Part 5: How Internet Marketing Is Evolving – And What Smart Landlords Are Doing About It (Q3 2025)

As Q3 2025 wraps up, it’s clear that the internet rental marketing landscape is changing fast. National platforms like Zillow and Apartments.com are battling for dominance, lawsuits are reshaping how listings appear, and property managers are trying a wide range of tactics to secure tenants in a cooling rental market.

If you’re a landlord in Southwest Florida — especially in Lee, Collier, or Charlotte counties — this article breaks down what’s happening, what’s working, and what you should avoid as you adapt to tougher rental conditions.

📉 Internet Advertising Isn’t Equal Anymore

Let’s start with the basics: when you list a property through the MLS, your rental is syndicated to various platforms — Zillow, Trulia, HotPads, Apartments.com, Redfin, and others. But here’s what most landlords don’t realize:

"Most of the MLS has base marketing only. That means your listing shows up, but it’s not promoted. It looks identical to others, and it's surrounded by competitor properties — often at lower prices." — Michael McVety.

Base-level syndication is now barely enough to get noticed.

🔼 Enhanced Listings Get Priority

Red Fortress began investing in premium syndication on Apartments.com — the largest rental-only platform — in Q3 2025. These upgraded listings:

• Display verified badges and direct contact buttons

• Eliminate competitor listings from the sidebar

• Offer branded messaging and trust signals to reduce fraud risk

And the best part?

"There’s no added cost to our clients — we’re doing it to keep vacancy rates down."

This change alone led to a notable uptick in qualified renter leads over the last five weeks.

⚠️ What’s Going on With Zillow?

Zillow is still the king of traffic — but much of it comes from buyers, not renters. And right now, Zillow is embroiled in multiple legal battles that could impact how landlords and property managers use the platform:

• June: Compass sues Zillow for anticompetitive ad practices

• July: CoStar (parent of Apartments.com & Homes.com) sues Zillow for scraping listing images

• September: A class action alleges Zillow gives preferred deals to select agents

• Also September: The FTC sues Zillow over a $100M deal with Redfin aimed at monopolizing multifamily rental traffic

"Zillow wants people clicking endlessly through listings. They don’t want your property rented — they want more traffic." — Michael K.

Takeaway: Don’t rely on a single platform. Diversify your advertising, and upgrade where it matters.

🔍 What Landlords Are Doing to Secure Renters (Locally)

The shift isn’t just national. Local landlords are tweaking their approach based on new rental realities. Here’s what we’re seeing in Lee, Collier, and Charlotte counties:

1. Waiving or Discounting Application Fees

Pros:

• Removes an upfront cost barrier for tenants

Cons:

• Leads to too many unqualified applications

• Risk of Fair Housing issues if not applied consistently

🧠 Michael’s Tip:

"If you're going to waive the fee, make sure your screening process stays just as strict."

2. Retaining Good Tenants Is the Priority

In a soft market, turnover costs more than rent discounts.

If you’ve got a solid tenant:

• Offer renewal incentives

• Avoid raising rent unnecessarily- even consider lowering it.

3. Pre-leasing Before Move-Out

Red Fortress has completed 13+ pre-leases this year — getting new tenants approved before the old ones even move out.

Result: Reduced vacancy loss, even in a tougher market.

4. First Month Free vs. Pro-Rated Discounts

Instead of offering 2 months free over a 14-month lease (which confuses tenants), a simpler first-month-free offer is gaining traction.

"If renters are short on cash to move in, one month free eliminates that barrier. It sets a clear start and builds better payment habits." — Michael McVety.

🛑 What Landlords Should Be Cautious About

🚫 Reduced Security Deposits

Many landlords are lowering deposits to attract renters — sometimes down to $800 on a $1,500 rental. But:

• It increases long-term risk

• You can't legally demand more deposit later unless they agree

🚫 Charging Tenants to Renew Leases

Some property managers charge tenants $150 just to renew a lease. But that adds friction — especially in a down market.

Red Fortress policy: We never charge lease renewal fees to tenants.

💸 Rising Costs: Property Taxes & Insurance

If you’ve opened your 2025 property tax notice, you likely saw one of two things:

• No major drop in valuation despite softening market

• Higher millage rates to compensate for local tax needs

Pair that with:

• Up to 10% hikes in property insurance, even with no recent claims

"These added costs limit how much we can reduce rent — even when the market softens."-Michael McVety

🧠 FAQ: Internet Advertising & Rental Strategy (Q3 2025)

Q: What's the best platform to advertise a rental in Florida?
A: Apartments.com is the top rental-focused platform. Zillow has more traffic overall, but much of it is buyer-oriented.

Q: Should I waive the application fee?
A: Normally no but only if you can maintain strict screening.

Q: Is it better to offer a rent discount or reduce the security deposit?
A: A rent discount (like first month free) is better. Security deposit changes are legally tricky and hard to enforce later.

Q: Can I increase the security deposit later?
A: Only with tenant agreement — otherwise your only recourse is to non-renew.

🔚 Final Thoughts

This isn’t the first time the rental market has shifted, and it won’t be the last. The landlords who win are those who:

• Understand how internet listings really work

• Invest in visibility (not just syndication)

• Retain good tenants rather than chasing risky ones

• Adjust strategy without sacrificing standards

Want help navigating Q4 2025 and beyond? We’re here to help Southwest Florida landlords stay profitable — no matter what the market throws our way.