Filling vacancies in your rental property can be one of the most stressful and time-consuming tasks that come with being a landlord in Anchorage or anywhere else for that matter. Trying to find renters is often one of the things that drive landlords to seek out the help of a certified property manager, but if you want to make your own go of it, here are some tips for finding tenants for your property.
Make the Most of Rental Websites
There are quite a few sites out there that allow you to post your rental for free. The only investment is the time it takes for you to create an account, post your listing and a nice photo. Here are a few to get you started but they are by no means an exhaustive list. You can do an online search to find more.
- Craigslist.com: While this used to be the main go to for rental postings, it has lost a lot of popularity in recent years. This is primarily due to the high number of scammers that troll listings and will try to sell you something. In some areas, Craigslist is still active, and in others, it seems to have died out completely. It’s worth checking out Craigslist in your area to see how many posting are listed; this will give you an idea of how many are using it.
- Trulia.com and Zillow.com: Both of these sites have become popular for home buyers, but they have sections for rentals that is growing in popularity. You can list on both for free. The more photos you have of the rental, the better for these sites.
- Apartments.com: Similar to Trulia and Zillow, you can list your unit for free. When you do, you will be listed on ApartmentFinder.com, Apartments.com, and apartmenthomeliving.com. You get three times the exposure for one listing.
Leverage Social Media to Find Tenants
Approximately 231 million Americans are active on Facebook, and they tend to spend 20 minutes on average on the site. The highest traffic volume occurs between 1 to 3 pm and engagement is always higher on Thursdays and Fridays. So keep that in mind when you are getting ready to post your vacancy.
- Facebook Marketplace launched in October last year and is lauded as a friendlier Craigslist. It is a great place to post your rental free and have it seen by local interested parties. Again, photos are going to be critical to snagging a tenant quickly.
- Facebook Business Page is another solid resource if you invest the time to maintain the page and some money in ads to promote your vacancy when you have one.
Remember the Yard Sign
Even in this day and age, it is always worth putting out a yard sign when you have a vacancy. People who may need to move out of their place might be driving around looking for a way to stay in the neighborhood.
Leverage Word of Mouth
Make sure you let your other tenants know that space is coming available or is available. Get the word out; it’s incredible how often the power of word-of-mouth makes a difference. Let your family know you have a unit available, let your hairdresser, your neighbor, your plumber, your electrician and anyone else you can think out.
We hope these ideas help you fill your vacancy; we know how stressful it can be to carry a vacancy while you try to fill it. If you decide you want some help, we are always here for you.