As a landlord, one of the biggest problems you can have is being unable to rent out your property. Every month your place is uninhabited, it's more money out of your pocket, which can be an even bigger issue if you're tight on funds and rely on that cash coming in. With all the other places for rent in the area, you have to provide reasons why potential tenants should rent from you rather than somewhere else. If you want to make your property more appealing to renters, there are several things you can do to get your place rented in no time.
Clean up the outside of the property
The outside of the property is the first thing potential tenants see so you want to make it look as attractive as possible. Clean up any debris that's outside, keep trees, bushes and grass trimmed, paint the facade, plant some flowers and fix loose stones on the pathway. They're relatively easy fixes, but can make a huge difference when trying to rent out your property.
Clean absolutely everything
Cleaning everything in the home would seem like a no-brainer, but when I was checking out potential places to rent, you'd be surprised how many spots landlords missed. For example, in one home there were dirty spots in the cabinet under the sink and at another there was hair on the floor behind the toilet. When you're renting the place out, clean absolutely everything from the inside of the stove to the top shelf in the closet. If you're renting out a furnished place, clean in and under every piece of furniture in the place. The cleaner the place is, the more attractive it is.
Offer something for free
Everyone loves to get things for free and potential tenants are no different. One convenient option is to offer free cable and/or internet, which is a great idea especially if you get a bundle package. Landlords who have rental property near beaches can offer beach passes or if you live near a ski resort offer season mountain passes. There's always something you can offer free to potential tenants.
Paint the walls a neutral color
Neutral color walls may seem boring, but they'll appeal to a lot more potential tenants than bright colored walls will. However, you can always offer the option for renters to paint the walls if they desire.
Don't overcharge
You're not even going to have many people look at the place if the price is too high. Know what your property is worth by comparing it to other places in the area, then make your rent price as attractive as possible.
Be willing to negotiate with payments
If a potential tenant asks you to negotiate on price, don't automatically shut down the offer. It could mean the difference between having a tenant and your property being empty for several months. I once even had a landlord offer to lower the rent by $100 a month because the person who grabbed the place before me backed out. One option you can offer is the ability for the tenant to use their deposit as the last months rent if they leave the place in good condition.
Provide safety
A potential tenant isn't going to move into your place if it doesn't feel safe. There should be strong locks on the windows and doors, walk ways should be complete with no loose stones and there should be excellent lighting outdoors so anyone who lives there feels safe. If possible, install an alarm system for extra security.
Provide awesome extras
When you're looking at two or three identical places, what's going to make a huge difference of which one to go with is the extras that come with the home. For example, a grill and a hammock in the back yard, a microwave in the kitchen, bicycle usage, a pool table in the basement and laundry on site are just some of the extras you can consider. When it comes down to it, they seem minute and are relatively inexpensive, but can be a huge attraction to a potential renter.
Allow pets
One of the biggest ways to attract potential tenants is to allow pets. I know a lot of landlords are completely against it for fear of the noise and that the animals are going to destroy the place, but two easy ways to handle this issue are to meet the pets ahead of time and to have restrictions over what types of animals you'll allow. You could also put a clause in the lease that you're going to keep the deposit in case of pet damage.
When some landlords are putting out the word about their place, a mistake many make is that they don't advertise the best aspects of their property. Let people know what they're getting for their money! For example, let them know that there's use of the backyard, passes to tourist attractions are included free, that pets are allowed and that there's great security features. You don't have to list everything, but as much as you possibly can wouldn't hurt.
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