How Can I Effectively Market my Rental Property to Attract Potential Tenants?

You might have the best rental property on the market, but if no one knows it’s available, you won’t find any tenants or earn any income. 

Marketing is essential. 

When rental property owners come to us confused about why they’re unable to rent their homes, we ask about their marketing strategy. The success you have renting out your home quickly and to good tenants relies heavily on your ability to market your property to those potential tenants. 

There’s a lot of competition in the local rental market. We have a lot of tenants looking for good homes, but they have to be able to find your home. It’s critical to employ effective marketing strategies to stand out from the competition. 

As expert property managers in Merced and the surrounding Central California area, we have some excellent automated systems in place to ensure that our marketing plans work. Here are some of our best tips on how to effectively market and advertise your rental property to attract potential tenants.

How Great Are Your Photos?

A good marketing strategy starts with excellent photos. Most of your marketing will be done online, and because tenants are likely to be scrolling through your listing on their phones, you want to make sure that your photographs give them a reason to pay attention to your property. They’ll always look at photos before they read descriptions. 

If you can hire a professional photographer, do it. Otherwise, make sure you’re taking high-quality pictures with abundant natural light. Open all the blinds and curtains in the home. Take your shots from corners of the room so you can get as much of the space into one photo as possible. 

Make sure you’re uploading a lot of pictures with your listing. Every rental listing should include pictures of:

• The outside of the property or the front door.
• The kitchen, including appliances and special features like tile backsplash, updated lighting, and floors.
• Bedrooms and bathrooms.
• Any outside space.
• Common areas like living rooms and dens. If you’re renting out a multi-family property, show the parking area and any communal space.

You cannot have too many photos. Make sure they’re good and make sure they tell an attractive story about your property. 

Write a Gripping Description 

You need the right words, next. Your listing should be concise and detailed. Highlight the perks of your rental property, including its size, location, and any special features or amenities. 

Always include your contact information and the next steps if someone wants to schedule a showing. Mention if pets are allowed and don’t forget to include rental amount and security deposit requirements. 

Utilize Social Media Platforms

In this digital age, social media has become one of the most critical tools for marketing your rental property. Social media platforms such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram have millions of users worldwide, and this presents an opportunity for you to reach a wide audience. You can create eye-catching posts with high-quality images of your rental property and share them on your social media handles. Also, you can use paid social media advertising to target specific audiences that are looking for rental properties in your area of location.

The best part of social media marketing is that you can immediately engage with potential tenants or other real estate agents. You can answer questions, send information through direct messages, and ask your network to share what you have to offer.

Word of Mouth Marketing Has a Place

Yes, we are increasingly online, and that’s where you need to be when you’re marketing your rental property. However, most people still believe in the power of word-of-mouth recommendations. Therefore, you can leverage this marketing strategy by asking your current tenants or neighbors to refer family and friends to your rental property. Offer incentives to encourage them to spread the word, such as a gift card or a discount on the next month's rent. 

You can also consider partnering with local businesses and offer incentives to their employees to refer prospective tenants to your rental property. If there are relocation companies in your area, reach out to them so they can check with you on any available properties when they’re moving someone new into town.

Online Rental Websites

Property listing websites such as Zillow, Trulia, and Realtor.com have become the low hanging fruit, but it’s fruit worth grasping because a lot of tenants use these sites to find their next home. You can market your rental property to a broader audience of people who are ready to move. 

These sites get millions of hits every day, and you can take advantage of this massive audience to market your rental property. Ensure that you provide accurate information about your property, including images, rental price, amenities, and location. Also, respond to inquiries promptly to avoid missing out on potential tenants.

Do what you can to syndicate your listings so you’re not spending a lot of time uploading the same photos and descriptions to each site one at a time. 

Merced Property Management and Rental Home Marketing