Finding the Best Tenants
How to Target Your Efforts
It makes sense that, as a landlord, you want the best tenants you can possibly find. But that’s not an easy task. Targeting your efforts will go a long way to placing the best tenants in your rental unit.
First, write a compelling ad. Attract attention with terms like “amazing,” or “quiet,” or “upscale.” Promote your rental unit’s most desirable features. Mention the neighborhood, school district, and any unique features, such as hardwood floors, a fireplace, decks, or patios—these are all must-haves for your ad. Be creative!
Your ad should state the rent, plus the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, any parking information, and whether the unit is on a bus line, part of a complex, duplex, or single family residence. Do you accept pets? Say so in your ad! More and more landlords are allowing their tenants to have pets in their homes. Whether you do or not, state it in the ad. Each of these details will help narrow the pool of prospects down.
Make sure you indicate there will be a credit check and background screening as part of the application process. This will help eliminate those applicants who know they won’t pass the background screening.
Once you have your ad written, then what? It depends on the location of your rental and the demographics of the tenants you want to attract. If there is a neighborhood grocery store or coffee shop, place a flier with the ad information on their bulletin board.
You can submit your ad to Craigslist.com, or your local newspaper’s online edition—or both. You can have it printed in the paper, as well. Many landlords enjoy the ease of using Craigslist, for the option of having interested parties contact you through the site’s secure email or your phone. Responding to online advertising indicates your prospective tenants have internet access. This is desirable for many landlords.
Signs on the property often work really well, since many people drive through neighborhoods they like in search of “for rent” signs. Be sure they look nice, are easily read from the street, and make it easy to contact you.
The right advertisement can help you attract just the tenants you really want!