Trust is the whole product here. This page explains how we make money, how we decide what to recommend, and where the lines are.
Every guide, article, and tip on Fly the Nest is written to serve one audience: families launching a college student. No company pays for placement in our editorial content, and that includes our directory of management companies and our advice pages. We never accept payment to say something is good, and we never accept payment to stay quiet about something that isn't.
Fly the Nest is written by current and former student housing professionals, leasing, marketing, operations, and maintenance, with 100+ years of combined experience. We publish anonymously because we still work in this industry. No employer operates, reviews, or endorses this site, and nothing here reflects any company's official position. Anonymity is what lets us describe how the business actually works.
Fly the Nest is free for families and may be supported in three ways: affiliate links (if you buy something through certain links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you), sponsorships (a company may sponsor a newsletter, guide, or seasonal campaign), and partnerships with services we've vetted. Three rules apply to all of them: sponsored or affiliate content is always labeled, sponsors never control editorial content, and we only work with products and services we'd recommend to our own families.
We don't do pay-to-play recommendations. We don't let partners preview or approve editorial content. We don't share your email address with anyone. And we don't provide legal, financial, or medical advice; we provide general education from industry experience, and we tell you to read your specific lease and consult professionals for your specific situation.
This industry varies by market, operator, university, and year, and it changes fast. If we've gotten something wrong or out of date, tell us and we'll fix it.