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.
Whether you are trying to find a job, or trying to find a tenant for your home, first impressions are very important.
One of the best ways to convert a prospect into a tenant is how you manage the first impression.
You need to remember that your house is not the only house for rent in your area. Renters have many options. You are competing against other owners for the best renters. One way to beat your competition is to have a professional attitude and to make a good first impression.
You need to show that you have a professional attitude. A professional attitude communicates to your prospect that you will meet their needs quickly when a maintenance problem occurs. A professional attitude also says that you know what you are doing and have confidence in your ability as a landlord. A professional attitude is something that a professional property management company has an advantage on most self managing owners.
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.
You need to have your paperwork in order. Have your rental application and rental contract, with all addendums, ready for their review. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to not bring your rental application and rental contract with you. If you tell a prospect who is interested in filling out your rental application that you forgot to bring it with you and that you will call him later when you find it, you will lose the prospect. You’ll call but the prospect will not call you back. He’s already gone on to another rental home.
Giving off a professional first impression is key. You do this by returning potential renters calls as fast as you can. Make the potential renter feel important. When you show your rental house, make sure you are wearing professional looking clothes. Make sure you are organized. Have your renters application and rental agreement with you.