| Type | Subsidiary of Internet Brands |
|---|---|
| Founded | May 2000 |
| Headquarters | Austin, TX |
| Website | [1] |
| Current status | Active |
ApartmentRatings.com is an online user generated database of information about apartment buildings in the United States.
ApartmentRatings was founded in 2000 by Jeremy and Katie Bencken in Austin. The site was developed to provide transparency into the quality of apartment life, and claims to be an unbiased resource because it does not accept advertising from apartment building managers, owners, or corporations.[1] ApartmentRatings was acquired by Internet Brands in 2007.[2]
ApartmentRatings maintains a database of tenant-generated reviews of apartment buildings. According to the site’s homepage, the site currently contains more than 750,000 reviews of apartments and apartment complexes. Although the information is valuable for the apartment seeker, it is often unfair in the information provided about the apartment complexes in that the occupants can post information for free; however, the apartment complexes must pay a fee to respond and often defend many negative and untrue comments. The site's justification is that because the postings are free they are often not viewed as valid by the typical consumer - however, untrue.
In addition to reviews, the site features a database of building features, user ratings, and a database of tenant-reported average rental prices called "What the Neighbors Pay."[3][4]
The site also has a Google Maps-based registered sex offender database[5], and a question-and-answer feature that allows apartment hunters to ask questions about particular apartment buildings they are interested in, and have their questions answered by apartment renters currently living in the building in question.[6]