Not all landlords are built the same.
Most tenants don’t realize this. They assume that landlords will ‘take care’ of everything, and all people who own properties are good landlords who have the tenants best interests at heart.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
At Memphis Tenant Placement, we are very careful to work very selectively with landlords of the highest caliber. For the most part, we have lots of success. Happy tenants get approved for the homes they want, and move in. We never hear from them again – they pay their rent on time and live contentedly in their homes.
However, at times we get to see the more unprofessional side of land lording, working with people who really have no place being landlords. And, the more interesting key to this puzzle is when Memphis Tenant Placement, as consultants, have to be genuinely honest about why we cannot rent a particular home, which 95% of the time results in the landlords getting mad. Before I get into specific details, let me make a general disclaimer:
Memphis Tenant Placement can rent ANY house, as long as it is in excellent condition, clean, and the landlord is asking market appropriate rent. We generally can do this within 30 days, if given the proper notice to rent and the landlords place lockboxes on the door.
The problem we run into arises when landlords want to do things their own way.
Take for example, the recent landlord who asked us to rent their home in Berclair. A beautiful 3 bedroom, 1 bath bungalow that would have been incredible – if it hadn’t been torn down to the studs. And, the landlord was asking 35% over market rent for it because they ‘needed the money’.
Try getting prospective tenants to buy into that vision.
Or, take the landlord that gave us the keys to her home in Bartlett. At $995/month, the property would have been a great home for a family – except for the fact that the previous tenants had trashed the house, torn down the fixtures, and left trash everywhere throughout the house. And, the house was only a 2 bedroom. The owner, naturally, refused to do any repairs and wanted the tenants to take the property as is.
After two months, I told her that I wouldn’t be able to work with her any more.
You see, it becomes a significant burden of time for our placement specialists to be taking a high volume of calls on a vacant property, only to have to do multiple showings which will end with the tenant not being interested in the home. Memphis Tenant Placement is about renting homes quickly and successfully and making landlords and tenants have successful solutions to their housing situations.
Take for example, the owner who recently just pulled his key out of the key box to the home without telling us. My wife was unable to show the property o the tenants who wanted to rent it. We tried to call the landlord, but guess what? No return call.
You see, that is the problem when working with certain landlords. Most landlords are not actual real estate investors, they just happen to have some property from some time of life event. They don’t treat it like a business, and this unprofessional approach results in their homes being vacant, and essentially unrentable. The best part is when people look at us as if WE are the problem. So, with this being said, landlords, let me give you a few tips as to how you can stop asking yourself the question of ‘why won’t my house rent?” and stop blaming everyone else when the problem ay in fact rest in the mirror.
The following things generally will help your house to NEVER rent:
1) Disgusting carpet filled with odors and pet hair
2) Torn linoleum in kitchens and bathrooms
3) Scuffed walls, poor paint jobs, writing on walls
4) Exposed wires hanging from fixtures
5) Trash in home, garage, yard, etc.
6) No central heat or cooling
7) Rent way over market range
But don’t take my advice for it landlords – if you give yourself an honesty check you will see that these things are very common sense – oriented, and it takes common sense to be a real estate investor who is SUCCESSFUL. So, the next time you have a vacancy, and you actually WANT to get your home rented, ask yourself this question –
How quickly will my home rent?
