Skip to main content

Tips to Attract Tenants in a Tough Market

Tips to Attract Tenants in a Tough Market

The rental vacancy rate in South Carolina was over 10% in 2023. You need a strong real estate marketing strategy to attract tenants to your Summerville property. Good marketing can lower your vacancy rate while increasing rental income.

Keep reading for property marketing tips that can bring in more qualified tenants.

Target the Right Audience

Your property marketing will get an immediate boost when you focus on the right prospective tenants. Try to identify the profile of an ideal tenant for each of your properties. For example, a single person is more likely to want a studio apartment downtown than a large family would.

Once you know your target audience, you can use your advertising resources more effectively. You don't waste time and money on people who are unlikely to become tenants.

Optimize the Rental Listing

Sites like Zillow, apartments.com, and Trulia are a key part of many people's search for a new home rental. Zillow has more than 160 million listings. You have to make your property stand out to potential tenants.

Your listing should have key items such as:

  • Catchy headline
  • List of amenities and features your ideal tenant would want
  • Detailed description with photos
  • Location-specific keywords

Using good search engine optimization (SEO) helps put your listing in front of more people. Your main focus should be local SEO, though. Your ideal tenants are looking to live in the Summerville area.

Highlight the Right Amenities

Most rental sites let you describe the amenities your property has. Consider what your prospective tenants are looking for when you decide which features to highlight. Tenants are more likely to rent from you if you show how you can make their life easier.

Use Professional Quality Images

The images in your rental listing need to make your property stand out. A professional real estate photographer will help make your rental look its best.

If the property is currently vacant, you may want to stage it before having it photographed. Staging has clear benefits for selling a home. It can help motivate potential renters to take the next step.

Use Multiple Online Marketing Channels

Apartment rental sites are an obvious choice for finding tenants. Other online advertising platforms can expand your reach.

Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram are valuable for real estate marketing. You can post content showcasing your property for free. You can also buy ads targeted to specific demographics.

Google Ads are another way to attract qualified tenants to your property. You can analyze your ads over time to target them even more effectively.

Offer Renter Incentives

Incentives are a very useful tool for property marketing in a tough rental market. Common incentives include:

  • Move-in discounts
  • Free amenities
  • Referral bonuses

You can use similar incentives to encourage lease renewals. This helps avoid having vacancies to fill in the first place.

Improve Your Summerville, SC Property Marketing

Effective property marketing is always important. It's especially important in a challenging rental market. Targeting the right potential tenants with high-quality content is key.

The experienced team at Oak Trust Properties can improve your Summerville property management strategies. We're a locally-owned company that is committed to your success and the growth of the Lowcountry community.

Schedule a consultation with Oak Trust Properties today to discuss increasing your rental income through better marketing.

back