It’s easy to let technology take over. There are a lot of situations in which you can and should automate the leasing, management, and maintenance process when you have an Atlanta rental property. More and more landlords and property managers are using technology for everything from rent collection to inspections and lease renewal generations.
There’s a trend towards self-showings as well. Thanks to digital keypads, lockboxes and doors that open and close via an app downloaded onto a tenant’s phone, many people no longer feel the need to show their vacant rental property in person.
We happen to prefer personalized property showings.
This may not be trendy, but it’s a big part of the service we like to provide. When your property is vacant and prospective tenants want to see it, we believe it’s important to have an expert there! We will be ready to answer any questions that may arise, provide information on the home as well as the surrounding area, and even do a little pre-screening of the tenants who are showing up.
At Clients 1st Property Management, we invest heavily in technology to ensure that our management services are efficient, consistent, and precise. However, we’ll always show up in person when it’s time to give a tour of your property.
Here’s how those personalized property showings benefit you and your Atlanta investment property.
Preparing Your Atlanta Property for Effective Showings
When tenants are showing up on their own to visit a rental property, it’s impossible to know how the home looks before they walk through the front door. Is there a coat of dust on the countertops? Are there light bulbs burnt out? Is there a funny smell coming from the kitchen appliances?
Having a professional on-site to show the property means there’s someone who arrives a few minutes early in order to make sure that the home is looking, smelling, and feeling its best. Your property manager can open the window blinds, turn on the lights in all the bedrooms, make sure there isn’t any debris or dirt on the counters or floors, and even check in on the curb appeal.
This preparation can make the difference between a home that just looks okay and a home that looks spectacular. A bit of air freshener can help the property smell inviting and turning on the ceiling fans can get the air circulating.
The in-person presence gives you far more control over how your vacant property appears to the tenants who could potentially rent it.
Leverage a Knowledgeable Professional Answering Questions
Tenants may have questions as they’re walking through the property they’re considering as their next home. They might want to know the average utility cost, what the local schools are like, and whether there’s a place outside for their pets to play. Your potential tenant might be in search of information that can only be provided by someone who has knowledge of the property, knows the area, and understands their needs.
That someone is a leasing agent, or an experienced Atlanta property manager.
Personalized showings allow you to meet the unique needs and answer the specific questions of each potential tenant who comes through the door. You can avoid the one-size-fits-all advertising plan and focus on the particular needs of your prospective tenants. They have all seen your listing, but each tenant is looking for something special in their next home. A personalized showing will allow them to find it. You can sell the kitchen features to the person who loves to cook and you can talk about the fenced yard for the people who have dogs that like to play outside.
Prospective tenants have the benefit of hearing about the property’s features from a live person, and that’s going to help them make the decision to complete an application and rent your home.
Security for Your Property
Personalized showings also keep your investment safe.
Most of the self-showing technology that’s available have plenty of security features built into it, but you still have no idea what people are doing inside the home when they walk through the door by their selves.
When you have a tenant who can let themselves in and out, there’s no way to control what is happening inside that home while they’re inside. Having a leasing agent or a property manager present to grant access will keep your property safe and you will less likely fall victim of vandalism or theft.
Your investment property is a valuable asset. There are appliances and features inside the home that are expensive. It’s rare that a prospective tenant will walk out with a microwave or a washing machine, but again – anything can happen when someone is inside of the property unsupervised. Why take chances?
Pre-Screening Atlanta Tenants
Another benefit to in-person showings over self-showings is that your property manager has a chance to pre-screen some of the tenants who may apply for your property. When an agent or manager is walking a potential tenant through the property, there’s a unique opportunity to ask:
When the tenant plans on moving
Why the tenant is moving
How many people will be moving into the property
There can also be a discussion about qualifying rental criteria; income requirements and credit standards. No questions that violate fair housing standards will be asked, and most of the pertinent data will be collected during the formal screening process. However, your property manager can save a lot of time by ensuring that a tenant is likely to be approved before they apply. This will help the tenant, too; they’ll understand whether or not they have the background and financial stability that’s required in order to be approved for the rental property they’re seeing.
Technology is an important part of property management in Atlanta. However, when it comes to showing a rental property, we rely on personal communication. We believe that personal touch starts the foundation for what could potentially be an excellent landlord/tenant relationship.
Let’s talk about how we can help show your property. Please contact us at Clients 1st Property Management. The Clients 1st Team brings you decades of combined real estate industry experience and over 30+ years of experience in property management in metro-Atlanta and the surrounding areas. Our award-winning team provides quality, reliable service for our homeowners, buyers, sellers, tenants and investors.