Our Story

With over 23 years of experience marketing to the rental consumer, My Renter's Guide is an invaluable resource for renters and our partners.

Our founder (a 20 year Army veteran), while on active duty found himself searching for a safe, secure and sanitary home for his family in cities he knew nothing about.  The resources he found gave him the rent, number of bedrooms and little else. Not ideal information to make an informed decision. Once he retired in 1995 he set out to provide information to renters that would allow them to pre-qualify themselves before making contact with their new home rental.

He started with print publications called "The Renter's Guide" in Georgia and later as internet usage increased added the MyRentersGuide.com Internet Listing Service. By 2004 he had relocated to Sioux Falls, SD and his oldest daughter joined the business as a partner. Then in 2014 his youngest daughter joined.

At first, the apartment industry pushed back, "The Renter's Guide" was a guide for renters, not property managers.  Property managers weren't used to giving the renter everything about the property in their marketing campaigns. All they wanted was lots of leads, qualified or not. Property managers were used to the phone ringing off the wall, sifting through call after call to find a prospective renter that fit what they had to offer.

Once managers experienced an educated prospective renter, that wasn't frustrated from calling apartment community after apartment community, they came around. Of course there are still managers that don't mind working really hard to fill an empty unit. If you are one of those property managers, please don't list your property here... your closing ratio will go way up, you will have happier renters and you will find yourself with time to deliver better services for your residences.

However, we haven't found many renters that like calling 30 properties to find 3 they would like to tour. And we are sure if you are looking for an apartment, single family home or something else, you're not one either. Just "filter" and "favorite" the listings you may want to visit and then do a comparison to narrow down your search. Then contact the property through the site or call them direct to make an appointment or get your questions answered.

In 2014, our founder and his oldest daughter sold their business to his friend Steve Michels, the owner of a family owned and operated publishing company. Michels Communications Corp. was a good fit. Michels Communications Corp. had experience marketing to home buyers through HomeView magazine, Home Ideas magazine, Real Estate Guide - Black Hills and Real Estate Guide - Rapid City, and Siouxland Real Estate Guide.

Today, in addition to our My Renters Guide print publications, MyRentersGuide.com lists property in five states and connects thousands of renters with apartments, twin homes, townhomes and single family homes each year.

Michels Communications Corp is a Certified Google Partner who values our clients but never forgets the consumer (the renter) is who has to be satisfied. We make it easy for renters to filter through rental listings, compare them and find the perfect home.

Moving is hard and it is our mission to make it easier every year, so give us some feedback on how we can improve by clicking on the "Let us Know" link below. We really want to know!