subject: Read This Before You Rent Out Your House [print this page] If you have a home that you want to rent out, there is a process that you are going to have to go through to get a good tenant that will move into your place. Find out what you need to know that will help you rent out your home and make the process a little bit easier.
You need to first clean up your home and take care of all the little problems that you know need to be fixed up. Read tips on improving the resale value of a home. These tips make your home look better. Little things like painting the home or landscaping will help you make your rental look more appealing.
Set a price that is fair and competitive. Use your classifieds or online versions like Craigslist to get a general idea about what the going rate is for a place like yours. If it's too high, no one will ever rent your home as there will be cheaper options out there.
Take pictures and even video of your home. You need to have these to show off the inside of the home to those who are curious about your place.
Use your local paper and include an ad about your place. Many local papers do this for free or very cheap. It's the place that many look for rentals in.
Use online sites to list your rental. Craigslist is a good one to use. Include plenty of pictures. People enjoy being comfortable at home and looking at the places they might want to rent. The more pictures you have, the more people that will be interested in renting your home.
Have a screening process that you are comfortable with. The more screening you do, the safer the tenant you will get. The downside of this is that less people will qualify to rent your place. Some do credit checks. Some landlords do background checks as well just in case.
Leave a number that you can be reached at in all your ads. This is best if it's a cell phone number so you can quickly respond to questions or interest in your rental home.
