A great marketing strategy is key to reducing vacancy times and attracting the right tenants. You may have a great rental property but if no one knows about it, you’ll not be able to fill the unit.
In today’s article, we’ll walk you through 5 tips on how to advertise your Kansas City rental property.
Tip #1: Stage the Home
Before you start taking photos, it is necessary to stage the home. This will help showcase the property in its best condition. The following are some things you could do in this regard.
- Give the home a thorough clean.
- Declutter it.
- Take care of all repairs.
- Paint the home in a neutral color palette.
- Boost the property’s curb appeal.
- Get rid of any nasty odors.
- Depersonalize the home.
- Mow and water the lawn.
- Dust off the ceiling fans.
- Remove any cobwebs in the corners.
- Wipe all windows so they are clear.
Basically, you have to make the home appealing and neutral in order for a quality tenant to envision themselves living there.
Tip #2: Get the Photography Right
“A picture is worth a thousand words” – this adage couldn’t be any truer! In fact, did you know that listings with pictures receive over 95% more views than listings without? That’s how effective photos are when it comes to rental property marketing.
In addition, prospects will be more focused on how the home looks rather than reading the property’s decryption. Matter of fact, research has found that a prospect will usually spend up to 60% of their time scrolling through an ad listing.
It also goes without saying that the pictures must be worthwhile. Poorly taken photos will only prove to be counterproductive. Typically, a good smartphone should suffice. However, if you doubt your DIY skills or the quality of your phone’s camera, then consider hiring a professional to take quality photos of the property.
The following are a few tips to help you shoot high quality photos should you decide to go DIY.
- Focus on the lighting. Take the photos during the day for great clarity and crispness.
- Shoot the photos at the right angles. Choose an angle that will give viewers the best possible look of the property. You wouldn’t want, for instance, to stand too high as the environment would look completely artificial.
- Have a checklist of the areas that you’ll shoot for purposes of being organized. The list should include taking a photo of every bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, dining areas, and all outdoor spaces.
Tip #3: Write a Great Ad Copy
After taking great photos, the next step should be to match them with an accurate and detailed description. Use that opportunity to give prospects a cohesive story on what to expect.
In addition to providing more information about the property, a great ad also helps in search engine optimization (SEO). This essentially means that the ad will be more discoverable in search engines like Google.
The ad copy consists of different parts that you must strive to get right. The first part is the headline. This is the first thing that a prospect will see once they stumble upon the listing. How you write it will have an impact on click through rates.
For a headline to be effective, it must contain several elements. Including, the monthly rent amount, location, type of property, and the number of bathrooms and bedrooms. This is relevant information that prospects will want to know prior to making any decision.
An example of a great headline would be: “$1,500 1-Bedroom/1Bathroom Apartment in Overland Park with Stunning Views”.
The second part that comprises an ad copy is a summary description. This section will help you tie the headline to the photos. Let a prospect know about what makes the property unique. Highlight all the amenities that a prospective renter will have access to.
Tip #4: Start the Distribution Process
Having a stunning listing simply isn’t enough. You’ve got to distribute it far and wide in order to attract a large prospective tenant pool. Of course, you should aim to distribute the ad to areas where you’re sure prospective tenants will be looking.
As such, think about the sites where local prospects usually look for ads when searching for their next apartment. Popular options usually include sites like Redfin, HotPads, Zillow, and Zumper. In addition to these, you’ll also want to use other marketing methods such as yard signs, and community bulletin boards.
Once you’re done with the distribution process, make sure to keep an eye on the results and make updates whenever necessary.
Tip #5: Hire a Property Management Company
An effective rental marketing process requires skills and experience. If you’re just getting started, then there are a couple of things that you may accidentally get wrong. From poor photography, to poor rental descriptions, incomplete listings or fair housing violations.
A good property manager, on the other hand, has years of experience writing ad copies. They will know what exactly to do in order to attract a large prospective tenant pool. After all, they live and breathe property management!
Aside from marketing the property for you, a good property manager will also help you in other management aspects. They should be able to screen prospective tenants, collect rent, handle tenant complaints, and respond to maintenance issues.
While hiring a property manager may mean having an additional expense, a good property manager is usually worth their weight in gold. They can easily offset the additional expense through the reliable and professional property management services they offer.
Consider SCUDO Real Estate & Property Management
There you have it! 5 solid tips on how to advertise your Kansas City rental property effectively. With the right attitude and commitment, this should help you reduce your vacancy rates as well as attract the right tenant.
If you still find the process daunting, SCUDO Real Estate & Property Management can help. We pride ourselves in offering detailed property management plans guaranteed to meet and exceed your investment goals. Get in touch to learn more!