“How on earth should I advertise my HMO?”
Is that a question you’ve grown familiar with recently? Well, you’re not the only one! The issue of marketing residential property is something that almost every landlord can relate to.
Indeed, UK tenants spend an average of just 18 months in a property these days- a figure that drops to a measly 12months in some parts of the country. Such sky-high rates of tenant turnover demand near-constant advertising to fill empty rooms and prevent unfortunate financial issues.
That’s one reason writing high-quality residential property listings is so important.
With no shortage of places available to tenants, your listing has to stand out, grab peoples’ attention, and convince them to pick your property over anyone else’s. Would you like tolearn how to do exactly that? Allow us to help.
Keep reading to discover ourtop advice for creating the ultimate residential property listing.
Ensure It’s Error-Free
First off, it’s worthdouble-checking that your listing’s free from spelling and grammatical mistakesbefore you publish it! This might not seem like a big deal, but you’d besurprised at how detrimental these minor slips can be to your efforts. In thesame way that an employer may decline a candidate for mistakes on their CV,prospective tenants could look elsewhere due to errors in your listing.
Keep that in mind whenwriting it. Steer clear of unnecessary issues and you’ll appear far moreattentive and professional, which is sure to serve you in the long run.
Nail Your Headline
Every single component ofyour listing plays a key role in attracting great tenants. However, it’s the headline that’s arguably most pivotalfor your goals. Why?
Because this is your chanceto grab the attention of potential tenants. And, in a world where everylandlord’s competing for the same eyes, that’s no minor thing.
As the first thing they see, your headline has to stand out, convince them to stop scrolling, and compel them to click on the listing. A generic, mundane set of words won’t cut the mustard! Write something different to other landlords, use emotive words(heavenly, wonderful, unparalleled…), and keep it short and sweet for the best shot at success.
Avoid Inaccuracies
Accuracy’s another core attribute of effective residential listings. Or, to put it another way, don’t lie! If your house has black mould growing in every room, don’t say it’s in perfect condition’ and if the neighbourhood’s situated in a concrete jungle, don’t say it’s in ‘a leafy suburb’.
This might seem like ano-brainer, but it’s always tempting to embellish the truth in pursuit of newtenants. It never ends well though. These kinds of inaccuracies set people’sexpectations, which then leads to confusion and disappointment when theyeventually view the property. Hurt by the deception, they go somewhere else andyou go back to square one.
Save yourself the trouble and be open about any issues from the outset. If you frame them in a positive light and offer solutions at the same time, then would-be tenants will be both grateful for your integrity and more willing to consider the home.
Include Descriptive Words
Writing an accurate listing doesn’t mean it has to be dull or matter-of-fact though. Far from it! You should strive to describe your property in vivid and compelling ways that convince would-be tenants to take a look.
One way to do this is to use enticing adjectives throughout the description section to help someone picture the property in all its glory. Don’t go over the top though. Including too many adjectives can often seem suspicious to astute readers. The property may sound too good to be true, causing them to assume you’re lying and turn their attention elsewhere.
Hone in on Unique Attributes
What unique attributes does your property have that could appeal to prospective tenants? Draw up a list of anything you can think of and make sure you highlight them in the description.
Honestly, it could be anything. From on-street parking and covered garages to garden features and fancy fireplaces, there might be any number of things that distinguish your property from the rest. Writing about them in your listing could be the final push someone needs to get in touch.
Don’t Forget the Photos
Writing high-quality copy when creating your residential listing is key. But it’ll never perform as 100%well as it could do without quality photos to accompany it.
Remember, humans are visual animals, which means we place high value on images (a picture says a thousand words, right?). Include amazing photos that showcase your property at its best, then, and additional interest in the listing is all but guaranteed.
Promote It in the Right Places
One final thing! Putting together a well-written, descriptive, and eye-catching property listing is only the first step to advertising an HMO and finding your ideal tenants.
With that bit done, itbecomes imperative to promote your listing in all the right places. After all,it doesn’t matter how good it is if nobody ever sees it! From Spareroom toGumtree, you have to get your listing out there and in front of prospectivetenants.
This is where our service excels. We understand the best avenues for advertising your HMO and have access to exclusive platforms that ensure it reaches a larger audience. From Zoopla and Prime Location to The House Shop and Badi, your listing is bound to enjoy a huge amount of interest.
How Should I Advertise My HMO? Now You Know
Creating a residential property listing is easy. Creating one that actually triggers the interest you need to fill empty rooms in your rental is another ball game altogether!
With any luck, though, thetips in this post will help you do it.
Have you been asking yourself how should I advertise my HMO’ and become exasperated by the process? As room rental marketing experts, we can help.
Give us some detail about your rental property and we’ll market it across a wide-range of industry leading channels on your behalf. Better still, we’ll then do a soft reference of interested tenants to ensure you only hear from candidates that meet your criteria. Sound good?
Contact us today to find out more.