Low Interest in Rental Property

[Bobby Vernazza]

Hey Everyone, I have been working on rehabbing a duplex for the past few months.  I have finally got it all done and cleaned up.  One side is a 2/1 and the other is a 3/1.  I put both sides up on craigslist and got a ton of hits on the 2 bed but not much on the 3 bed.  This is my first time renting so I am learning as I go.  The 2 bed rented out pretty quick however, I still have the 3 bed up on craigslist with barely any hits.  I have been using Smart Move for my credit/background checks and it seems that many of the applicants do not accept my invitation.  Is this normal?  In addition, I have the 3 bed listed at 1300 in Corvallis, OR which I thought was a very reasonable price for this location in town.  I am a little hesitant to put a "For Rent" sign out front because I am then advertising that the place is vacant and don't want any trouble.  Are there any other websites or places that people advertise their property?  Do you think that I should lower the price $100 or so?  I know that if I wait another month or so, more students will be looking for housing, but that would mean more money out the window for me.  In addition if a student was interested but couldn't start the lease until July 1st, would it be a good idea to secure them and have them pay 50% of the total rent until July 1st?  That way they have a place secured and I will have at least a little cash flow going into my pocket.  Any insight on renting a property would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you.

[Nathan Gesner]

It's not unusual for someone to express interest but then disappear when they learn you're going to screen them. That's Step #1 in your screening process. When I started screening tenants seven years ago, the number of applications literally dropped in half and I couldn't have been happier!

You can advertise your rental on Zillow. Also look for local facebook groups that deal with rentals. Those are getting as much traffic as Craigslist without all the scams.