Hello, property and potential property owners! Welcome to the RPM Distinguished Care blog, where we provide practical advice about property management! If you’re a return visitor, welcome back. We sincerely appreciate your support! RPM Distinguished Care specializes in managing successful rental properties in and around the Charleston area. We’re here to make your lives easier by giving you the resources you need to maximize profitability and have a successful rental property. We provide comprehensive property management services at every possible level. From advertising and marketing to responding to applications, to inspecting and maintaining properties–there’s nothing we do not do. Further, we ensure tenant compliance, handle necessary evictions, and report directly back to you about revenue and profit potentials. We aim to make owning rental property as easy for you as possible, for as little money as possible. Check out the rest of our site to meet our team and discover what makes RPM Distinguished Care the best property management company in Charleston!
In our last post, we talked about how to get your rental property ready for winter. While many states brace for harsh snow storms, thankfully the Mt. Pleasant and Charleston area tend to experience milder winters. However, sometimes the weather can be unpredictable, so you may want to stay one step ahead. We talked about steps you should take to keep your rental property in the best shape this winter, known as winterizing. If you are interested in learning more, we encourage you to check out our last post!
Today, we’ll be discussing how to attract great tenants. As a landlord or property owner, you know the importance of having good tenants. Generally, a “good” tenant is one who pays rent on time, follows the terms of the lease, and refrains from causing damage to the property. As you already know, landlords and property managers go through a tenant screening process in order to choose the best tenant for their rental property. Tenant screenings give you an idea of the type of tenant an applicant will be, as well as verifying their credibility. But how can you make sure you are getting those good tenants to apply to rent your property? Luckily, there are a few ways to do so. If you are interested in learning more, you’re in the right place. Let’s get started!
Tenant Screening
First and foremost, tenant screening is one of the best ways to ensure you are welcoming good tenants. As mentioned above, the tenant screening process gives you insight into a person’s finances, any issues with past landlords, and more. However, this process only works if you perform it thoroughly. Be sure to screen every applicant– Even if you have a large pool of applicants. This is incredibly important in order to weed out the “bad” tenants that don’t fit your criteria of what you are looking for in a renter. Don’t be afraid to ask questions during the screening process to really get to know who you are dealing with. Having an adequate tenant screening process in place can help attract “good” tenants, as they should not feel that they have anything to hide. Be sure to check out our previous blog on mistakes to avoid when screening a tenant!
Choose Your Tenant Criteria
During the tenant screening process, you should be looking for people who fit your criteria of a “good” tenant. While this generally looks like someone who pays rent on time, every landlord or property owner may have slightly different criteria that they want met. For example, if you are not allowing pets on your property, then part of your criteria will be people who do not own pets. Additionally, if you are only looking for someone within a particular credit score range, this will also help you narrow down your applicant pool. For example, some landlords may require a credit score of 620 or higher, while others may be okay with a credit score in the 500s.
Write An Exceptional Listing
These days, the majority of people use the internet to find their next rental. Therefore, you’ll want to make sure your online listings are eye-catching in order to attract high-quality tenants. Your listing should make people want to view the property, so be sure to include all the right details and great photos. Don’t underestimate the value of professional photography! Use photos that show off key features of the property. Keep your ideal tenant in mind while creating the listing. Are there particular words that would interest them? Try to put yourself in the shoes of your prospective tenants. What kind of property are they searching for? What keywords might they be searching? Here are some examples of keywords to add in your listing, if applicable:
- Spacious
- Attractive
- Large master bedroom
- Dog-friendly
- Large balcony
- Floor to ceiling windows
Be sure that your description is informative yet concise– Get straight to the point, but sprinkle detail within. Taking the time to write a good listing will increase your applicant pool, therefore increasing your chances of finding the perfect tenant!
Keep Up With Maintenance
This may seem like an obvious one, but you want to keep your rental property looking as good as possible, which requires regular maintenance. Not only does this look good to prospective tenants, but it also saves you time and money– There will be less to do when it comes to fixing and cleaning the property before a showing. Additionally, when you keep up with maintenance and care for your property, you are more likely to attract tenants who care about these types of things. If they care about the way the property looks moving in, they are more likely to care about how it looks when they move out.
Communication Is Key
Good tenants will look for property managers or landlords with excellent communication skills. Be sure that you are easily reachable and flexible to attend to your tenant’s needs. Essentially, good tenants want a property manager that is easy to work with! Be sure you are available to answer any questions they have. The more positive your tenant’s experience is with you, the happier they will be, and the more your reputation will grow as a great property manager!
As you can see, these are just a few ways to attract great tenants to your rental property! We hope you found this article helpful. If you are a rental property owner looking for assistance in managing your property, feel free to reach out to us! RPM Distinguished Care specializes in residential property management and offers a range of services including communication, marketing, and advertising, thorough tenant screening and selection, full-service leasing, timely rent collection, regular evaluations, cost-effective and reliable maintenance, strict and compliant evictions, and comprehensive accounting. We utilize an online portal for owners to keep track of their property, including access to reports and financial statements. With over 30 years of experience, we know how to keep your property at its best. We believe in full-service and comprehensive property management. That’s why we take the time to understand each of our clients and help identify their most closely-held goals. Let us give you peace of mind that your property is in good hands. Use our website to request your free assessment and meet with our expert team! Thank you for taking the time to read this article and we hope to hear from you soon! See you next time!
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
