Unless a major employer left your area, your rent is over market price, or your property has significant defects, I would not lower rents. If a $25 reduction makes the difference if someone applies or doesn't apply chances are I wouldn't want them as a tenant.

Just make sure your property is in great shape and keep advertising, advertising and advertising.

I can't tell you how many times I was slow to rent a property and then once it was rented the phone went off the hook!

Who is your market? Has that changed recently?

We had older tenants for a time and advertised in newspaper/signs. Now mostly the millennials are moving in and they prefer internet ads.

Small updates work wonders. Maybe stalk other ads to see what your competition offers and their prices.

Someone on this forum recommended Rentometer, and its good to see what rents are in your area.

How's the curb appeal? Do you have trashy, loud neighbors?

Change $1000 to $999 or $998.

Change $600 to $599

I expect 2 GOOD calls per day. If I don't get them steadily, I drop the asking rent.

Single family homes have taken me longer to rent in general in my area because we don't allow pets. We price our homes a little under what Zillow and the competition in our neighborhood charges. That way, people think it's a bargain. Therefore, if you are 'market price,' take another look at your price and see if you have some wiggle room to drop the price.

Here are some other ideas. If you allow pets, you might put that in your headline somewhere, "Pet Friendly." Another suggestion, if you usually have them mow the lawn, you can advertise "Maintenance Free this Summer" and pay for the lawn mowing this summer or for the first 60 days of their contract. Periodically 'renew' your on-line ad if you are able to reach the top of the ads again through this process.

I've noticed in my area that there are a few days each month when I get contacts from my on-line ads and many other days when I get no leads. Therefore, I always respond within a short time to an inquiry by phone or email depending upon the time of day/night. Renters are impressed with quick follow-up.

When the shoppers do eventually come in, remember they are fickle. They 'love' your property now and might 'love' another one two hours later. Don't take rejection personally. Use this experience to get feedback about your pricing. "I understand you are going to pass on this property. Did it provide the value you expected?" Listen to their response. They may or may not be candid--if they are, it may be valuable information that gives you food for thought how to improve your value.

Raise the rent cost 300 and this is a -no pet cost-, single occupancy.

I have done all of the above....adv at zillow, turlia, even on the local real estate website, craigslist. have calls going to a GV with the same info repeated; have detail pics of room....

here is the description on CL:

1760 sq ft home, 3 bedroom 2 bathroom house, ready to move in Jun 1. 2 story with 3 bedrooms and 2 full bath. All bedrooms have ceiling fans. House comes with Fridge, stove, dishwasher and microwave. It has a large game room on the 2nd floor as well.

The house is located on xyz dr. (I dont have the specific address just what street its located on)

Serious inquiries only! bad credit ok if you have stable income! 1st months rent and equivalent deposit required on move in! I require a $39 non refundable application fee and a pre- application. I will run a background and a credit check. No Evictions and felonies. No smoking. Pets are on a case by case basis.

Agents Welcome! Agents commission paid!

I have done all of the above....adv at zillow, turlia, even on the local real estate website, craigslist. have calls going to a GV with the same info repeated; have detail pics of room....

here is the description on CL:

1760 sq ft home, 3 bedroom 2 bathroom house, ready to move in Jun 1. 2 story with 3 bedrooms and 2 full bath. All bedrooms have ceiling fans. House comes with Fridge, stove, dishwasher and microwave. It has a large game room on the 2nd floor as well.

The house is located on xyz dr. (I dont have the specific address just what street its located on)

Serious inquiries only! bad credit ok if you have stable income! 1st months rent and equivalent deposit required on move in! I require a $39 non refundable application fee and a pre- application. I will run a background and a credit check. No Evictions and felonies. No smoking. Pets are on a case by case basis.

Agents Welcome! Agents commission paid!

I have done all of the above....adv at zillow, turlia, even on the local real estate website, craigslist. have calls going to a GV with the same info repeated; have detail pics of room....

here is the description on CL:

1760 sq ft home, 3 bedroom 2 bathroom house, ready to move in Jun 1. 2 story with 3 bedrooms and 2 full bath. All bedrooms have ceiling fans. House comes with Fridge, stove, dishwasher and microwave. It has a large game room on the 2nd floor as well.

The house is located on xyz dr. (I dont have the specific address just what street its located on)

Serious inquiries only! bad credit ok if you have stable income! 1st months rent and equivalent deposit required on move in! I require a $39 non refundable application fee and a pre- application. I will run a background and a credit check. No Evictions and felonies. No smoking. Pets are on a case by case basis.

Agents Welcome! Agents commission paid!

I would add something to the property to attract a larger crowd. For example:

New Appliances

Free Basic Cable, 2 rooms

Hot Tub

Free internet

Furniture

Central Air/Heat

Electric garage door

Secure mailbox

Hardwood flooring

water purifier

Garden

Fruit trees

you get my drift..

Rani, Advertise to the people you WANT as tenants. For my 2-story 'yuppie house' 3/2.5/2, with cathedral ceiling, I advertised to clinic/hospital personnel depts, university faculty, and the officer's wives clubs at the mil bases.

For my mid-level 3/2/1 ranches I advertised to public school faculty and city employees.

For my low-level 'C' properties I sent colored flyers to the personnel offices of the local factories, and put some flyers up on the bulletin boards of gas station Tiger-marts and coin-op laundries.

The trick is to advertise locations your client demographic work or go to during their daily life. I will admit that I add class or dumb down the flyers depending on the rental involved.

Don't need to see the home-- everything i need to know is IN THE AD.

CITY (area)- RANCH style (or 2 sty)3BD/2BA 2 car gar CH&A nice yard (fenced or not)Available now. Low deposit/ possible rent discount program. Phone number xxx xxx xxxx

Raini, double check the quality of your pictures. Good pictures make good ads.

List the attributes as Robert has shown you.

Eliminate the paragraph that starts with serious applicants only.

Am a small 'LL w a w2. I wouldn't have band with to stage it.

are you getting calls or not. that's different that showings but no application.

if they are looking and declining it's the decor or location or the rate or possibly a combo of them

no calls? crummy ad or over priced

here is my rewrite on your ad. be sure you move the map marker on a craigslist ad so it is nearby but not exact. also get GOOD pics. and as many as you can post. include a local park or something like that. you can lay the whammy on app fees later and remember that you're going on two months empty. that $39 is scaring folks that are applying more than once

try this ad...

ROOMY 1760 sf home, 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths house, CLEAN and ready to go now. 2 story with 3 bedrooms and 2 full bath. All bedrooms have ceiling fans. House comes with Fridge, stove, dishwasher and microwave. It has a large game room on the 2nd floor as well.

damaged credit ok...let's talk. No smoking please. well behaved pets are welcome.

Agents Welcome! Agents commission paid!

If you are interested email me today with your name, phone number and an email address. I'll call you back ASAP. be sure you include a PHONE number...sometimes craigslist emails get lost

thanks

here is my rewrite on your ad. be sure you move the map marker on a craigslist ad so it is nearby but not exact. also get GOOD pics. and as many as you can post. include a local park or something like that. you can lay the whammy on app fees later and remember that you're going on two months empty. that $39 is scaring folks that are applying more than once

try this ad...

ROOMY 1760 sf home, 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths house, CLEAN and ready to go now. 2 story with 3 bedrooms and 2 full bath. All bedrooms have ceiling fans. House comes with Fridge, stove, dishwasher and microwave. It has a large game room on the 2nd floor as well.

damaged credit ok...let's talk. No smoking please. well behaved pets are welcome.

Agents Welcome! Agents commission paid!

If you are interested email me today with your name, phone number and an email address. I'll call you back ASAP. be sure you include a PHONE number...sometimes craigslist emails get lost

thanks