Rental property marketing will help you find qualified applicants to fill your rental vacancy. The most important rental property marketing tips include advice on following landlord-tenant laws, maximizing exposure, defining rental criteria, tracking tenant leads, and utilizing pre-screening tactics.
How to Market Your Rental Property Effectively
Finding a new tenant for a rental property is all about smart marketing and clear communication. You’ll need a process in place for creating a great rental ad and vetting all your leads and applicants. Before you post your vacancy, I’ve shared my favorite rental property marketing advice to help you stay focused and secure a qualified applicant.
In this video, I walk you through my top five tips for marketing a vacant rental property. Whether you’re a first-time landlord or a seasoned investor, these steps will help you attract high-quality tenants and set the stage for a successful landlord-tenant relationship.
How to Find Your Next Great Tenant – 5 Must-Know Marketing Tips for Landlords – Watch the Video
How to Find Your Next Great Tenant – 5 Must-Know Marketing Tips for Landlords
Video Transcript – How to Market Your Rental Property
Are you ready to start looking for a new renter for your rental property? Well, it’s important to get your operations in order as you start the process and know exactly what you’re looking for, what your criteria is, and what rent prices you’re hoping to gather from this vacant property. I want to go over some of the top things you need to consider when marketing a rental property.
My name is Kaycee Miller. I work for Rentec Direct property management software. I’m also a landlord, a real estate investor, and I’ve been in the industry for over a decade writing about every topic imaginable when it comes to being a landlord, property management, and how to be a great renter.
One of my favorite things to focus on in my content is that landlord-tenant relationship, and that starts through your marketing of a vacant property and with your rental ad.
It starts with how you present yourself to your future occupants and that initial communication you have prior to lease starting that builds a foundation for that great landlord-tenant relationship. So I want to talk about five things that I consider extremely important to remember when you’re starting to market your vacant rental properties and find your next great qualified tenant.
1. Understand Landlord-Tenant Laws
The most important thing that we’ll always talk about when it comes to owning and managing rental housing is understanding the landlord-tenant laws that pertain to you. I’m talking about federal laws, local laws, state laws, and county laws. There are lots of different layers that you have to remember and consider, and they can affect your tenant screening and marketing processes.
When it comes to rental properties, the most important federal law that you need to consider is the Federal Fair Housing Act. This law protects certain classes from discrimination. For federal fair housing, we’re talking about race, familial status, national origin, and a few other protected classes that are really important to understand. You must ensure that you don’t have any violations or discriminatory practices when it comes to upholding this law and treating all of your applicants and tenants exactly the same.
One of the things that you really need to understand is what these protected classes are and what you can and cannot say in your rental ads or in any conversation you have with a rental applicant that could be a violation of your federal fair housing laws.
Protected Classes under the Fair Housing Act:
Race or color
Religion
Sex
National Origin
Familial Status
Disability
Some states have additional protected classes, beyond those mentioned in the Fair Housing Act. For example, marital status is a protected class in several states like Oregon and California.
2. Clearly State Your Tenant Screening Criteria
When marketing your rental property and creating your rental ad, it’s essential to be very specific about your tenant screening criteria. What will qualify an applicant for your property? What do they need to understand to ensure they’re even worth considering as a qualified applicant?
In your ad, you want to state that you’re going to conduct tenant screening, which may include a criminal background check and a tenant credit check. If there’s a minimum credit score, income requirements, or pet policies, make sure these are included. This helps set the expectation for potential tenants and acts as a pre-screening layer, allowing unqualified applicants to self-select out, saving you both time.
3. Maximize Your Rental Ad Exposure
Think about how you can maximize your exposure for finding the most qualified tenant for your rental property. Consider using a property management software syndication network where one rental ad gets sent out to all the popular rental listing sites, saving you time while reaching a broad audience.
Utilize your social media accounts, ensure your rental website is up-to-date, and consider tools like Rentec Direct’s integrated AI solution, which can generate polished rental ads based on your requirements, helping you maximize your exposure without overextending your time.
4. Track Your Tenant Leads
Once your ads are live, you need a process for tracking incoming tenant leads.
You put all that information out there, you had great exposure and now you’re getting all these tenant leads coming in-how are you going to manage your leads and tenant communication? In some states, you may need to approve tenants on a “first-received, first-qualified” basis to avoid claims of favoritism or discrimination, so a good tracking system is essential for compliance.
Consider using property management software like Rentec Direct for managing tenant leads, or set up a spreadsheet to track inquiries, responses, and applicant qualifications. This approach keeps you organized, helps you remain compliant, and streamlines your tenant selection process.
5. Use a Pre-Screening Questionnaire
Create a pre-screening questionnaire or checklist to send to prospective tenants when they inquire about your property. This should restate the qualifications and requirements mentioned in your rental ad to confirm the applicant’s understanding before moving to the application stage.
For example, when you receive a message like, “Hey, I am interested in this property,” respond with a friendly, professional message like:
“Hi, thanks for your inquiry! The property is available on [date], the security deposit is [amount], and we will conduct a tenant screening including a background check. Does this all sound good to you?”
Remember to always use your best customer service skills during your tenant lead interactions because it sets the foundation for a great impression and future landlord-tenant relationship.
This step adds an extra layer of qualification before you commit time to a full application review.
5 Tips for Rental Property Marketing and Filling Vacancies
Those are my top five tips for what to consider when marketing a vacant property:
Understand your federal and local housing laws.
Clearly state your rental criteria.
Maximize exposure for your rental ad.
Track your tenant leads effectively.
Use a pre-screening questionnaire to streamline the process.
My name is Kaycee Miller. I work with Rentec Direct property management software. I’m always excited to share more great tips about marketing your rental properties and other valuable information for landlords and property managers. You can find this type of information on our YouTube channel, so make sure to like and subscribe, as well as on the Rentec Direct Blog. Come and visit us there, and we’ll talk to you soon.
Final Thoughts
Marketing a rental property can feel like a big task, but with the right approach, it can be both rewarding and straightforward. I’ve learned that the key is clear communication, setting realistic expectations, and staying organized. Remember, every step you take in the marketing process helps set the tone for a positive landlord-tenant relationship. I genuinely love helping fellow landlords and property managers succeed, so if you ever have questions, reach out or check out the resources we share at Rentec Direct. Here’s to finding that next great tenant – you’ve got this!
