I always thought the only role of a rental agent was to advertise a property. It could not be further from the truth. The thing is, a leasing agent’s job entails more than just posting vacancies. If you are an agent, you would know this. Your job is not easy. I’ll give you that.
Why do landlords hire agents? Well, they have different reasons to hire leasing agents. Some have several properties which make it difficult for them to keep up with all the work. Some landlords or property owners do not want the stress of filling in a vacancy. I mean, if I were a property owner, I would probably hire an agent. Of course, if I can afford to pay one.
The majority of the people are not yet familiar with what agents do. But that’s what I’m going to share right now. They not only market properties but also offer other services. For example, they can also assist with lease renewals and screening tenants. Read on to know more.
• Managing the property
Others might think that a rental agent’s job stops after filling in a vacancy or finding a potential tenant. It does not. An agent can assist the tenants with any concerns. For example, a tenant finds out that the air conditioning unit is not working when they move in. The agent can contact a professional to help fix the problem.
If the tenants have any queries about the property or lease agreement, the agents can answer them. They can also arrange for experts to come and help prepare the rental for incoming tenants. Their job depends on what their clients, landlords or tenants, need.
• Screening Tenants
One of the things agents must do is to check if the applicants are qualified. They can’t approve the first applicant they get because they might not have all the needed qualities. Tenant screening includes doing background checks on credit scores, rental history, and current financial standing.
Leasing agents would want to recommend someone who can interrelate well with other tenants. It is especially essential in apartment buildings. We don’t want the landlord to deal with tenant conflicts in the future.
• Involved in lease agreements
Although the landlords are responsible for making the lease agreements, the agents can get involved as well. They need to know the context of every contract because it will vary depending on location and landlord preference. The lease agreements should also follow the local state laws. It is also advisable for agents to familiarize themselves with those laws.
Aside from that, the agents can collect the deposit and first month’s rent from incoming tenants. They can also facilitate the termination or renewal of a lease.
• Advertising
Trying to advertise a vacant rental is not easy. You have to make sure that you’re getting the word out and getting people’s attention. An agent spends a lot of their time advertising vacant properties in any way possible. Rental ads should entice every potential tenant. They should also include all the crucial details, such as property features or if pets are allowed. Posting about it is not enough, though.
The agents can conduct open houses as a way of marketing the property. Through it, the tenants can see the rental in person, and it can help them decide. Fortunately for leasing agents, websites such as Padleads allow them to put their listings out there. For a very affordable price, they can sign up and post their property listings online. They can even syndicate them to other websites.
A person does not have to have a college degree to become an agent. However, they do need to get the proper license and training. You might know of someone who wants to become an agent. It is best to let them know about the different roles they should be ready to take.