Where to List Your Rental Property to Find Quality Tenants in the East Bay

by | May 23, 2012 | Landlord Blog, Owner Education | 1 comment


Every rental property owner understands that a reliable tenant is critical to the success of their investment. What most owners don’t realize, however, is how effective advertising is in attracting those qualified tenants. The key though is knowing where to advertise.

Luckily, advertising your rental property can be quite easy.

Here are four simple ways East Bay property owners can advertise their rental property and find quality tenants in the process:

  1. Online Advertising

Advertising property online has many advantages and allows owners to attract prospective tenants, both locally and nationally. Fortunately, the Internet offers a myriad of different websites that allow owners to advertise their property for either free or at a low cost. For example, Craigslist has become a popular and immediate way to reach a broad audience at no cost to the owner. It’s today’s classified section. Other websites owners can use include Rent.com, MyNewPlace.com, Rentals.com.

  1. Print Advertising

Newspaper ads can be more expensive, but don’t discount this form of advertising. Ads in the newspaper may be a traditional approach, but it’s still an effective one. Also, make sure you place the ad in a paper with many residential listings. Try to target the type of tenants you want, as well, by placing ads in specific publications such as college newspapers, local newspapers, regional newspapers, or apartment finders.

  1. “For Rent” Signs

Although this may surprise you, signage is still very much alive and well. Just be sure to place your “For Rent” sign in noticeable areas like the front yard, so people driving by can easily see it. Use signs of premium quality, construction, and size, so that you give off a more professional attitude and attract reliable tenants. Additionally, be sure the sign includes information on how to best reach you, such as phone numbers and an email address.

  1. Real Estate Offices

Above all, one of the main ways to really attract great people is through the use of the real estate network. Try contacting realtors who know the area well and have a large database of clients and/or contacts. This way when a client comes to them asking about any new rentals, yours will be on their radar. Relators, however, generally charge a small finder’s fee, but in the long run a small cost for quality tenants isn’t so bad.

It’s really important when you advertise your property you attract the best people possible. Therefore, your property has to be in tip top shape. So, when you advertise your rental, be sure you’re offering a good property so as to attract good people. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Joe, with Stokley Properties in Walnut Creek, CA