Blue Mountain Rentals presents this E-book with tips on how to stand out from the crowd in the competitive rental market. Find tricks on how to be better prepared and give the best impression to land your next home.
a first time renter, long time renter, or a home owner considering a rental for your next home, there are several things you need to consider when it comes to landing the home of your dreams. The rental housing market is a competitive arena for those seeking housing. It may seem like there is an abundance of rentals on the market to choose from, however there are even more house hunters out there vying for the same properties that you are. Landlords often have to make a choice in applicants and money isn’t everything when it comes down to the final decision. Good responsible tenants who will care for the property and won’t be a nuisance to their neighbors are also strong factors. So, how can you come out ahead of the crowd, when there are others just as financially qualified as you are? Your first impression will be the biggest one for this relationship. It does not matter what form the contact is, phone, email or in person – they all have the same end result – be professional. Keep in mind, that yours is not the only inquiry the landlord will receive on their rental listing, try to stand out from the crowd.
a first time renter, long time renter, or a home owner considering a rental for your next home, there are several things you need to consider when it comes to landing the home of your dreams. The rental housing market is a competitive arena for those seeking housing. It may seem like there is an abundance of rentals on the market to choose from, however there are even more house hunters out there vying for the same properties that you are. Landlords often have to make a choice in applicants and money isn’t everything when it comes down to the final decision. Good responsible tenants who will care for the property and won’t be a nuisance to their neighbors are also strong factors. So, how can you come out ahead of the crowd, when there are others just as financially qualified as you are? Your first impression will be the biggest one for this relationship. It does not matter what form the contact is, phone, email or in person – they all have the same end result – be professional. Keep in mind, that yours is not the only inquiry the landlord will receive on their rental listing, try to stand out from the crowd.
you may want to include are: What reason did the last tenant give for leaving? This may give you some insight into potential issues you may need to be aware of. Maybe the neighbor has an unruly child or a noisy dog you need to consider in your decision. Has the rental been vacant very long? You may be able to use this to your advantage and ask for a little less in the rental amount. The longer the rental has been on the market, the more willing the landlord may be to negotiate to fill their rental with a quality tenant. How many rentals do you have? Or How long have you been a landlord? Sometimes, landlords that have made renting properties into a business are less emotionally attached to the property and it may work in your favor. They may also be better prepared and more investment savvy by providing routine maintenance and upkeep on the rental. What is the policy for repairs, including emergency repairs? Check to see if there is a policy they have in case they cannot be reached in case of an emergency. Are there any home owner association or community rules that I should be aware of as a resident? Sometimes Association rules can be just as stringent as the lease and you should be aware of them when making a decision on choosing your next place of residence. Plan out questions you have for the landlord before you contact them. There is nothing worse than getting someone on the phone and drawing a blank, or hanging up and remembering that you forgot to ask a key question. If you have a checklist prepared beforehand it will make you look more prepared, professional and serious about the property the landlord has to offer.
Given a choice of these messages “Hello, I'm John Smith. I’m interested in your rental, call 555-1234” “Good afternoon, my name is John Smith and I recently saw your rental listing in the Union Bulletin. I would like the opportunity to speak with you a little bit more about your rental property. Please call me when it is convenient for you, so we can discuss the rental. My number is (123) 555-1234. Thank you.” The second message is much more personal, professional and more likely to receive a return call from the landlord. It shows interest in what is being offered, and it shows that you care about the landlords busy schedule. While we’re on the subject of phone contact, think about your answering machine or voice mail message. If you are not available when the landlord calls you back, will they receive a blast of loud music and party sounds? Your message should be professional for those return calls. You can always change it back to party central once your house hunt is over.
In today's day and age, it is very common for house hunters to conduct the majority of their housing search online, from the comfort of their own home on their schedule. When you're filling out the “request for more information” on the listings you find, consider your return email address - [email protected] versus [email protected] The first is much more professional. There are many websites to set up a free email account online – yahoo, Google, hotmail, etc. Plus, if you only use this temporary email for your house hunting, you can ignore it and the spam it will generate once you find your new home. You want to show the landlord that you are a responsible choice for their rental property and you need to portray yourself as such, even with the smallest detail such as an email address.
You're going to view a rental property in person. How can you prepare? Make sure you dress appropriately to show that you care about your appearance, that you are a professional and responsible person. While I'm not saying - wear formal attire like a tux, you need to make sure you're not wearing ragged jeans, flip flops, or a top that lets it all hang out when you meet your potential new landlord. A ratty old T-shirt or cut-off shorts just will not do. Treat this meeting as if you were going to meet a new employer for the first time. Consider wearing – a suit, new jeans, slacks, a nice dress, a dress shirt, nice shoes, however, if you must wear tennis shoes – make sure they are clean with no holes. Also, do not go reeking of cigarettes. Fe-breeze your clothes prior to dressing, use breath mints, chewing gum, etc. – to eliminate any cigarette smell prior to meeting the landlord. Even if the landlord allows smoking, most prefer to rent to non-smokers first, as they will have less damage to their rental unit to fix later on. Don't go overboard on make-up, perfume or aftershave either, those can be a big turn off in any situation. You want to appeal to the landlord, not offend them.
need Often times if the meeting goes well, the landlord will want you to fill out the application on the spot. Be prepared by having all of the names, addresses and phone numbers - including your last 2 landlords on hand. Some other items you may want to have handy are - Obtain a credit report on each adult who will be residing at the residence. Make sure it is dated within the last 30 days if possible. You can visit the only FREE online credit report site – www.annualcreditreport.com to request and print them. In some cases, the landlord may waive or reduce the cost of your background check if you provide the credit report. However, don’t count on it and be prepared to pay the full screening fee just in case. Bring proof of current income (pay stubs) as well as a W-2 form covering the last 2 years of employment for every income source. For those that are self-employed, bring copies of your tax returns to verify your income for 2 years and copies of your bank statements for the last 3 months. Your bank statements can help verify that you have a savings built up and can cover rent and deposits.
& Renters Click! Stand out from the Crowd I hope this E-book was helpful and informative. If you would like to have me present this to a group, please feel free to contact me. Blue Mountain Rentals www.bluemtnrentals.com [email protected] (509) 240-3325
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