Much like the first season of Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk’s American Horror Story, the world of rental property leasing can be fun to watch, but also entirely unpredictable! Renting out a house at times can feel impossible, with unsure applicants, shaky market trends and so much more. But there are professional tricks of the trade that can make securing new renters as a real estate agent far easier and the lessons actually come from TV’s American Horror Story itself. So once you’ve looked into all the legalities of leasing with articles like these from applyconnect.com, check out the wisdom from AMS, to make marketing your client’s rental property a breeze.
Don't Withhold Information
Unlike Marcy’s willingness to withhold all the murders that occurred at the murder house from the Harmons, you don’t want to withhold any information from potential renters, as one slip up via a Google search could spoil the sale along with your career. It’s a bit extreme to assume that a tiny white lie will lead to numerous families getting taken out by ghosts at your property, but it’s not a bad idea to pretend that’ll happen if you lie at an open house or tour. It also boils down to a matter of business principles also. When you lease or manage a property you represent the firm you work for and/or more importantly yourself. When you lie, you potentially throw out your credibility and burn your bridge. When it comes to securing new clients as a real estate agent you always want to build bridges!
Redecorate to Appeal Better to the Market
One of the best lessons from Marcy during her sales pitches on American Horror story is her advice to redecorate. When all repairs are said and done, the property passes every inspection, along with any other by the book necessity; if the property is in good shape but is lacking that final bit of pizazz, decorating the interior along with encouraging your client to spruce up the exterior of the property could do the trick. The way furnishings and other appliances are laid out can make an impact on potential renters. Even if the house looks way better with a fridge placed six inches to the left of the kitchen counter, the potential tenant will never notice this until they actually see it. And like in AHS, Marcy does this time and time again. This is one aspect of how she sells a terrible home to good people. Not that that should be your goal! Redecorating should be all about highlighting the best parts of your property, in the best way possible.
Talk about What's Been Added
“Everything was meticulously restored.” Marcy humorously said while showing off the murder home. People absolutely love new things. Did the house just get new insulation? Tell the potential renter that. Did new window frames get installed? Tell them that too. No detail is too minor to make or break a potential sale. Because you don’t know where the applicants just came from. A remodeled rental property may sound like a dream come true in comparison to most. You want to always be positive when it comes to hustling as a real estate agent that manages rentals, from dealing with potential applicants, to your tenants, positivity goes a long way. And if Marcy can sell the murder home, then you should have no problem!
Perseverance is Key
One really blunt lesson we learned from Marcy in American Horror Story comes from this quote discussing the murder home’s history: “No matter how gruesome or horrible the murder, you can always find someone who’ll buy the house.”
And as crazy as it sounds, it’s true. Despite what’s happened at a property or what condition it used to be in, there is someone who may be hesitant but still willing to take the negotiation further. Or you may get lucky and the potential renter may not care whatsoever. Either way, appropriate perseverance is key. Obviously don’t follow the rental applicant once they’ve left or harass them, but do push for a timely decision. Don’t be shy to promote, and really brag about the highlights that a property has. Selling is never easy, but although fiction, American Horror Story can stand as an example of how selling an applicant on any property is possible despite insurmountable odds.
And there you have it. These have been some of the best rental housing tips for real estate agents from American Horror Story. Sometimes life can imitate art, and here we see that even when the odds are against you in the realm of rental property leasing, there’s still tricks of the trade and honest lessons to be learned and utilized. As with anything practice makes perfect. With this guide, you should be managing your portfolio a whole lot better, and hopefully none of them are the murder home!
What did you learn from American Horror Story? Let us know in the comments!
