To Read our "Getting Ready To Rent Guide":
So now your home is ready to rent and you are ready to list your home in the MLS with our flat rate MLS rental listing company. Now what happens?
The Listing Process:
Once we receive your listing web submission
through our web site we will place your home for rent
in in the MLS usually the same business day!
Realtors® may begin to call you the very same day
your home is listed in the MLS.This is because the
MLS system is instantaneous and since Realtors® have
the ability to store the renters criteria in the
MLS, they can start calling immediately.
You may set up appointments to view your home directly
with Realtors®. There is no need to call us when
setting up appointment times.
There are a few things that you should keep in mind
when dealing directly with real estate agents showing
your house.
In general, the less you say, the better.
It is sometimes difficult, if not impossible, to keep
from offering opinions or information that you think
makes the house more appealing. However, it is usually
hard to guess the factors that are important to each
potential tenant. Here are some examples of everyday
subjects we recommend staying away from and why.
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How many children there are in the neighborhood. Even if the tenant has children, you have no way of knowing whether they would like a lot of children or none at all in the area.
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How great your neighborhood church/synagogue is. Religion can be a touchy subject no matter who you are speaking to!
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How quiet the neighborhood is. They may want a more social atmosphere.
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The 'newness' of particular items in the home. The term "New" is a relative term. What you consider new, may be old to others. For example, an item that is 2 years old may be new to someone who has lived in the house for 15 years, but it may be old to a tenant who thinks of new as anything less than 6 months old.
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How many showings you have had. If you have had a lot of showings or no showings at all, renters may wonder why no one else is "jumping" at the home.
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You may even want to avoid talking about little things such as the beautiful birdbath in the backyard or the flowers that bloom every month. These things could be misinterpreted. The renter may not want bird "messes" or may be allergic to flowers.
Regarding leases, if the renter is working
with a real estate agent, the agent will write up the
lease offer and deliver it directly to you. Keep in
mind that any lease form can be used whether prepared
by the owner or agent, however the client of the agent
may feel more comfortable using a lease form drawn
up by his/her agent. In such an instance, however,
the owner can certainly accept, reject, or modify any
conditions or terms in the lease form presented. If
the renter is not working with an agent, either you
or the renter may write the lease. Once listed with
us, you will have complete access to lease contracts
and forms in our forms library.
Generally a renter who is working with an agent will
already have had a credit check performed. You may
ask the agent to view this report or you may elect
to run your own.
Once you have accepted a lease contract, signed
by all parties, you will need to notify us within 48
hours by sending us a copy of the lease and a completed
Under Lease form (provided to you once listed). The
Under Lease form gives us vital information we need
in order to update the status of your listing in the
MLS. Your home will remain active in the MLS until
the form and your lease are received, so time is of
the essence. By law, as your listing agency, we are
required to maintain all documents related to the renting
of your home for 3 years after the lease is signed.
This law applies regardless of who rents the house,
you or an agent.
Handling of money: typically, the agent collects from
the tenant a security deposit check made out to the
owner in an amount equal to one month's rent. The check
is handed over to the owner after lease signing. The
agent simultaneously collects from the tenant a second
check, this one for the first month's rent, made out
to the renting agency which is promptly placed into
the agency's escrow account. Sometime before possession
by the tenant, the agency writes a check to the owner
for 75% of the deposited amount deducting the 25% (or
whatever amount you chose) they are entitled to as
compensation for producing the tenant.
Walkthrough - A walkthrough form can and should be
used for the final walkthrough before possession. The
agent may or may not, or the owner may or may not,
accompany the tenant on the walkthrough before possession.
Walkthrough forms will be available in forms library
once listed.
Tenant takes possession - Now relax and enjoy the fact that you saved a lot of time and money by listing your rental property in the MLS with our flat rate listing service, Renter Express.com.
