Any of you use virtual Phone numbers for your rentals? If you aren't familiar, or if I am using the wrong terminology, You can order a virtual phone number on line, and set it to auto forward to your real phone number. This way you give out the virtual number without exposing your real number. I believe you can also set up rules to forward only certain times also, but I could be mistaken.

Why? So I list a place for rent and am bombarded with 200 calls on the property after it is already rented out. Solution would be to get a virtual phone number and forward all calls while home is available. Once it is rented, give tenant your real number and turn off the forwarding of the virtual number.

Another reason may be to set it to forward only during certain times so you dont receive calls after your set hours.

If you use them, could you suggest a service and the approximent cost?

Thanks for any help

Voip.ms

$0.85 per number per month

I know a lot of people use Google Voice numbers as well. I considered it but the only numbers available for my area looked like out of town numbers.

Didn't want prospective tenants to think I was a scammer or someone a couple hours away who can't take care of them.

What I have done now is set my phone so that all calls go to voicemail if not on my contact list. My VM then directs them to my little website which shows what we have available, if we have anything.

I not only provide a different email but a different phone number, usually google voice but I also used to use and still have magic jack. You can look up their cost online. Mine is so old I don't know what it is until some time in October when it is set to renew. Once rented they get a magnet for their fridge with my real phone number and email address.

As for google voice, I only use it through a computer, not on my phone and don't have the problems you mention.

I have two Google Voice number - no idea how - but they seem to work for texts at least.

I don't answer my phone unless it's my family.

If it's a tenant they put all issues in the maintenance database.

First off, why are they calling you when you list a place? Way too time consuming.

I get SMS on my google voice number. When it was free and when I moved to paid GV.

I found out the hard way that OOMA does not provide SMS. At least it didn't come "standard."

I have multiple GV numbers, one for each city where I own rentals.