Editor’s Note: The following article is part of RISMedia’s Social Skills ongoing series on maximizing the use of social media in real estate.
In real estate, especially in today’s competitive market, it’s important to set yourself apart from the crowd. Sometimes, branding and marketing may not be enough to stand out, but by specializing in a particular niche, you will be better positioned to serve clients and leads seeking a particular location, property type or more from an expert.
In this series, agents and brokers can explore different specialized areas of real estate and how to market your niche on social media the right way. Whether you’re looking to specialize in second homes, the luxury market or energy-efficient construction, be sure your market offers the properties, neighborhoods and demographics needed to make your niche worthwhile and valuable.
Watch: How Agents Find Their Niche and Succeed
Do you work in a hot rental market, such as a college town or big city? If your answer is yes, taking on rentals as a niche may be the right move for your real estate business. At the end of that day, if you are the rental expert in your market, renters will flock to you over other agents in your area that are more focused on buying and selling homes. However, to stand out in the rental market and showcase yourself as a specialist, there are a few things to keep in mind when promoting your properties on social media.
Know Your Market and Demographic
From available properties to prospects looking to rent rather than buy, it is important that your market needs a rental specialist before you choose to take on this niche. Cities large and small often feature many apartment buildings, condo complexes and multi-family homes available for rent. Markets that are close to college campuses, corporate hubs and suburbs just outside a city are also likely rental-heavy locations. Pay attention to demographics, as well. If millennials and Gen Z prospects are prominent in your area, make sure they know who you are and that you specialize in rentals, as these younger generations are more prone to renting, due to either financial reasons or the urge to not stay in one place for too long.
To reach the right audience to promote your rental properties, head to social media. These younger generations essentially live on platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. In addition to showcasing your rental properties, offer tips and informative content focused on renters, such as budget-friendly furniture options and tips for rental-friendly decor. This will establish you as a rental specialist, building trust with your audience and creating meaningful conversations with the right clients and leads for your niche.
Staging is Important, Even for Rentals
When selling a home, staging is a way to highlight the rooms and features, giving potential buyers an idea of what it would be like to live there. This thorough process should be the same for rental properties. Just like staging a home, potential renters want to experience what it would be like to live there. This can help inspire them for what type of furniture they can fit into the space, as well as what they can afford.
Pro tip: consider working with a rental staging company that will allow interested renters to keep the furniture in the unit throughout the term of their lease.
Staging a rental will also help improve the quality of your listing photos. Many rental listings out there show images of empty rooms, bare walls and no character. But by putting in the effort to showcase this space just like you would a home will attract more prospective renters. Be sure to get this space professionally cleaned, especially if someone rented it prior, and touch up any imperfections, such as holes from previously hanging artwork or window treatments, outdated light fixtures and old flooring. While making these updates may not be required, they will help attract more renters, raise the value of the space and articulate your position within your niche. Take high-quality photos, during the day for the best light, and don’t discount video or a 3D tour, especially if you serve a more high-end, luxury rental market.
Highlight Rentals With Detailed Descriptions
In addition to high-quality photos and video tours, the description of your listings are imperative. For rentals, you want to target the right audience, so your descriptions should hit all the right notes. Is the apartment close to the downtown area? Maybe the building is full of employees from a local company that is hiring recent grads. Or, if a university, college or school district is in close proximity to the rental, point it out!
As mentioned, you need to know your audience and what they are looking for. By highlighting the location, you are showing prospective clients that you are not only offering what they are looking for, but your local expertise, as well. See below for some examples of social media posts promoting different types of rental properties.
Paige Brown is RISMedia’s content editor. Email her your real estate news ideas to pbrown@rismedia.com.
