You have probably heard the cliche that first impressions are everything. Well this cliche is correct when it comes to dealing with prospects for your rental home.
Most people know that first impressions are important when it comes to finding a job. But first impressions are also important when it comes to finding someone to rent out your house.
First impressions are so important when it comes to showing your rental home to a prospect.
If your rental home was the only one on the market, then the first impression would not be so important. But the reality is that the prospective renter has many options available. You are in a competition with other owners for the best renters in your area. Therefore, you must make an excellent first impression and beat out your competitors.
A good first impression means that you have a professional attitude. This professional attitude tells the prospect that you know how to handle problems such as a maintenance problem when it happens. But a professional attitude really goes beyond just maintenance. A professional attitude makes a good first impression because it says you know what you are doing, you are good at what you do. Most property management companies are experts at giving off a professional first impression and sometimes this can make all the difference when a prospect is on the fence about who to rent from.
You need to return your prospect’s call as fast as you can. This is one of the worst mistakes self managing owners can make. The first thing your potential tenant thinks when they can’t reach you is how are you going to fix maintenance problems if you never return your phone calls. Your potential tenant wants to feel like you think he is important. He wants a red phone line straight to you. He wants to be able to reach you on a moments notice. A good prospect will only call once before throwing your phone number away and moving on to one of your competitors.
Always have your paperwork ready. Your rental application and rental contract should always be carried on you. A huge error is to not bring your paperwork with you and when the prospect is emotionally attached to your property and ready to fill out a rental application the worst thing you can say is, “Uh… I forgot to bring the rental application with me. I will call you back later when I find it.” This is a great way to lose a potential tenant. You will call him back later, but he will not return your call because he has called one of your competitors.
The first impression is key. Always call potential tenants back as quickly as possible. When you give a tour of your rental house, let your professional attitude show. You should wear professional clothing. You should have everything in order. Remember to bring your rental contract and rental application with you to the showing.
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