Facing the fact that your Anne Arundel rental property has recently become vacant is never fun. However, vacancies are a part of being in the rental property business and must be dealt with swiftly. Crafting the perfect rental property listing is the first step to overcoming vacancy. We have previously discussed on our blog some of the best advertising tips for filling your vacant rental property. First of all, you should always use catchy headlines that describe your property in a unique way. In addition, you should include clear images that portray your rental in its best light, and always make sure that you accurately describe your property so interested tenants know exactly what you are offering.
Avoid These Mistakes in Your Anne Arundel Rental Property Listing
However, when it comes to advertising your vacant property, you should also pay close attention to the words you use in your property listing. You don’t want to use words that are overly dramatic, but you also don’t want to find your vacancy ad lumped together with all of the other ads using words like “charming” and “nice.” That’s why today we are going to take look at the most common words to avoid in your Anne Arundel rental property listing, in hopes that you garner the right kind of attention from high-quality tenants interested in leasing your rental.
Vacancy Ad Words and Shortcuts to Avoid
There is more to a vacancy ad than simply describing the general specifications of your rental – square footage, location, number of bedrooms, etc. In fact, writing an advertisement takes some skill if you want to attract the right people. Thus, taking care to avoid using this list of words in your vacancy ad is going to help you fill your vacant property that much quicker.
1. Quality
Whether good or bad, everything holds a measure of quality. Ultimately, what type of quality your rental property has – no matter how you phrase it – all comes down to what the prospective tenant thinks. For example, if you state your rental has “high-quality appliances,” what exactly does that mean? Perhaps you mean they are all matching, they are energy efficient, or maybe they are just new, regardless of how they operate. Avoid this word to avoid confusion, and instead, use more specific words to describe your rental.
2. Abbreviations
As tempting as it can be, try to avoid using any kind of abbreviations. This can confuse someone that is unfamiliar with them, and cause them look elsewhere for a rental that interests them. Here are some of the most common abbreviations that relate to the rental property business that should not find their way into your vacancy ad:
- Util: Utilities
- Appl: Appliances
- Sec: Security Deposit
- Nwly Ren: Newly renovated
- D/W: Dishwasher
- Balc: Balcony
- FMR: First month’s rent
As you can see, all of these abbreviations closely relate to descriptions you might include in your rental property’s vacancy ad. However, for the average person not in the property management business, some of these might be downright confusing. If potential tenants don’t understand the lingo you are using, and don’t know what they will be getting out of your rental property, chances are high they will move on to the next ad even if you have a great property to offer.
3. Clean
Of course, your rental property is clean. Why wouldn’t it be? If this is the strongest descriptive word you have for your vacant property, you need to take a step back and wonder why that is. Find something unique to say that expresses how your property is well taken care of.
4. Needs Repair
It is never a good thing to lie to potential tenants about the true status of your rental property. Nor is it a good thing to come right out and say your rental “needs work.”Before advertising your rental property as available, you should invest in repairing anything that needs repair. No high-quality tenant is going to agree to move into a rental that needs a lot of fixing. And, if you have an experienced property management group on hand helping you with your vacancy ad, they are likely to advise you to fix everything before advertising.
5. Cheap
This word immediately downgrades the quality of your rental. If you are aiming to make your Anne Arundel rental seem like something more than a money pit, avoid using the word “cheap.” If you are looking to promote the fact that your rent rates fall below that of your competition, consider using a gentler word such as “affordable.”
6. Unique
There is nothing inherently wrong with your rental property being described as “unique.” In fact, it very well may be the most unique rental on the block. However, this word is overused, and leaves much to the imagination. Rather than state that your rental is “unique,” explain using more concise terms what makes it unique. Your prospective tenants will appreciate the detail, and will become more interested once they find out why your rental is different from all of the rest.
7. Modern
This term is also overused in modern-day rental listings, and as a result has lost a lot of its meaning. If you are using the word “modern” to describe newly renovated sections of your rental’s kitchen or bathroom, instead say your rental’s kitchen or bathroom has been recently renovated. Then go on to explain what makes your rental modern, according to you. Using the word “modern” and leaving the details out is subjective, and may turn some interested tenants away unintentionally – their idea of what “modern” is may not be what your idea of it is. And, if they don’t like “modern” things, your vacancy ad will be quickly dismissed.
8. Original
Just as you shouldn’t use the term “modern” to explain that your rental has been recently upgraded or renovated, you should not use the term “original” either. Using a word like “original” has the potential to make interested tenants think your rental has never been updated, is likely falling apart at the seams, and is just plain old.
9. Fair Housing Act Terms
This is a touchy subject and can land you in some hot water if someone, somewhere becomes angered by the terms you use in your rental property ad. Many advertisement platforms, such as Craigslist, have specific rules about the types of terms you are allowed to use in listings of any kind. And, your vacancy ads are no different.
In order to steer clear of violating the Fair Housing Act, avoid using these terms in your advertisements:
- Walking Distance. This can be considered discriminatory to those who are unable to walk. If you are describing popular hotspots that are within walking distance of your rental, consider using terms such as “nearby” or “close to.”
- There are many different types of people looking to lease your rental property. Some are groups of friends, others are students that just met and are trying to save on housing costs. And yes, some consist of a mother, father, and two children. Don’t alienate an entire population of people (and possibly discriminate against them) by using the term “family home” when describing your available rental property.
When it comes to drafting up a vacancy ad for your Maryland investment property, it is critical you don’t break the law in doing so, even if unknowingly. This is where a knowledgeable Anne Arundel property management company comes in handy. They will understand the Fair Housing Act as it relates to rental properties, and know-how to avoid illegally discriminating against a protected class.
10. Cozy
“Cozy” emits a feeling of tiny and small, which many tenants are not interested in when it comes to their home. This is especially true if the rent rate for your “cozy” rental property is not small. Include the dimensions of your rental in square feet, and let interested tenants decide if the property is the right size for their needs. In the meantime, come up with some other descriptive words to enhance your rental, not bring it down in size.
There is a lot that goes into crafting the perfect vacancy ad for your Anne Arundel rental property. And, with a property management company like Bay Management Group helping you, your chances of placing a tenant in your property sooner rather than later increase dramatically. We can help draw up an exciting vacancy ad that gets the right tenant pool interested in seeing your property. In addition, we advertise across multiple platforms – Craigslist, MLS, online classifieds, direct mail, and more – and boast an average tenant placement within 30 days or less of making your property available.
True, vacancies are a part of the rental property business, but at Bay Property Management Group, our aim is to lessen that stress as much as possible by promoting your vacant property and placing a good tenant in it as soon as possible. Contact Bay Property Management Group today and forget about the stress your vacant property has placed on you.
