During the holiday season, it can be hard for landlords to fill empty apartments. Use these tips to find new renters and keep your rentals full.
What you will find out:
What are some marketing ideas I can use to find and bring in new clients during the winter or holiday season?
How can a landlord find new renters and stand out by giving move-in incentives?
How can I get potential renters to sign a lease in other ways?
How can I let people know about my empty apartment besides advertising?
For owners, winter has always been a cold time. Most people do not want to move during the busy holiday season, and it can be almost hard to move in places where it snows. School and work plans also push people to move in the summer, making the winter even less busy. If you need to find new renters during the holidays, it will take more work, but you can do it with the right plan.
What are some marketing ideas I can use to find and bring in new clients during the winter or holiday season?
You may not have done much marketing in the past if you live in a rental market where you can usually choose from several applicants before your current roommate moves out. Look for websites that offer rentals that you may have missed in the past, as well as any social media groups that people in your area often use.
Now is also the time to make sure that your ads are as good as your home. Look at the language that real estate agents use to sell their homes and show them in a good light, and then use that language to sell your property. You should also take good pictures of each room in the rental. Depending on the renting and the kind of renters you want to draw, you might even want to hire an expert photographer. Even though this might take some time and money right now, remember that you can use these things every time your unit is empty.
Lastly, make sure that your renting rates and any extras you offer are competitive in the market right now. Check out other ads for rentals in your area and take note of the rates and perks that other owners and managers are offering. You might even want to make your rewards related to the holidays.
How can a landlord find new renters and stand out by giving move-in incentives?
One of the most common ways to get people to move in is to give them a month or two of free rent or a deal on the first month’s rent. Some owners will instead give you free electricity for a certain amount of time. You might also want to think about not charging an application fee and making it easy to fill out your Rental Application.
Gift cards are another good idea for the holidays. Gift cards can help your offering stand out, and they can seem more exciting than a standard price. The renter may want to use it to buy something they would not have bought otherwise, to finish their holiday shopping, or to get rid of one gift they still need to buy.
How can I get potential renters to sign a lease in other ways?
When the market is good for renters, the best way to find a good roommate is often to be flexible. This could mean making the standard 12-month lease shorter or longer, or letting the lease turn into a month-to-month renter sooner. You might also want to think about letting pets in or relaxing other rules that are too strict.
When a renter shows interest, it is often important to be flexible. If you are not usually available during the day, at night, or on the weekend, you may have to make plans to show your place at the time the roommate wants. If you miss out on a good roommate because you were busy, it could take you days or even weeks to find another one.
How can I let people know about my empty apartment besides advertising?
Lastly, if you want to fill your place, do not just stick to normal marketing. Someone you know or care about might need a new place to live or know someone who does. If you own more than one place, your current renters may also know someone who could be a good roommate and could tell you about it.
In the world we live in now, this kind of social networking is becoming more and more important. If you have not already, add your rental homes to review sites, ask your renters to leave reviews, and make sure they are happy so you get five stars. Your online image takes time to build, so you should start working on it before you need to hire someone.
