The same process one must go through to acquire a home is ultimately the same process one must go through to acquire a rental property as well.

Everything from finding the perfect house in a non-depreciating market to finding the right loan for your financial standing, there’s not too much difference in the real estate purchasing process, but there are, of course, some key differences.

If you’re looking to purchase a rental property, you’ll then need to find a loan program specifically designed for investors. Another key difference is in how you run your house showings.

House showings are things that people don’t put too much thought into, which is unfortunate because house showings are the very things that can make or break the closing of a property. And for rental properties, house showings are extremely important if you want to receive a considerable return on your investment… That reason alone is why first impressions are so important, and your rental property house showing is how you’re going to make that great first impression.

Just think about it… If we as humans take less than a tenth of a second to form a first impression of a person and determine if they’re trustworthy, it won’t be any different with a house. What does that mean for investors? It means that there’s a lot of work and preparation beforehand to make your rental showing go as smoothly as possible.

From the aesthetics and decor of your property to knowing how to answer the questions of prospective tenants, there are a number of things you need to do before, during, and after your showing in order for it to be successful. Follow these helpful tips for a successful rental showing.

Helpful Tips For a Smooth Rental Property Showing

Ensure the Property is Aesthetically Pleasing

Making sure your rental looks nice is a house showing basic. The exteriors of your property are what’s going to make prospective tenants want to see what the interiors look like. That means the yard should be well maintained, the house has a fresh coat of paint, and the home just looks and feels inviting as visitors arrive.

You want to make sure the property’s interiors are spotless and free from any type of personalizations. The goal here is to create a space for prospective tenants to visit and picture themselves living there. So everything from impeccable staging to new flooring and a fresh coat of paint, your rental property needs to excite the senses of your visitors.

Know Your Selling Points

When showing off your property, you can’t just be generic when speaking to your guests about the house. As you enter different areas of the home, you need to be able to sell that room based on the highlights of that room. For example, some selling points to highlight include:

• Beautiful views
• Large bedrooms
• Ample storage
• Lots of natural sunlight
• Spacious common areas
• Spa-like bathrooms

Your walk through each living space and the words you use to describe them all play a significant role in “painting the picture” for prospective tenants.

Build Rapport With Prospective Tenants With Gauging Questions

In finding the perfect tenant for your rental property, you’re going to need to collect some information from them. Just as they’re forming first impressions of your property, you’re also forming first impressions of what type of renter they’d be as well.

You, of course, want to be friendly and polite but still gauging.

Where are you from?

Why are you looking to move?

What do you like to do for fun?

Do you have any pets?

Once you’ve built a bit of a rapport with them, you can follow up with them by asking the more serious questions like when they need to move, if they consent to a background and credit check, and if they can provide references from past landlords.

Make Your Rental Requirements Clear and Unwavering

Sometimes prospective tenants will have a quick private conversation with you asking if you can be more lenient on renter requirements like the security deposit or pet policy, but you have to remain consistent with your requirements. You can’t tell one person that you can waive a certain fee for them but not for the next person. You want to look fair across the board.

Also, keep in mind that this isn’t a decision for you to make during the showing. After your showing, take the time to go over the notes you took on the prospective tenants you’re considering and weigh out the pros and cons of each one to determine which one will be the best fit for your rental property.