| Make Your Rental Property Listing Stand Out

If you’re a landlord with an investment property to rent, you need to consider how you can attract good quality, long term tenants. 

There are many properties for prospective tenants to look at for rental.  You need to stand out.

Make sure your rental property is being marketed correctly, focusing on its best features and it is presented in a well-maintained condition to attract prospective long term tenants.

Make sure Your Online Listing is Compelling

Most prospective tenants start their search online.  So it is now vital you ensure your online listing is as good as possible.  Your online listing could make or break your chances of enticing them for a viewing.  

A good listing needs to be descriptive and paint a picture of what it would be like to live in the home.   

• Be specific with as many details as possible. Point out those desirable things that the buyer might not know from just looking at the pictures.
• Tell a story (eg:  Don’t just say it has a deck, say it has a large covered deck perfect for entertaining family and friends).
• Use brand names when describing appliances.
• Be specific with your finishes and upgrades (eg: hardwood flooring).
• Include great neighbourhood features – like your nearby walking trails, local attractions, and parks nearby.
• Include details about local shops and restaurants and amenities.
• Avoid overused listing words (eg: stunning, contemporary, immaculate etc).
• Set up (realistic) expectations by using storytelling to create visual images.
• No matter how modest or ordinary a home is, there are always positives that can make the description sparkle without overselling or setting false expectations.
• Choose your words carefully. Be positive but realistic – Don’t make your house sound better than it looks.
• Highlight the strengths of its location – Many renters are looking for a good location in a safe and secure neighbourhood, a short commuting distance to work, proximity to local amenities and for families, being within the catchment area of a good school.
• Use your descriptions and photos to walk through the flow of the house 
• Order your images in the same order of your written words.
• Add short descriptive labels to each photo.
• Your description needs to make buyers go: ‘Wow – sounds great, I want to see this home”

Lastly – read over what you’ve written (read it out aloud).  Check for grammar, spelling and overused listing words.

Get Professional Photographs
First impressions count – The photos of your home are the first opportunity you have to attract interested renters.   Make sure you and your agent use as many shots as possible.  There will always be a couple of photos that show your property in it’s best light, these should be displayed first.

No property advert is complete without attractive, professional photos. Great photos enable your prospective tenants to envision themselves living in the home.  Using a professional photographer is worth every cent.

Ensure your property is listed on all the rental portals.  

The more exposure the better.  Also have your property manager share your listing on their social media platforms and the agent’s website.   

You should also have a ‘For Lease’ sign outside the property to entice potential tenants that may be passing by.  Include a QR code and weblink so they can go to your online listing.

Use your property manager’s experience and local market knowledge to help create an effective marketing campaign to get your home rented as soon as possible.