When it comes to marketing a rental property, landlords have a lot of options at their disposal. There are all the traditional avenues, like print media and radio. You can list in forums online, or create social media profiles to reach potential local tenants. However, some of the best and most underutilized marketing methods are housing web sites. Many landlords skip over them, assuming they’re only for buying and selling homes, but there’s ample opportunity to list rentals, as well.
Sites like Zillow, Trulia, and Redfin are all great options for listing rental properties, as well as researching new real estate investment opportunities. Zillow recently acquired Postlets and is now calling it Zillow Rental Manager, and it has tons of features you can use to create detailed listings.
The best marketing advice for sites like these is to treat your rental as if it were a home for sale in the way you portray it and list its features. You want to create a profile that is both visually and textually appealing. If you can, get high-quality photos taken of the property, and make sure all its best features are highlighted. You’ll get much more interest if people can take a virtual tour before they call for more information. Make sure you include important details like relevant HOA fees, access to community amenities, and whether or not you allow pets.
Craigslist is another marketing venue you may not have considered because you thought it was only for buying and trading goods. In reality, Craigslist is an excellent source for localized rental listings. Although the user interface isn’t as easy to work with, you’ll want to spend a little extra time crafting a quality ad and using the same high-quality pictures you would on the other housing sites. Because Craigslist has a limited interface, you’re going to want to pay special attention to the way you title your ad and the image you select to feature. They should be eye-catching and inspire people to click your listing, but be careful not to oversell or misrepresent the property!
Once you’ve explored these new marketing avenues, the tenant applications should start pouring in. That’s when you can come to us for tenant screening services to make sure you’re selecting the best of the best!
If you’re looking for a faster solution, our RentalConnect program offers property owners and landlords a great alternative to tenant screening. This service requires no on-site visit, sign-up, or membership fees, making it extra convenient; the service fee is paid by the applicant. Available 24/7, RentalConnect is fast, easy, secure, and delivers reports needed to make an informed decision, including a credit report, a national criminal search, and a national eviction search. For more information, please contact us anytime!
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