Open House for a rental and other Tenant-Attracting Strategies

[Ashley Wolfe]

Hey folks,

I have been re-reading The Essential Guide for Landlords by Karen Rittenhouse. She suggests holding open houses for rentals as well as a bunch of other free things (Craigslist, etc.) to attract applicants. With all this work in a healthy renting market (DFW Metroplex), would you suggest to put the property on the MLS? Would we still owe a real estate agent a finders fee if the house is not on the MLS?

What do you suggest we do as new landlords to get our house rented quickly with a good tenant?

I'm nervous about our first rental investment and am having pre-closing buyers remorse.  Is real estate truly worth the stress and initial investment (down payment, closing costs, repairs/updating)?  This deal isn't a grand slam, we're just getting on base.  But uncertainty is creeping in with each day that passes and we get closer to closing.