When to use Agent to Rent Apartment?

[Christopher Reynolds]

Hey everyone. We are planning to rent out one of the apartments in our triplex. We have made substantial improvements to this unit since purchasing the property, including a completely renovated kitchen and bathroom, as well as refinishing the original hardwood floors. We think this is a very nice apartment.

Another unit in the triplex is a very nice unit, and is already renting for more than almost anything in this area. Our concern is that even though the unit up for rent is nicer than the one already rented, we might be limited by the area itself and not by the unit.

We are entertaining the idea of renting the unit fully furnished. There are a fair amount of technology companies within driving distance of our area, and we think we might have some success in renting a fully furnished apartment to someone working at one of those companies.

My real question is: When to use an agent to place a tenant? We will be managing the unit. We have always found good tenants from Craigslist, and we created a Postlet for the unit and posted it to several sites already. I work with a lady who has a duplex and she had an agency place a tenant for her in a unit she was renting. She said the agency suggested they price the unit at several hundred dollars above what she was thinking of asking, and the agency successfully placed tenants for her.

Does anyone use an agent for a property that might be considered higher-end for a particular area? Thanks for any help!