No longer is placing a “for rent” sign in front of your property the way to lease your home! (in fact, in some areas, we recommend against this). Today, everyone is busy and technology is king! You can use several different channels to make sure your property to minimise your vacancy and loss. We have some handy tips on marketing below.
High-quality images and virtual tours
Images are often the first thing a prospective tenant sees in a property listing, so these need to be high quality – especially the initial image. Have you ever scrolled realestate.com to be surprised by a sideways photo of a toilet? Not particularly appealing to say the least. The front shot needs to be eye catching, high quality and show off the best parts of your property. Sometimes this isn’t the front of the home, but can be a renovated chefs kitchen for example. Whatever you want to show case, make sure the property is clean, well-lit, and free of any personal items.
You want people to view the images and picture themselves living in their new home! You might also consider adding a virtual tour option. This can be as simple as editing a video together from your iphone. (did you know, iphones nowadays have better cameras and resolution than the big cannon cameras of the past?). Video walk throughs have become particularly important over the last 18+ months due to COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns. Even outside of lockdown, a video walk through can show people more of a property to help them choose where to spend their valuable time looking. In contrast, it can also allow people to see more of the property and even decide not to view or apply.
Socials
This certainly helps build interest in a property – with carefully placed teasers, you can get your home across peoples feeds in their down time. On top of that, perhaps one of your followers may see the post and immediately want to view and apply. They can also share it with friends who may be looking. Either way, social media is another great channel for getting your properties seen.
List where people look!
While some property websites may charge lower fees for listing, this saving isn’t worth it if quality potential tenants aren’t searching on these websites. If you’ve ever seen one of those ‘news’ shows about nightmare tenants the owner found off ‘gumtree’ for example, you know what I’m talking about. Make sure you list your property on the major real estate search websites in your area. By listing on these sites where many people are looking, you’ll know quickly if your listing is priced to appeal to the market. If you don’t receive many enquiries, the market feedback is telling you its time to tweak the listing and the property’s price.
Don’t forget amenities
Different people have different priorities when it comes to their new home. Some people would rather live in a place that isn’t their dream residence if it means they’re in a specific location. However, other people would prefer to have all the features they want in their property, even if that means living outside of their ideal location. Make sure your advertising copy includes information about the property and the community, so you’re addressing both potential applicants. You might list the property’s best features and some notes on the community, such as activities, proximity to schools and parks, cafés and restaurants, and other local amenities such as libraries and swimming pools.
Whether you’re advertising your property after a break lease, or you’ve got a little more time up your sleeve with a tenant providing 28 days notice, effectively marketing your property is critical for securing a quality tenant quickly. Make sure your photos are high quality and that you connect with your community, you’ll have your property leased in no time.
Remember, this article does not constitute financial or legal advice. Please consult your professional financial and legal advisors before making any decisions for yourself.