Myrtle Beach Property Management- Ten Tips to help get your property rented faster.

Ten Tips to help get your property rented faster.
Advice especially for summer tourism areas

Renting property in a summer tourist town can be a challenging proposition. The majority of the economy is dependent on tourism. The tourism industry creates lulls in long term rental activity. The most ideal time to have a vacant property is in the summer months when renters are more plentiful. There are several reasons for the increase in the summer months some being renters tend not to move during the winter holidays, less available money in the winter because hours are cut, more renters are in the area because there many more jobs in the summer, some landlords accept short term rentals that decreases the supply for long term rentals.
Now that we are approaching the non desirable season to get your rental occupied, use these tips to help you get your unit rented before other similar units available. These Tips may take extra work than just putting a sign in the yard and waiting for calls but are essential in our current rental environment.
1) Print Advertising. Getting your property rented is a numbers game. You must get your property in front of as many potential renters as possible. Print sources of advertising can be newspapers, signs and posters. Besides newspapers you should also put up advertisements on community bulletin boards wherever you can find them (usually in grocery stores, hospitals, large employers).
2) Internet Marketing. Online marketing is a great to help in your search of tenants. Free classified ad websites such as Craigslist.com and oodle.com can provide many rental leads. Also Social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook are great ways to reach more computer savvy tenants. Make sure to provide as much information as possible on these ads and always include pictures.
3) Prospect your friends and co-workers. Two overlooked sources to find tenants are your friends and co- workers and friends. These two groups of potential referral sources will mostly send you qualified people that they will trust. Print out business cards with your property address, property information and basic contact info. Give these cards to your friends and family and ask them to help you by passing them out to people you know in housing.
4) Show your units in move in condition. Make a list of all repairs that need to be completed before a tenant moves in. make all those repairs before you even show the property. Potential tenants will appreciate that you take care of your property and will be more willing to move into it.
5) Make your unit sparkle. A Clean unit will show that you take care of your properties. Clean your unit thoroughly. Don’t forget to clean inside cabinets, the oven, microwaves, windowsills, and in closets. A clean unit will impress potential tenants and you be put higher on the list of properties they are considering.
6) Professionally clean your carpets. The first thing that will be noticed in your property by potential renters will be the way your carpet looks. Professional cleaning can really improve the quality of the way your carpet looks. If you can get rid of stains in your carpet you may want to consider replacing it.
7) Spruce up your apartments “curb appeal.” The outside appearance of your property is the first impression you get to make when potential tenants come to view your property. Make sure the landscaping is taken care of, grass mowed, trees are not overgrown and walkways are swept clean. Plantings can also be used to make the property feel more welcoming.
8) Be flexible with your lease terms. During an off rental season it is very important to be flexible with your lease terms. Try offering a 6, 9 or 10 month lease. Or if times are tougher you may want to try a month to month lease. Another strategy is to offer incentives for move in. Offer a free month’s rent or offer to give money towards moving expenses. Tenants will choose your apartment over others if incentives are offered.
9) Be flexible on your down payment. One reason why many people will choose not to move during the winter months is because they cannot make enough money for a deposit and first month’s rent. Even if they are great tenants and will get their deposit back from the last rental, that money will not be available for them for as much as 30-40 days. Lowering your deposit amount will help potential renters in your situation afford to move into your house.
10) Be prepared to answer questions. When you do make contact with a potential renter make sure you can answer their questions. Have all pertinent info on your property available so you can provide the information. If potential tenants cannot obtain the information on your property quickly they will lose interest. Makes sure you have information on room measurements, square footage, types of appliances, wall colors, flooring, parking, and your lease process available to you.
This report was written by Sean Kobos Broker in Charge of Coastal Premier Realty, LLC. Sean has been a Real Estate Agent for 4 years and a property investor for five years. Sean, currently manages properties for clients in Georgetown, Myrtle Beach, Carolina Forest and Conway areas. You may contact Sean by email sean@coastalpremierrealty.com