sometimes there is a standard maintenance form, but given the unique nature of each property and the wide variety of possible maintenance issues, I think you’ll find the ability to customize these templates is important. Though of course the customization process might take up some of the time you’re trying to save. 

The good thing about Investopedia is that unlike many “best of” websites, they aren’t an advertising website disguised as content. They have real editors and writers, so you can trust that what you read is objective and isn’t what’s called “pay to play.”

Online cloud storage platforms like Dropbox and Apple’s iCloud are useful for landlords in terms of keeping important documents safe, secure, and accessible from any device with an internet connection. They’re a great place to store tenancy documents, agreements, contracts, inspection reports, and other essential documents. 

Some platforms even allow users to generate e-signature to digitally sign lease agreements and other essential documents.  Landlords can also use DocuSign for that basic requirement, although many of the platforms described early include that option as well.

The nice thing about Cloud Storage platforms is that they also make life easier for both you and your residents. They can quickly find all the documents they need, while you are spared a string of tiresome requests.

You may have heard about the IoT, or the “Internet of Things.”  Devices like Alexa and Google Home are examples of the IoT; they’re connected, “smart” devices – or things, if you prefer – that send data up to the cloud and down to a smartphone, creating a virtual bridge between you, the cloud, and the device itself, no matter where you are.

For landlords, there are several applications of this core technology. For instance, there are smart water detectors and alarms that will notify both you and your tenant should there be a basement flood. Think of it as a technology insurance policy that can protect you from the devastating consequences of a broken pipe or hot water heater. Here’s a link to some of these surprisingly affordable and essential devices on Amazon.

There have also been breakthroughs in smaller and higher-resolution security cameras. These can be useful to landlords, but there are a lot of complexities around the legal implications. Belong has written about that on this blog, so check out this important context. 

Smart door locks are another technological asset; here’s a link to some of the best as assessed by PC magazine. Landlords report that tenant “lock out” situations are a continual problem and distraction. These elegant solutions solve the problem!

In short, technology can make a landlord’s life easier. But nothing is easier than Belong, which is the first 21st truly tech-enabled property management system. Learn how Belong’s technology creates a new landlord experience, profoundly simplifying your life letting you enjoy the financial benefits of being a landlord, free of the stress and risk. 

Grant McDonald, VP of Corporate Development at 14th Street Capital, provides a run-down on how technology is making self-managing a property much easier.  

3 Ways Tech is Helping Landlords Manage Their Properties

Belong has expanded further south — hello, San Diego! We’re thrilled to bring our beloved rental experience and homeowner services to the city of San Diego.

Announcing Belong’s Expansion to San Diego

Building off of our success in the Bay Area and Los Angeles and on the heels of our recent Seattle launch, today we’re excited to announce that Belong has expanded further south — hello, San Diego! We’re thrilled to bring our beloved rental experience and homeowner service to San Diego, and are particularly delighted to provide our solution to the many military members who call the area home. 

Belong is changing what it means to rent a home by putting people first. It’s where hospitality meets consumer real estate—and it’s about to redefine an entire industry. We’re backed by Andreesen Horowitz (a16z), GGV Capital, and Battery Ventures, just to name a few of our all-star investors. Our mission is to create authentic belonging experiences for those who own much-loved homes, and those longing for that feeling. Belong offers a unique technology-enabled property management platform with end-to-end services for those looking to rent out their home. We’re transforming the transactional nature of the industry into a world-class hospitality service for both homeowners and residents. 

It is hard to dispute that the rental journey, a universally shared experience, is severely dysfunctional. Whether you’re on that journey as a renter or a homeowner, it is filled with stress, anxiety, headache, and often ill will. 

Having moved several times in search of “Home,”  we have experienced first-hand how terrible the traditional landlord-tenant relationship can be; being forced to pay hidden fees, the zero-sum mentality of property managers, delayed and incomplete maintenance service, etc. We’ve also witnessed how painful it can be for a homeowner to act as a landlord -- a second job most never wanted. It is clear that we are not alone.

Call us at (858) 244-9339 and ask us about our referral program. 

Interested Homeowner? Get qualified today to take advantage of all Belong has to offer.

How do I rent out a property as a landlord, but live far away? Do I need a property manager or can I manage myself? We answer FAQs on owning interstate rentals

Long-Distance Landlord: How To Manage a Rental Home From Afar

Whether you had to move for work or picked up a steal of a property in another city, it’s not uncommon to live far away from a home you rent out. Even more so in 2024. With many homeowners holding onto interest rates too good to give up, renting out a home is often a better option when opportunity knocks in another city. 

This is why we get asked so often, “How do I rent out a property when I live far away?” 

Particularly if you’re considering the DIY self-management route, there’s a lot to consider before taking on the challenge from another state. It’s not impossible, but here are six questions to consider first. 

6 questions to consider before self-managing a rental home out-of-state

1. How often can I travel to my rental home? 


When preparing your home for the rental market, you will need to get it move-in ready. You’ll need to arrange a deep clean, attend to repairs and have professional photographs and video taken for your online listing. These are not remote tasks. Someone will need to be at the home to let in contractors, cleaners, and a real estate photographer.

If you travel to your rental home, be sure to keep accurate records of everything from your trip. You may be eligible to claim some costs such as airfares, hire car and petrol, even hotel accommodation as a tax expense for managing your rental home. 

If travel is too far or just not a viable option, is there someone you trust close by that you could enlist for help? This is where having a property manager or modern alternative like Belong can make the process much smoother, taking care of all preparations and listings on your behalf. If you do hire someone to manage the process, you can claim these fees at tax time too. 

Discover Belong: The best alternative to Property Management in Seattle, Redmond, Oakland, and many more cities across California, Texas, Utah, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, and Washington State.     


When you live far away from your rental home, how you collect rent is another consideration. Checks and cash are out of the question! Thankfully, paying rent online is commonplace these days — not to mention safer. 

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