WASHINGTON, DC—Online intelligence is increasingly important to apartment renters, who are looking for more than just listings on the Web, according to the latest National Multifamily Housing Council/Kingsley Renter Preferences Report. Seventy-nine percent of respondents said they weighed input from online opinion sites in making their renting decisions, including 72% who said feedback from such sites prevented them from visiting a particular apartment community.

An even larger majority (82%) said they expect to see property managers respond to online reviews, including negative ones. The survey collected responses from 272,743 residents at 4,795 communities nationwide.

Increasingly, renters—especially younger ones—are looking to monetize their apartments. Forty-nine percent of respondents 25 and under said they're interested in the opportunity to generate additional income through short-term rentals, such as Airbnb. That compares to 15% of renters ages 65 and over who'd give their units over to this purpose. In addition, 32% of renters age 65 and over said they wouldn't rent in a community that offered short-term rentals.