Find out how can you optimise your property ad to get the best results and find a great tenant.

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Advertising your property is essentially creating a funnel and a way to guide prospective tenants to your property. The goal is get exposure where people are searching, and then to generate interest. 

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We’ll use this article to make it as simple as possible!

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Maximise the size of the funnel

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The first step is to maximise exposure for your ad to increase visits, enquiries, then convert those to applicants and tenants. 

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There is a pretty simple answer for where to advertise to maximise exposure - on Realestate.com.au and Domain.com.au.

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Using these two sites is like ‘standing on the shoulders of giants’. They have done all the hard work of attracting prospective tenants to their sites so you can take advantage of the high volume of traffic. 

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There are of course other sites, and even some free ones, but our experience is that they offer a low quality of applicant and low volume of traffic, so it ends up being a waste of time rather than adding any value in this process.

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Does anyone read the detail?

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It may seem odd to start an article about writing an ad for your property with this statement but it is a sad truth in today’s world that unfortunately most people don’t read your ad. Typically users are searching for a particular location (usually by suburb and/or postcode), a specific number of bedrooms, and then the price.

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These three factors tend to help prospective tenants narrow in on a specific number of properties to investigate further. 

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Does this mean the ad copy and the photos are all irrelevant? 

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We are not suggesting they are irrelevant, but let’s face it, if you were deciding where to live with your family or a friend, would you choose the property with the better ad copy, or the one that largely met your location and price criteria?

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Price is key

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If we know price is one of the main driver’s of a prospective tenant’s decision making process, then it pays to get this right. Having dealt with thousands of property owners we know how hard it is to reset price expectations. 

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One thing we always recommend, is to do a search on realestate.com.au for properties with similar dimensions in your area, so you know your price is competitive.

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There is no point in asking for a price you think is fair when the person next door with a similar property is half the price.

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What to include in your ad:

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• Headline - A short catchy title for the property which highlights its best features e.g. “North bright facing balcony for entertaining”.
• Images - Because photos are front and centre of your ad, we have dedicated the next page to tips and hints.
• Price & Bond - The weekly rent and amount to be held as bond.
• Specifications - Property type, bedrooms, bathrooms, parking etc.
• Description - The main facts you want the prospective tenant to know about the property. It doesn’t need to be ‘war and peace’ and you don’t need to go over the top with details.
• Date Available - When is the property available to move in?
• Inspection Times - You can set specific times for people to view the Property, or leave this blank if you prefer people contact you.

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Picture Perfect

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Including photos in your property advertisement is all about giving prospective tenants a glimpse of the property, and putting your best foot forward in terms of showing what it has to offer. 

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You don’t need to be the next Annie Leibovitz or Anne Geddes to take great photos yourself, but you do need to have an idea of what you’re trying to capture. 

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Use the 7 tips below to get the best outcome. Remember first impressions count!

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1. Prepare the space

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Remove clutter, personal items and anything that may make the area look messy or unclean. Try to remove any unnecessary furniture, so there are just a few key pieces remaining in the room.

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2. Use natural light

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Turn off the flash on your camera, open the blinds and the windows and try to let in as much natural light as possible. Do not face the sun or the direction of the light when you take the photo, let the light enter the room from behind you.

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3. Follow the line

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Keep horizontal and vertical lines in the photo as straight as possible. For example, ensure the floor or bench tops are horizontal across the image, rather than at an angle.

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If there are walls, cupboards or room separators, try to ensure they line up vertically with the photo and there are no diagonals. Removing distractions and interference for the viewer is worthwhile.

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4. Aim low

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Photos taken from a lower level often create straighter lines and suggest larger spaces. Try crouching down to get the best interior shots.

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5. Cast wide

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Start in the corner of the room, or even in a door way so you can show the full width and capture the entire space available.

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6. Release your inner stylist

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There is no need to go overboard trying to find the latest styles and accessories for your room, but if there is an opportunity to fill a vase with flowers, or show off your best pillows and decorations, then this is it!

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7. Be selective

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Take about 10-15 photos, and select the best photo as your ‘hero’ and lead exhibit for your ad. Remember, you do not need to show every photo, select carefully.

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I drafted my ad, I am price competitive, I have great photos - Now what?

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The next step is actually the easiest part of the process. You now need to publish your ads on Realestate.com.au, Domain.com.au and Rent.com.au

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You may find it quite expensive or that you are unable to publish directly onto those sites, and that is where RentBetter can help! We offer a one-off upfront fee for you to list your property ad on these sites until you have found a tenant.

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Head here to Get Started and then click on the 'Create Ad' button to start your property ad. You can upload your details and get you ad live in a very short amount of time.

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Key Takeaways

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Think of your ad as a funnel, start with maximum exposure for your ad. Consider your price and how competitive you are in the market and then draft a simple ad and attach photos.

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Use RentBetter to advertise on RealEstate.com.au, Domain.com.au and Rent.com.au to increase audience.

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Head to RentBetter.com.au to get started.

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Download the Self-Management eBook.

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Want to understand how to rent out and self-manage your property? Start here - Your step-by-step guide to renting out your own property will include:

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• How to rent out your property - Six simple steps from advertising your property through to signing a lease and managing rental payments.

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• How to start your lease - State-by-state guide for setting up you lease, collecting bond, conducting a condition report & more.

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• Inspection checklist - Everything you need to do to organise and manage inspections.

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• What to do if a tenant doesn’t pay? - What to do next and which state-based laws apply.

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• How to advertise your property - What to include in your property ad to make it stand out.

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• How to select a tenant - What questions to ask and background checks to make.

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• How to collect rent - Payment schedules, rental ledgers, receipts & more.

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