While there are plenty of people looking for rental properties, sometimes it feels like you just can’t catch a break. Whether your difficulty is finding and keeping residents or attracting residents that are a good fit, the search can be difficult and time-consuming. To help you streamline and aid you in this process, we’ve put together some steps you can take to make sure your properties are attracting only the very best residents.
1. Write a Strong Listing
The vast majority of rental property searches start online, so it’s necessary that you draft the best possible listing to ensure the highest visibility possible. Your listing should include a detailed and accurate description of the property, high-quality photos, qualifications, restrictions, important dates and deadlines, and the monthly rent for the property. To help increase your visibility, consider posting it to local online communities like Facebook Marketplace and local forums.
2. Set Clear Expectations
In order to appeal to the right residents, it’s important to communicate what is expected from them. Let them know what the neighbors are like, if there are any noise ordinances, and any other pertinent information that may help them determine if they’re a good fit for the property. For example, you wouldn’t want to house a drummer or the off-campus fraternity right next to the young family with a newborn child. Setting high expectations helps weed out tenants who would not be a good fit and allows those who are to have a fair chance at living in the appropriate property.
3. Organized Showings
The first time potential residents tour your rental property is your best opportunity to show all the benefits and perks of the home or apartment. It can also be a total deal breaker if it doesn’t meet their expectations and standards. In order to make the best impression possible on your renters, make sure the space is clean and neat, but most important is to make sure that the current tenants are not at the property during the showing. If the property feels like someone else’s home, then prospective residents can feel invasive and off-put. To prepare for a showing, make sure any personal items are put away, there are no dishes in the sink, all beds are made, and all closet doors are closed. It will be the current resident’s responsibility to clean the house or apartment, so be sure to give them a heads up when a tour is scheduled to visit.
4. Applicant Screening
Have your potential tenants fill out paperwork and background checks to ensure that their personal history is up to the neighborhood standards. Information that should be checked includes credit history, rental history, criminal and court history, and employment history. Should you discover that an applicant or renter has lied on the application, is it is up to you to determine what the necessary steps are to handle the issue.
5. Lawn Care
Your lawn will be one of the very first things a potential resident sees, so it’s important that it makes a good first impression. Even just a simple garden can help your home stand out and massively increase the likelihood of your property being rented. For the best results, invest in perennially blooming flowers to keep the yard looking lively year-round. If a garden is not possible due to a lack of space or time, a neat and well-manicured lawn will also do the trick. But don’t forget your other options as well. Just a few well-placed potted plants on the porch make for a wonderful and easy way to bring some life and color to greet residents.
6. Use Property Management Software
In addition to all of the above suggestions, it is wise to utilize some kind of property management software. The real estate market is rapidly evolving to meet modern needs and expectations, and renters expect property owners to adapt along with it. While software can pose a learning curve (and some certainly more than others), RentCheck offers an easy, streamlined approach to inspections to help ensure that the condition of your property is properly documented. Services like RentCheck can help you ensure a smoother renting process, with benefits to both you and your residents. With RentCheck, any deposit deduction disputes can easily be settled thanks to the cloud backed, high-quality photo storage. RentCheck is helping landlords and residents alike across the nation avoid disputes and guarantee fair and equal treatment.
