Rental property - Ad. Feedback Required

[redwing]

There have been some good tips on the forum before and feedback on property photos, the Property Managers script in the advertisement etc.

We were hoping to get some feedback from the collective wisdom on the forum, regarding the attached advertisement.

Its an investment property where the tenant recently moved out. The property has been held for eleven years and needed some work to bring it up to a reasonable standard after the long term tenant moved out. So we painted throughout, replaced blinds, fitted RCD’s and hard wired smoke alarms and had it professionally cleaned.

The Property is located in <deleted as it may influence your input, however i'm sure google would be your friend if really keen > in Western AUSTRALIA

We had the PM start advertising early whilst the renovation works were being conducted and had a few early bites, as with most advertising campaigns, but nothing recently. The immediate thought is to drop the rent slightly, but I’m also not enamoured with the advertisement campaign and property photos.

The workman’s Ute in the driveway, the bent letterbox, the almost dead tree and dead grass in the front yard are not appealing to me as the primary display photo and hoped others may have some constructive criticism also.

SQM Research shows vacancy rates at around 1.2% for MAY 2011

Apparently, There are now 645 properties in the postcode of XXXX that have been on the market for two months or more

The main causes of vacancies are apparently;

• Supply Vs. Demand,
• Amount of Rent being asked,
• Location of the property,
• Presentation.

I'd be interested in feedback on the advertisement if you have any, as I've found previous posts on such, enlightening and beneficial.

 

[Propertunity]

2 things about the text of the advert:
1. Freshly painted throughout as a heading. Do tenants really search through all the rental adverts only looking for a property that has been 'freshly painted'? I think not. Find out what tenants are looking for and put that in the heading.
2. n.b. Painting will be completed by the 30th May 2011. Installation date of new blinds to be confirmed. Lose this from the advert too. No tenant wants to rely on the promise of a LL that "the blinds are coming....any day now".

Cheers redwing.
Alan

 

[Doovalacky]

Agree about the primary photo. Perhaps a wide one of the "big" kitchen instead?
Others all seem very narrow which in my opinion makes it look smaller.

Photos with the new blinds would probably look better as well and you need photos anyway as evidence of installation/condition.

Don't have time to find the add before leave for work but for most areas in WA there are a lot of properties on the market for sale, but a shortage of rentals.

 

[BuildingBlocks]

Wasn't 30th May a month ago? Or am I missing something...

The first photo of the front doesn't look very inviting. Maybe try the shot from the lefty hand side where you can see the entrance.

 

[Macca]

Some of the shots are too dark IMO. Doesn't the agent have a flash or perhaps draw back the curtains before clicking

The leaning letter box gives me the impression that the place is run down as well.

Look at it with a critical eye, tenants do, if you get someone who doesn't care if it is run down, are they really the kind of tenant you want ?

 

[INVSTOR]

Curiosity got the better of me and I googled. I would completely remove the photo of the front of the house. Get someone to remove the palm trees and dead tree. Straighten the letter box. Ferilize the lawn. The front is damn ugly! Remove bit in advert about the painting and blinds.

 

[INVSTOR]

The old dates on the photos are a turn off too. Can you take better photo's yourself??

 

[Dazz]

.....not much help to you Redwing, but I'm always staggerred about how much you offer the Tenant for only $ 330 pw.

The house you are offering is extremely nice inside, and with 3 bedrooms, works out at a measly $ 15.71 per room per night....but still no takers.

Obviously it has been vacant for nearly a month, so you seem to be experiencing the same thing we were.....the Tenants - all of 'em, want so much more for so much less.

I decided I didn't want to play the game any longer.

What are you going to do ??

 

[chrispy]

Photos are terrible, Get some of large lounge, no one wants to see a photo of a wall. Take some photos yourself, you can't do any worse.

Heading should be 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms Only $330 per week!!!!!

Updated should be used instead of freshly painted

I agree with all the other comments, forget the dates.

Price is very low for standard of property.

Good Luck

Chris

 

[INVSTOR]

I'm a bit surprised too how little you are asking for rent. I don't know the area well and what it rents for but get the feeling your PM's have been a bit slack. Maybe try this suggestion of multiple agents for listing and give the winning PM management rights.
http://www.somersoft.com/forums/blog.php?b=152
Without doing any research I'm wondering if you could get $20/wk more after doing a tidy up of the front yard. Do some of your own research for rental amounts achieved in area!!

 

[our obsession]

Looks a nice IP, I know nothing of your market or the prices fetching, but my comment is I'd love to have a crack at getting some broader photos and also 'lighten' those that you have there, so as to see better.

Hope it goes well.

 

[redwing]

Thanks all

The feedback is appreciated and there are some great points within

The property was advertised as soon as the previous tenant left and whilst works (painting, blinds, RCD's & Hard-wired smoke alarm as per compliance etc).

I believe a new "fresh" advertisment is required so the constructive criticism is helpful. I may take a trip to the property over the next few days also.

Capital Growth has been pretty good over the years Dazz at around $62.00 p/day or around $430.00 p/wk. I hear what you say though...Great Cap Growth and + Cash Flow sounds like a party to me

 

[ACTInvestor]

I would recommend new ad with new pics. I echo the comments of the other 'posters' - tidy up the front yard and make the best aspect of the house your main photo. Has all the work now completed? Tenants don't have the 'vision' that a home owner has and want to see a completed house, why would they when they can go up the road and move straight in to something completely finished? Start advertising again when the property is ready to go. By the sounds of it you're not going to miss out on much rent.

 

[redwing]

Thanks to previous contributors

An updated advertisment has replaced the previous version (see attached PDF).

I'd be interested in feedback on the new ad and the changes to the previous versions if you have the time

 

[DaveM]

The ad looks better.

The main trouble I can see affecting its quick rental is that it has (from what I can tell from the photos/ad) no backyard. Has it been subdivided or something?

For the family market, a backyard is usually a top priority for kids to play. Without this, it will be skipped by most, leaving you with couples and singles who probably dont need a 3br 2 bath.

 

[redwing]

The ad looks better.

The main trouble I can see affecting its quick rental is that it has (from what I can tell from the photos/ad) no backyard. Has it been subdivided or something?

For the family market, a backyard is usually a top priority for kids to play. Without this, it will be skipped by most, leaving you with couples and singles who probably dont need a 3br 2 bath.

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the feedback

This one is an odd shape due to the original block, there is a backyard (photo below).

The property also has a large patio around the rear and side, which tie's into the carport/boatport

 

[INVSTOR]

My daughter just saw the pic of the front of the house and said, "who lives there? Poor people!" I would be getting the lawn mowed and edges trimmed. Trim back the bushes by a third, Get rid of ugly palms. The photo's of inside and back make it looks really small and poky. Include the pic above to show it does have a yard.

 

[DaveM]

Here is what I would do

1) Cull most of the photos - have the exterior one, one of the kitchen, one of the dining room, one of the bathroom, one of the rear pergola area that doesnt make it look like thats the only outdoor space.

2) Change the wording to include "good size yard for the kids to play in" and "undercover parking for 2 cars or a car + boat".

Try to get the family market in the door and it will be rented a lot faster. If it was me looking for a home and the ad said "small garden" and had a photo that made the back seem tiny, I would give it a miss.

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the feedback

This one is an odd shape due to the original block, there is a backyard (photo below).

The property also has a large patio around the rear and side, which tie's into the carport/boatport

 

[DaveM]

PS your ad certainly is not the worst I have seen. The ad below is for a house that has been empty for a long time, has had a bad run of tenants. It was listed for $420pw which was crazy given how crap condition its in, its now down to $380pw. Agent will not show it unless your application has been approved first.

http://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-st+clair-405250422]


A lesson in how not to market a property for rent. By an agent that many on here rave about as well.

Its worth more like $340pw

 

[Doovalacky]

Is the photos being taken with an Iphone or similar rather than a decent camera? They seem really narrow still.