Post a Rental for Free in Colombia: A Guide for Property Owners

Renting out a property in Colombia shouldn't be complicated. But if you've ever tried to list an apartment on FincaRaiz, you've probably realized that the big platforms charge commissions, demand paid plans to highlight your ad, and on top of that, your ad competes with hundreds of real estate agency listings. The result: your property gets lost in the crowd and it takes weeks to find a tenant.

Watch out for this: you don't have to pay to reach good tenants. Today I'll explain where and how to list your property for free, what information to include to make it sound professional, and how to set the right price according to the socioeconomic stratum (estrato) and area. If you are an independent landlord, this guide is for you.

Do you have an apartment, house, room, or office available? Let's get started.

How much do rental platforms in Colombia charge?

Before choosing where to list, it's good to understand how much it will cost you, or how much you might be missing out on.

FincaRaiz

FincaRaiz is the largest real estate portal in Colombia. It has millions of visits per month and is the benchmark for many agencies. The problem for the independent landlord: paid plans. Listing a property for free gives you minimal exposure; your ad appears at the bottom of the results. To stand out, you need to pay between $80,000 and $300,000 COP per listing depending on the plan. And if you sell or rent through an affiliated real estate agency, the commission can be one month's rent or more.

Metrocuadrado

The Grupo El Tiempo platform also charges for visibility. Similar to FincaRaiz in its plan structure, it has a strong presence in Bogota and Medellin. For private owners without a marketing budget, the model is not the most friendly.

Facebook Marketplace

Free, yes. But with its own risks. Facebook Marketplace is full of scammers who try to convince owners to accept fake payments, fraudulent transfers, or to hand over keys to unverified people. Furthermore, the audience is very broad and poorly filtered: you will receive messages from curious people, those who want to negotiate unrealistic prices, and in some cases, people with bad intentions. I'm not saying it doesn't work, but you have to keep an eye out.

MercadoLibre also has a rental section, although the search experience is not the most intuitive for real estate.

Colombia Move: free, bilingual, and for real rentals

There is an alternative that many Colombian owners still don't know about: Colombia Move. It is a free classifieds platform created specifically for Colombia, with a key difference: it is in Spanish and English, which means your properties reach both Colombians and foreigners, digital nomads, and expats looking for a place to live.

Posting is free. No plans, no commissions, no need to register with a corporate email. You just create the ad, upload photos, and get it running. The categories available for rentals include:

• Apartments for rent
• Houses for rent
• Rooms
• Offices and commercial spaces

How to write an ad that actually works

A poorly written ad is money down the drain, even on a free platform. Many owners post something like: 'Rent apt 2 rooms good price call.' And they wonder why no one calls. Here are the real keys:

The title must be descriptive and specific

Don't just put 'Apartment for rent.' Write something like: '2-bedroom apartment with balcony, Laureles Medellin, furnished, $1,800,000.' That already filters out the curious and attracts those who are truly looking for what you have.

The description: answer before they ask

80% of the questions you will receive are the same: how many rooms are there, if there is parking, if pets are allowed, how much is the HOA fee (administración). Answer everything in the description and you will save hours of messaging. Be clear about the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the floor and if there is an elevator, area in m2, parking and storage unit, HOA fee value, if pets and children are allowed, if it is furnished or not, and if utilities are included.

The stratum (estrato) matters, and so does the exact sector

When someone filters by price, they mentally combine it with the stratum and the neighborhood. A stratum 4 apartment in El Poblado and a stratum 4 apartment in Bello have very different price expectations. Mention the exact neighborhood, nearby main roads, and useful landmarks like '5 minutes from the Laureles Metro' or 'in front of the Envigado park.'

Photos that make the difference

The ad with the best photos gets a tenant first. It's that simple. You don't need to hire a photographer: a good phone and natural light are enough. Photograph during the day with curtains open, total tidiness before photographing, photos from the corners so the space looks wider, and at least 6 to 8 photos. Ads with fewer than 4 photos automatically generate distrust.

Always include bathrooms and kitchen: interested parties always want to see them. And a photo of the facade or the building provides context and builds trust. If you have a furnished apartment, also photograph the appliances and the detail of the bedding. For foreigners in particular, those details are what convince them.

How much to charge? Rental prices by stratum and zone

This is the question that causes the most anxiety for owners. Set the price too high and the apartment stays empty for months. Set it too low and you are giving away profitability. Here is an approximate reference of prices in 2026 for the main cities:

Medellin

• Stratum 3 (Laureles, Belen, Aranjuez): $1,000,000 – $1,800,000 COP/month
• Stratum 4-5 (Lower El Poblado, Envigado): $1,800,000 – $3,500,000 COP/month
• Stratum 6 (Upper El Poblado, Lleras, Provenza): $3,500,000 – $8,000,000+ COP/month

Bogota

• Chapinero, Teusaquillo, Barrios Unidos: $1,200,000 – $2,500,000 COP/month
• Usaquen, Chico, Rosales: $2,500,000 – $6,000,000 COP/month
• La Candelaria and popular areas: from $600,000 COP/month

Cali and Barranquilla

In Cali, a stratum 4 apartment in Ciudad Jardin or Granada is around $1,500,000 to $2,800,000 COP. In Barranquilla, the north of the city (Altamira, El Prado) has similar or slightly lower ranges.

The coolest thing about Colombia Move is that you can post in Colombian pesos and also specify the equivalent in dollars: something that foreign tenants who are still calculating budgets from abroad really value.

Frequent mistakes when posting a rental

I've been talking to property owners for a while and the same mistakes keep repeating. Providing only a WhatsApp number without stating your business hours means you lose interested parties who don't get a quick response. Not updating the listing when it has already been rented creates distrust. A 'price to be agreed' without a reference scares people away more than it attracts them. Dark or messy photos make the interested party click on the next listing immediately. And not mentioning whether or not you accept pets filters out 30% of interested parties right from the start: it's better to clarify that from the beginning.

How to verify your potential tenants without making it complicated

One of the advantages of listing yourself, without intermediaries, is that you can set your own selection process. The basics you can ask for: a valid ID or passport, proof of income or bank statements (a common standard is at least triple the rent), personal or work references, and a co-signer if the tenant doesn't have a local credit history, which is especially relevant for newly arrived foreigners.

For foreign tenants, verification works differently. Many don't have a history in Colombia but do have foreign bank accounts, remote work contracts, or verifiable savings. If you are open to renting to foreigners (and there are quite a few on Colombia Move), it may be worth asking for an advance deposit via transfer as a guarantee.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is it legal to rent without a real estate agency in Colombia?

Completely legal. Law 820 of 2003 regulates rentals in Colombia and applies to both direct owners and real estate agencies. You are not obligated to hire an intermediary. Just make sure to have a written contract and register the deposit with the bank if applicable.

❓ What is the maximum deposit I can charge?

According to Law 820, the maximum deposit is equivalent to two months' rent. You cannot charge more. This money must be returned at the end of the contract if the tenant leaves no debts or damages.

❓ Can I list on Colombia Move if I am from another department?

Yes. Colombia Move has national coverage. You can list properties in Medellin, Bogota, Cali, Barranquilla, Cartagena, Bucaramanga, Pereira, and any other city in the country.

❓ How do I reach foreign tenants through Colombia Move?

The platform is available in Spanish and English, and many users check it from abroad before arriving in Colombia. By listing on Colombia Move, your ad is visible to digital nomads, expats, and foreigners looking for a place to live: a segment that tends to be more stable in payment and less prone to negotiating the price to the extreme.

❓ What contract should I use to rent?

The most common lease contract is for an indefinite duration with one month's notice for termination. There is also a fixed-term contract, generally for 12 months. Both must include: rent value, identification of the parties, description of the property, obligations of each party, and grounds for termination. You can get contract templates from a lawyer or look for standard formats online.

List your property and find a good tenant

Renting without paying commissions or monthly plans is possible, and it's not complicated. The key is to make a complete listing with decent photos and a fair price. If you do that well, the tenant will come on their own.

Colombia Move is the coolest option if you want to reach both Colombians and foreigners, without intermediaries or hidden costs. List your apartment, house, room, or office in minutes and start receiving real requests.

Do you have experience renting in Colombia? Anything you would add to this guide? Tell me in the comments: we help each other.