Independent landlords assume the role of both landlord and property manager. Because there is no second party to handle marketing strategies to attract renters, this responsibility falls on the landlord. The goal of well-executed marketing is to attract high quality tenants who will pay rent in full and on time while treating the property as if it were their own. No landlord wants a property to remain vacant; therefore, having a sound marketing strategy that caters to the desired candidates means attracting more qualified leads, less tenant turnover, minimize evictions, and less late payments.
With these outcomes in mind, the next question is how to achieve those tenants. For independent landlords, creative marketing strategies are the key to success.
Market More Than Just Property
Everyone has their reasons for desiring to live in one area over another. Families tend to value school systems, childcare, and safety while seniors tend to value community, engagement, and easy access to outdoor recreation. When marketing a property, remember that the community can be just as attractive as the home itself when candidates are looking for somewhere to call home. Create a full picture of what life in a specific property will look like, from the home to the surrounding neighborhood.
Use High-Quality Photos and Descriptive Language
The fastest way to lose a potential tenant’s interest is to advertise a listing with poor photos. This is the first glance at the property anyone will see, so make it count by taking a range of photos that show different rooms and angles. Use plenty of light to shoot clean and tidy rooms. Stage the property to give a true sense of size and functionality. If the listing talks about specific features, be sure to include photographs.
Avoid using superlatives and general fluff in the listing. Insead, rely on concrete descriptions that create a mental image for the reader. A strong listing makes tenants imagine what living in the property would look like. This is the time to showcase differentiators and entice an in-person viewing. The more information that can be included about the property, the better. Be sure to mention location, amenities, neighborhood features, and anything else noteworthy that will catch a potential renter’s interest and make them take a second look.
Creating an impactful listing is made simple with turbotenant free landlord software tools. This all in one property management tool streamlines how independent landlords manage the rental process. Turbo Tenant’s innovative software is user intuitive and saves landlords time and money during the rental process. Thanks Turbo Tenant’s professional listing page, landlords can share their property listing via text or email to interested candidates. The listing can be posted across the web for free to dozens of rental listing websites, generating an average of 22 leads per property.
The software comes with an extensive online rental application that can convert an interested lead into a tenant quickly and easily. Each application comes with free tenant screening, giving landlords criminal history, credit report, and eviction history. Best of all, Turbo Tenant allows landlords to manage properties from anywhere.
Word of Mouth Through Tenant Reviews
This may sound like a risk, but at the end of the day, current tenants who are satisfied with their landlord can help boost listing foot traffic. Include reviews from current and previous tenants on a listing; favorable feedback will help gain the trust of future tenants because they can see that the landlord values positive relationships. Being consistent, offering tips and suggestions about the neighborhood, and showing an overall sense of accessibility will make tenants feel confident about choosing a property.