Alice, I wanted to start a new thread to tell you how we market our apartments. Maybe you could have a family member or church member help you with this process.

Take lots of photos of your clean, ready to rent property. Watermark your photos by using Photoshop or even adding text with the software that came with your camera. Put your company's name and phone across the photo. This prevents your photos from getting stolen.

You should have an email account that you only use for your rental business. Set up a Zillow account. I know you had problems in the past with Zillow, but you should be able to open a second account. Pass word protect it. Do NOT give out your password to anyone, other than the trusted person who is helping you with your listing. Write your ad, making your property sound desirable. Set your rent based on internet research you have done so you know what a fair rent is for your property. Upload lots of watermarked photos that show your property.

You will get lots of "Is this property still available?" type emails. Send these people a SECOND, pre-written email with your rental qualifications. Be very blunt. Tell them how much income is needed, what the minimum credit score is, how long employed, etc. Let them know that you run a very thorough back ground check on applicants. Ask them to contact you AGAIN, if they believe that they qualify and want to see the property. Only 10% of the people who sent the "is this property still available?" email will send you a second email. That is OK; they have self-screened out.

For those that do respond, invite them to an open house showing. Have a friend with you to help and for security. Tell applicants to bring their app fee, government issued photo ID, and their latest paycheck stub to the Open House. Bring a small copier with you to the Open House. Bring apps, pens so people can apply at the Open House. Again, only a small number of those invited to the Open House will actually show up. That is OK because the ones that do will be motivated and most likely qualified. That the app fee and the app. Run your checks as you usually do. Do an in-home visit, if you want. Offer your property to the best qualified. (Since you did an open house, they all applied on the same day)

This is fast and easy. When I first post a property, I check emails 3 times a day and send out the pre-written email. I schedule the Open House about 4 days out. I have had great success with this method. We don't even use CL any more.

Thank you, RathdrumGal.

Thank you so much for writing up the process for me. Yes, I have done all those steps. But, I will redo the photos.

I join this forum merely want to learn how others doing.

Like I said before. I had an agent listed the property from Sept to May (the contract expired), she brought me two applications, one withdraw himself (because those kids all coach hopping.) the other his monthly debts is higher than his monthly income. (even he is making $10K a month, and has no savings.)

I am studying to pass the real estate exam on my own, so I can say I am licensed, I am using my own properties to see how the market works. Yes, I lose tons money, I live under the poverty level, but I am still alive.

Rathdrum gal,In my heart,I know you're right,but its hard,very hard.

Alicewonder of TX, The marketing of a unit by Rathdrumgal of ID is excellent!!!

HOWEVER...

Sep to May, 9 months listed by a PM and ONLY TWO prospective tenants. There is more to this than a concern about the PM.

The unit may be dated. Alice if you have pictures of the unit post them on this site for some good feedback on how you could improve the unit.

At the top of the page is a box POST YOUR PICTURES click on pictures and add kitchen, bath, living rm and front and back entry pics.

Then let the feed back happen...