If you’re a landlord, who can’t seem to keep your properties rented, this article is for you. The first thing you should do is ask yourself if your property is desirable. If the answer to this question is no, you might want to consider selling it and finding another property. After all, you’re probably already losing money on it at this point if you haven’t been able to rent it.
Another consideration is to make sure that there aren’t tons of other rental properties in that specific area. If there are, make sure that your home offers something the others don’t. If your property is generic, and just like the others, you need to find a different rental property to invest in.
Be sure to have a “For Rent” sign in the front yard. So many properties are rented this way. It also takes five minutes, and doesn’t cost you a dime. People who have a friend, a friend of a friend, or a family member, are always on the lookout for them when they know they need a rental. However, they aren’t going to go out on a limb for the person and search apartments. They are more than willing to write a phone number down when they are driving and see an available property. Even more important, is to list the price next to the phone number. If they don’t see the price next to it, they usually won’t go to the effort of calling.
Right when your tenants move, you should begin repairs on the property. Before they move, you should have as good of a list as you can of repairs you think may need to be done that way you know what you need to tackle. Be sure to price the property realistically. You don’t want to lose money on not renting it due to a high rental price but you also don’t want to lose money with it rented at a price lower than what it is worth.
A landlord will often price it lower because they are desperate to rent, and then they get a slew of phone calls after it is rented, and then kick themselves in the foot for making that mistake. On the flip side, some landlords think that their property is worth much more than it is, and so it stays empty for a long time.
The internet is your best source to advertise these days. Add a “For Rent” sign with the phone number and price. There are many times that people see a phone number without the price, and ignore it altogether because its a hassle.
Try to give the tenant something that will make they want to stay in your rental even longer, such as throwing in free water, or free gas. The point is to find tenants that you know will be there for quite a while, to avoid dealing with turnover. Read these Top Tips for Successfully Renting Out Your Home.
If your apartment/house won’t rent, I would suggest it probably is because of the price. At a certain point, it becomes how long you can go without getting paid while you wait for the asking price. Chances are, your house is either overpriced or you haven’t listed it correctly. Be sure to post tons of photos. In my experience…excellent photos, craigslist, and trulia will get your apartment rented within a month if you have it priced accurately (depending on the season sometimes..)