A For Rent sign still catches the people already walking your street. Add a QR code and they can see photos, rent and book a viewing on the spot. Free in Calgary.
The For Rent sign has been around longer than any listing site, and it still does one thing nothing online can: it reaches the people standing in front of your property. Someone walking the dog past your house already likes the street. They know the walk to the bus, the school down the block, the coffee shop on the corner. That's the most qualified renter you'll ever get, and they found you without searching.
The problem has always been what happens next. A phone number on a sign asks a stranger to call you, cold, with no idea what the rent is or what's inside. Most people don't. They take a mental note, keep walking, and forget.
The QR code fixes the "what happens next"
Our first Rentably sign went up this week in Calgary, and every sign carries a QR code that opens the listing itself. Point a phone camera at it and the person on the sidewalk sees:
- Every photo of the place, inside and out
- The rent and the move-in date, with no phone call needed
- The floor plan, if you've added one
- A Book a viewing button, so they can ask for a time right there
There's no app to download and no number to call. The sign turns a passing thought into a viewing request in about thirty seconds. That's the gap a plain sign never closed.
How to request a free yard sign
Yard signs are free for live Rentably listings in Calgary. We hand-deliver them, so Calgary is where we're starting.
- Sign in and open your live listing. As the lister, you'll see a card that reads Want a free yard sign? It's also on your listing analytics page, and it pops up right after you publish a new listing.
- Tap "Request a yard sign." We pre-fill the listing's address. Change it if the sign should go somewhere else, like the corner lot down the block with more foot traffic.
- Send the request. We'll be in touch to arrange drop-off. The card switches to Yard sign on the way so you know it went through.
Don't have a listing up yet? Create one first. It's free, and the sign offer appears as soon as it goes live. Our guide on writing a listing that gets applications is worth ten minutes before you do. A sign sends people to the listing, so the listing has to close the deal.
See whether the sign is working
The old For Rent sign had no feedback loop. You had no way to know if anyone noticed it.
Every Rentably sign's QR code is counted. Open your listing analytics and the Yard sign scans card shows:
- Scans: how many times the code has been scanned
- People: how many different people scanned it
- Last 7 days: whether interest is picking up or tapering off
If the sign is getting scans but you're not getting viewing requests, the sign is doing its job and the listing needs work. Look at your cover photo and price first. If it's getting no scans at all, try moving it somewhere more visible from the sidewalk.
Where a yard sign earns its keep
A sign works best where people walk or drive slowly past:
- Houses, duplexes and basement suites on residential streets, where neighbours and dog-walkers do your marketing for you
- Corner lots and streets near transit, which see more foot traffic than a cul-de-sac
- Neighbourhoods people move within. Renters often want to stay close to work, school or family, and they're already walking these streets
It won't replace being found in search. Most renters still start online. But it catches the people who were never going to search for your address, and it costs you nothing.
Get yours
If you have a live listing in Calgary, open it on Rentably and tap Request a yard sign. Listing in another city? We're starting in Calgary because we deliver the signs ourselves. More cities will follow.