Property Management In Colorado Springs, CO - Advertising A Rental Property- Photos

Some people think all you have to do is put a sign in the front yard, post and ad in the American Classifieds, and sit back while all the prospective tenants beat down your door to rent your home.  Unfortunately its not quite that easy.  The internet has taken place of print advertising.  A sign is a great idea and attracts a lot of attention for a small price but when you use a sign make it look nice or you could scare off potential tenants who think it's a scam.

When placing online rental ads for your property there are many things to consider.  Most importantly you need accurate information about the home, pet policy, restrictions on smoking, and your qualifications.  You need high resolution wide angle photos that are recent and accurately depict the home.  Many tenants rent sight unseen so it's important to portray the property as accurately as possible to limit any surprises when a tenant sees the home for the first time.

You can access a few of our ads here http://www.muldoonassociatespm.com/rental_listings we are constantly updating the property photos to high res wide angle photos.  You can see the difference in some of the ads between the standard angle and wide angle photos.  If you are trying to advertise the property on your own and you don't have a property manager you can hire a photographer for about 75 dollars to do this for you.  If you are a property manager you should purchase a digital SLR camera and an adjustable 10mm wide angle lens.  You will need a high quality flash to go with this.  Plan on spending around 1000 dollars for a decent set up.  I don't recommend fish eye style lenses because they distort the rooms too much and make the photos look odd.

When taking photos make sure your lighting is sufficient, close all the doors in each room and turn on all the light fixtures.  Make sure all light bulbs are in working order and open or close the blinds as needed to create the proper lighting.  Take photos from different angles and use the flash in different ways to produce the best photographs for your home.  Make sure you include a front photo and interior photos of all rooms.  I prefer sunny photos for the exterior so if it's a snowy day when you take the initial photos make sure to update the photo with a sunny pic when the weather permits.  Try to include as much of each room as possible when taking photos so prospective tenants get a good feel for the home.

Staging your home for photos can be useful.  I like when properties are vacant because it helps me visualize the size and layout but some people prefer some type of staging.  This is up to you.  Just make sure to have photos without a lot of clutter or distasteful images or furniture.

Since this post is running longer than expected I'm going to stop here and start again next week on where to place your ads and more specifics on what should be included in the ad.  See you next week!!

Property Management In Colorado Springs, CO

If you own a home or are looking at investing in real estate you may need a property manager to look over your asset.  Property managers provide excellent service for a relatively small monthly fee or commission.  This series of property management in Colorado Springs is going to cover all the things a property manager will provide for you.  The benefits of using a property manager for your home in Colorado Springs, and many things you can use on your own if you prefer not to use a property manager.

This first post is an overview of why a person or investor may want to own a property in Colorado Springs.  Read on to learn more about places to purchase, rents to expect in your area, and statistics on the local economy.

Colorado Springs is a large sprawling town.  If you are from the east coast you may be used to small (geographically not in population) towns and states.  The western portion of the United States has a lot of land and therefore tends to grow outwards instead of upwards.  El Paso county, where Colorado Springs is located is 2130 sq. miles and has a population of 655,000 people.  The unemployment rate is 5.1 percent and over 40% of the economy is driven by Fort Carson Army Installation, Peterson Air Force Base, Schriever Air Force Base and military defense contractors.  We are home to the Air Force Academy and the United States Olympic Committee.

Many rental properties are purchased by military service members and when they get permanent change of station orders or deployments they rent out their homes.  Some folks love the beautiful views of Pikes Peak and the close access to open spaces like Garden of the Gods.  Whatever the reason is that brings you to Colorado Springs let this series help you in renting out your home, deciding on whether to hire a property manager or try it on your own!

Homes range from the low 100's up into the millions so there is sure to be a home that fits your needs.  Next week we will be discussing advertising your rental home in Colorado Springs.  If you don't have the proper advertising you will miss out on dozens of potential tenants which could net a lower rent or longer days on market.  Learn our secrets on where to advertise, how to create attractive ads, and things to include or omit from your ad in order to stay compliant with fair housing laws.

In the meantime if you have questions about property management for your home in Colorado Springs please don't hesitate to contact Muldoon Associates, Inc. by visiting www.muldoonassociatespm.com/contact_us