Tenant trying to coach me on how to advertise
Member since 2020 · 87 posts · 22 votes
Tenant trying to coach me on how to advertise
Most Popular Reply
Honolulu, HI · Member since 2008 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
3yQuote from @Carlos Lez:
Your rant is baseless and does not answer the question which is about a tenant that wants to break is lease and is now trying to coach me on what type of an ad I should post. After 15 years of property management I don't need to learn what type of pictures to take or what details to include in the ad.
Your response was baseless and full of assumptions. How did you come to this conclusion, "If the property is really that bad looking that you don't want to put up pics, maybe you need to update or sell."
My response was based on the fact that your first paragraph states "he is criticizing my method of advertising"; and, you devoted a full (and the longest) paragraph to what was said by your tenant about your online pictures, including the statement that "all there is is a picture of the back of the house..." Seems to me the focus of your original post was about pictures.
Someone breaking a lease, with your 15 years experience, should not be that much of an issue. The easiest way is to advise the tenant to advertise and show it on their own, (thereby getting someone to take over sooner and relieving them of the responsibility) and have them refer interested prospects to your email/phone so they can be processed and approved. If they don't want to do that, their options are limited...either let you show it on some agreed to schedule or prior notice, or you do nothing until it is vacant and ready to show as usual. Both of these options will take longer and result in current tenant owing more money.
15 Replies
- Honolulu, HI · Member since 2008 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes3yAloha,
It is so simple to take and upload decent pics, I fail to understand why so many postings do not include adequate views. They say a picture is worth a thousand words...so why not post numerous, good quality, useful pics? Why waste your time showing a unit when the prospect walks in and immediately makes a negative comment about something that could have been obvious in pics and a useful, honest, description? Proper marketing is your first tool to attract the best prospects that are serious about a move. It is also your first chance to make a good impression. It will determine in large part whether you get a bunch of tire-kickers and unqualified prospects, or seriously interested, top 10% of the potential tenant pool for the type and price range of the unit.
I have found it always better to show and tell about the negatives as well as the positives for any property. Be honest. There are few issues worse than having someone move in with high expectations, only to find there was a lot of puff in the ad, and the photos were 10 years old. They can quickly deteriorate into the type of tenant that constantly calls and complains/threatens, and will continue doing so for every minor issue, AKA "the tenant from hell".
If the property is really that bad looking that you don't want to put up pics, maybe you need to update or sell. - Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes3y
Quote from @Carlos Lez:
I wouldn't take offense to this. He is correct that the Landlord is required to make a "good faith effort" to find a replacement tenant and mitigate damages to the departing tenant. If he wants to help, let him help.
In the future, consider adding some language into your lease to compensate you for the time spent dealing with an early termination. You can charge a termination fee that enables them to leave early with a good Landlord reference and it usually puts more money in your pocket. You can add a mandatory "break lease" fee of a smaller amount that compensates you for your time spent marketing, screening, and signing a lease with a new tenant (maybe $100 - $300). The lease break is at the Tenant's convenience and results in extra effort on your behalf. You should be compensated for that.
The DIY Landlord Book4.7247 Reviews - Investor · Austin, TX · Member since 2021 · 9k+ posts · 5k+ votes3y
Ignore these texts and charge him the remainder of the lease upon move out
- 3yBruce WoodruffPro MemberContractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
This is a tenant, right, not a 'prospective' tenant? So that means he got to tour and see the house before signing the lease? So what is his beef with pictures?
Am I missing something here?
- Member since 2020 · 87 posts · 22 votes3y
Quote from @Richard F.:
Aloha,
It is so simple to take and upload decent pics, I fail to understand why so many postings do not include adequate views. They say a picture is worth a thousand words...so why not post numerous, good quality, useful pics? Why waste your time showing a unit when the prospect walks in and immediately makes a negative comment about something that could have been obvious in pics and a useful, honest, description? Proper marketing is your first tool to attract the best prospects that are serious about a move. It is also your first chance to make a good impression. It will determine in large part whether you get a bunch of tire-kickers and unqualified prospects, or seriously interested, top 10% of the potential tenant pool for the type and price range of the unit.
I have found it always better to show and tell about the negatives as well as the positives for any property. Be honest. There are few issues worse than having someone move in with high expectations, only to find there was a lot of puff in the ad, and the photos were 10 years old. They can quickly deteriorate into the type of tenant that constantly calls and complains/threatens, and will continue doing so for every minor issue, AKA "the tenant from hell".
If the property is really that bad looking that you don't want to put up pics, maybe you need to update or sell.Your rant is baseless and does not answer the question which is about a tenant that wants to break is lease and is now trying to coach me on what type of an ad I should post. After 15 years of property management I don't need to learn what type of pictures to take or what details to include in the ad.
Your response was baseless and full of assumptions. How did you come to this conclusion, "If the property is really that bad looking that you don't want to put up pics, maybe you need to update or sell."
- Member since 2020 · 87 posts · 22 votes3y
Quote from @Bruce Woodruff:
This is a tenant, right, not a 'prospective' tenant? So that means he got to tour and see the house before signing the lease? So what is his beef with pictures?
Am I missing something here?
It is the current tenant who is breaking the lease. He wanted to see a link to my ad that I have posted to which he commented about pictures.
You are right that a prospective tenant will walk through the property before signing a lease.
What came across as of was the tenant telling me to post the ad a certain way. He is obligated to mitigate the damages and he should post his own ads.
- Member since 2020 · 87 posts · 22 votes3y
Quote from @Eliott Elias:
Ignore these texts and charge him the remainder of the lease upon move out
I totally agree with you. It is literally not worth engaging with these people. The more transparent you are the more they get after you. He is breaking the lease because he had some dress of doing a startup that has now gone bust and he is moving back to school.
- Rental Property Investor · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 5k+ votes3y
Quote from @Carlos Lez:
From your harsh responses, I think that you're just looking for other people to tell you that you're right and the tenant is wrong.
In 99.9% of places, YOU are obligated to mitigate the tenant's damages, not the other way around. What the tenant is requesting if completely reasonable. Pictures are such a ubiquitous feature of rental advertisements, I can easily see a judge saying you failed to take proper action to mitigate the tenant's damages.
- Honolulu, HI · Member since 2008 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes3y
Quote from @Carlos Lez:
Your rant is baseless and does not answer the question which is about a tenant that wants to break is lease and is now trying to coach me on what type of an ad I should post. After 15 years of property management I don't need to learn what type of pictures to take or what details to include in the ad.
Your response was baseless and full of assumptions. How did you come to this conclusion, "If the property is really that bad looking that you don't want to put up pics, maybe you need to update or sell."
My response was based on the fact that your first paragraph states "he is criticizing my method of advertising"; and, you devoted a full (and the longest) paragraph to what was said by your tenant about your online pictures, including the statement that "all there is is a picture of the back of the house..." Seems to me the focus of your original post was about pictures.
Someone breaking a lease, with your 15 years experience, should not be that much of an issue. The easiest way is to advise the tenant to advertise and show it on their own, (thereby getting someone to take over sooner and relieving them of the responsibility) and have them refer interested prospects to your email/phone so they can be processed and approved. If they don't want to do that, their options are limited...either let you show it on some agreed to schedule or prior notice, or you do nothing until it is vacant and ready to show as usual. Both of these options will take longer and result in current tenant owing more money.
- Member since 2022 · 15 posts · 5 votes3y
@Carlos Lez
If you really are looking for our honest opinions, I think the tenant’s request is perfectly reasonable. And I mean, they are right. When I am looking for a place and it only has exterior pictures, I move on. Plus, the tenant offered to send you unit pictures to use. I think they are being quite helpful here.
You could ignore them, but at least take from this a lesson: to upload more pictures. This really is important.
- 3yTheresa HarrisPro MemberMember since 2019 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
I'd either ignore it or tell him that this is one of several ads and these are the same ones you have always used to rent the place.
- Rock Star Extraordinaire · Northeast, TN · Member since 2015 · 10k+ posts · 16k+ votes3y
I would ignore him altogether. You have a responsibility to try to mitigate damages but not to collaborate with your soon-to-be ex-tenant on marketing strategies. If you want to reply, a simple "We will do our best to mitigate our damages but you are responsible for rent and utilities until the unit is rented".
On a side note, we have an early termination form and setup that avoids all of this. I would encourage you to look into doing the same.
Skyline Properties - 3yDrew SygitBusiness MemberProperty Manager · Royal Oak, MI · Member since 2012 · 12k+ posts · 9k+ votes
@Carlos Lez appears your tenant knows more about marketing rentals than you do.
Not only do we have a professional photographer take our pics, we also offer our owner clients 3-D Tour and floorplan options.
Logical Property Management4.9459 Reviews - Rental Property Investor · Member since 2020 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes3y
Tenants decide pretty quickly if they are interested in a rental online first sorting by location/price and then do the pictures appeal to them. Ignoring the fact that this advice came from a tenant who didn't honor their contract which is annoying this is still solid advice that may save you time and effort. I post as many pictures as I can as well as Zillow lets you make a 3d home for free on their app. My lease used to state that tenants were responsible for rent until the house was re-rented but then I realized that this does not compensate me for my time. My friend gave me her lease from a major management company she was renting from and they charged 2 months rent and loss of deposit as a penalty on top of the 60 day notice requirement. Tenants know this is the cost up front and if they choose to break the lease they are also choosing to pay me and I should walk away ahead.
The absolute last thing I would do is let the tenant handle finding a new tenant. My biggest concern is finding the right tenant who qualifies and meets my standards, theirs is getting a body in the door so that they are no longer responsible for rent.
- Real Estate Agent · San Antonio, TX · Member since 2017 · 814 posts · 466 votes3y
Sounds like they want to help you out. Sublet in the contract? I'll take every single effort for tenants to find me another one if they want to break the lease/contract, obviously enforcing the contract on them and for the new tenants to meet the minimum threshold/requirements.
Their opinion, you do what is best for your business, I always approach it with an open mind.
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