A marketing strategy is exceptionally important when advertising military homes for rent. Just ask any service member who owns a rental property and needs to find tenants in a hurry. On the other hand, military homeowners with longer timelines also benefit from a viable marketing plan. A well-executed strategy will attract the best renters who fill the vacancy quickly and reliably pay the rent each month.
If you're a first-time landlord or want to brush up on ways to prepare your home for the rental market, these six strategies will have you signing a contract with new renters in no time.
1. Cleaning, Updates, and Curb Appeal
At first, you might not think trimming the shrubs, washing the windows, and laying new flooring is a marketing strategy, but preparing your home to appeal to the most qualified renters is crucial for maximizing your rental property income.
Renters are more inclined to pay a premium for an immaculate, updated, and move-in-ready house. You’ll have to do a little market research to find out which projects are worth the time and money in your neighborhood, but a well-maintained home inside and out will always draw a pool of appealing applicants.
4 Landscaping Ideas for Instant Curb Appeal will inspire you to boost your home’s exterior appearance.
2. Photos and Videos
Now that your rental property is in pristine condition, it's time to showcase the best features in photos and videos. Your marketing package is centered on grabbing renters’ attention, and the best way to capture their interest with an abundance of clear, high-quality photos and videos.
Your renters will return to your online advertisement multiple times to inspect every aspect of the house, from furniture placement to traffic flow, so make it easy for them to envision themselves living there with ample visual aids.
3. Online Advertising
Online ads are the first place to search for military homes for rent, so maximize your online opportunities. Of course, MilitaryByOwner Advertising, Inc. is the best place to reach a military related audience and make an authentic connection with renters.
Before uploading your advertisement, ensure your listing has an impeccable property description that accurately portrays the house. Include pertinent details like the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, but also add personal experience into the description. Share notes about an easy walk to the elementary school, a quick commute to base, or the best pizzeria in the city that’s a few miles away. These are the specifics that renters want to read to personalize their research.
Tip: Respond to online inquiries as quickly as possible. Military families may be contacting multiple landlords and are often working on a compressed timeline during a PCS move.
Photo by JohnnyGreig from Getty Images Signature via Canva.com
4. Social Media
Your favorite social media platform might be where you find your next renter. By using your personal network, you increase your rental property’s exposure to not only your first-degree connections but also their connections, exponentially expanding the property’s online presence.
Take note, however, that by expanding your network, you subject yourself to time managing online inquiries. Some will be legitimate, and others a waste of time. So, instead of blasting your ad on multiple platforms and hoping for the best, choose one or two you’re comfortable with and curate your audience as much as possible by posting in real estate or military-specific groups. Consider setting up a separate account or email address for the rental property so the ad traffic doesn’t clutter your accounts.
5. Property Management or Real Estate Agent
Some military homeowners don’t have the time or desire to manage their rental property, especially if they live a long distance away, so they choose to work with a property management company or real estate agent to manage their rental advertising and day-to-day care.
Hiring these professionals can save you time and stress, plus they have an extensive network to share your listing with. Because real estate is their sole focus, they can help find you an ideal tenant without wasting your time on numerous applications. Don’t forget that they aren’t working for free, so understand how they’re compensated for their time.
What to Know About Hiring a Property Manager lays out everything you should learn before working with a property manager.
6. Traditional Advertising and an Open House
Although online real estate listings should be your go-to for getting the word out about your rental property, there's some room for traditional ad promotion. Sometimes, military bases have housing fairs and the opportunity to post your ad in the housing office, reaching daily foot traffic. And you can’t discount the power of prominent yard signs. Traditional signs in the yard and on relevant street corners draw renters’ attention if they haven’t seen your vacancy online yet.
Open House
Yes, traditional open house events are usually for home sellers to court home buyers. However, you may consider an open house for your rental if your online efforts haven’t produced qualified applicants. Or, if your local real estate market has plenty of competitive rentals, a buzzy open house event could set your property apart. You’ll probably receive a mix of serious rental hunters and neighbors who are curious—that’s okay. They might have friends headed to the area and are serving as their eyes and ears, especially if they’re a military family PCSing from far away.
Find For Rent and For Sale yard signs here at MilitaryByOwner!
Depending on your location and military life circumstances, renting your home might be a better decision than selling it. Luckily, the marketing strategies are similar for selling and renting, so you’ll learn valuable techniques for the future. After some thought, you’ll probably realize that a combination of strategies works best, so start cleaning and taking pictures to create the best marketing strategy for your rental property.
Get even more tips for managing your military rental with our free guide below.
