Summer is the busy season for moving and if you own property and are trying to find a renter it can be difficult in a competitive marketplace. Luckily at Cincy Rents we handle finding tenants for our property owners and we know the best practices.
Before we begin, please take a look at our Full Management Service to see the incredible value that we offer property owners.
- Provide a detailed listing – Sometimes people rely too heavily on photos and neglect the listing details. Most people will expect square footage and bedroom/bathroom details. It never hurts to go above and beyond and include details about laundry, parking, access to public transit, and common commute times in the city. If a potential renter isn’t interested then they’ll scroll past these details, but interested renters will favor detailed listings!
- Make your application easy – Obviously, you want to vet candidates, but that doesn’t mean the application form has to be intensive. Creating an online application (see Cincy Rent’s application as an example) will go a long way in making it simple for renters to apply when they’re interested. Get all the necessary information in the first application, don’t make renters jump through multiple hoops.
- Make it easy to set up a showing – If you click on any of our Property Listings you’ll see a large button in the top right to schedule a viewing. People looking for an apartment will likely have lots of windows open and so you’ll want to make it very easy for them to set up a showing without needing to pick up the phone and call. If you can build it right into your listing that is as simple as it can get!
- Provide high-quality pictures – There is nothing worse than a beautiful apartment that is partially blocked by the photographer’s thumb. Hiring a professional photographer will pay dividends. High-quality photos make it easy for prospective renters to get a feel for the space and visualize their own furniture in that space. If pictures are edited too much or use a wide-angle lens it might distort the living space and lead to disappointment. Don’t forget to show the outside of the building. If you don’t provide that picture then the only impression the renter will have is based on the Google Maps photo. If possible, provide a floor plan with your listing as an added bonus!
- Use word-of-mouth – According to Nielsen, 84% of consumers believe recommendations from friends and family. If you already have renters perhaps you can incentivize them with a gift card or rental discount if they find you another renter. If you currently have quality tenants, then the chances are they will know other quality tenants. This is a surefire way to beat your competition!
Property management has many challenges, finding tenants can be difficult but we hope these tips have been helpful! If you’re a property owner and you’re tired of taking maintenance phone calls and finding renters then let us help! Cincy Rents offers property management services at competitive rates and handles 24/7 maintenance calls. We provide professional photography for apartment listings and we do background checks on all tenants.