Once the property is on the market, expect to hear from your agent regularly as they may be dealing with a number of requests from prospective tenants at any given time.
Depending on your property, some of the more common questions and requests could involve things like;
Is the property / building / complex pet friendly?
Potential tenants want to know if they will be allowed to have pets now or if they move in, if the option for them to have pets in the future is a possibility.
On the flip side, they might be allergic and want to know if there was pets previously or if they don’t like animals for whatever reason and the property is an apartment, they might want to know if they’ll be seeing them in the building / complex.
Is this a 6 or 12 month lease?
Potential tenants want to know if you’re looking for a short term tenant or a long term tenant.
Is the owner looking to move back in or is this a permanent rental?
Potential tenants want to know if their tenancy is relatively safe or if they will have to be looking for a new place in the distant future.
Is the owner open to installing / repairing (insert request)?
Potential tenants might have a valid, reasonable request for anything they might perceive to be an issue or a concern if they were to rent the property.
The request could be anything ranging from big or small requests. Some examples might include things like;
Having air conditioning installed
Having flyscreens installed
Replacing an old hot water system
Installing a new cook top
Repairing a broken lock
How long has the property been on the market and has there been any applications?
If the property is new to the market, potential tenants may want to know how much competition they’re up against and how soon they need to act.
If the property has been on the market for a little while, potential tenants may want to know how much they can potentially negotiate off the weekly rental asking price.
Why did the last tenant move out?
Potential tenants may want to get some indication for the reasons the last tenants moved out and if it would be a cause of concern for them.
Are there any issues with the building / property / complex / area?
Potential tenants may want to know if they’re going to be inconvenienced in anyway or they may have heath concerns like allergies or medical conditions.
What is the owner like to deal with?
Potential tenants may want to know what you’re like as a person and how you’ll handle any disputes or requests.
It’s best to keep in mind that your property will be sitting on the market amongst other properties also available for rent.
It’s also likely your property will be one of at least a few rental properties that potential renters are likely going to visit and inspect over that weekend and in the future.
When renters have a lot of choice, they need to be sold more on your property then the others.
You can help to counter this by considering how you and the agent will make your property stand out from the crowd (everything here is a good starting point).
A presentable property with fair market pricing is usually the winning edge.
In a renters market, renters have all the choice and will only choose what works out best for them.
In a landlords market, renters are likely willing to compromise on a few things to just lock down a place to rent.
Remember, your property won’t appeal to everyone, and at the end of the day, it’s not meant to.
This is totally normal and is like anything in life.
Everyone has different wants, needs, desires and requests for every stage of their life and will ultimately only do what works best for them.
A one bedroom apartment likely won’t appeal to a family of four and a four bedroom house likely won’t appeal to a single person.
However, if the property is correctly priced according to the market, it will usually always find a renter sooner rather than later.
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This information is of a general nature only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. We are not financial, legal or tax advisers. You should seek appropriate professional advice specific to you before acting on this information.
