How can you help your rental property stand out in a competitive market?
The marketing strategies you implement will make a big difference, and you’ll also have an opportunity to reach prospective residents when you invite them to see your property in person.
Showing your home is the point at which you close the deal; you’ll want potential residents to form an emotional connection with your property and immediately imagine themselves living there.
Here are a few of our best home showing tips that will help you attract the best residents to your property.
Provide a Video Tour before the Showing
Consider including a video tour with your online listing. Anyone who sees your photos and reads your listing will then have the opportunity to have a mini-showing before they commit to an in-person tour of the home. This will save everyone time; they’ll know based on the video tour if it’s a home they really want to see.
Offer Self-Showings
Self-guided tours are increasingly important in the rental market. It’s easier for scheduling purposes; and, people prefer having the freedom and flexibility to see a property on their own, without a leasing agent following them around. It’s more convenient and it also moves the leasing process along faster. When you offer self-showings, you’re more likely to have applications submitted right away.
Plenty of technology is available for self-showings. There are lockboxes and keypads that can be installed and apps you can download. These systems will collect the necessary information from the tenants who want to see your property and allow them access for a specific amount of time.
Focus on Details in the Home
Natural lighting, soothing smells, and a clean, empty property will lead to a great showing. Make sure there isn’t any clutter. Wipe down the surfaces and ensure the floors have been cleaned. The utilities need to be on so your prospective tenants can turn on lights and faucets and test appliances.
If you’re staging the home, do it with minimalism in mind. A few pieces of well-placed furniture can look good, but you don’t want a property that’s full of personal items or furnishings. Tenants will want to imagine how the property will look with their own things inside of it.
Leave a flyer or some information on how to apply for the home so prospective residents can easily move to the next steps.
Pay Attention to Curb Appeal
Before your prospective tenants even walk into your property, they’re going to make a judgment about the outside of the home. Does it look welcoming and attractive? Your curb appeal will inspire an immediate first impression, and you want it to be a good one. Take care of any trash or debris that’s gathered near the door, make sure the lawn is green and cut, and have the trees and bushes trimmed. There shouldn’t be an overgrowth of weeds, broken screens, or chipping paint.
The exterior of your property has to inspire people to go inside, not chase them away.
Implement these showing tips, and you can expect to attract a great pool of tenants to the property you’re renting out. We can help you have a successful leasing process. For additional tips that are customized to your unique home, please contact us at Real Estate Gladiators. We serve Monroe, Issaquah, Bellevue, Everett, Lake Stevens, Kirkland, and other cities in and around King and Snohomish counties in Washington State.
