Rental property vacancies are inevitable, but that doesn’t mean they have to greatly affect your rental income. When you master the art of writing an effective rental property listing, you can fill vacancies in a matter of days.
One of the hardest tasks for landlords trying to fill a vacant rental is advertising the vacancy to high-quality tenants. Even if you list your rental property on a dozen websites, if your listing isn’t optimized, potential tenants can scroll right past it.
To help you shorten vacancy times and avoid losing money on your investment, we’ve put together a guide on how to write an effective rental property listing in Germantown, MD.
Each month that your Germantown rental property sits empty without a tenant, money comes straight out of your pocket, especially if you have a mortgage.
When you learn how to write a great rental property listing, you’ll decrease vacancy time and attract high-quality tenants who pay rent on time.
The more effort you put into creating your rental property listing, the faster you’ll have a great tenant, which could increase your tenant retention rate overall.
You don’t have to be a professional writer or advertising expert to write an effective rental property listing. You just need to follow these seven tips!
When scrolling on Facebook or news websites, the first thing you see is a headline. In just a few words, you’re captivated and interested in reading the article while already having an idea of what it is about.
A headline for your rental property listing should do the same thing.
It needs to be informational and captivating.
Your rental property listing headline should include the following:
Using an adjective that describes the property is also effective, such as “cozy” or “spacious.”
An example of a well-written rental property listing headline is “3 Bedroom/2 Bathroom Newly Renovated Downtown Apartment with Private Parking.”
A picture is worth a thousand words, especially when it comes to creating an effective rental property listing.
Other than the headline, the first thing a potential renter looks at are photos of the property. When you upload high-quality, clear, and professional-looking photos, your listing will get more attention.
You don’t need a fancy camera to do this, either. An iPhone will do the job!
However, before taking photos, make sure the property is clean, freshly painted, and there is plenty of natural light.
If possible, take photos of the property without furniture, or professionally staged.
While the photos provide viewers with visuals, your property description is a narrative of what the photos don’t convey.
Describe your rental property’s layout, the size of the rooms, and amenities. Create a narrative to help potential renters picture themselves living there.
Try to use descriptive and persuasive vocabulary and paint your rental property in the best light possible.
When moving, tenants seek more than just a home but a good location and neighborhood.
In your rental property listing, emphasize the amenities and characteristics of the neighborhood. Mention nearby restaurants, parks, public transportation, and community events.
If possible, describe the atmosphere. Is the neighborhood residential and quiet for the most part? Or is it in a lively downtown neighborhood?
After describing your rental property and neighborhood, it’s important to be clear and concise about important rental information.
Provide the following information in your listing to avoid repeat questions from potential tenants:
Being transparent about this information will filter through qualifying tenants or not.
There are strict regulations about what you can and cannot write in a rental property listing. One of these regulations is the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination against renters.
The protected classes include gender, national origin, religion, familial status, disability, and race or color.
So, you cannot write in your rental listing that only females without children can rent your property.
If you violate FHA laws, you could face a hefty fine of up to $10,000.
At the end of your rental property listing, add instructions about how interested renters can contact you to schedule a showing.
It’s a good idea to have one means of contact, whether via email, text, or phone, to put in all your listings. This will help you stay organized and never miss a prospective tenant.
Vacancies are an uncertain and frightening time for landlords. Losing money because they cannot find a high-quality tenant puts them in survival mode, leading to making poor decisions about lowering the rent or accepting unqualified tenants.
With Mainstay Property Management in Germantown, MD, you can fill your vacancy in less than 30 days with verified high-quality tenants.
As Germantown’s leading property management company, we pride ourselves in our advanced and effective rental property marketing methods. From creating an effective rental property listing to thorough tenant screenings to organizing property tours, we’ve got you covered!
Our work doesn’t end there, though.
After we have found you the perfect tenant, our job continues by maintaining your property, coordinating repairs, and analyzing your investment to ensure you’re maximizing your ROI to the fullest.
So, you can sit back, relax, and enjoy your hard work paying off in the form of passive income. Forget about vacancy worries or late rent payments when you choose the Mainstay Way.
If you found this article helpful, make sure to read 15 Crucial Things New Rental Property Owners Need to Know next!
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