As a property investor or landlord, having your rental properties occupied with good quality tenants who looks after your property, and pays their rent on time and in full, is essential. For this reason, property investors and landlords are encouraged to form a long-term relationship with a letting agency that can take care of the marketing and administration of the properties in their portfolio.
There are many different ways that your long-term letting agency can market and advertise your property and this article will cover some of the most important channels and also your role as owner in the process.
Real Estate Technology
Fitzanne Estates makes use of real estate technology, Fusion. Fusion as an Estate Agency back-office software has for many years provided solutions to the industry. A significant ongoing focus is given to building robust feeds to both of the leading property portals (Property24 & Private Property). Having a “single point of capture” for maximum marketing exposure to the growing number of online property shoppers not only saves time but provides more time to work on securing new mandates or following up on the leads generated.
Using great signage in rental property marketing
Although most industries have gone past the requirement for print media, real estate firms have not. Real estate signage, with the perfect font, colour, and template, can draw the attention of everyone who passes by your listed property. Professional long-term letting agencies make use of the fact that real estate signs still make a significant difference in marketing their business and services.
This is because most people, especially serious house searchers, scout potential properties by driving throughout neighbourhoods. Signage that is well-designed can elicit the desired response from your target audience.
Long-term letting agencies including real estate signs in a marketing strategy as it really has no downside. It is:
- Cost-effective
- Multipurpose
- Requires little to no maintenance
- Helps build a professional image
- Markets your business 24/7
At Fitzanne Estates we make sure that we have “To let” signs at all available properties, be it at the entrance of the complex or apartment building, or in the case of a free-standing house, outside the property for increased visibility.
Increase visibility by using social media
There are a lot of rental property marketing ideas out there, but this is one of the best. When it comes to promoting your rental property, social media reigns supreme. Property listings can be shared on your long-term letting agency’s social media profiles or in relevant Facebook groups. They can target your listing to Facebook users in a specific city or by demographic, such as age, using a paid advertising tool.
Fitzanne Estates shares available rental properties to our Facebook Page and Group on a daily basis. Why not join Fitzanne Estates Property Sales & Rentals Gauteng today?
Making use of email marketing
Email marketing helps to nurture leads and keep in touch with prospective and present tenants on a regular basis. Effective email marketing keeps subscribers informed about:
- Property updates
- Podcasts
- Tips and Advice for landlords and tenants
- Special events
- Apartment living tips
- Neighbourhood guides
- Information about open units to entice referrals
A weekly or monthly newsletter that’s concise and informative is all you need to stay in touch and keep your tenants informed.
Fitzanne Estates has a weekly newsletter that contains news and property updates. We are committed to providing you with relevant and valuable articles, press releases, videos, and podcasts about property management, sales, and letting advice. We also have a bi-monthly newsletter that showcases all properties for sale or rent. You can subscribe here.
The landlord’s role in marketing your rental property
Let your property shine with amazing photos
High-quality photos are worth a thousand words. Prospective tenants want to see the inside of a rental home. Posting unoccupied property ads without good images is unlikely to generate any interest.
Photos are frequently the first thing that people look at. In fact, stunning images can make a huge difference, to the point where customers are so charmed by beautiful photos of views and spacious rooms that they are willing to ignore flaws elsewhere.
The importance of images and video content cannot be overstated. Take high-resolution photos of every area of your home. It should be dressed to impress. Make it look great by putting some nice furnishings in the room. Make sure the lighting is optimal when you take photos and use a good quality camera.
These photos not only work well on capturing the attention of potential tenants on property sites like Property 24 and Private Property, but also on social media sites like Facebook and especially Instagram.
Here are some pointers for taking great photos:
- Clean up the house and the yard first. Vacuum the carpets and clean the windows.
- Open the blinds and turn on the lights.
- If there are mirrors in the room, make sure you aren’t showing up in them.
- Take your photos just after sunrise or just before sunset when the lighting is best.
- To avoid distortions, try shooting photos at waist-level.
- Shoot at different angles (close up, medium, wide) for variety and to highlight special features
- Aim for about 10-15 photos in your listing. Include too few photos and renters won’t get a good feel for the property. Include too many photos and they’ll feel overwhelmed. Take some photos of the front of the property, the back, and maybe include a few shots of the neighbourhood.
Write Great Property Listings
A great rental listing has a catchy title and a well-written description that accurately portrays your rental property. While it’s natural to assume that tenants are more concerned with the rental price, images, and location of an apartment, the description is as important. While indicating you’re a sophisticated landlord, the rental listing description should compliment the photographs and other components of your ad.
The description is the most crucial piece of material in your listing, so make it count. Keep it simple, draw a picture, and emphasize your strongest selling features.
Maintaining your rental property
Property investors are well aware that the value of a property has a substantial impact on the amount of rent that can be charged. Knowing how to enhance property values is a critical aspect of succeeding as a property investor. A building with a low overall property value will normally attract a lower rental price than a building with a high property value.
While normal wear and tear are unavoidable, there’s no reason to let a home deteriorate. Regular property maintenance services can help maintain a rental property’s value while also avoiding tenants from breaking their leases.
Read more about this topic in our blog post on how to increase property value with property maintenance services.
Property owners who want to increase rental income should employ a variety of marketing strategies, including paid advertising, word-of-mouth, and formal referral systems. Furthermore, hiring professionals to promote your property for you gives you an advantage over landlords who try to do it on their own. To keep your properties occupied and generating an income, use a combination of print, broadcast, Internet, and word-of-mouth marketing.
We offer letting services over the whole of Gauteng and will find the perfect tenant for your rental property. Should you want to let a house or flat, Fitzanne Estates, as a letting agent, can offer an all-inclusive package of services for your convenience of mind.
Contact us today to find out more about our letting property management services.
Read more:
What to Expect when Hiring a Rental Management Agency
How to choose the best Letting Property Management Agency
A Basic Guide to Renting a Home in South Africa
The ABCs of the Rental Housing Act & Rental Housing Tribunal for SA landlords
Protect Your Property Investment with Expert Property Administration
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Media contact: Cathlen Fourie, +27 82 222 9198, marketing@fitzanne.co.za https://www.fitzanne.co.za/
More about Fitzanne Estates
Fitzanne Estates (Pty) Ltd is a Property Management Company that can sufficiently administer your property investment to the benefit of the Landlord, the Body Corporate, and the NPC – Non-Profit Company. Services include Letting, Sectional Title Management, Full Title Management (NPC – Non-Profit Company) and Sales.
Website: https://www.fitzanne.co.za/
LinkedIn: Fitzanne Estates
Twitter: @FitzanneEstates
Facebook: @fitzanne.estates
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Podcast: Fitzanne’s Property Exchange
