Tips for Writing an Online "For Rent" Classified Ad

In today’s current economic situation, many homeowners are turning to renting out a spare room to help bring in some extra cash.  In addition, many empty homes are replacing the “For Sale” sign in the front yard with “For Rent” until home prices recover.  Either way, now is a great time to be offering a room or home for rent as more people are renting because they are unable to afford the large down payment banks require for a loan.  Whether you are empty nesters renting out your child’s room, or a property manager trying to fill vacancies, placing a well written “For Rent” ad will help you beat out the competition and get your room or property filled first.  Here are some tips on how to best attract a potential renter using an online ad.

There are many sites to choose from including Craigslist, Roommates.com, and WhatsTheRent.com, but all require a well-written ad in order to attract more hits.  The first thing you should think about is your headline, which will most likely be the first thing a potential renter will read.  Think about what the number one selling point of your rental is, and use that in the headline.  Perhaps you just installed new carpet or appliances, or maybe you are next to the mall, or next to a subway or bus station, or within walking distance of a college.  If you are looking for someone to share your unit with you, perhaps you want to express your type of personality.  Maybe “Quiet easy going 25 year old renting out a room in my new condo - $400/mo, all utilities included.”  Another good way to go is with something funny or unusual to make you stand out from the other listings.  Perhaps something like “Free toilet paper!!!”  Remember, there are often hundreds of listings put up each day in any given city, so you need to stand out to give people a reason to click on your ad.

Next, you need to make sure that you have valuable information in your description to keep their attention.  “For more info call…” will not cut it!  Photos are a must.  Choosing a place to live is a very important life-altering decision for anyone, and seeing a picture of the room is worth a thousand words.  Spend a few moments taking photos of the inside and outside of the property.  You might also want to think about cleaning up a bit for the photos, unless of course you are ok with your renter treating your property the same way!

Next comes the written description of the rental itself.  You want to be sure to include lots of valuable information, yet at the same time keep it brief and to the point.  Avoid personal information such as “I just got divorced and need to rent out my extra room.”  Put yourselves in the shoes of a renter.  Why would you be moving to that neighborhood?  What kind of information would you want to know?  Look at some other ads placed in your area and see what your competition is saying.  Consider adding information about the size of the room, bathroom, and closet.  Are you near public transport?  Is there parking?  Are utilities included?  If not, what is the average cost the renter can expect?  How far away is the college or the downtown area?  What’s your pet and smoking policy?  Is there a washer & dryer installed?  If not, how far is the nearest laundry?  What are your lease terms?  Also, be sure to include anything that makes your property different from the other options out there.  Perhaps you are offering a furnished room, or have a home theater or gym, or maybe there is a grocery store or coffee shop across the street, or maybe your unit has a large basement that allows for lots of storage.

If you are going to be sharing your unit with your renter, it’s a good idea to tell the readers of your ad a little bit about yourself and what kind of roommate you are looking for.  However, you must remember to abide by the Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to place a discriminatory ad stating a preference for things including, but not limited to, race, nation of origin, religion, and handicap.  It is, however, perfectly acceptable to say that you’re looking for a person who will keep your place clean, does not smoke or use drugs, or does not throw wild parties every night.  Unless of course that is what you are looking for in a potential roommate!  Most online rental websites have an info page on the Fair Housing Act, so refer to that if you have any questions.

An important thing to remember is that you are in competition with your neighbors, and you have to write an ad that makes your room or unit stand out from the rest.  You need to grab the person’s attention and also answer all their potential questions. If you follow these simple tips, hopefully a good quality renter will be sending you an email instead of your neighbor.  The sooner that happens, the sooner you can start generating rental income!