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Writing rental ads

Writing an effective online property rental listing will attract the most qualified and responsible tenants.

A common landlord mistake is not attracting quality tenants. Quality tenants will minimize property vacancy and make collecting rent easier for any landlord and take better care of your rental property. A good rental advertisement or property listing is key in your landlord journey and finding the right tenant.

Write an effective rental ad

  • Write a descriptive title and description. A few details to include are:
    • Rent price,
    • Number of bedrooms,
    • Number of bathrooms,
    • Storage space,
    • Garage/parking options,
    • Neighborhood details,
    • Unique details about your property such as recent renovations, city views, new appliances, open floor plan, rooftop deck or a pool.
  • What's included in rent: Utilities, furnishings, amenities, dedicated parking space.
  • Pet rules: If pets are allowed, give the amount of the pet deposit and rent.
  • Deposit requirements: Specify any security deposit amount.
  • Screening requirements: If you will require a credit/background check, application or fees, specify the screening requirements.
  • Contact information: Specify your preferred contact information.
  • Photos: Adding high-quality photos to your listing is important. They add power to attract a high volume of qualified tenants and if they are not on the listing, potential tenants will likely skip over it.
  • Renters insurance: Require your tenant to have renters insurance to protect their personal belongings and your rental if the tenants cause damage.

Screening applicants

After you've generated interest you can decipher if prospective tenants will be a good fit for your property. Having a consistent tenant screening process is key to your success.

The information in this article was obtained from various sources not associated with State Farm® (including State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates). While we believe it to be reliable and accurate, we do not warrant the accuracy or reliability of the information. State Farm is not responsible for, and does not endorse or approve, either implicitly or explicitly, the content of any third party sites that might be hyperlinked from this page. The information is not intended to replace manuals, instructions or information provided by a manufacturer or the advice of a qualified professional, or to affect coverage under any applicable insurance policy. These suggestions are not a complete list of every loss control measure. State Farm makes no guarantees of results from use of this information.

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