Optimize Your Mid-Term Rental Listing: How To Stand Out And Stay Booked

The demand for rental properties has increased 10-fold in recent years as the cost of buying a home has increased, more people living a nomadic lifestyle, companies needing employees in different areas, more natural disasters displacing families and people traveling within the U.S.

The need to stand out in a crowded market has never been more important. People have options and just like with social media, you need to grab their attention in the first few seconds or you might just blow your chance. Imagine a couple of small changes being the difference between you having consistent enquiries and reservations back to back? The good news is, there is some pretty easy and affordable steps you can take to maximize your chances of grabbing peoples attention and keeping your rental property booked again and again.

Whether this is on your direct booking website or other booking platforms, here are some tops tips to having people lining up to choose your property.

1. Use engaging, SEO friendly language - “Updated, Furnished 2-Bedroom Close To Downtown - Ideal For Travelling Professionals and Families”. Be sure to highlight key features, like if you’re pet friendly, if utilities or lawn care are included, or flexible lease terms.

1. High quality photos and videos - it IS worth the investment. Typically you can find a real estate photographer to do photographs for $200-300, depending on your area, but this is well worth it to create the eye-catching and inviting images you need to show your property in its best light. Have a video walkthrough, this can be filmed by you if necessary but having a video to show people, especially if they want to see it and you have guests often gives people the information they need without disturbing your current guests so you can line them up with minimum vacancy.

1. Offer clear and competitive pricing - check out what other rentals are being offered for in your area, look at unfurnished long term rentals, furnished short term rentals, factor in the quality of your property finishes or furnishings, like light fixtures, floor finishes, when was the last time it was painted, is your furniture new or second-hand? Are you in line with any of the others in your area or is your property of a higher calibre? You can also offer tiered pricing based on length of stay.

1. Ask for reviews & testimonials - social proof is critical these days, to display not only that your property is as good as you are saying that it is, and that as a landlord you’re providing great hospitality, but people are enjoying their experience with you and your property and they’re willing to write it down so other people can know!

Aside from registering with property platforms like Aros, Airbnb, Zillow etc. promote your property on social media, join Facebook groups where people might be looking for properties. 

Another great way to build your business is to connect with other local landlords with similar properties, so if you have guests already you can refer them to them, by even just offering to make the connection remember the law of reciprocity. If you bring guests to your neighbors rental property, they can do the same for you if they get an enquiry and they’re booked.

Connecting with HR teams, nurse staffing agencies, and insurance agents is another way to utilize connections and bring attention to your property being an option, should someone have a need.

Ultimately, optimizing your listing to get the most amount of eyes, creating the listing to be the most attractive it can be and creating relationships and awareness about your property being available is the best way to stay booked. 

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