How to Command Top Dollar for Your Tampa Rental – 5 Cheap Fixes That Make You Money

Emotions work in attracting potential buyers and renters to your Tampa rental

Based on our more than 25 years with Tampa rental properties we at Hoffman Realty have learned that if two similar properties meet a renters basic needs (i.e., rent price, size and location) they will always end up choosing one based on their emotions. It is never a logical decision; it is an emotional one which later their brain will justify for them logically.

A perfect example of how emotions work in attracting potential buyers can be found in any model home. As you walk in, you will notice how the builders spent thousands of dollars making that property trigger every possible positive emotion in a buyer. This can even come down to the simple smell of fresh baked cookies floating through the home.

So, as a landlord in the Tampa Bay area what can you do to leverage off this emotional response? Well, you have to elicit a favorable emotional response in your renter and these are the five ways to do that.

5 Ways to elicit a favorable emotional response in your renter

1. Curb Appeal: Nearly 50 percent of what makes a potential renter decide to rent a home is made by the time they are a few steps inside the front door. It’s all about the curb appeal, so be sure to make the home look good from the outside. If your home is a townhouse or condo, there’s obviously not much you can do. However, if it’s a single family home, make sure flowers are planted along the front of the house and that the yard is cut.
2. Front Door: People generally make assumptions on the interior of a home based off the condition of the front door. If you have a beat up door, re-paint it. If the wood is rotting, repair it. If you have a rusty lockset, replace it with a new gleaming one. These are all simple fixes that will help impress potential renters.
3. First Impressions: When the potential renters walk in make sure they have a favorable experience. Don’t make them walk into a cave. Instead, open the blinds and turn on the lights to make the home appear lighter and brighter. First impressions are everything and a poor one will turn away any good qualified tenant.
4. Cleanliness: It’s so important that you clean the property before potential renters check out the place and/or move-in. Don’t make a tenant second guess or lose that initial emotional response towards the home because you didn’t prepare. Clean it now!
5. Staging: For about $50 you can do some minimal staging around the home which will elicit a positive emotional response from potential tenants. For example, hang a shower curtain in the bathroom, put towels over the holders, and hang pictures on bare walls.

By implementing these five easy and cheap fixes, not only will you find yourself ahead of 90 percent of the other landlords in the Tampa Bay area, but your property will rent for top dollar as well. Take the initiative and get the most out of your Tampa Bay rental.

Contact us or give us a call if we can answer any questions at (813) 875-7474.