It’s Not You. It’s Not Your Home. It’s Your Realtor.
See this pile of cash? It doesn’t belong to you and you know why? Your realtor is being unrealistic and greedy about your property.
We have a client who is interested in a townhome in a particular area. We have one in this neighborhood and know without a doubt the competition is over-priced. Rentals sit 6-months, 8-months, 1-year or longer vacant. Why? Your rental is over-priced. Period.
I called a realtor to ask about a rental that has been listed and vacant for 6 months to see if the owner was flexible in the price. I told her that I had a great client interested in the home, but wanted to pay a more reasonable rent for the unit. With disgust I was told that the building covered all utilities which was included in the rent. I told her I knew that was not true because we have the exact same property in the neighborhood. Well not the same. Our is updated and upgraded. She then back-peddled and said well the owner wants to rent it furnished only. On the MLS listing, it states “furnished, but will consider unfurnished.” So the ad was misleading or the realtor was a liar.
I asked again about the price. I stated about the home being listed for 6 months and sitting vacant. Is the owner flexible? Again, I was given the run-around. Never once did she say she would present an offer to the owner.
Can this realtor read minds? I can’t. As property managers, we present all offers to owners. Ultimately the decision lies with you, the owner. You should decide whether to reject or accept an offer. Not a realtor.
I believe putting the owner in the driver-seat is what gives us so many happy clients and great reviews.
I never asked what the commission would be on the property. I never wanted a commission. I wanted to find a home that met my client’s needs.
Did this realtor ever stop and think, “my client has been losing thousands of dollars because his home is sitting vacant?” No. She heard reduced price, saw her commission drop and never consulted the owner. Would the owner accept a lower offer? We will never know because he will never be asked.
My client never saw the property or put an offer in. Why? A realtor discouraged an amazing tenant from a property that needed a renter.
So, this pile of cash continues to sit untouched.
For honest, reliable property management in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee and Sarasota counties and Orange Park, Florida, We Manage Your Investment.
House For Rent Scam
A prospective tenant called us and said the property we had listed for $1300 per month on Craigslist was also listed on another ad for $900 per month. Huh? Another ad? Nobody at our company would have listed it at that rate.
So we searched Craigslist and saw another listing with the same pictures and description for $900 a month, it said to contact ‘David Ball’. Of course you can’t call him, but when you email him you get an automatic reply that says he is away in South Africa, decided not to use a realtor and is just looking for a good person to rent the property.
He tells you to go by and look at the property but of course you can’t get in. Then if you like it you are supposed to Western Union some money over to him, wherever he is.
As soon as you send your money, its gone, no house, no nothing.
We flagged the fake ads on Craigslist and they were taken down. We did speak with police, but it is not likely anything can be done. The people posting those ads could be anywhere in the world.
A similar scam on owners is prospective tenants who reply to ads and say they want to rent a property. They are usually some type of foreign exchange student. Their ‘sponsors’ send you a fake cashier’s check for more then what is owed. You are then supposed to wire the difference to their decorator. A week later, the cashiers check has bounced and you are out the money you wired.
So now, when we have ads running, we will monitor and flag fake ads.
Tenants should be aware of these fraudulent ads and never send any money unless you have met with an agent and viewed the inside of the property.
For Honest, Reliable property management you can count on, contact Sun Rock Property Management.
Rental Property Video Marketing
Vacancies will kill your cashflow. Having your property vacant just one month can wipe out all of your profits from the year. It is better to secure a tenant for $50 less than what you are asking than to have your property sit vacant for a month. Being real estate investors ourselves, we adopted the philosophy of ‘keep it rented.’
So when we have a property coming available, we do everything we can think of to get it rented fast.
Our biggest successes have come from marketing our properties online. This not only gives us a lot of great targeted leads, it doesn’t cost our owners a dime.
Video is becoming more popular on the web. Videos are also being factored into rankings on search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing.
If you list a video with the area + for rent in the title, then your video link will show up in property searches for that area.
The actual ad, looks a lot better and gives the prospective tenant a better experience in shopping for a home to rent.
The advertising costs to our owners is still zero, but we now create great looking video advertisements for their properties. They are posted on the Sun Rock Property Management channel of YouTube.
Going forward, videos will become more and more important in finding and securing good tenants. Sun Rock will continue to utilize technology to make your property stand out from the rest and eliminate vacancy.
In Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee and Sarasota counties, Florida, We Manage Your Investment.
Orange Park Property Management
Sun Rock Property Management is now offering full-service residential property management in Orange Park, Florida, including Fleming Island.
We provide honest, reliable property management. We give our best to each and every client. Sun Rock Property Management will efficiently manage your condo, townhome or single family home.
A beautiful suburb of Jacksonville, Orange Park offers the amenities of city life and the comfort of a small town. At Sun Rock Property Management we will secure desirable tenants for you. We know how to increase your cashflow on your investment.
At Sun Rock Property Management, We Mange Your Investment.
For quality property management in Orange Park, Florida, contact Sun Rock Property Management.
Treasure Island Property Management
Sun Rock Property Management is now offering full-service residential and community property management throughout Pinellas County, Florida, including Treasure Island, Sunset Beach, St Pete Beach, Madeira Beach and Redington Beach.
We are a focused, efficient property management company that pledges a personal commitment to our clients. We manage any type of property from condos and single family homes to condominium and homeowner’s associations.
The area’s gorgeous sunsets and beautiful beaches attract people from all over the world. We can find good tenants for you any time of the year and increase the cashflow on your investment. Whether you are looking to have your property rented out for the night or for the year, we will handle everything, with zero advertising costs.
For quality property management in Pinellas County, Florida, contact Sun Rock Property Management.