The rental property listing you create can either make or break your chances of landing a great tenant. You’ll want to create an attention grabbing listing that makes a prospect stop and read your ad – and then call to schedule a showing.
A great rental ad copy is one that contains specific elements, including a strong description, an engaging narrative, and perfect photos.
If you’re in the process of marketing your vacant unit, then you’ve landed at the right place.
In this article, we’ll discuss 8 tips on how to write a good property listing for your rental property.
1. Have an attention grabbing headline.
Your listing’s headline is what prospective tenants will see when scrolling through. It gives you an opportunity to pull their attention so they can continue reading more about your property.
As such, you’ll need to ensure that it includes punchy and enticing words. Ideally, you’ll want to use a language that not only mentions the property’s location, but also speaks about its best features.
The following are a few examples to get you started:
- Newly Built Home with New Amenities in Temecula.
- Stunning Condo with Fantastic Views of Old Town Temecula.
- Newly Renovated Bungalow a Spacious Backyard in La Mesa.
Basically, keep the headline brief, clear, and concise.
Avoid using all caps. This can come across as rude, and can be interpreted as shouting at someone.
2. Write a great property description.
Start preparing by making a list of the best features your property has.
Then, choose words precisely. Go with words that best describe your property’s features so that a reader can visualize living in the home.
Adjectives can help generate interest. Examples of the ones you can use include granite, original, updated, luxurious, dramatic, quaint, hardwood, stellar, well-maintained. Certain verbs, too, can arouse a reader’s emotions by communicating a strong sense of action.
Next, begin crafting the message. The message should weave together all the important facts about your home into an engaging narrative.
3. Highlight the most enticing features first.
The best practice is to have all the best features your home has in the opening sentences.
For instance, if your home has a huge backyard, add that in the opening sentence. Then, follow up by talking about other crucial attributes the property has.
Other features that may make your property stand out from the competition include:
- New roof
- Updated air conditioning system
- Beach views
- Granite countertops
- Stainless steel appliances
- Ample parking
- Walk-in closets
- Outdoor spaces
And no matter how modest your home may look, there must be at least one feature that makes it stand out.
4. Make it brief.
You’ll need to be specific when it comes to drafting a rental ad. The last thing you want to do is bog readers down with a lot of text. Also, certain listing services have a limit when it comes to how many words you can use.
As a general rule of thumb, keep the text under 200 words. You’ll want to pack in important information such as:
- Property address
- Square footage
- Rental price
- Number of bedrooms and bathrooms
- Unique features
- Proximity to major highways
- The neighborhood
5. Keep everything upbeat.
If don’t if your home lacks a standout feature or needs some improvements. Steer clear of any negative language that may bring down the tone of your rental ad.
What you want to do is stay positive and persuasive. Renters, just like homebuyers, tend to steer clear of any listing that contains negativity.
If your home has a small kitchen, you can rebrand that as ‘an efficient kitchen’. You can also market a small bedroom as a playroom or potential office. Absence of a yard can also mean no lawn-care maintenance duties for the tenant.
6. Drive more interest by including promotions.
Sometimes attracting a tenant can prove to be daunting, especially for newbie landlords. For this reason, some landlords turn to rent concessions. A rent concession is a temporary offer that a landlord may offer to attract a tenant.
There are many options available in this regard. You can consider:
- Waiving the first month’s rent.
- Waiving the security deposit.
- Prorating the rent payment at least for the first month.
Other options include allowing the tenant to upgrade their space, offering free Wi-Fi, or offering free parking.
7. Make sure the rental ad is free of discriminative language.
Take time to go through the ad before publishing it. Preferably, have a professional examine it. Among other things, an experienced property manager will help provide you the much needed corrections.
Examples of potentially discriminative phrases include:
- Ideal for a Female Student
- Suitable for a Married Couple
- Suitable for a White Male
These are all discriminative as per the Fair Housing Act. The act requires that housing providers like landlords treat their clients with respect and fairness regardless of certain protected classes.
In California, protected classes include race, color, religion, nationality, disability, familial status, genetic information, and age.
8. Hire a property management company.
Are you just starting out and don’t know where to start in the marketing process. If so, hiring a good property management company can help. A good property manager will help you draft an attractive and engaging rental ad that attracts the right tenant.
In addition, a good property manager can help you in other aspects as well, such as screening prospective tenants, inspecting your property regularly, and collecting rent payments.
Bottom Line
Great property listings are key to attracting the right tenant caliber. If you find the process to be daunting, Realevate Specialists can help.
Our property management company is well-established throughout California. Call to learn more!