Listing Rental -- keeping track of inquiries??

Question

This is the first Rental I have that I havent had much success posting online.. so I put some signs up on Saturday for a property I have outside of Nashville and got 41 calls that day alone. After about the 10th caller, I set up a google voice #, put on "do not disturb", and just made the voice message give info on the property -- instructing people to leave a VM or text if they would like to set up a showing.

So far its worked but keeping track of who wants to see it and when and everyones names etc. has been really challenging.

Never had to deal w/ the volume. I want to "automate" and "qualify" this as much as possible. But I also dont want to lose any potential tenants who dont listen to the vm and just hang up.. MOST people I speak with simply cant afford the rent..

Whats your method to the madness?

Carrie Carlton · Answer

I have most of my property in East Nashville. I put a sign in the yard once and had tons of volume but nobody qualified. I found it to be a lot of work with no pay off.

Bettina F. · Answer

Ask for an email address, and send a pre-written email with details about the house and your rental criteria -- include information on needed credit score, income requirements and total move-in money needed. Many of your prospects will not qualify, or not be interested after they get more information. That is OK. Get a helper and set up open house showings. Bring applications, collect app fees, and bring a copier to make copies of driver's licenses and pay stubs right at the showings.

You may be attracting a less internet savvy clientele with this marketing method.

Marie Tai · Answer

I think it's a pretty good idea that your Google phone account has all the information about your property and restrictions on it.  That probably does save you some time.  Maybe you can include a print out with information where you keep your rental sign up so that interested renters can read more about the restrictions and qualifications before calling you.

I like Bettina F.'s idea of a pre-written email reply.  I have these for my rental properties.

I post online using Craigslist which lets me leave my email anonymous.  My ad usually has the main selling points and basic restrictions (ex. non smoking) so that I get the max number of interested people contacting me (just helps me measure interest and pricing).  I then send a pre-written reply that gives more information including what qualifications are needed.  This email says that if they meet all the qualifications and are still interested, they can call my number to book a showing.  This usually narrows down the applicants to only a few.  I have a pre-made list of questions that I ask on the phone and this usually screens out a few more people.  The few that meet all the criteria are given a showing.  If they like the place, they get an application form.

Something to consider is that if you get a lot of interested replies way more than normal, maybe you are pricing too low?

Walt Dockery · Answer

I have done pretty much what you have - use a google voice account, let most of the calls go to voicemail, when I have some spare time return calls.  I would the then have a spreadsheet with a little information about each person, contact info, showing time, whether they took an application etc.  It was a bit tedious but works.

However in the figure I think I will do something more along the lines of this thread - https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/52/topics/476...

He outlines a system that I think could work great.

Keith Smith · Answer

@Sean Kelly Yeah, then I would probably do the same thing. I might just include one of those boxes with phamplets or fliers in them like you see attached to "For Sale" signs. That way I could hopefully stop some of the calls from people who don't qualify because they'd be able to see my minium criteria. Do you use Postlets.com? Could also use Turbotenant.com. They post to a bunch of different websites as well.

Keith Smith · Answer

@Sean Kelly I don't put signs up at my properties. I understand, especially a couple that are in desirable neighborhoods, I might miss out on people who just drive a neighborhood looking for signs, but I assume that's not a lot these days. If I put a sign out, I have to go through all the qualifications whereas my online post already has that info. Too much of a waste of time for people to not see my minimum criteria before they reach out.

Also, I think my neighbors appreciate me not putting For Rent signs out too. Actually, I know they do.

Listing Rental -- keeping track of inquiries??

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