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Charleston Property Company | How to Create A Successful Online Rental Ad

Charleston Property Company

Few people use the newspaper to find rental properties, which have made the classified ads obsolete for any Charleston property company. Instead, nearly every person looking for a rental in Charleston is going to look online to find the perfect home.  In a market as competitive as Charleston, property managers must make advertising and marketing online a priority.

5 Steps for Listing A Rental Property Online

There are five basic steps to creating a successful online rental ad that will get your property rented quickly to the perfect tenants.

  1. Choose Your Platform- There are several online platforms where rental homes are advertised. The best Charleston property management company will post across several, including Zillow, rent.com, Trulia, Relator.com, DoorSteps, Craigslist, and others.
  2. Click Worthy Title- The title of your advertisement is what makes them click. Be sure to include the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, as well as the neighborhood in your title.
  3. Detailed Description- There is nothing worse than tenants viewing a property only to find out it lacks what they need. Make sure your descriptions are detailed with pet policy, deposit, rent, and fees. It would help if you also mentioned neighborhood highlights and amenities, school district, and date available.
  4. List Tenant Requirements- Taking time to show prospective tenants around to discover they aren’t going to qualify is a waste of time. Make sure tenants know the application requirements before the showing by listing in the ad.
  5. Photos: The best Charleston property company understands that pictures are worth 1000 words. Make sure you include clear photos taken while the home was clean and well-lit. If you can, stage the rental home with furniture and artwork for your marketing photos, this will help tenants envision themselves there.

Following these steps will help ensure potential renters see your advertisements. If you need a Charleston property company to help you manage your single-family rental home marketing, call Scott Properties of Charleston at 843-790-4929.

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Property Management Company in Charleston | How to Make Sure Tenants Pay Rent on Time

Property Management Company in Charleston

Even the best property management company in Charleston can struggle to make sure tenants pay their rent on time each month. Getting rent payments on time is one of the most important tasks a property manager must perform for owners. When a property manager is consistently depositing rents late, the owner can have a large financial burden and the property manager may end up losing their job as a result.

There are a few ways that every property management company in Charleston can help to ensure rent is paid on time each month.

  1. Rent Is Clear- Your lease needs to clearly say the rental amount and when it is due, as well as any grace periods offered.
  2. Screen Tenants- Your tenants should have an income of three times the rent amount to be able to afford living there. When you are screening tenants request at least three back paystubs and make sure to verify by calling the employer. You should also consider the amount of time they have been employed by their current job.
  3. Online Rent Portal- When a property management company in Charleston can offer tenants online rent payments, they are more likely to be paid on time because of the ease and convenience. Online tenant portals can also be set up to deliver maintenance requests, communicate with the property manager, and receive notifications about events, neighborhood alerts and more.
  4. Reminders- When a tenant is a day late, make sure to send them a friendly reminder. If the office is going to be closed the day rent is due, or for a long holiday weekend, make sure a drop box is available for rent payments. Reminders can be sent via text, email, or through the online rent portal. However, a paper copy that is signed and dated by the property management company in Charleston also needs to be delivered.

If you are tired of dealing with late rent and tenants that do not pay consistently, call Scott Properties in Charleston and see how we can help manage your rental properties at 843-790-4929.

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Charleston Property Company | Top Features of a Successful Rental Property

charleston property company

When you are investing in rental properties or starting a Charleston property company, you’re most concerned with how to have the most successful rental property possible. How can you make sure your property is always rented out and taken great care of so that you make the most profits? These are the number one thing you are thinking about when making a purchasing decision on a home.

Once you start shopping, make sure that the rental properties you are interested in have these top features and you’ll be set up for success.

  1. Great Neighborhood- The most successful rental properties are found in the best Charleston neighborhoods where the standard of living is high, but the cost of living is lower. If you plan to rent to students, make sure you are near campuses. If you plan to market to families, make sure you are in the best school district. If you want to rent to young professionals, make sure you are near the business district or downtown.
  2. Crime- Invest in homes where the crime rate is low. You’ll get the best rental value and have an easier time selling for a great price if you ever offload your portfolio.
  3. Amenities in the Neighborhood- Charleston neighborhoods are exceptionally large, so when starting your Charleston property company, you should look for homes where there are great amenities within walking distance such as parks, gas stations, grocery stores, entertainment and more if you are trying to attract families. Depending on your target demographics, the amenities might change, but these amenities will attract the right tenants.
  4. Average Rent- A Charleston property company will do a lot of market research into the average rental rates of a neighborhood to ensure they will make the best return on investment when comparing the monthly mortgage to the rent.

One trick to knowing if a neighborhood is worth investing in for rental property is to check out home many vacancies are currently in the area. Homes that sit empty for extended periods of time are indicators of an undesirable area.

If you’re ready to hand the reins of your Charleston property company to an experience property manager that can take your investment to the next level, call Scott Properties at 843-790-4929.

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Charleston Property Management | What Style House Should I Invest In?

Charleston Property Management

One of the best parts of Charleston property management is finding the perfect house to invest in. You might wonder what are the trendiest style of houses that people are looking to rent in Charleston? Some of the most popular styles of architecture found around Charleston include:

  • Georgian
  • Federal
  • Greek Revival
  • Italianate
  • Queen Anne
  • Charleston Single House
  • Art Deco

One thing all these houses have in common is they are multi-story homes. They also have lots of personality and charm. Newer homes built after the 1950’s, are commonly more modern with attached garages. There are also beautiful ranch houses around Charleston.

Features of A Desirable Rental Property

The style and architecture of a home are less important than the features that renters are most looking for from a Charleston property management company. Some of the requests renters most often have include:

  • Off street parking
  • Porches
  • Yards
  • Central air
  • 2+ bedrooms
  • 2+ bathrooms
  • Dining room
  • Kitchen with all appliances
  • Washer and dryer hookups or included
  • Large master bedroom
  • Walk in closets
  • Overhead lighting and ceiling fans

The more features you can include with your rental home, the more desirable the property will be. When you start adding in luxury amenities such as whirlpool bathtubs, hot tubs or swimming pools, beach access, and other such features, the rental rate can be higher than less desirable properties in the same area. You will have a competitive edge over the other Charleston property management companies and see your single-family homes always occupied.

Services Offered by The Best Charleston Property Managers

Not only do property features drive the rental value, so do the services you offer as a property manager from lawn and garden maintenance to online rental portals and request forms, the more you can offer your tenant from a customer service standpoint, the more likely they will be to renew their lease, not complain about rent increases, and stay satisfied.

If you are looking for a Charleston property management company that can do it all, call Scott Properties at 843-790-4929.

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Charleston Property Management | How Much Should You Charge for Rent

Charleston Property Management

One of the struggles of Charleston property management is determining how much a property owner should charge for rent on a single-family home. You don’t want to charge too much because it will be hard to rent out. On the other hand, charging too little means you’ll make fewer profits. Luckily, there are some standard ways that Charleston property management companies use to set rent on a single-family home.

  1. Home’s Value- The great thing about investing is that you can purchase a home for much less than it’s worth. Rent should be based on what your property is valued, not what you paid for it. Most property managers charge between .8% and 1.1% of what the home is appraised for. If the home value is $250, 000 you can charge anywhere from $2,000 per month to $2,750 per month. Rule of thumb is to charge less on the more expensive homes and closer to the one percent mark on the more inexpensive homes.
  2. Market Value- Charleston property management companies do research on what other comparable properties are renting for in the same neighborhood. You should keep your rent price within a few hundred dollars of the average.
  3. Mortgage- Though it may seem like a no brainer, Charleston property management companies must ensure that the rent will cover the costs of the mortgage, property insurance, property taxes, and costs of maintenance on the home.

An experienced Charleston property management team understands the market rent in the various neighborhoods around Charleston and can help you decide the best price point for your single-family rental home. Teaming up with a professional property manager takes a lot of the burden of research and evaluation off your shoulders and into the hands of someone that knows the market better than anyone.

If you’re ready to work with a qualified Charleston property management team, call Scott Properties at 843-790-4929.