• Description Price Deposit – State of WA has no statutory limit. Many have the deposit equal 1 months rent however, it is also common to see twice the monthly rent for a deposit. • Benefits vs. Features • Photo's • Contact Information
the interest of the reader. Try to make it a “Zinger” • Be honest! • This is your First Impression. Use it to show how your property stands out from your competition. • Don't try to sell your rental here. You only want them to read the ad, not sign the lease. • Add marketing words like Free, All-inclusive or Large. These have proven to help obtain results when used in ads. • Most readers search headings and photo's first. They will only open and continue reading the interesting listings.
• Phone number • Bedrooms • Unfurnished – Only mention if its “Furnished” • All capital letters • Random capital letters or symbols • Words such as Rental, “Apt. for Rent”, Cute, Awesome, Great, Perfect, Nice, Beautiful or any other general Adjective. _______________________________________________ Don't tell them what kind of renter you want. Tell them about the property you have for rent.
• Incorporate the best features. Use a couple of small luxurious details. If you use bold type, don't overdo it. Walk the renter through the home. Paint a picture with your words. • Justify the readers decision to continue reading the rest of your ad. Write your description as if you are talking to your spouse, a friend or your co-worker. • You have only seconds to keep a potential renters attention. Be rich in detail, but not too long. Keep it short, creative and enticing. 20 seconds or less!
benefits such as schools, parks, trails, etc. Relay items such as deck, view, walk-in closets, size (sq. ft.). Focus on the unique features of the unit. List them as benefits instead of features... Ex. “Keep your New Years resolution by walking the nearby trail system”. • Limit abbreviations! Unless you are limited on space or paying per word, don't abbreviate. • Try not to use phrases like - Completely updated. You are better off using a more generic description, such as - recent upgrades. • When stating numbers, use numerals (2 vs. two). The numerals stand out and help break up the text.
can also serve as a screening tool. • Make sure to mention your pet policy if you allow pets. Second only to rent amount, pet friendly housing is the top search filter for Walla Walla area renters. This could be the one factor that hooks a potential renter. • Have you run a spell check? A poorly written listing is a big turn off – proofreading is a must! • Be available for calls. If a potential renter cannot connect with you fairly quickly, you may lose out to another landlord . • Leave out the “Thou shall not” and focus on the unit features instead. • Make sure you are in compliance with the Fair Housing Laws.
good, but what should I include? • Laundry • Parking • Heating & A/C • Type of floors • Square Foot • Upper/Lower • Pets • Fenced yard • Storage • Screening Cost • Window coverings • Ceiling Fans • Landmarks • Complex Size • Extras – Pool, Jacuzzi Tub Most listings only include the basics, rent, deposit, rooms, etc. By adding some additional details, you will give the potential renter a better picture of what they're getting for the cost.
for $995 will rent before a rental for $1000 will. Is it worth $5/mo. to get it rented? • Research the market. Take advantage of the FREE Rental Market Analysis Report What is a comparable unit going for? Check local Property Management Companies or the local Housing Association. Be prepared to research quarterly. • Never set your rent above the “Market Rent”. Some people use a breakdown 20% for taxes, 65% to mortgage, 12% to repairs and 3% profit. Others use a percentage rule. Market research is always best. • Should I leave off the price? Pricing is a top rental filter. Leaving out the price may limit your ad views.
Remove all clutter • Use natural light – Preferably not on a sunny day. This will reduce glare. • Make sure you get the interesting features. • Good photos slow down browsers and keep them focused • Take at least 1 outside and 3 or 4 inside photos. • Outside – Front and Back • Inside – Kitchen, Living Room, View & Special features. Use a Bathroom photo as a last resort. • Ads with photos generate more views - period. While the actual statistics vary, they all agree on this fact. • Humans are highly visual. It is much easier to scan a photo than to read text. We also connect emotionally to a photo rather than a text description.
• Phone number – With so many people on the go, make sure you offer a cell number if you have one. • Tracking specific ads – Running more than one ad? Want to know which listings are working? Use different contact sources – phone, cell, e-mail, etc. to track each one. • E-mail – Free e-mail accounts are available at many websites such as: hotmail.com, yahoo.com, google.com and many more. • Missed calls are lost money – Make sure you're available.
Techniques Writing Ads for Rental Properties 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 us. Blue Mountain Rentals www.bluemtnrentals.com [email protected] (509)240-3325 2012 Blue Mountain Rentals
bluemtnrentals
skipperchong
tammyeverts
maltzj
bkeepers
phodgson
addyosmani
sachag
edds
jlugia
schacon
thoeni
chriscoyier
