Traditional depictions of landlords have always been negative. So as attitudes towards renting shift and become more positive, how can we support homeowners who take a caring approach to renting their home?

How Can We Change The Perception of Landlords?

Traditional depictions of landlords have always been negative. But at the end of the day, most landlords are homeowners who care about their property and who rents it. 

As attitudes towards renting shift and become more positive, how can we support homeowners who take a caring approach to renting their home?

Words matter, and “landlord” has never been a pretty one. It summons up images of greedy, faceless real estate companies who don’t really care about the property itself, or the people who live there. But is that the reality of a modern landlord?

When you look at the numbers, the vast majority of single-family rental properties – a total of 72.5 percent – are owned by individuals. And they own just 1.72 properties on average. This means most landlords are simply homeowners who are supporting families or own a space that just isn't right for their current needs. Many have inherited a house and aren't prepared to sell it yet. Or they might be in the process of downsizing or moving for work, but aren’t yet ready to part with their homes. They may even expect to move back in the future. 

Another reason for holding on and renting is that they may live in an area where housing prices are rapidly appreciating, and they don’t want to give up on that opportunity to participate in that. We’re seeing that right now, as housing prices are going up at over 10 percent annually; combine that with the shortage that exists, and not selling at this moment could be a wise economic choice. 

That doesn't sound particularly evil, so how do we change the perception of the modern landlord? 

By treating them as what they are: homeowners. It's why Belong prefers that term over 'landlord'. It acknowledges that many owners have an emotional relationship to the houses they rent, and want to go to bed at night knowing that the individual – or family – living there loves the place.

They aren’t professional investors who understand the ins and outs of real estate law, and most of them aren’t interested in taking on the responsibilities of maintaining the property. Along with the word landlord, Belong has ditched the hassles and hidden fees of traditional property management to offer an entirely new experience. One that makes everything transparent and friction-free, from listing and finding residents, to the upkeep of the property. We treat everyone in our community (both homeowners and residents) as members of community, available 24/7 to support whomever needs it. That's how you change perception from faceless greed to responsible homeowners in the rental market. 

So you can use words like “innovative” and “impeccable” and “finally!” to describe Belong – or any other laudatory adjectives you want to add to the heap. Just not "another property management company". 

Traditional depictions of landlords are not pretty, but as attitudes towards renting shift to become more positive, it's time to reposition homeowners.

Of course, you want to keep your property safe. But are you opening yourself up to legal liabilities when you use security cameras to accomplish that goal?

What Every Property Manager Should Know About Security Cameras

Installing security cameras in a house or apartment you’re self-managing might seem like a no-brainer. Especially today, when they are so affordable and easy to install. After all, the urge to protect the property and the people residing in it is a universal trait, shared by landlords and renters alike. But beware: there are huge legal implications when it comes to installing security cameras on your property.

When a resident is behind a closed door, they have a reasonable expectation that they’re in a private, safe space. In fact, in that kind of circumstance, they legally have a right to privacy. Anything you do that intrudes on that right — including setting up a security camera — is against the law. 

In fact, it’s one of the rights guaranteed in the Bill of Rights: According to many legal scholars, the Third Amendment, which explicitly prevents soldiers from taking up residence in a civilian’s home, implicitly “suggests the individual’s right of domestic privacy” — this according to the National Constitution Center. The Fourth Amendment is even more explicit, guaranteeing “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures.”  Though these Amendments were initially drafted as a check on governmental intrusion into the private lives of its citizenry, it also applies to civil matters.

This doesn’t mean you can’t install a security camera altogether: it just means you have to be very careful that you aren’t videoing your residents while they’re inside the house — or the apartment — itself. If you own a building with multiple units in it, you might be allowed to install security cameras in shared spaces, for example in hallways or stairwells or entryways that any resident can access. But we advise you to check with an attorney well-versed in the federal and state laws that might be applicable.

You can probably also install cameras that look out onto areas of the property that are visible to the public in general — the front yard, for example, or the driveway. But installing a camera in the backyard, where residents could reasonably assume they are out of view of the public eye, is illegal.

They can be, if you’re hyper-careful when installing them. Doorbell cameras, for example, are a great way of protecting your property, your residents, and yourself: because they look out onto public-facing land (i.e., the front yard), they keep you safe from violating your tenant’s right to privacy by filming indoors. Just be sure to purchase a product that allows you to turn off any audio recording functionality (Ring cams, for example). 

There are other solutions that can provide an extra layer of security that are definitely worth considering, in particular wireless alarm systems. Unlike their wired forefathers — the kind of alarm systems your parents might have had — these new systems are much cheaper to install, because you don’t need a professional to be laying wires all over the house.  In fact, many of them can be self-installed. Also, like Ring doorbell cams, they are often smart systems that communicate directly to the homeowner’s cellphone, so you’re constantly aware of what’s going on with your property. Some of our favorites can be purchased through these links.

You can also install motion-sensitive security lights; the simple shock of the light suddenly turning on is enough to scare off many an intruder. Another cheap option: non-functional cameras installed in places where potential intruders will see them. The mere threat of being recorded might be enough to turn the thieves away.

No matter what type of security system you end up installing, we recommend being fully transparent with any current and future resident about their security – and the security of the home in general. Conversations like these can communicate to your residents that you care about their safety and security — and, more broadly, about them as people — which makes it that much more likely they’ll reciprocate and treat you and your property with the utmost respect. 

Finally, we recommend consulting with a local lawyer who fully understands the nuances of applicable state laws. Though (as stated above) many of the laws we’re talking about here are Federal, there is often local legislation that has a bearing on the legality of using security cameras. That’s why talking to a good lawyer is the best way to mitigate (or eliminate) any potential risk.

Interested in learning more? Check out The Dos and Don’ts of Home Security in a Rental Property.

Love letters might seem like a cute trend in the real estate industry, but homeowners beware when opening one that you're not opening a can of worms with it.

A Warning on Real Estate “Love Letters”

The housing market is tight. So much so that you may have been reading about a new twist: people who are looking for houses are sending “love letters” to sellers, telling them why they are the ideal people to buy the house. 

These letters are definitely not as innocuous – or potentially charming – as they might seem, as the Wall Street Journal pointed out in a well-written story.

While this phenomenon is not as widespread in rentals as it is in purchase situations, the same risks apply.   The risk, simply put, is that acting on one of these endearing letters could result in major trouble, putting a homeowner at risk of “enabling discrimination”  -- whether the contemplated transaction is buying or renting.

The story noted the case of a letter from an anxious buyer who noted that he and the seller went to the same college.   That seemingly innocent statement could result in a seller being accused of violating  “the federal Fair Housing Act by choosing a buyer based on a protected class, such as race, religion, or nationality. The law includes seven protected classes, and some states and localities have additional protected categories.”

A blog post from the Sloan Law Firm, cheekily titled “Real Estate Love Letters: A Heartfelt Enticement or a Forbidden Affair,” lays out the dos and don’ts.  It’s fine if a letter “expresses admiration for a particular architectural style,” but when a letter “includes a family photo, references to the number of children in a family, or a note that the property is close to the buyer’s church, it unwittingly inserts information into the transaction that a seller is not legally permitted to consider and possibly exposes the seller to allegations of discrimination if the sellers opt not to sell to that buyer.”

Even statements in a letter like “This dining room is perfect for our big family,” or “This layout is perfect for our daughter’s wheelchair,” cannot be legally considered.

The National Association of Realtors has also warned against this technique.

So if you’re renting out your home, be super-cautious about even reading a love letter.  Instead, if you want to find someone who will love your home we’d like to introduce you to Belong.

Belong is turning everything about traditional property management upside down. 

We’ll find you the right residents, those ready to love your house and make a life there,  and also tell you exactly how much to price your house.  We have a super-smart Price Optimization technology that understands neighborhood uniqueness. And of course, we manage the whole process for you. 

In the long run, you’ll be the one writing a love letter — to Belong.

Disclaimer: This piece is not intended to provide legal advice of any kind and we advise you to consult your attorney before making any decisions with regard to any issues described or raised herein.  

If the walls could talk, what would your rental home say about property management with great long-term tenants and 24/7 access to expert maintenance?

If Walls Could Talk: What A Rental Would Say About Property Management

If the walls could talk, what would your rental home say about property management with great long-term tenants and 24/7 access to expert maintenance? This is how we would image a letter from a rental home would sound when written to Belong. 

There was a while there I’d been feeling empty inside. But then you came into my life. Even got into my kitchen. Cleaned the cobwebs out of my head. Now I feel new again. Young. Full of life. A house with a purpose. And it’s all thanks to you finding me such a perfect family.

Special thanks goes to your vendor network of professionals, who so gently and expertly repaired all the damage that had been done to me over the years — and restored me to my original condition. Though I’d been living with a family for many years that loved me as much as I loved them, when I moved out, it was time for some fixes and upgrades. It’s what happens – lived in and loved house often shows it.

So now I’m back, feeling young as I ever have. My basement is so clean you could eat off the floor. But of course you don’t have to, because my dining room’s been fully restored, too.  Turns out that, underneath the shag carpet my previous owners put in back when Fonzie was on TV there was beautiful hardwood flooring. Parquet. 

The new residents absolutely love it. Actually, scratch that: They love me.  Everything about me, they love. And the feeling is mutual. I haven’t felt this appreciated in years!

It’s so good to be needed again. To be useful. To have someone to look after, and to have someone to look after me. To have people in my yard again, flowers growing in my soil, people sleeping peacefully on my second floor.  Even to have someone hiding from their in-laws in my attic is a delight. For a house, to feel alive is to foster life. 

And when this family needs to move on, I’ll miss them. But to love something is to let it go, the old saying goes. Plus, I know you guys at Belong will be there to find another family to love me, so I won’t be lonely for too long.

So thank you, Belong, for giving me a sense of purpose and direction. For helping me feel more alive than I have in years. It’s a special thing you’re doing, for houses like me — and for families like the one living under my roof.  It truly feels like we belong together.  (See what I did there? I bet you didn’t think inanimate objects were capable of punning!).

From finding good tenants to late rent and repairs, there's a lot of stressful situations when renting your home to someone else. Belong eliminates them all.

4 Stressful Problems Landlords Face (And How To Avoid Them)

Putting your home on the rental market can be stressful business, read on to find out how Belong is taking the headaches out of being a landlord with forward-thinking technology and a human approach. 

There are many reasons that renting a home to someone can be stressful. That’s why so many people opt for a traditional property manager. But that can create stress in and of itself, because they can be expensive and won't always deliver what you need. Belong is a property manager like none other, taking the uncertainty and stress out of renting your home. 

Here are four common stresses that homeowners face in the rental market and how partnering with Belong can avoid the headaches. 

1. Stressing about finding the right tenant

If you’re someone with a house that you love – but aren’t ready to sell – there are a lot of open issues to deal with. For example, finding the right tenant is not trivial – there’s showing, screening, validating – and all the legal work that goes with it. The experts at Belong have streamlined this entire process, so there’s no stress, no friction, ever. And in the unlikely scenario that they chose the 'wrong' tenant, Belong will cover legal costs up to $15,000 to handle the eviction process. 

Learn More: Discover Belong PRO, the best alternative to Property Management in Seattle, Redmond, Oakland, and many more cities across California, Florida and Washington State.

Nothing feels worse than not charging all the rent that your wonderful house deserves. How to avoid that? The folks at Belong have created an advanced “Market  Pricing Optimization” model. It uses specific data on your home and neighborhood to perfectly price your home to capture the most rent possible, without overpricing it (another problem!). 

This is the Big One. There’s a reason there are 60 million Google hits for “My tenant is late on their rent". Belong solves the problem in the most effective and obvious way possible: they guarantee the rent. They can even pay the entire year in advance.   Many people have told Belong that the guarantee made the difference between selling their homes and making them available for rent.

See why thousands of US homeowners are ditching outdated Property Management in San Francisco,San Diego, Los Angeles, Tampa, Jacksonville, Concord, Berkeley, Orlando and more.

You don’t need Murphy Brown – for those who remember that show and its live-in housepainter —  to tell you that finding reliable contractors can be challenging even in the best of times. These days, with the ongoing boom in construction, it’s beyond challenging — in fact it’s almost impossible. We’re currently in the midst of a major labor shortage: according to some tallies there are over 300,000 contractor jobs waiting to be filled.

Belong has an extensive vendor network of over 10,000 professional, vetted contractors across the country. Homeowners can ask their concierge to organise the right tradesperson for any job, 24/7. You can even subscribe to regular services, making maintenance one thing to truly cross off your to-do list and never stress over again. 

Belong takes the stress out of being a landlord

If you have any questions about these benefits — or want to know more about what Belong can do for you, or if your home qualifies to be on their platform — learn more at belonghome.com.

Repairs and upgrades are part of owning a self-managed rental property, but they don't have to be expensive. Here's a guide on where to save and when to splurge

Renovating Your Rental Property? Find Out Where to Spend & Save

Renovations and repairs are unavoidable when you own a self-managed rental property. The question becomes, how much do you really need to spend on those repairs and renovations? Here's a guide on where to save and when to splurge.

As anyone who ever invested in a washing machine knows stuff made today is built to break and be replaced. So even if you rent to residents who truly love and respect your home the way you do, wear, tear, and even breakage is inevitable, no matter how careful they are.  

But how much do you really need to spend on those repairs and upgrades? When does the investment make sense in the long-term? We’re so glad you asked. Without further ado, here are the top 3 places where you should spend up, and where you should scrooge out.

On a deep, primitive level we’re naturally drawn to light, open spaces: the brighter the room, the brighter and more optimistic we feel.  Conversely, the more cave-like the room, the moodier we get.  The external affects the internal, in other words: it’s the reason why people care so much about interior design and clothing, and why people like Marie Kondo and concepts like “hygge” — the Danish belief in the power of coziness — are so relevant state-side. 

That’s why investing in good, bright overhead lights is such a worthwhile step. It will not only make it easier to attract renters, but because of the lights, residents will feel happier in your home.  And the happier they are, the more likely they are to stay put long-term. That matters – because as you know, renter turnover is time-consuming and costly.

This is one of those investments where you tend to make up any difference in the upfront cost pretty quickly.  A sophisticated, efficient air conditioner not only keeps your residents cooler (and happier) in the summer, it will cut down on your electric bills over the life-cycle of the unit.  And because the life-cycle of the unit is longer, those savings will accrue over a much greater length of time. 

Better units also need less maintenance — which means you have to spend less on AC repair guys.

The other thing with new AC units is how aesthetically pleasing they can be.  Our favorite — the Midea U-Shaped unit — looks like it was designed by Jony Ive (who is famous for his Apple designs). They also run so quietly you forget that you even have them on.

We aren’t saying that you should install one of those super pricey units that mist the air and have a thousand different settings and replicate the sensation of standing naked in a springtime rain shower in Fiji. But there’s definitely a happy medium between that extreme and the kind of shower units you see in pre-war buildings and prison movies. 

A bright, shiny, new shower system not only looks good, but it signals to potential residents that you care about their well-being.  Which means they’re that much more likely to treat your home with love and respect over the course of the lease.  Not only that, but the newer models are more efficient in terms of water usage without forcing you to sacrifice on the quality of the experience itself. Truly a best of both worlds situation!

A few years ago, we probably would have been singing a different tune in regard to flooring.  But the truth is that these days there are vinyl flooring options that so closely replicate the look and feel of wood, it’s almost impossible to tell the difference. That is, until you spill a glass of water or move your couch: then you’ll notice that vinyl is far more water and scratch-resistant than its organic counterpart. Not only that, but vinyl is easier to clean than wood. Vinyl especially makes sense if you own a family-friendly house with multiple bedrooms, or if you rent to pet owners: not only is it more cost-effective, but it’s better suited to the needs of your residents. 

Sure, a shiny new Sub-Zero or Miele refrigerator looks great, but the price difference between those show-offy brands and a still-great but slightly-more-economical option is so huge that it will take years before the unit starts to pay for itself in terms of energy savings. And by that time, you’ll probably be in the market for a new unit anyway. 

Our thinking here is similar to our perspective regarding flooring: You can get new cabinet veneers that look much more expensive than they are, so you don’t have to sacrifice on aesthetics to get a clean modern look.  What’s more, many of the benefits of fancier cabinets can be replicated through DIY solutions: soft-close cabinets, for example.  So you can either pay a premium for a built-in solution, or you can buy a pack of 50 self-sticking rubber bumpers for seven bucks and deaden the sound that way.  It’s one of those situations where a little creativity goes a long way.

Whatever you choose, Belong can connect you to instant help with our extensive vendor network of over 10,000 professionals. Our concierge service is available 24/7 to all homeowners and residents, so we're ready to talk shop when it suits you. Especially in this day and age, when good contractors are almost impossible to find, it is a major advantage to have Belong watching your back.

Learn More: Discover Belong PRO, the best alternative to Property Management in Seattle, Redmond, Oakland, and many more cities across California, Florida and Washington State. 

This simple guide details your responsibilities and common landlord obligations (that you won’t need a legal degree to understand). 

6 Key Responsibilities of a Landlord: How to Rent Your Home Like A Pro

Becoming a landlord doesn’t need to be a daunting experience. We’re here to show you how, with this simple guide that details your responsibilities and common landlord obligations (that you won’t need a legal degree to understand). 

Is there anything more grown up than owning real estate? There sure is — it’s the double responsibility of owning a home that someone else will live in. Suddenly you’ve got the obligation of being a property owner, as well as a legal responsibility with its own set of requirements. But becoming a landlord doesn’t need to be a daunting experience. We’re here to show you how, with this simple guide that details your responsibilities and common landlord obligations (that you won’t need a legal degree to understand). 

Providing a safe and habitable home for others to enjoy        

Your basic responsibility as a landlord is to provide a safe and habitable space for someone to enjoy as their home. This is known as a “warranty of habitability” that applies to all leasing on a residential property. This legal standard makes perfect sense and is eminently fair: if you couldn’t live in your rental property, no one else should have to either. Of course, there are specifics and even legal requirements that make up this warranty, so let’s dive into them now. 

Landlord responsibility #1: A home that is sound and secure

It’s common sense that any property you want people to live in must be structurally sound and capable of providing basic shelter. But beyond that, it’s also your responsibility to ensure that the building complies with all state and local building codes. 

Before listing your home on the rental market, you need to ensure that everything is in good working order. When we work with homeowners, the first thing we do is prepare their homes for future residents — which includes having our own professionals come in to complete any property maintenance and repairs so you don’t have to worry about nasty surprises for your new tenant. 

Landlord responsibility #2: A home that has access to life’s necessities 

A house should be in good repair, but it also needs to be a livable space. As a landlord, it’s your responsibility to ensure that the home offers:

Shelter and protection from the weather with functioning roof, exterior walls, windows and doors

A supply of hot water and cold running water

Working lights and safe electrical system

Safe and maintained floors and where applicable, stairways and railing that meet the local building codes, including handicapped access

At Belong, we connect people with houses worthy of love. That’s a high standard, but it’s core to our community. We ask our homeowners not to turn a blind eye to things that you feel like tenants may put up with. If you would fix it in your own residence, fix it in your rental home. 

Landlord responsibility #3: A home that is free of hazards

Your home should do no harm to the people that live there. That means it's your responsibility to ensure that there are no hazards and that safety measures such as smoke detectors are installed and working. 

Some states, including California, also recognize that the presence of toxic mold in a home can lead to severe health problems. As a result, in such jurisdictions, it’s a landlord’s legal responsibility to provide written disclosure if you become aware of mold in a home you are renting out. This applies when there is a significant amount of mold in a home (visible or hidden) that exceeds safe exposure limits and is therefore a threat to health. 

Since it is often difficult to assess the level of mold presence, you might need a contractor who specializes in this work. When a house is listed with Belong, we take on that responsibility. 

Landlord responsibility #4: A home that is pest-free

US Tenant laws stipulate that it’s a landlord’s responsibility to provide a clean premises, free of rubbish and vermin infestation. Different jurisdictions have their own definition of what constitutes vermin, but it’s safe to say that if it’s creepy and crawly — it shouldn’t be in your rental home.

One offender that causes landlords headaches is bed bugs. Despite its reputation, NYC isn’t the place most prone to bed bugs — it can and does happen all over the US. Particularly if you’re renting out a furnished house, it could be the landlord’s responsibility to ensure that it’s free of bed bugs for incoming renters.

This is one of the many reasons why we recommend that homes be rented unfurnished — furnished homes open you up to more chances of damage and pest problems. If you’re looking to attract long-term residents, let them bring their own stuff to make it feel like their own. 

Landlord responsibility #5: A home that can be enjoyed in peace 

A tenant's right to “quiet enjoyment” is a common phrase used in landlord-tenant law. This doesn’t mean getting SFO or LAX to re-route their planes from over your home, but it does mean that you need to be aware of those things you CAN control.

First, as a landlord, you may only enter your rented home during occupancy in the following scenarios:

To make needed repairs or assess the need for repairs (applicable to some states)

To show the property to prospective new renters or owners, dependent on the language in your lease agreement

Most states require you to provide 24-48 hours’ notice (written notice, that is) to residents before you enter a tenanted rental property. You can’t show up whenever you want to check how things are going. Nor can you use the property for your own storage, unless that is a lease stipulation.

What about responsibility to the neighbors?

Did you know that as a landlord you can be found liable to your neighbors if your residents interfere with their own ‘quiet enjoyment’? While it might be hard to imagine being held accountable for the actions of other people, it is your responsibility to ensure that the residents of your home are being respectful. This means making sure that the people living in your home aren’t throwing lots of loud parties, or that they aren’t involved in any criminal activity.

In some cities, a landlord can be held accountable and fined for a range of infractions, so it’s worth keeping note of your local quiet hours and making them clear to tenants. Your rental agreement should include provisions for tenants to respect the rights of residents of nearby properties or face eviction. If complaints are made, take them seriously and address them before the authorities get involved.

Landlord responsibility #6: A home that is well maintained

Maintenance is key to keeping any property in habitable condition. If your lease agreement doesn’t specify who will mow the lawn and remove the snow, it could be your responsibility.

If any necessary repairs are ignored and turn into a safety hazard, there can be consequences. Depending on local or state laws, your resident could withhold rent if you did not respond to a maintenance request in a timely manner. They could also hire an expensive third-party contractor to make the repairs and leave you footing the bill. 

If your home is looked after with Belong, you will never have to worry about repairs or chasing contractors. With an extensive vendor network of over 10,000 professionals, we put help at your fingertips. To really make maintenance a 'set and forget' experience, we can also arrange regular services on monthly subscription so they take place like clockwork. 

If you are a homeowner looking to make sure your home is right for tenants (and stays that way), we invite you to join Belong. Belong goes behind property management to create a rental experience that is tech-enabled, with a human heart. 

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, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Miami and many more.

6 Key Responsibilities of a Landlord: How To Rent Your Home Like a Pro

Belong is doing away with traditional terms like landlord and tenant. Here are the humane terms we prefer.

Don’t Call Me Landlord: The Belong Glossary

Belong is not a traditional property management company, we think differently. We also use different terminology to reflect this, often doing away with traditional terms like landlord and tenant. This is our very own glossary to show you just what we mean. 

We got the name Belong from our mission: To create authentic belonging experiences for those who own much-loved homes, and those longing for that feeling. The question then becomes, how do you make someone feel like they belong in a home that actually belongs to someone else? How do you give someone a sense of ownership when they aren’t the owners?  

The answer to those questions: shift the paradigm. 

In order to accomplish that Herculean task we had to start talking about the subject of renting differently. How we speak changes how we behave. 

Belong’s founders said it best when they said “Home isn't a place. Home is a feeling. Home is where our heart is.” You can't put a fence around a feeling. Nor can you own a feeling. That’s why the word ‘property’ can never convey the kind of emotion we’re talking about 

On the other hand, you can make a home anywhere, so long as you love where you live and the people who live with you. We are in the home business, not the property business.

Learn more: Long-term renting, made lovable 

Not everyone who has a home on the rental market is a professional investor. Many lived for years in the home they’re putting up for rent. They raised their family there. Celebrated birthdays, graduations, promotions.  They welcomed children into the world there. They’re regular, normal people -- not “landlords.”

Landlords think of the houses they own as fungible assets, not as unique or special or endowed with a personality. 

Belong calls the people on its platform homeowners because they have that kind of emotional connection to their houses. Our homeowners care about who resides in their homes and want someone stable and trustworthy to live there. 

And our mission is to bring them together.

Learn More: Why a Property Manager Who Considers You a Landlord Should Be a Non-Starter

Renters are associated with transience — as are tenants. Here today, gone as soon as the lease ends. 

The word ‘resident’, on the other hand, captures a sense of permanence. A resident loves where they live and plans on staying there for as long as possible. They think of it as a home, and not simply a place where they’re laying their head for a year or two.  

That’s why Belong prefers the word resident to tenant and renter.  They might not end up living in that home forever, but they behave like they want to. It’s that kind of love of home that Belong tries to engender in its users.

Learn More: Why You Should Run the Other Way From a Property Manager who Talks Calls People "Tenants."

We know it, with Marketing Pricing Automation.

Property management companies use guesswork to establish the market pricing for your home. Belong on the other hand uses Market Pricing Automation, our own technology that identifies the sweet spot, the exact amount you should be renting your home for.  Which means your home will be occupied by a new resident sooner rather than later, cutting down on vacancies.

We're launching the world's first residential network.  

Belong is flipping the script on traditional property management services. We have developed the world's first residential network to ditch the outdated ways of property management services to modernize your entire rental experience. 

Belong does exactly that, combining industry-busting technology with human smarts to make renting lovable for both homeowners and their residents.

Our smarter, future-ready services include:

Guaranteed rent every month, regardless of if or when your residents pay

Optimized rental pricing that uses technology and real-time demand to price your home with accuracy

The Belong app that gives you and your residents access to everything you need

Innovative financial products including the option to spread maintenance payments over the term of your lease agreement

Access to dedicated landlords insurance to protect your asset (as well as coverage for your residents)

Integration with the most popular rental platforms to get your home loved faster

Instant access to an expansive vendor network of over 10,000 professionals that can handle everything from routine repairs to home upgrades

…and we’re just getting started! 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 services in places like Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Austin, Oakland, Miami and many, many more.

Belong is not a traditional property management company, doing away with traditional terms like landlord and tenant. Here are the humane terms we prefer.

Find out how Belong is using the hospitality experiences of restaurants, hotels, and even Ferrari to transform traditional property management for everyone.

Rejecting The Unfriendly Norms of Property Management

You absorb – and become - your influences.

It’s true for individuals, and it’s true for companies.

It’s safe to say that at Belong, we have not been influenced by the “property management industry” – other than by learning what not to do! That’s because this $96 billion dollar category is built on friction, that frustrates those who own houses, and those who rent them.

The core of the problem is that property managers treat houses as commodities. House A and House B and House C might as well be the same. Read more about how to deal with a bad property manager here.

For Belong, a house is precious and much-loved dwelling that unites the homeowner and the resident. By the way, that’s how we described the two sides we bring together. We try and avoid using the ugly, medieval words “landlord” and “tenant.”

The other fundamentally broken piece of property management is that they view the world as zero-sum game. In other words, if they let a leaky pipe leak, they’re saving the owner the cost of repair. The lack of transparency in property management fees is alarming.

In reality, a run-down house benefits no one, and a well-run house benefits everyone.

If we reject the unfriendly norms of property management, what are we replacing them with? That’s where the headline of our article wanders into the story.  We have studied and absorbed the best from those who are brilliant at serving both sides of the service equation – from restaurants, and hotels, and the elevated values of Ferrari.

What we seek to create at Belong is a welcoming experience that is a completely new manifestation of hospitality in our industry.  Indeed, the very use of that word when it comes to property management feels odd and unexpected, which precisely captures how seismically different we are.

One of the leading and most profound voices in hospitality today is the restauranter Danny Meyer, who is probably best known for the Union Square Cafe in New York. Danny’s book “Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business”  inspired us in many ways. We seek to create a “Belong experience” for homeowners restaurants that lives up to this definition:

“Hospitality is present when something happens for you. It is absent when something happens to you. Those two simple prepositions - for and to - express it all.”

We built Belong to make things happen “for” those in our community, which involves removing friction, anticipating problems, and solving them in ways that bring  instant joy. So, if a homeowner in our community is moving out, we handle the logistics for them, and we do it painlessly.   We also make any necessary repairs, and make their home Instagrammable. Then we show it and find someone to love it.

That’s how we bring hospitality to what has been the dreary and delight-free world of property management.  After all, the word “hospitality” is derived from the  Latin word “hospitalitis” – which refers to the special relationship between guest and host. 

Our homeowners are hosts, are residents are guests, and we elevate the relationship!

Or, as Danny Meyer puts it “Hospitality exists when you believe the other person is on your side.” That’s exactly what we strive to create at Belong; our concierges are on the side of both our homeowners and residents. We believe, as we said, that when you are are focused on creating a home that is is gracious, inviting and brilliantly run, everyone wins.

Our influences also extend to hotels, and specifically, the Four Seasons, who have raised hospitality to an art form,  We think about them accomplishments every day.  Service sits at the core of what they do, which they define as “a repeated set of behaviors…a promise of a great quality of life that only dedicated staff can deliver, without any script.”

We love the idea of consistency and no script; it sounds counter-intuitive but really isn’t, because that’s what is possible when your people are “embedded” into the culture of an enterprise.

That’s what Four Season’s is relentlessly focused on, and it represents the same principles by which we are building our service culture.  By giving our residents and homeowners Four-Seasons-like service, we will redefine property management for the future, and forever.

Another important dimension of Four Seasons that is at the very core of our belief system is that role that  “connection” plays in their mission.  As Heather Jacobs, their Senior Vice President of People & Culture elegantly states: 

“Whether you work with us, stay with us, live with us or discover with us, we believe our purpose is to create impressions that will stay with you for a lifetime. It comes from our belief that life is richer when we truly connect to the people and the world around us.”

We can say the same – whether a resident stays with us for 10 years or one year, we seek to create memorable impressions through the connections we make:   between residents and their homes; residents and homeowners; and between residents and the community. 

The last profound influence on us that we want to share is Ferrari.  Everyone knows them for their impeccable engineering and craftsmanship – which creates vehicles of monumental affection, and enduring value. 

Yet when they describe themselves, they don’t mention their cars, but celebrate their people:  

“Our individual people are our strongest asset and can reach excellency only when working together as a team, with strong communication, sharing and improving together for best results.  We live our company with enthusiasm, with a strong sense of pride and with emotion: Ferrari is lived with the heart.”

That language could describe what gets us up in the morning.    They also say, in perfect symmetry to our company, “We all have a strong sense of belonging…”

Wow, we got goosebumps when we read that.  

So now you know our influences, who we admire, and who we measure ourselves against.  That doesn’t mean we get it right all the time.  On the contrary.  But we are a learning culture and, to reference the endlessly quotable Danny Meyer one more time, “A great restaurant doesn’t distinguish itself by how few mistakes it makes, but how it handles those mistakes.”

Houses are complicated machines to run, there is always something about to go wrong, and you’re not going to get an email from your roof when it decides to leak.  (Although sensors are not far away, and we will be the first to property management company to install them.)

But when we hold fast to the principles of hospitality and commitment, even when things go wrong, we intend to be measured by our homeowners and residents saying “Belong did right by me.”

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. 

But before you choose an online platform, be aware that using popular peer-to-peer online payment apps like PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, and Cash App can leave you open to disputes and rent payment fraud. While simple and user-friendly, they are not designed for landlords or rent collection. 

There’s also the issue of late payments. Do you have the time and resources to follow up and stay on top of unpaid rent bills from out of state? Aside from the time, effort and stress, the reality is that mortgage and expenses don’t stop adding up when the rent goes unpaid.

This is why guaranteed rent is Belong’s most popular product. It’s proven and beloved by over 2,000 Belong homeowners, who receive their rental income like clockwork (no matter when the residents pay).

Read More: How Guaranteed Rent is Changing Property Management Forever

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