Only a few people buy the newspaper to look for rental vacancies nowadays and most renters are millennials or digital natives. What do they do to find a place to stay? They search it on the web! As a landlord, what should you do to attract them to your property? You post your listing on the web! To find out what techniques are effective to attract renters online, read down below. You’ll also find the best websites to post your listings and what you should write in their descriptions.

1. Use the right rental website

There are a lot of advertising websites where you can post your vacancy listings. Here are some free rental sites you can use:

• Zillow Rental Manager - You can post one listing for free when you make an account. After posting your listing, it will be populated to other rental sites like Hotpads and Trulia.

• Craigslist - If you aim to advertise your listing to a specific area in the country, Craigslist can help you at that with a free account. Photo uploads for descriptions are also available.

• Cozy - This free site doesn’t only populate your listings to sites like Realtor.com and Doorsteps, but it also has a property manager function. At Cozy, you can communicate with your tenants regarding maintenance issues and receive payments from them!

• Socialserve.com - Do you want to expand your tenant-finding pool? Socialserve.com connects you to government-subsidized housing like Section 8 if you’re interested.

• Avail - Just like Cozy, Avail is free with plenty of tools for you to use in managing your property. You can post your listings and they’ll populate it anywhere. They also have a lease signing function for you to use after you’ve found a tenant.

Don’t limit your listings to rental sites only. Even social media can help you find tenants. Using Facebook’s Marketplace with your personal account is a prime example. All you need to do is write a description, upload photos, set your price and location, then post the listing. You can also post your vacancies on Twitter and Instagram. You might find a tenant in one of your followers.

2. Write a good description of the property in the ad

Tenants are attracted and are more likely to look for listings with a full description. So when available, be sure to write a detailed ad. A good example is to include the property type, # of bedrooms and bathrooms, and what appliances available (TV, Air-conditioner, etc.) in the property. You can also in the listing description what kind of bed is provided, and what kind of floor the interior has.

3. Take good photos of the property

When uploading a sample photo as a description of the rental property, always make sure the image is sharp and clear. Tenants will associate your photo quality with how you manage your property and how you treat them. If you’re not good at taking photos for advertising, hire a professional to do it for you. It will be a smart investment that could potentially match you with an amazing tenant.

4. Keep your listings up-to-date

A good description is not enough to attract a tenant, you must update your listing descriptions especially if you make regular improvements in the rental. And while the housing market is fluid, you should also adjust your pricing and update that detail in the listing. If the unit is occupied, take the listing off to avoid confusing other searching renters.

5. Respond quickly to inquiries

Time is money. Get your rental property occupied as soon as possible. When posting a vacancy, regularly check your direct messages for prospective renters. Don’t forget you have competitors. Tend to any inquiry promptly to snag the best renters in town. Also, prepare for any questions your prospective tenant might ask. A fast response will prompt a quick decision.

Technological dependence is high nowadays. Renters searching for a place to stay are more likely to use the web. Be sure to choose the right rental site to post your listings. Make sure your listing is detailed with clear photos. And adjust your price fairly to the market’s recommendation.

If you’re ready, make Landlord Prep your go-to resource for landlording education. Here, we offer a complete DIY landlording course to get you on the right track. Join our academy today. If you want, you can check out Flavia’s real estate investing webinar first!