The phrase denotes a specific type of rental property search. It describes the act of seeking residential dwellings, offered for lease directly by individual landlords, in the immediate vicinity of the person conducting the search. As an example, an individual relocating to a new city might utilize this phrase to find a house managed and owned independently, rather than by a large property management company, located within a desirable neighborhood.
Locating accommodations through independent lessors can offer several advantages. It may result in more flexible lease terms, potentially lower rental costs due to the absence of corporate overhead, and a more direct and personalized landlord-tenant relationship. Historically, this approach to finding housing was dominant before the rise of large property management firms and online listing aggregators.
