Southwestern Management And Realty Team

6 Reasons Your Property is Not Renting (And What to Do About It)

las vegas property managementSure, a rental property can be an easy way to make money — but it has to be rented. After all, you need rent to pay taxes, mortgages, upkeep. Any amount of time with an empty unit is time that an investor is losing money.

If you’re tired of your property sitting vacant, here’s what you may be doing wrong — and how to fix it.

(RELATED: How to Identify Profitable Rental Properties for Investment)

1. You Don’t Market Online

In today’s real estate market, most people are not driving around looking for a property with a “for rent” sign in the window. Make sure to list your property on all major rental sites,including Rent.com, Trulia, Zillow, and Apartments.com. You might also want to consider paying for ads that will target people in your area.

2. You’re Trying to Do Everything Yourself

Most property owners are too busy to deal with all the day to day tasks of managing and marketing a rental property. It can be a good idea to get help from an experienced property management company. They will be able to devote more time and effort to finding the right renter for your property.

(RELATED: How Important is Rental Property Curb Appeal?)

3. Your Rent is Too High

Rent is a key part of attracting tenants. An overpriced property will scare people away very quickly. Take a look at comparable properties in the area to see what their rent prices look like. It might seem like a bad idea to lower your rent, but it can attract renters and keep you from losing money in the long run.

4. Your Property Needs A Lot of Improvements

Certain undesirable features could be bad enough to keep prospective tenants away even if the property is properly priced. Ugly wall paint, broken fixtures, or a lack of appliances may make your property unappealing. Tenants are often attracted to updated properties with modern kitchens and bathrooms. These renovations can let you justify a higher price.

(RELATED: The Top 2 Rental Property Amenities Tenants Want Most)

5. You’re Being Too Picky

Having very strict rental criteria might seem like a good way to protect your investment, but it can limit your pool of applicants. You should still avoid accepting renters with extremely low credit scores, but you might want to consider allowing a slightly lower credit score or annual income as long as the renter has a good rental history.

6. You Aren’t Partnered with a Property Management Company

Just having a great property at a fair price is not enough. Tenants want to make sure they have a landlord or a management company who will be available whenever the tenant needs them. Make sure you or your property manager respond promptly to any inquiries from tenants, and always have a friendly demeanor while showing the property. Remember, first impressions make a big difference when renting.

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SMART Rental Qualifications

The following are Southwestern Management And Realty Team’s (SMART) guidelines for renting a property through SMART. Each and every application will be reviewed by a member of SMART and could be adjusted depending on credit/income and the application itself. Please be truthful!

Rental Qualifications

  • Applicant MUST be 18 years or older and application fee is $65.00 per person and is non-refundable.

Credit

  • Minimum score of 650
  • No EVICTIONS in the past 5 years
  • No utility collections (gas, power, water)

Income Verification

  • Income MUST be 3 times the monthly rent for good credit 650+ and 4 times if applicant has poor credit but good income.
  • MUST be verifiable
  • MUST be with current employer for at least 6 months.
    **If self-employed—CPA financial statements and/or tax returns are acceptable.

Employment History

(you could be required to show proof if requested, paycheck stubs, etc.)

  • Verifiable employment history for the past 3 years
    **If self-employed/retired/not employed—can verify income with signed tax returns and/or bank statements.

Rental History Verification

  • Verify for the past 3 years
  • Must provide: Landlord Names, and phone number, email (if available) on the online application.

Criminal Background Check

SMART does check—Criminal, Sex Offender and Terrorist database

  • NO sex offenders
  • NO crimes—violent crimes, prostitution, domestic violence, possession of weapons or illegal drugs

Pets

MUST be 30 pounds & under & absolutely no violent breeds—ask SMART for the Pet Policy

  • 2 pets max
  • NO ferrets or snakes
  • NO Dangerous, poisonous or illegal pets
  • NO aquariums larger than 10 gallons

Emotional Support pets are NOT considered a Service Animal and not under ADA laws.

SERVICE ANIMALS ARE OF COURSE ACCEPTED AND WILL REQUIRE THE PROPER GOVERNMENT ISSUED DOCUMENTATION.