Business Details
29 Years
experience
Your Trusted Santa Barbara Rental Partner
Founded in 1997, Preferred Rental has been a trusted name in Santa Barbara's rental market for over 15 years. Our family-owned business specializes in connecting landlords with quality tenants through personalized marketing strategies, eliminating the need for traditional property management. We offer comprehensive relocation services for tenants seeking homes in Santa Barbara, leveraging our deep local market knowledge to streamline the search process. Our dedicated team prioritizes client needs, providing tailored solutions for both property owners and renters.With a commitment to community involvement, we support local initiatives like the Santa Barbara Foodbank. Our success stems from combining digital innovation with traditional service values, ensuring efficient property exposure and tenant screening. By maintaining a focused geographic scope from Carpinteria to Goleta, we've developed unmatched expertise in Santa Barbara's unique rental landscape. Our bi-weekly Rental Guide publication and corporate partnerships demonstrate our commitment to comprehensive market coverage while maintaining personal service quality.
Services
Relocation Services
Landlord Rental Service
Tenant Screening
Property Marketing
Rental Listings
Details
- Year established: 1997
Highlights and features
- 15+ years of Santa Barbara market expertise
- Personalized relocation service with digital property previews
- Thorough tenant screening process for landlords
- Exclusive property exposure through multiple marketing channels
- Local knowledge of neighborhood specifics and school districts
What people say
Perfect apartment found
Quick relocation process
Excellent communication
Pet-friendly solutions
Local market expertise
Services
Relocation Services
Our relocation service helps new arrivals find perfect Santa Barbara homes through personalized profiles and digital property previews. Agents provide continuous communication, property showings, and application assistance. Clients receive tailored video tours and local market insights to make informed decisions without needing physical presence.
Landlord Rental Service
We market rental properties through multiple digital platforms and our established client network. Services include professional photography, market analysis, tenant screening, and lease coordination. Landlords maintain final decision authority while benefiting from our local market expertise and extensive tenant database.
Tenant Screening
Our screening process includes credit reports, employment verification, rental history checks, and personal reference calls. We match applicants to landlord preferences for pets, lifestyle, and financial stability. This thorough process ensures quality tenant placements that meet property requirements.
People
Linda Roberts
Founder
Linda founded Preferred Rental in 1997 after recognizing Santa Barbara's need for specialized rental services. With real estate experience in Santa Barbara and Denver, she developed the company's relocation program and bi-weekly Rental Guide publication. Her community involvement includes supporting local charities like the Santa Barbara Foodbank.
Leah Barker-Orquiola
Owner
Leah brings extensive local market knowledge from her Santa Barbara upbringing and prior financial industry experience. She successfully transitioned from healthcare administration to real estate, leveraging organizational skills to grow the business. Her personal rental experience informs her understanding of tenant challenges in the competitive Santa Barbara market.
Questions
What areas do you cover?
We specialize in Santa Barbara from Carpinteria to Goleta, including Montecito and surrounding communities.
How do you help landlords?
We market properties across multiple platforms, pre-screen tenants, and coordinate viewings while letting you make final decisions.
Can you help with pet-friendly rentals?
Yes, we specialize in finding pet-friendly options and have successfully placed clients with large dogs.
What's your relocation process?
Fill out our profile forms, then our agents provide digital tours, coordinate viewings, and assist with applications.
How are rental prices determined?
We analyze comparable properties in your area to recommend optimal pricing for quick placements.
How quickly can you find a rental?
Most clients secure rentals within 1-2 weeks, with some placements occurring in 24-48 hours.
Reviews (7)
Bill Jones
Apr 16, 2022
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Unprofessional and useless company. Expensive service but not worth the money. Do not recommend at all. Fraudulent business.
Andrew Johnston
Oct 30, 2021
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Critical: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value Do not fall trap of these botted accounts leaving 5 star reviews. Please save yourself the money and be cautious when dealing with this unprofessional business taking advantage of the lack of housing in Santa Barbara.
Mandy Pearson
Oct 26, 2021
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Critical: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value This is the biggest waste of money. Huge joke of a service and all they do is check craigslist to find you "preferred" housing. Once they scam you out of your money, they will block you so you won't be able to contact them. Seriously, do your work yourselves because this was the biggest 800$ lost to find housing.
Andrew Johnston
Oct 25, 2021
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DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY HERE. Do the research on your own. Do not listen to the bots leaving 5 star reviews. Once again, they check craigslist and call that "professional service". Once this scam company takes your money and you are unsatisfied, they will absolutely not get in contact with you since they already took your money. Do your own homework and find housing on your own.
Maurice Cross
Oct 24, 2021
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I was in an unfortunate situation in which I needed desperate help in securing housing for my journey at UCSB. The housing situation is so limited I was forced to hire preferred rentals and was so shocked with the utter disregard for satisfaction they were supposed to provide. I got stuck with the worse housing situation in which they said it was "one of a kind". I found out this place is illegal to rent (room doesn't have window or door to outside), there is no sink, and no kitchen accessories. Rent is 2,200 (way overpriced) and the landlords are so so awful. I would not recommend this place to anybody at all looking for housing. Absolute waste of money to find me a an overpriced junk spot in santa barbara.
Andrew Johnston
Oct 17, 2021
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If you are looking for anything housing related in Santa Barbara, Goleta, or IV, do NOT use this service. I am a senior at UCSB and was unfortunate enough to use this service in hopes I would get adequate housing. Instead, I payed $800 and ended up in one of the worst rental situations I have ever dealt with. To top it off, I have tried calling countless times during working hours and left a voicemail in hopes I would get a call back and they just took my money, placed me in a God awful housing situation in SB, and have been ghosting me for weeks now. Seriously, if you are desperate for housing, this is NOT it.
Do your research on craigslist because that is pretty much all they do while looking for housing for you. Absolutely do NOT waste your $800 with this service as the housing you get will definitely not be "preferred".
Do your research on craigslist because that is pretty much all they do while looking for housing for you. Absolutely do NOT waste your $800 with this service as the housing you get will definitely not be "preferred".
Emily Jauchen
Jun 04, 2020
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I was hesitant to sign up for the $30 PDF service during this COVID-19 time, however there was a note on their sample rental list stating how they were continuing to provide updated listings, just at a limited capacity. One month later and they have only released ONE updated listing. Today is April 29 and their "current" rental guide is dated April 3. I've called, e-mailed and submitted request forms for additional communication and even a refund. Nothing, no response.
I noticed they're still posting listings on Craigslist, but no updated sheet. Incredibly frustrating as every other small business has been great in communicating and adapting during these challenging times. I have some patience, but to have no response and no acknowledgment is rude. If you aren't able to operate during this time, simply close and put a note on your website. 10/10 would NOT recommend at ANY time.
I noticed they're still posting listings on Craigslist, but no updated sheet. Incredibly frustrating as every other small business has been great in communicating and adapting during these challenging times. I have some patience, but to have no response and no acknowledgment is rude. If you aren't able to operate during this time, simply close and put a note on your website. 10/10 would NOT recommend at ANY time.
