Apartment Ratings
Encyclopedia
ApartmentRatings.com is an online user generated
database of information about apartment buildings in the United States.
. 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. ApartmentRatings was acquired by Internet Brands
in 2007.
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."
The site also has a Google Maps-based registered sex offender database, 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.
User-generated content
User generated content covers a range of media content available in a range of modern communications technologies. It entered mainstream usage during 2005 having arisen in web publishing and new media content production circles...
database of information about apartment buildings in the United States.
History
ApartmentRatings was founded in 2000 by Jeremy and Katie Bencken in AustinAustin
Austin is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas.Austin may also refer to:-In the United States:*Austin, Arkansas*Austin, Colorado*Austin, Chicago, Illinois*Austin, Indiana*Austin, Minnesota*Austin, Nevada*Austin, Oregon...
. The site was developed to provide transparency into the quality of apartment
Apartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
life, and claims to be an unbiased resource because it does not accept advertising from apartment building managers, owners, or corporations. ApartmentRatings was acquired by Internet Brands
Internet Brands
Internet Brands is a new media company based in El Segundo, California that operates online media, community, and e-commerce sites in vertical markets. The company also develops and licenses internet software and social media applications....
in 2007.
Functionality
ApartmentRatings maintains a databaseDatabase
A database is an organized collection of data for one or more purposes, usually in digital form. The data are typically organized to model relevant aspects of reality , in a way that supports processes requiring this information...
of tenant-generated reviews of apartment buildings. According to the site’s homepage
Homepage
A home page or homepage has various related meanings to do with web sites:* It most often refers to the initial or main web page of a web site, sometimes called the front page ....
, 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."
The site also has a Google Maps-based registered sex offender database, 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.