"You never get a second chance at a first impression."
This is an essential adage in life—but it also applies to landlords in Central Florida. Whether you are advertising rentals in Orlando, Daytona, or Clermont, everyone who looks at your listing should immediately think that they've found a unique property. How do you ensure that your property listing stands out? Take note of our expert tips, and learn how to create property listings that pop!
Emphasize Great Features
Every property has elements that make it a unique and special place for your future tenants. Make sure you've evaluated and described every nook and cranny! There are ways to discuss all kinds of features to emphasize the positive, from the solid construction and craftsmanship of older buildings to the flawless beauty of newer construction. You'll probably want to go through your listing language a couple of times since you want to be as transparent as possible without emphasizing or implying negative elements in the listing. At the same time, your potential tenants will likely come in for a tour, so you want them to find the apartment or house to be as described when they visit.
Work with a Professional Photographer
A professional photographer will be able to notice and capture details of the property that you might not even see! Unlike casual photographers, a professional photographer has made it his or her mission to understand lighting, camera functionality, and angles well enough to capture everything great about a room to share on a property listing.
Yes, you can do your photographs, but a professional photographer who specializes in real estate will bring significant value to your listing. This value can result in higher rent or a larger pool of potential tenants. A professional photographer may be able to look at your space and discover a viewpoint that you hadn't considered. They know how to draw the eye more than regular photographs of each room. Learn everything you can from the photographer who is shooting your new property, since that guidance may help if you ever invest in a great camera to take listing photos yourself.
Build a Story Around Your Ideal Tenants
More than just photos and features, the best listings make your future tenants read themselves into the space. If you are hoping for urban professionals who love walkability and nearby shopping, how can you reference those features in writing? Are you looking for tenants whose love for lakeside life shows through in everything—from how they decorate to their leisure time? Put the lakefront property aspect front-and-center in your listing. The more property listings you write, the more you'll see that tenants pay attention when they see a listing. No matter how short, they will begin to see themselves in it. You want potential tenants to take the time and effort to apply for the rental—or to visit and view it in real life! Give them plenty to consider as far as the story you are trying to tell.
Trim, Proofread, and Make the Copy POP!
All too often, the word count climbs on a property listing. You may feel like you cannot possibly say everything that needs to be said in the allotted words. However, less is always more when potential tenants are skimming through Central Florida listings. They are waiting for a word or two (and a short, concise listing) to catch their attention. So write everything you think you want in the listing, and then focus your attention on cutting anything unnecessary. Is there a way to phrase the sentence actively rather than passively? "You must see this Orlando home!" definitely puts more emphasis on the reader than "This house in Orlando must be seen to be believed." You can save yourself some words when you make sure every sentence packs meaningful information.
Once you've hit your target word count, read the property listing out loud. This changes the way we see the words on the page and can help you catch any glaring typos. If you know you have a tendency to leave a few misspellings in, find someone else who hasn't read the listing before. They'll have an easier time catching those slip-ups than someone who has stared at these words for a long time. Lastly, make sure you are using the most exciting, dynamic language you can—without getting too "verbose" or "abstruse." This ensures that your listing is accessible to everyone.
A Property Management Partner Can Do It All!
Many landlords take the time to create beautiful, comprehensive property listings. They find tenants and think they're secure from then on out. However, they don't protect themselves against surprises like malicious damage, loss of rent, eviction costs, and other landlord horrors. This is why Verandah Properties crafted exclusive Landlord Protection Insurance. We know what you need to protect your investment beyond listing and showing.
We also put together a FREE Make-Ready Checklist to help our landlord-partners prepare their property for their next tenants! Let's get started on maximizing the potential of your investment property!