You can't handle the truth. That's exactly what I feel like yelling out when my homeowner wants to be present during a showing. Renters are a particular subset of the overall real estate market. Unlike some buyers who are looky-loos, there are very few to no looky-loos in the rental market. Those people want to, or need to, move.
If they don't want to rent the home we are showing them, then I need to get them into another home, and fast. The one way to make them not want the home they are seeing right now is to have the owner in the home, or worse yet, having the owner escorting them through the home.
Memo to owner. We are real estate experts. We view and show homes every day of our lives. We know how to close a deal. Let us do our jobs. Prospective tenants don't want to hurt your feelings. They have a problem telling you the truth to your face. They aren't going to let us know what was disagreeable with the home because they don't want to disappoint you.
Worse than the prospective tenant not renting your home, is the prospective tenant not telling us why they didn't rent your home. Maybe it was an odor, or the carpet color, or something else entirely. Whatever it was, we need to know so that we can tell you. If it's correctable, let's get it fixed. If not, let's adjust the price accordingly.
Here's our professional advice. Don't be home during showings. If you are home, take a walk for fifteen minutes. Make yourself scarce. I promise, it will get your home rented quicker, and for more money. We can handle the truth, we're professional property managers.
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Scott Taylor is the principal property manager and co-owner of SCV Leasing in Santa Clarita, California. His experience as a renter, property owner, and property manager makes him the best choice for managing your rental. SCV Leasing's unsurpassed marketing plan puts renters in properties fast. Mr. Taylor can be reached at scott@scvleasing.com.
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