Real Estate Ad Bloopers

Written by on December 16, 2011 in Landlord Tips, Market Outlook - No Comments
jester

We’ve all had that moment were we discover a typo in an email to a friend, letter to a family member, or memo at work. But, hopefully we are diligent enough to check and re-check any advertisements or consumer-facing communications we post online or in print. The following blunders were pointed out in a article posted by AG Beat. They are from real ads and are a good reminder to review everything before posting. Have you seen any of these lines in rental or home sales ads?

“Large fool” (Is that the slogan on your business card?)

“Three badrooms” (Two turtle doves and an agent in an i-di-ot tree.)

“New garnet counters” (A jewel and a tool.)

“With lover level overlooking unique bar area” (Just what I want for Christmas – a drunk hunk and a bunk!)

“Area to construct a poon” (Does someone need his horns trimmed?)

We hope you’ve enjoyed a bit lighthearted humor. These are just a few of the funny goofs. For the full list, visit AG Beat.

Photo by: Will Montague

Closing the Sale

Written by on December 6, 2011 in Marketing - No Comments
Closing the Sale in Apartment Leasing

When renting out your apartment homes, the most important thing you can do is listen to your prospective tenant. Find out why they are moving and what they are looking for in their new home. This will help you know how to close the sale and get your apartments leased faster.

And if you need some help knowing how to close, here are 25 lines from Apartment All Star Mindy Williams of RentAndRetain.com.

  1. I have one left of that model
  2. Do you like the (poolside, second floor) one best?
  3. I find this to be the most ________ apartment home we have.
  4. You’ve made a good choice. That’s an excellent (view, location, layout, etc.)
  5. We have a special that includes __________.
  6. We can guarantee the service you will receive will be the best.
  7. Would you like me to reserve the style you like best?
  8. Would a (garden, poolside, third floor) home be best for you?
  9. This apartment is more expensive, but it’s been proven that…
  10. Don’t you agree that (this apartment has a lot of features, this is a very large apartment, etc)
  11. It may not be exactly what you had in mind, but since it’s the only one, why not take a look at it?
  12. Would you like to be able to sign up for free (Internet, maid service, parking) available with this apartment?
  13. I believe I can offer the deluxe model for you at the same price. Let me check.
  14. This is the last day before the price goes up.
  15. We can guarantee the lower price for (_______ time) if you sign the application today.
  16. Is this what you wanted?
  17. Do you prefer the model with or without (two-toned paint, the pool view, etc.)?
  18. Why wait when you can move in now? Moving is a pain; let’s get it over with as soon as possible.
  19. I can hold it until tomorrow morning if you like; this style is going fast and I don’t want you to miss out.
  20. If you ever have a problem with your apartment, call me and I’ll take care of it.
  21. Have you decided on the apartment you like best?
  22. Yes, this style is popular. I’ve rented ___ of these already this (week, month).
  23. You’re making the right decision. This is a great home for the price.
  24. If you want to save (time, money, gas, commenting, etc.) this is the home that will help you do it.
  25. Do you plan to rent an apartment today?

Do you have any closing lines that we missed? Share them in the comments and help out your fellow landlords and property managers.

Photo by: buddawiggi

What You Rent for the Money

Written by on November 20, 2011 in What You Rent for the Money - No Comments
What You Rent for the Money

Based on HGTV’s What You Get for the Money series, RentMonitor – property management software – helps you take an inside look at rental properties from across the country. With Thanksgiving around the corner, we’re looking at cities closely tied to the holiday this month and highlighting Plymouth, Massachusetts, New York, New York, and Buffalo, Minnesota to show you What You Rent for the Money.

Plymouth, Massachusetts
3 Bedroom / 2.5 Bathroom / 2,636 sq. ft. / $2,100 per month

What You Rent for the Money - PlymouthThough many competing claims exist, the most familiar story of the first Thanksgiving took place in Plymouth Colony, in present-day Massachusetts, in 1621. More than 200 years later, President Abraham Lincoln declared the final Thursday in November as a national day of thanksgiving. Congress finally made Thanksgiving Day an official national holiday in 1941.

What You Rent for the Money - PlymouthBuilt in 2002 this lovely home offers 3 bedrooms and 2 1/2 bathrooms on 2.79 acres. This beautiful property abuts the Atlantic Country Club and features hardwood floors, cathedral ceilings, ceiling fans, a farmers porch, alarm system, and 2-car garage. The spacious bathrooms are complete with ceramic tile. Each bedroom offers a walk-in closet. The gourmet kitchen contains a sliding glass door that leads to a large deck and beautiful backyard.

New York, New York
 1 Bedroom / 1 Bathroom / 900 sq. ft. / $3,800 per month

What You Rent for the Money - New YorkNew York is home to the famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. While, it was originally known as Macy’s Christmas Parade—to signify the launch of the Christmas shopping season—the first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade took place in New York City in 1924. It was launched by Macy’s employees and the first parade featured live animals from the Central Park Zoo. Today, some 3 million people attend the annual parade and another 44 million watch it on television.

What You Rent for the Money - New YorkThis beautiful 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom apartment is located in one of the most sought after locations in New York City. Luxury living steps away from the Museum of Natural History, Central Park, and public transportation. The modern bath offers marble finishes. The kitchen features stainless steel appliances, granite counters, and an additional window. Apartment includes air conditioning units and window treatments. The building caters to your everyday needs with a 24-hour door person, valet parking, on-site laundry, and package receiving. This highly desired location features the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade at your doorstep!

Buffalo, Minnesota
2 Bedroom / 3 Bathroom / 3,315 sq. ft. / $2,200 per month

What You Rent for the Money - BuffaloAccording to the U.S. Census Bureau, Minnesota is the top turkey-producing state in America, with a planned production total of 46.5 million in 2011. Turkey farmers in Buffalo, Minnesota are hoping one of their turkeys will be chosen as the National Thanksgiving Turkey and presented to the President at the Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens. After the holidays, the lucky National Thanksgiving Turkey and its alternate will continue to live in a custom-made enclosure at Mount Vernon’s nationally recognized livestock facility.

What You Rent for the Money - BuffaloThis spacious home features 2 nice sized bedrooms and 3 luxurious bathrooms. Enjoy beautiful sunsets and your morning coffee from the large maintenance free deck! The spacious kitchen is perfect for entertaining and hosting holiday dinners. The main floor great room offers vaulted ceilings, a fireplace, and large windows that offer a beautiful panoramic view.  Open stairway lead to a master suite with additional loft area that can be used as an office. The lower level is finished, with wet bar, free standing fireplace and tongue in groove cedar ceiling with access to a walk-out patio. This home also offers a 2 car attached garage.

Can Pinterest Help Your Rental Property Business?

Written by on November 7, 2011 in Landlord Tips, Management, Marketing - 1 Comment
Pinterest

Pinterest is all the rage these days. For those of you who have not heard of Pinterest before, it is a website where you can visually bookmark items online. So instead of bookmarking a site you want to return to (and having to search back through typed out descriptions), you can pin a photo on a website and see it on your Pinterest boards. Of course there is also a social element to it. You can follow people’s boards for more inspiration and ideas and they can follow you back to see what you are pinning.

It is a relatively young website and is actually still in beta, which means you have to request an invitation. And while most people are using Pinterest for personal use to pin beautiful interior photos, fashion trends, and craft ideas, AG Beat recently posted an article about the anatomy of Pinterest and ideas for using the site for business. They’re right! There are lots of reasons people should be using Pinterest for business- including real estate professionals and especially landlords.

Think about it…renting property is a visual business. There are very few people that will rent an apartment without seeing it first. Plus, your rental properties photos make the first impression in your rental ads, so you’re already working on getting the best apartment photos possible. It stands to reason that you’d want to get more exposure for those images and Pinterest is a great place to do that.

Here’s how you can get started:

  • Request an invitation by visiting pinterest.com
  • Set up your rental photos on your website.
  • Once you receive your Pinterest invitation, sign up, add the “Pin It” button to your bookmarks bar, and start pinning your photos.

For help with the anatomy of Pinterest, AG Beat has provided this breakdown. Enjoy and we’ll see you on Pinterest.

How to Use Pinterest for Property Management

Get Creative With Your Rental Ads

Written by on September 19, 2011 in Landlord Tips, Marketing - No Comments
Creative Rental Ads that Work

When advertising your rental apartments in a tight market it can be tough to stand out above the crowd. Landlords have to be creative and look at their rental properties in a new light. Are there any specific reasons people choose to rent at your property or from you specifically? Take a hint from this homeowner who’s offering $1000 worth of beer as a closing bonus on her house in Chicago. It’s yet to be seen if it will actually help her close the sale, but home tours are up 300% so the evidence suggests that it’s working.

How can you use this information to be more creative in your vacant apartment ads?

  1. Ask your current tenants. The best way to find out why someone rents from you is to ask. Send out a survey with your next rent notice or ask your renters over a quick phone call. There might be a very good reason that you cannot see because you, as the landlord, do not have the same perspective or motivation as the renter.
  2. Take a walk. Visit your rental property and walk around the neighborhood. Chances are things have changed since you first bought the property. There might be a new neighborhood hot spot or renovations you overlooked.
  3. Experiment. Think you have a good hook or motivating reason to rent your apartment? Test it out. Run a few different versions of your rental ad and see which attracts more qualified phone calls, tours and applications.

Trying new things is a good way to keep on top of the ever-changing rental market and to stay in touch with your renter base.

Have you ever tried a creative approach with your apartments ads? Did it work for you? Why or why not?

Photo by: Travis Lawton

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