This biweekly sponsored column is written by the experts at Gordon James Realty, a local property management firm that specializes in residential real estate, commercial real estate and home owner associations. Please submit any questions in the comments section or via email.
When tenants begin their search for their new home, on average, they look at over 100 listings.
Ensuring that the advertisement for a rental property hits the right notes is critical, but also challenging — there are a lot of different factors to consider. For example, landlords need to answer all the questions they can for potential renters before they see the property so they know what to expect, but frequently end up writing a description that is too long and not focused on the most important factors.
Gordon James Realty created a guide that narrows down these factors into the top 6 things to best market your property:
- Location, Location, Location. One of the most important considerations for a tenant when deciding to schedule a viewing for a rental property is location. We recommend adding a short and concise description that references proximity to transportation and local bars and restaurants. This helps to capture the interest of the tenant when they are comparing your advertisement to the 99 others.
- Describing both the building amenities and specific features of the unit or property will help to generate additional interest. Pictures are helpful, but describing the specific amenities can be a big selling point, such as state of the art gyms or rooftop pools.
- A brief history of the property can be a big selling point, such as a famous architect who designed the building.
- Know your target market. If your property is in a residential area, focus on the factors that might be important to a family, like proximity to a local park, school district, or safety of the neighborhood. If your property is in a more urban area, highlight the proximity to nearby transportation or nightlife.
- Upgraded property features are always a selling point for prospective renters. Popular ones include granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, a working gas or wood burning fireplace, high ceilings, or double bathroom vanity. This will help set your advertisement apart from the rest of the pack. If the property has undergone any recent construction or renovation, highlight this!
- Pointing out local attractions or fun things to do on the weekend such as museums or award winning restaurants.
These are the key points to include in any property advertisement that allows your property to stand out and attract the most attention. Advertisements should go beyond the basics so that potential renters can get a feel for the property and decide whether they can see themselves living there. Remember, there is a lot of competition out there so creating a compelling ad can help sell your property before people even see it in person!
The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.