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A fact of life for military families is that they are almost always on the move and regularly searching for a home. So, if you're hoping to rent your house to a military family, you should get to know their unique traits. Then you can plan successful advertising with insider knowledge about what military families need.
Marketing with Military Families in Mind
MilitaryByOwner can help guide you through the advertising process and make it much easier and more effective for reaching military families, eventually securing great military tenants. Many landlords have fantastic relationships with their tenants they find through their ads on MilitaryByOwner. All it takes is letting the right people know about your available home.
Take a look at one what one happy client has to say:
"I have been a happy and satisfied customer of MilitaryByOwner for over 10 years, and the customer service and quality tenants I have had couldn't be better.” –Sanders Moody.
If you want to read more customer feedback, we’re proud to share our testimonials.
Do you want to know how to get started? Here’s what you need to know about marketing your home with military families in mind.
Know the Characteristics that Set Military Families Apart
1) Military members often want to live near their assigned installation.
If your rental home is near a military base, clearly describe the drive time and the number of miles away. Adding details like, “the home is 10 minutes from Fort Bragg’s All-American gate” helps renters picture their everyday commute. The more information you provide, the faster you’ll find tenants.
Don’t worry; if your home is a bit of a drive from the installation, this could be a quality some renters are looking for. Be sure to mention positive aspects about larger lots, calm and quiet community, or room to spread out.
2) Military members often base their rental budget on their BAH.
Remember, servicemembers often start their rental home search using their Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) allotment, so price your property so it’s attractive to your target military population. You’ll probably want to run background and credit checks for potential tenants. If they’re on active duty, you shouldn’t have too much trouble verifying their income during your research.
3) Military families move frequently and adhere to strict and short timelines.
Compared to civilian renters, military families are more likely to move every two to three years. Once they’ve committed to a rental home, they’re ready to move in, likely with a scheduled moving truck waiting. However, it's good to know that military family timelines run the gamut of less than a month’s notice of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders to several months out. Basically, military families search for homes all year round, but especially in anticipation of a summertime move.
4) Many servicemembers are also homeowners.
Military members keep their purchased homes for many reasons, including an investment opportunity, the chance to return later, or due to a slow market. So, they may be renting out their own property in another state. As experienced landlords themselves, they know their tenant’s rights and what’s expected from a reputable landlord. Your tenant/landlord relationship could strengthen over shared experiences.
4) Military families come in all sizes, but they often have children.
It’s important to advertise your home with kid-friendly details, like proximity to local schools, parks, and after-school activities. If your home has fun details like a playground or pool, make sure to add those in too. And finally, describe the bedrooms and bathrooms accurately, including measurements, in case children share. Renters are looking for qualities like “spacious,” “accommodates bunk beds,” “Jack and Jill bathroom,” and any other terms that suggest lots of space for kids.
What Should You Do Next?
Keeping these characteristics in mind makes it easy for military members to find your rental home. An economical and effective way to advertise your property is to use MilitaryByOwner to connect with military members coming into the base near your rental home.
The Home Tour Plus package, our most popular, includes up to 40 photos of your property in the listing. Since many potential applicants are outside the area, quality photos are vitally important to get an idea of whether the home will fit their needs before they see it in person.
Invest time in the photos of your home.
Real estate professionals will tell you that photos are among the most effective selling tools you can include in your marketing approach. Make sure that the photos showcase your property in the best possible light figuratively and literally (natural daytime light, in a horizontal orientation), and you’ll find a greater response from potential tenants. No details are too small. Remember prospective tenants will return to the photos repeatedly to check out details like overhead lighting and the condition of the appliances.
Use adequate signage.
MilitaryByOwner offers signs for both rentals and homes for sale that identify the property from the street. Just as online listings attract potential tenants looking long-distance, neighbors will see your sign and pass along the information to their friends and co-workers. If you’re in an area with many military families, it is not uncommon for these signs to be one of the most effective ways to let the community know your house is available for rent.
With a bit of effort and help from MilitaryByOwner, your home advertising engagement can increase from a slow trickle to a steady stream of reliable tenants for your property. For more information on becoming a landlord, grab our free ebook just for landlords below!
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