A Day in the Life of a Rock Star Leasing Agent
A day in the life of a leasing agent is not as easy as it seems and only a select few agents ever become rock star agents at performing this task. Why is it so difficult, you may ask?
A typical agent works with apartment complexes, prospective tenants, eager homeowners and management staff; all of which have different needs and objectives when it comes to leasing.
The tenant wants the most for less, the homeowner wants to give less for more, and the management or apt complexes need vacancy rates to stay low in order to meet monthly quotas. All of which can cause stress to kick in if the leasing agent can not balance the diverse needs of each party.
Initial Sign On
Whenever a new unit comes available or a new homeowner signs over his/her property to management, the agent will set an appointment to initially view the home. Questions are asked, answers are given, pictures are taken, signs and lockboxes are distributed, and then the fun begins.
Advertising
Almost immediately, the agent will upload all photos, videos and pertinent information about each and every detail of the home. This is a very important process as it helps management to know everything about a new property that the staff will be managing.
It also helps other agents in the area know exactly what it is they will be showing should they choose to help rent this property and it obviously helps drive the interest from the prospective tenant and will be, almost always, the key reason why a prospect will decide to make an appointment to view the home.
Advertising is an Art
Poor agents will simply snap a few photos and call it a day. Rock star agents will open blinds, turn on lights, take close-ups, include the exterior and interior, and photograph special details in the community that will appeal to the prospect (examples include: an expanded viewpoint of local shops nearby and an appealing amenity of the community: pool, basketball courts or dog walk area).
Descriptions that do Justice to the Property
Rock Star agents create descriptions that do justice to the property.
Where would you rather live, A or B?
A: 3/2 great home with over 2500 square ft, pet-friendly, gated community and near interstate. Call today.
B: Grab this beautiful 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home boasting over 2500 square feet of livable space while you can. Nicely situated on a wooded lot, near the glistening community pool and only a brief walk to the dog park…etc….
Scheduling
A leasing agent has to be skilled at balancing home-life with demanding scheduling issues. For instance, a typical customer looking to find a new home generally works (a good trait to have when you need to show sufficient income) and often gets off around 5:00pm. Many need to set viewing appointments around 6:00 or on a Saturday or Sunday. One person may want to see up to three or five units before selecting one and many of their choices are miles away in drive time. A Rock Star agent manages her time to allow for meeting the demands of clients.
Hosting Tours
At Rental Partners, in Jacksonville Florida, the prospective tenant is not allowed to rent a property sight unseen. The leasing agent must offer guided tours to each property that allows the prospective tenant the chance to check out the space before he/she commits to rent. The agent will explain in detail the most interesting features and amenities of the property while also describing the building, surroundings, and other attributes that may be of interest.
Screening Potential Tenants
A typical leasing agent is in charge of screening all prospects. This process usually includes, but is not limited to, running background checks, doing a credit check, rental verification and employment verification. They have the daunting task of either supplying the prospect with good news or the bad news that he/she has been rejected and possible reasons that may have caused this to happen.
If the news was good and the tenant can proceed with the moving process, then the agent’s workload just got heavier. For now, the fun truly starts: collecting documents needed for move in, negotiating key points with the homeowner, creating the lease, assisting with utility transfers, juggling keys and HOA and Condo documents, scheduling the final walk through appointment and ultimately collecting all checks due and sending out Thank you’s.
As you can see the typical day in the life of a Rock Star Leasing Agent is much more complex than what one would imagine. At Rental Partners we are proud of our Rock Stars and we like to let them know how much we value the excellent service that they provide to home owners and tenants alike.
Our Leasing Agents are ready to help you find your new rental! Check our current listings here and then call one of one of our Rock Star Agents at 904-701-3276.
