Apartment rental search platform Zumper recently launched its first consumer iOS application to help renters find their dream house.

In April, Zumper launched an app that was geared towards landlords and agents, Zumper Pro, but this new app is catered to the renters themselves. The app is available for free for iPhone and iPod touch.

?We're targeting tech savvy young professionals who have busy schedules and want to make quick, smart, decisions,? said Taylor Glass-Moore, co-founder/chief operating officer of Zumper, San Francisco.

?Renters want accurate data and hyperlocal search,? he said. ?We're militant about how often we refresh listings and weed out the spam, so renters using our app see new, real listings popping up constantly in real-time.

?We're the first to bring a hyperlocal experience to mobile by allowing renters to follow neighborhoods they like and only see those listings pop up in their listing feed.?

Find your next Home or Apartment Rental
Zumper?s new app, Find Your Next Home or Apartment Rental, lets landlords and agents receive leads from renters all via a mobile device.

The Zumper Pro App allows landlords and agents to geo-locate, photograph and post listings, but the consumer app closes the loop and lets the entire ecosystem exist on mobile.

Find Your Next Home or Apartment Rental lets consumers narrow their search to specific neighborhoods by adding the desired locations to their Listing Feed in a similar fashion to Twitter. Users can also browse through an interactive map to see which postings are newest.

Additionally, users can filter searches by price, bedroom count, pets and fees.

The Listing Feed displays relevant local listings and alerts users to new apartments that come to market.
Zumper receives its listing data straight from Zumper Pro, so the consumer app provides accurate, real-time availability as well as high response rates to renter inquries.

According to Zumper, the company plans to add new features to the app such as the ability to schedule appointments and submit applications.

Mobile renting
Mr. Glass-Moore claims that what makes Zumper stand out in mobile renting is the real-time accuracy that the company promises.

The hyperlocal search is also unique to Zumper, per Mr. Glass-Moore.

Additionally, the app is currently featured in Apple's App Store, which is helpful for a new app trying to stand out in a crowded store.

Edina Realty, for example, is another app in the real estate market. The company recently saw a 200 percent jump in mobile traffic after updating its mobile apps (see story).

?Unlike sales, which has a long transaction cycle, the rental cycle from search to close is just a few weeks,? Mr. Glass-Moore said.

?In hot markets rentals can get leased in hours,? he said. ?Therefore, renters are looking for inventory at any opportunity they have.

?A mobile phone is the perfect place to display these listings so renters can search anytime they want, and schedule appointments on the go.?

Final Take
Rebecca Borison is editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York