Hey all,
we need some new ideas on how to get the word out about my rental house. we are young college students who have just entered the real estate world. we have tried craigslist, rent.com and we have posted flyers around campus. any other ideas? thanks
jordan / emmett
In addition to the above:
- Ads in the Rental section of local newspapers draws the most responses for me, even though it costs a few bucks.
- Got one tenant thru the years from an employee’s bulletin board of a major local employer.
- Flyers at supermarket, laundromat bulletin boards, with tearoffs for phone numbers.
- Leave flyers with friendly local shopowners, and I’ve seen for rent flyers taped to shop windows.
- Listing with rental brokers is free to the landlord in NYC where I am, and free to the tenant up in MA where I also have rentals.
Flyers, bandit signs are illegal in public areas my community and I do not post at bus stops, train stations, telephone poles, as some people do.
Put a sign in the yard. I have had the most responses with that method. Make sure your telephone number is big enough to see it from the road.
Craigslist was enormously helpful. But you have to update it constantly to stay at the top of the list. May not work in some areas/cities, however great in big cities.
Jag
I agree a sign on the property should get at least 10 calls aday (they do for me). :shocked Drives me crazy sometimes.
Just for comparison, on a typical rental, I would advertise on Craigslist, Newsday (the local paper), and I would get:
- Newsday, 25 to 50 calls a day on th first 3 days of running the ad, then 12 to 15 calls a day a few days after.
- Craigslist: was 2 calls a weekend when I started using them 3 years ago, and now up to 12 calls for a weekend, and I have to constantly update it.
- New York Times: I used to get quality tenants thru them, but in the past year, no calls at all, even though it’s $200 for a weekend, compared to Craiglist which is free.
Because I get so many calls from Newsday, I no longer do flyers. I give rental brokers a crack at it, with a 2 week head start usually at the time before the prior tenant moves out.
I don’t put yard signs on the property, nor “for rent” on my multi’s because:
- Around here, it’s a invitation for vandals and squatters to come right in.
- For multi’s, impatient people would ring doorbells of neighbors and other tenants bothering them.
I only tell applicants where the property is after I phone screen them, and tell them to drive by if they want, and only come on my “open house” or special appointment, and DON’T ring neighbor’s doorbells.
I had an “anxious local shopkeeper” who saw a tenant move out, ring neighbors doorbells. When he got my phone, told her we’re renovating the place, and “we’ll call you” when the place is more ready.
She barged in anyway when we were working on it, so we decided we won’t rent her the place since she’s the type that’s not going to listen. This is exactly the reason why I don’t post “for rent” or yard signs where I am.
Yard signs attracts neighbors who might know a relative who wants to move in, I would get comments like, “I only paid $800 rent when I move in the neighborhood” (and that was 10 years ago). By comparison, Newsday readers come from all over and many find the place cheap compared to where they are.
Yard signs also attracts curious neighbors, and usually not much other action for me. It’s a nice way to get to know the neighbors, I guess.
I rather deal with rent renters who find my place attactive and cheap.
Also, try posting it in the Housing office on campus rather than just hitting the campus with flyers…
If there is a military installation nearby, they also have housing offices.
I have gotten calls from ads placed on the free bulletin boards at “The Wal-Mart”
Keith