About Us

HotPads helps you handle the hottest urban housing markets.

When did apartment hunting get so Hunger Games? When did we start camping out overnight just for in-unit laundry? When did paying a deposit start feeling like paying a ransom?

Yeah, we’ve been there. We get it. We know that searching for your next place can be a mix of awesome and awful. Our mission? To tip the scales toward awesome.

HotPads is the rental search platform designed with the urban renter in mind.

We know that searching in the city is different—urban real estate is always hot, and you have to be ready to move fast when you find your apartment soul mate. That’s why we’re always creating and improving on the most essential features:

  • The most trusted and comprehensive listings, thanks to verified landlord contact information, landlord ratings, realtime updates, user reviews—when it comes to fraud, we got your back.
  • Notifications to your phone with new listings that match your customized search preferences—like, maybe you must have a dishwasher, maybe you’d rather have heat.
  • Map-based search for visibility into neighborhood amenities, from dog parks to bottle shops to bike shares.
  • Commute time calculator, so you can estimate the number of podcasts you’ll need each morning.
  • All-in-one tools and resources—like having your own personal real estate agent in your hoodie pocket.

Created by your friends who’ve been there.

HotPads was created in Washington, DC, in 2005, by three apartment-seeking college friends. After too many misleading classified ads and nicotine-scented payphones, they knew they could do better. So they created HotPads, the first-ever map-based, renter-first, odor-free search platform. In 2011, HotPads moved to San Francisco, and in 2012, HotPads joined the Zillow family. Today, HotPads continues to build game-changing features into its rental search website and apps for iPhone, Android, and iPad.

List Your Place on HotPads

If you want to get your listing on HotPads, the best way to do so is through our own posting path.

We're Always Hiring

We're always looking for smart creative people to join our team. Check out our job listings here.

Need To Get In Touch?

Sometimes people need to get in touch. We get it. Check out our FAQ for quick answers to your questions, or shoot us an email at info@hotpads.com. Press inquiries can be sent to press@hotpads.com.