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Creating a New Lease

  • Updated

What you'll learn in this article:

 

Why can’t I change the email on my lease?

When creating your lease on Zillow Rental Manager, the email address you are logged in with will automatically be added to the lease, and it will not be possible to edit. 

This prevents landlords from entering an email that does not have an associated Zillow account, which would render them unable to access their lease for signing after their tenants signed.  

If you already have an account under the email you are attempting to use, please log in to your preferred account to proceed. 

If you do not already have an account, but still need to change the email address, you can do so in the settings for your Zillow account. Use this link to access your settings.

(Please note that you can only update your email address as long as the email address is not linked to an existing Zillow account)


How do I edit my lease?

To edit the lease:

  1. Login to your Zillow Rental Manager.
  2. Navigate to the Leases tab and select the lease to edit by clicking View lease and then Edit on the top right corner of the lease.
    If the lease is pending signatures, it can be edited. However, editing the lease will pause the signing and cancel any existing signatures. The lease will need to be sent for signatures again after the edits are made.

Once a lease is signed and active, it cannot be edited. If you created a lease using the Zillow Lease builder you will have the ability to ‘Duplicate’ your lease and make any necessary changes to the lease and send it out for signing.

(This only applies to leases created on Zillow. If you uploaded a lease you will not be able to do this)

If you would like to add an addendum to the lease on Zillow, you will need to start a new lease and send it out for signatures. Or, add an addendum to the lease offline and connect with your tenants about the update to the lease outside of Zillow.


What if I have additional questions about creating a lease online?

If you couldn’t find the answer to your question in our other articles, our support team is here to help! Please send us an email with details on your question or concern and we will be happy to help you.

Email: leases@zillow.com


What does the finished lease look like?

For listings where the lease builder is available (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming) we provide an explainer lease that you can preview.

It includes samples of the document and related legal language included in the rental lease, along with explanations of what that language covers. You can access it by logging in to your Zillow Rental Manager. 

  1. Select Leases tab
  2. Select Get started under the Leases section.
    If you have an active lease select 'Create a lease' under the lease section. 
  3. Under Leases, you can view the explainer lease on the right-hand side by selecting 'See a sample lease'.

Note: The sample lease is unique to your specific state you are located in, hence why you will need to go to your account to view it.

We do not have a lease preview for listings where the lease builder is not available.


Where are leases available?

Zillow Rental Manager users can upload and e-sign a lease agreement for properties located anywhere in the nation. Meanwhile, the lease builder tool is currently available for landlords with properties in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming and select markets in California.


Can I sign an online lease agreement using an existing lease, rather than a lease created through Zillow?

Yes, all Zillow Rental Manager users have the option to upload and e-sign an existing lease. Zillow then also offers a lease builder tool to create a new customized lease, though it is currently only available in select markets. See availability.


I own more than than one rental property. Can I use Zillow Rental Manager to create leases for all my properties?

At the moment, the lease builder tool is currently available for landlords with properties in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming and select markets in California.

Additionally, Zillow Rental Manager users can upload and e-sign a lease agreement for properties located anywhere in the nation. 

 

My state/city/county has specific rental policies. Does the lease cover that?

Online leases are currently available to Zillow Rental Manager users with properties in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming and select markets in California. The lease template is written to comply with the state’s legal requirements. Additionally, the lease covers any city-specific requirements in the following areas: 

Louisville, KY
Lexington KY
Minneapolis, MN
Boise, ID
Pittsburgh, PA
Philadelphia, PA
Allentown, PA
Springfield, MO
Kansas City, MO
Independence, MO
Columbia, MO
Saint Louis, MO
Cook County (IL)
Park Ridge, IL
Chicago, IL
Mount Prospect, IL
Aurora, IL
Oak Park, IL
Elgin, IL
Joliet, IL
Evanston, IL
Dallas, TX
Los Angeles, CA
Long Beach, CA
Glendale, CA
Pasadena, CA
Burbank, CA
Garden Grove, CA
Huntington Beach, CA
Santa Monica, CA
San Francisco, CA
San Mateo, CA
San Jose, CA
San Diego, CA
Oakland, CA
Corona, CA
Fullerton, CA
Anaheim, CA
Modesto, CA
El Cajon, CA
Salinas, CA
Vallejo, CA
Murrieta, CA
Ontario, CA
Palmdale, CA
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Tuscon, AZ
Tempe, AZ
Greensboro, NC
Durham, NC
Cleveland, OH
Grand Rapids, MI
Detroit, MI
Ann Arbor, MI
Warren, MI
Sterling Heights, MI
Lansing, MI
Portland, OR
Boulder, CO
Fort Collins, CO
Coral Springs, FL
Davie, FL
Gainesville, FL
Hollywood, FL
Miami Gardens, FL
Miramar, FL
West Palm Beach, FL
Salem, OR

Zillow isn’t responsible for any custom rules or other materials added to the lease. If users want to sign the lease offline, we’re also not responsible for anything added to, or changed in, the lease after it’s downloaded. If your property has specific requirements beyond the options offered by Zillow, you should review the lease with an attorney to understand whether it complies with the legal requirements applicable to your property. 

If you don’t have a property in a state where leases are available, you can sign up to get notified when leases are available in your area.


What’s included in my rental lease?

The rental lease is a location-specific agreement. It’s written to cover most common single-family home and multi-unit property leasing requirements. Zillow leases allow you to cover many different topics including pets, security deposits, maintenance of common spaces, and more. We also allow you to create custom rules to cover topics specific to your home that might not be in the lease template.

Please note that Zillow is not responsible for any custom rules, and you are not allowed to add a custom rule that overrides an existing section of the lease or adds additional legal clauses. Any rules that conflict with an existing section of the lease will be overridden by the body of the lease.


If I list a property on Zillow Rental Manager, am I required to use Zillow’s lease tools for my lease agreement?

No, the use of our leasing tools is completely optional.


How much does it cost to create a lease online?

Leases are currently free for both landlords and tenants.

 

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