You can sometimes get a house rented by only sticking in the ground a "for rent" sign but just as with selling a home its worth going the extra effort to expose your home to as many prospective tenants as possible.   Below are several things you can do to increase the possibility of renting a house, doing it sooner and possibly for more.  Here is a simple quick overview of what to consider when leasing your property.

1.  Start by having a clean and prepared property.

There is nothing worse to turn off good tenants then a property which is not clean and I mean really clean, clean enough that you would be happy living there.  Even if you are prepping a property its probably worth it to finish it and clean it up before you show it.  As imaginative as people are its just hard to imagine a dirty property clean.   Just spend the money and time, you’ll often get better tenants and better rents.  Plus it will be much easier to take photos for additional exposure.

2.  Have a "For Rent" sign. 

This is almost free advertising.  It exposes a property to people seeking rentals in a particular neighborhoods who may be driving around and to others in the area who may know someone who would like to rent there.  Take it a step further and have a dedicated property website.  You can get them for for a minimal cost online.  A good example may be www.1105Butler.com or www.MedlockPlaceCondos.com.  This was a bit more expensive but you can get a more scaled down version for much less.  Then have a rider made for about $30.00 which will hang on the sign.  The same site you created can be used for additional exposure online.

3. Expose online.

Not yourself but the property.  The dedicated website you created can be used as a catalyst for additional exposure.  Its an easy and quick way to have lot of photos, a floor plan, and full details.  The website address can be placed in places like Craigslist.com.  Photos rent properties.  The more the better.  I have up to 80 photos, but usually 10-20 is fine, as long as it shows the house well.  Remember that many of your prospective tenants may be out of state and they will be searching online before they come here. 

4. Consider paid placement and other types of advertising.

You can seek additional exposure though paid placement in some online rental sites, in the newspapers or local editions.  your return for such advertising will vary depending on the exposure and the property being rented.  It may or may not be worth it. 
Sometimes a church or other organizations and local businesses may be in need of rentals.  the more people know the better.

5. Consider placing your property for rent with an agent.

If you hire a Realtor to rent your property most of all those things will be done for you plus much more exposure then you may put together.  Plus many Realtors have economies of scale for advertising.  This means that they can expose your home in more paces for less money.  Also consider your time to arrange meeting and show properties.  This can be taken car of for you.  Just a with selling, pick an agent that is active and can show you what will be done.  There are fees involved but considering time and the hassle its usually worth if to hire an agent for leasing out a home or condo, but not an apartment.

6. Write an enticing ad.

Write carefully and be succinct.  Make it easy for prospective tenants to reach you and get they information they need.

Having a clean well prepared property and not skimping on advertising will help you rent it out quicker and for more.  Be open to negotiation.  It may be worth it to lease a property for a little less and have a better tenant and leased our sooner. 

original post: PMT