In a business with fierce competition, we have to find ways to stand out. In the rental industry, landlords and agents should know how to be set apart from the rest. Sure, you may advertise an ideal rental, but so did a dozen others. What will make the tenant go for the one you have? What will make the tenant say, “This is it!”?
Other than the property itself-the physical structure and features, tenants would look at how the landlord and agent deal with them. Even if the rental is the most beautiful in the market, but the landlord shows a bad attitude, tenants would not choose it. Let me give you specific examples.
Put up impressive listings.
To catch the tenants’ eye, we need a striking advertisement. However, this is more your job than the landlord. Make your listings complete with details about the rental property. Include the features, amenities, the community, and a virtual tour. If not a virtual tour, you can post clear and attractive pictures to catch their attention.
Putting up impressive listings is not enough if you don’t use the right website. But if you sign up and avail of Padleads’ services, you will have the perfect combo. Padleads will let you post your property listings and syndicate them to many more websites online. Remember detailed listings plus a leading website.
First impressions matter
Once a potential tenant sees and likes your listing, they will try to contact you. They would probably want to talk to the landlord too. It can either be personal or through virtual communication. At this point, they will form their opinions about the property manager.
It is true when they say first impressions last. If the landlord is rude, the applicant will likely find another rental. Put yourself in their position and ask yourself, would I want to spend the next years dealing with this person? It is not as if they can avoid the landlord during their lease. Landlords should remember to be respectful and courteous. They must also show professionalism during the whole process.
Honesty
Landlords and lease agents should maintain honest and open communication with the tenants. After all, it is a business partnership. The renters should know the crucial information, such as the rules and requirements for tenancy.
Not being upfront with the applicants will only waste everyone’s time and effort. They should know what to expect from the get-go.
Make it simple.
The leasing process consists of several steps and tasks. It is not an easy procedure, and it is best to make it simple for the tenants. For instance, landlords can give them a checklist of what they need to do to jumpstart their lease. They can also provide a list of all the information you would need for the screening.
Making things effortless will motivate the tenants more to finish the leasing process. They would also appreciate the assistance, which will increase their satisfaction level.
Incentives for renewing tenants
Landlords and leasing agents would want tenants to stay longer than they intended. Renewals are an advantage for the landlords’ businesses because they could avoid vacant months without income. It would also mean fewer expenses for move-in costs.
If the tenants renew their lease, they are satisfied with the services and property. To return the favor, landlords may grant incentives to these tenants. The most common is giving them gifts such as vouchers, new furniture, or a property upgrade.
Flexibility
If they can, landlords can offer flexible leases to their tenants. For example, student tenants may only need to stay in a city for a few months. Property managers may offer them a shorter lease to accommodate their needs.
Another thing they can offer is subletting. The landlords may allow the tenants to have someone rent the extra room in their rental. However, there should be rules about this in the lease agreement to avoid problems with subletters.
Landlords and leasing agents should always think bigger to remain competitive. These tips will help you with that. After all, the rental business is a big arena. There will always be competition.