We are celebrating!! House 2 Rent has been in business for 2 years and is starting to change the way property is managed in our area.
I started House 2 Rent because I did not feel comfortable turning over my rentals to managers that didn’t have any experience owning their own properties. I also saw how good tenants struggled to find nice rentals. You may not have rented in many years so here’s the experience you might have in southern IL while searching for a rental:
You might drive around town scouting for signs or pick up the paper. You probably contact a local real estate company where renters, for the most part, don’t get the same treatment as buyers. For starters, if you want to see what is available for rent, there is a list of properties updated weekly that tenants can run by and pick up at the office, no online listings available. They say they are “too busy” to advertise. They might hand you a key to a vacant property for you to go show yourself the rental. Then when it comes time to pay the rent, most don’t give tenants convenient ways to pay, it is either check or cash. This usually leads to a flood of tenants in the office the first of the month with handfuls of cash. Let’s hope it gets applied to the right account.
Ok, so the tenant experience may not matter to you, but the one thing that hurts owners the most..
When repairs are needed, in-house workers are called to do repairs and maintenance but the owner is charged “professional” prices.
I just couldn’t do it. I want control of my property and I don’t want to loose money. I want my property rented fast and to tenants that are going to care for the property and pay on time.
House 2 Rent does things differently..
Marketing is important to me. I believe in the power of social media and my website is updated regularly with photos and info. I also syndicate my listings on Zillow, Trulia and several other sites where renters are looking. We want to make finding a rental easy. Keep an eye out for our new website coming out end of January at www.H2Rrentals.com.
Doesn't it look professional?
Here's another thing I do differently..I meet with renters and show them the property. This way I get a good idea of who they are and try to get all the info I can about them. They usually tell me what I need to know to make a decision. But I don’t go off of a “gut feeling”. I use the latest software to run a credit report, background check, eviction check and verify the applicant’s identity. There are so many scammers out there, you can’t be too careful! I will ask for additional documentation for employment and call references, search online and verify information given.
If accepted, I encourage tenants to pay online through a web portal where they can check balances, request repairs and set up automatic withdrawal from their checking account free of charge. They can also pay by credit card for a small fee.
It’s a different experience that hasn't existed before in our area for both owners and tenants.
I’ve had experience managing my own properties for years and I know what owners expect if they are going to let someone manage the rentals that will replace or supplement their income.
In August 2016, I brought on my assistant Joy Mewes who immediately jumped on board with my strict selection process and all my marketing ideas. I was so proud when she got her leasing license in 2017. She has come so far and is now working towards her real estate license! She's going to kill me for using this photo but this is her personality to a tea. She always puts a smile on our faces and is a "joy" to have around. (She will hate that, too. Ha ha!)
If you are wondering if you can afford professional management I would say, you can't afford not to. But I do understand budgets so the cost is just 10% of the monthly rent for professional management. For an average rental in our area that is under $100 a month. If you just want me to find you a great renter, I can do that for 1/2 of the first months rent and you manage and collect the rent if you don’t mind running to the bank and answering calls for repairs.
It's been a fast two years for sure so here's to many more years in the rental business!!