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    What Do Military Renters Look for in a Landlord? [Video]

    As a military family that has rented numerous apartments and homes over the years, we've had some memorable landlords.

    There was the one in Florida who let us keep the fruit off the abundant orange and grapefruit trees on the property we rented and kindly let us out of our lease when we were offered base housing sooner than expected.

    Some others have not been so great, including one who routinely took days to respond to urgent maintenance issues (naturally, we found another rental when that lease was up). 

    While most property managers and landlords probably fall somewhere in the middle of the 'good landlord' spectrum, there are a few things you can do to set yourself as a cut above the rest when it comes to attracting--and keeping--renters from the vast military market.  

    Like most tenants, military renters will desire to have a good working relationship with you, their potential landlord, but they'll also have needs specific to military family life. 

    Qualities military renters look for in a landlord: 

    • Regular communication. Communicating expectations and responsibilities is important, as well as being responsive to maintenance requests and other questions. 
    • Having a move-in ready home. Military renters may have less time for moving in than typical renters. They'll want a clean slate and a turn-key experience when it comes to renting. 
    • Understanding of the military clause in the lease agreement. Make sure you know the ins and outs of what the military clause means in your state. 
    • Responsive to repair issues. Whether or not you're local, responding quickly to needed repairs or urgent issues is high on the list for military renters.
    • Regular maintenance inspections. Military renters will want to know that your property, their home, is a priority to you as you or your agent make timely inspections of appliances, HVAC, gutters, chimneys, fences, etc. It's also important to be clear on which maintenance tasks are theirs and which are yours (for instance, power washing).   

     

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    Jen McDonald

    Author

    Jen McDonald

    Jen McDonald is the Content Editor for MilitaryByOwner Advertising, an award-winning author, speaker, and longtime advocate for military spouses. With over 30 years as a military spouse, Jen created her own path, raised four kids, supported her husband's Air Force career, and navigated the challenges of military life. Now, she shares her insights and encouragement with fellow military families through writing, podcasting, and public speaking. Jen is the author of You Are Not Alone: Encouragement for the Heart of a Military Spouse, and Milspouse Matters: Sharing Strength Through Our Stories, books offering support to military families. Her nonfiction writing has earned multiple awards, including a Gold Medal from the Military Writers Society of America and a Silver Award from Foreword INDIES. Now settled in Texas, Jen is working on her debut cozy mystery novel and reveling in the joys of grandparenting. She’s learned to write in the margins of life, tapping away at her laptop during early mornings or kids' sports practices. Connect with Jen at her site, Jen McDonald and Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.