If you want to be a landlord this year, or in the new year, you’ll want to conduct yourself in a likeable manner. Of course, you’re running a business and need to make a profit, but you also need to retain your tenants for as long as possible.
And that means you’ve got to be a good landlord; fair, reasonable, but still able to maintain a boundary. That’s why we’ve listed a few tips below to help you out. The better you start off your real estate business, the longer it’s going to last you.
Marketing Yourself Right
Marketing is just as important for landlords as it is in any other job. Not only do you have properties that need viewings, but you also need people to see you as a legitimate and trustworthy property owner. Make sure your face is in your marketing materials somewhere, and make sure you’re pictured actually running your portfolio; interacting with potential tenants, posting opinions on things affecting the current rental market, etc. Just get yourself out there!
Conducting Viewings
If you want tenants to get a good first impression of you, allow viewings, and even try to conduct a few yourself. From big apartment complexes to small yet cozy studio apartments, a viewing of the place helps a tenant to feel at home before they’ve even signed a rental contract. Plus, this is the best way to capitalize on your space’s potential. You can do all the marketing in the world, but if no one sees the property, no one is going to move in!
Staying Up to Date with Decor Trends
Some decor trends are outdated, some are coming back into the modern sphere, and some are brand new and being touted everywhere by influencers online. If you manage to stay up to date with all of these categories, you’re a better business person than us! However, it’s best to decorate in a consumer-friendly tone; a bit of character, but mostly a plain canvas that’ll appeal to anyone who wants to move in.
Communicating Early
A good landlord lets their needs and regulations be known as soon as possible. As soon as you secure a new tenant (and often before!), you need to let the person moving in know how you run your properties. Assure them of their rights, let them know when inspections will be carried out and when repair people will be called in, and remind them you’re on the end of the phone if they need anything. It’s good to communicate as much as possible anyway, but if you want to be a likable landlord, you need to have that clear intention in mind.
A landlord can be likable for a variety of reasons. However, the more you understand what a renter wants from you, the easier it’s going to be to get along. You can still stand firm when you need to, but a good landlord knows the power of flexibility as well.
