Take Professional Property Photos
Wondering how to get tenants excited about your South Bay, Chula Vista or Bonita rental property? Prospective tenants are likely going to look at your property’s pictures before they read the description or do anything else. Most people looking at online ads are visual people, and they’ll want to get an idea of what your property looks like. Appeal to those senses by providing high quality, professional photographs. While hiring a professional photographer is a great idea, you can probably take good pictures on your own if you pay attention to a few details. For example:
- Make sure the lighting is good. Open blinds and turn on lights so photos don’t look dark.
- Remove all clutter and debris. Don’t take pictures with mops in the background and piles of paper on the countertops.
- Pay attention to the angle. A wide lens will help your rooms look larger in photos.
- Take pictures of everything. Tenants will want to see the kitchen, the outdoor space, the bedrooms, and the bathrooms. Photograph special items such as fireplaces, upgraded appliances, or pretty landscaping.
After you’ve taken a collection of great photos, write a description that matches them.
Leverage the Reach of Online Advertising
There’s still a place for professional signage, but most tenants today are looking online for their next home. Make sure your listing is online. Use all the sites that prospective tenants are using, including Zillow, HotPads, Trulia, Craigslist, PadMapper, and Rent.com. Some of these sites might require an advertising fee, and some of them, such as Craigslist, are free. Make sure you’re designing an ad that will catch the attention of people who are scrolling through hundreds of similar ads. Post good pictures and accurate, engaging descriptions. Be sure to include your contact information and relevant facts such as whether pets are allowed, the amount of rent, and the date that it will be ready for move-in.
Follow-up with Prospective Tenants
You can have the greatest marketing strategy in the world and the best-looking ads, but if you don’t answer the phone when prospective tenants call, you won’t have an easy time renting out your home after your tenant screening process. Answer your phone and respond to messages. Tenants are going to move quickly through their list of desirable properties, so don’t leave them hanging. Answer any questions they have about the property, and ask a few of your own. You’ll want to know when they plan on moving, and why. Ask if they have pets, how many people will be moving into the home, and what they can pay in rent. Some landlords and property managers in Bonita, Chula Vista or South Bay show homes in person and others use lockboxes or other technology. Whatever system you prefer, make sure you’re available to tenants. They must be able to reach you, and you must be able to let them see the property when it’s convenient for them.
There’s a lot more than goes into the successful marketing of your property. You’ll need to understand how to price your home correctly and think about whether you want to pay commissions to other agents who might bring prospective tenants to see your home.
We’d love to share our additional resources and tips. If you have questions about marketing your Chula Vista, South Bay or Bonita rental property, please contact us at Encore Realty.
