Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) / Help!
How do I find the ads most recently posted?
Click on the Latest Ads link. It shows the ads posted in the last two months from sorted from most to least recent. Note that this has nothing to do with when the unit is available. If you want to find a place that is, or will soon be, available, you can either do a search and specify the month or browse by availability.
How can I find ads for places in a certain section of Columbia?
Try to browse by region and/or do the same thing by clicking the section you want on the map of Columbia.
Why can't I do a search for a particular section of a town that's not Columbia, MO?
The map and region scheme only applies to the main, central part of Columbia, Missouri. Towns or cities besides Columbia, or part of Columbia not on the map, are part of the "Other" region.
I'm just looking for a specific type of place. How do I find the ads for just that type of place?
You can either browse by type, or do a search and specify what type of place you're looking for.
How do I find ads for the cheapest places?
Browse by price.
Why didn't I get any results when I did a search?
There can be one or several reasons.
First, there just might not be any rentals that fit what you're searching for. As a general rule, the more specific your search is, the fewer results there will be. Try to be less specific in your search and see if that helps.
You could also browse some of the broader categories.
Example: instead of searching for a furnished, 3 bedroom apartment in the East region with all utilities paid for, hardwood floors, a microwave and dishwasher, accepts dogs under 50 pounds, and is less than $900 a month, try limiting that search. First look for 3 bedroom apartments under $900. If there are too many results, refine your search for 3 bedroom apartments under $900 in the East region. Then, if there are still too many results, refine your search further. And further if necessary, until you have only a handful of results that are pretty much what you want.
How do I find a place that meets my specific wants (takes pets, is furnished, has washer & dryer hookups, etc.)?
If you're looking for something specific, try doing an advanced search. There you can specify street name, city, zip, landlord, what kinds of pets are acceptable, and a dozen other things. This will really narrow your search, so keep in mind that the more specific your search, the fewer results you will get.
I'm getting too many results in my searches. How do I narrow my search so I don't have to read so much?
If you're just looking for a place to live, but nothing in particular, you might want to try to browse the ads first. You can browse by region (Columbia, MO only), availability, price, or type.
But browsing will still give you a lot of results. Try getting more and more specific in your searches. That will guarantee to reduce the number of results you'll get. You can do this by clicking on the "Refine Search" button at the top of the Search Results page.
Search Tips
Be general first, specific later.
The more specific you are in your search, the fewer results you'll get. The reverse is also true: the more general your search, the more results you will get. So if your searches aren't yielding any (or many) results, decide what your priorities are, and do a search based on those. You can always refine your search later.
There's specific, and then there's specific.
No one's going to stop you from doing really specific searches, but - as stated above - decide what your priorities are first. For example: if you're looking for a place that takes small dogs, search for "Pets allowed: Dogs" as opposed to "Pets allowed: Dogs under 50 lbs." Or instead of specifying a street name, choose a city, state or region.
Specifying street, zip code, description keywords, landlord or landlord phone number will seriously limit the number of results.
So get specific gradually. Do a simple search first, then click "Refine Search" to weed out the undesirables.
Placing an Ad
How do I place an ad?
First of all, you must register before placing an ad. If you have any questions about registration or what it involves, email us at registration@comorentals.net.
After you've registered, click on the "Login" link at the top of any page. Enter your username and password and you will be taken to the Manage Your Ads (FAQ) page.
Notice that now, under the main menu, you can see the Landlord Menu. Click on the "Place an Ad" link in the Landlord Menu.
All required fields have red asterisks (**) next to them. After you've provided all the required information, click the Submit button after you're done filling in the form. You will have a chance to view how your ad will appear. Check to make sure everything is correct. If it's not, click on the "Back to Place an Ad" button to make changes. If everything is correct, click the "All Information is Correct" button. This takes you to the Ad Duration page.
On the Ad duration page, select how long you'd like your ad to run and press the "Complete ad placement process" button. This will add your total (if any) to your shopping cart and bring you back to the Manage Your Ads screen.
Note that your ad will not become "active" (that is, regular site visitors will not be able to see it) until you have both: (1) decided how long you want the ad to run and (2) have paid for it by clicking on the "Proceed to Checkout" link on the Manage Your Ads page (charges not applicable during this free trial period).
What region should I pick when I'm placing an ad?
First off, if your property is outside of Columbia, Missouri, it is in the "Other" region: that's why it's the default. If your property is inside the Columbia city limits, check the map to see what region your property would be in. Keep in mind, though, that not all of Columbia is on this map, so if you think that your property is off of this map, again, it's in the "Other" region.
What do I put in the Additional Description section?
Anything you expect a potential tenant would want to know that is not already covered in the other sections.
Although we've done our best to include everything the "average" tenant would look for, there are bound to be some things we haven't thought of or aspects that are particular to an individual property.
What are the "Notes" for in the Contact Information section?
The "Notes" section is there so you can specify who to ask for, what time would be best to call, or any other contact information you think is applicable.
Manage Your Ads
Currently Active
This section contains all of your ads that are active: that is, visitors to the site can view them. If you currently have no active ads, there will be a message saying so.
Ad Summaries
What you see are actually ad summaries, not the actual ad as others will see it. To see the ad as visitors will see it, click on the address in the add summary.
Each ad summary consists of its (abbreviated) address, the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and unit type (house, apartment, etcetera), the rent amount, lease type, and when it expires.
Options:
Edit
One of the advantages of using us is that you can make changes to your ad after you've placed it. Click the "Edit" button to make changes in your ad.
Extend
Click this button if you'd like to keep your ad running longer.
Hide ad
This does not delete your ad! This button does two things: it places your ad in the "Inactive Ads" and hides it from visitors to the website.
Inactive Ads
This section contains all of your ads that are inactive: that is, visitors to the site cannot view them. If you currently have no inactive ads, there will be a message saying so.
Ad Summaries
What you see are actually ad summaries, not the actual ad as others will see it. To see the ad as visitors would see it, click on the address in the add summary.
Each ad summary consists of its (abbreviated) address, the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and unit type (house, apartment, etcetera), the rent amount, lease type, its status and, if it has not expired yet, its expiration date.
Options:
Edit
One of the advantages of using us is that you can make changes to your ad after you've placed it. Click the "Edit" button to make changes in your ad.
Show ad
This option only exists for ads that have not expired.
This button does two things: it makes the ad "Currently Active", and it allows the ad to be viewed by visitors to the website.
Renew
This option only exists for ads that have expired.
This button will take you to the Ad Duration page where you can select how long you'd like your ad to be viewable by the public.
Delete
This removes your ad completely from our database. Keep in mind that, once deleted, you cannot get it back. If you want to place the same ad, you need to click on Place an Ad in the Landlord Menu and retype your ad.
Landlord Menu
The Landlord Menu is only viewable by those who have logged in.
Your Account
Clicking on this takes you to a page that allows you to change your username, password, or email address.
Manage Ads
This takes you to the Manage Your Ads screen.
Place an Ad
Start here to place an ad with us.
Logout
Click here if you'd like to log out of this website.
See also the Manage Your Ads questions
Manage Your Ads questions
I've placed my ad but it doesn't show up in the Browse pages or in the Search results. What happened?
Your ads will not be viewable to others until you have paid for them. If you've placed an ad but not paid yet, click on the "Proceed to Checkout" link on the Manage Your Ads page to settle your account. Once payment has been verified, you will receive an email notification and your ad will be immediately available on the website.
I've paid for my ad, and I still can't find it on your website. Where is it?
If you've just placed and paid for your ad, the quickest way to find it on the site is by clicking the Latest Ads link in the menu.
If it's not on the Latest Ads page, there may have been a problem with your payment. If we have not already sent you an email to verify that we have received your payment, please contact us at billingquestions@comorentals.net, and we'll remedy the problem immediately.
What's the difference between an "active" and an "inactive" ad?
A "Currently Active" ad is an ad that can currently be viewed by visitors to the website. It also means that the ad has been paid for and has not yet expired.
An "Inactive Ad" is an ad that has either not been paid for ("Status: payment pending"), or has expired ("Status: expired [some date]"), or you've clicked the "Hide ad" button but it can still be made active ("Status: inactive").
My ad has expired or I've gotten an email that it's about to expire. How do I extend the length to time it's available or make it "active" again?
If it hasn't expired yet (still active, in other words), click the "Extend" button next to the ad. You will be taken to the Ad Duration page. Choose how much longer you'd like your ad to run, and once you've paid, your ad's new expiration date will be the old expiration date plus the duration you chose.
If it's already expired, click on the "Renew" button next to the ad. You will be taken to the Ad Duration page. Pick how long you'd like the ad to run and click the "Complete ad placement process" button. Back at the Manage Your Ads page, click on the "Proceed to checkout" button to pay for your ad; otherwise, it will remain expired.
Registration
Registration is necessary if you want to place an ad on CoMo Rentals. Luckily, it couldn't be easier.
What you need
All you need to register is a username, a password, and a working email address. Your username and password are used to log in so you can manage your account and place ads with us. Your email address will be used to complete your registration. It will also be used to inform you of purchases, account updates, and important events.
Your username and password can be up to 64 characters long. For both, you may only use letters (upper- and/or lower-case), numbers, and the underscore ' _ ' character. It is recommended that both your username and password be at least 6-8 characters long and a combination of upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and the underscore are used.
Secure
We will not share your email address with any other parties for any reason.
If you have any privacy concerns regarding your personal information, please refer to our Privacy Policy.
Why should I register?
The best reason to register with us is that CoMo Rentals allows you the convenience of placing ads at any time and for a reasonable price, the flexibility to edit your ads even after you've placed them, and you save time and money by offering as much information about a property as you'd like - so when you do get called, it's by someone who wants exactly what you have to offer.
The other reason you should register with us is that the only way to place ads on CoMo Rentals is to register with us! We plan to add the capability to place ads through fax or mail in the future.
Contact Us
How do I contact you?
We can be reached by email at comorentals@comorentals.net.
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