I just finished an interview with a TERRIFIC applicant! We were talking about leasing and he, coming from a background in car sales, says to me, "The thing I like is the control on the sale. They came to you, so they want something, you just have to make what you have be what they want. It's good to ask them what they liked about their old car. If it was the stereo, then I know exactly where to start."
Sharp kid. He wore a tie. I like that.
And he's right. Granted, if you have a 30 year old property with an avocado green kitchen theme going, it's not going to pass for "ultra modern." But vintage is in, folks. We can take those old apartments and without doing a complete remodel, we can make them really step up by EMBRACING their inherent vintage charm. I'm not advocating for keeping the green shag carpet in there or anything, but an incredibly clean avocado fridge with matching range and oven hold a lot of power in selling by feeling. Maybe mom had one, or Nana. It's not always about new either, because if you show something that is clean and has a "new retro" feel, as oxymoronic as that may sound, it will strike a chord with people. Take a look at a lot of the products in IKEAs new catalogs. They are screaming with a modern vintage appeal.
And how often do we ask people what they LIKED about the place their leaving? It's so much more positive than the usual, "Why are you moving?" and to some extent, its even more revealing on selling points than, "What makes a home a home for you?"
I once had a manager who told me that we had to phrase everything, even our bad problems, in positive tones because that's part of what makes a great property stand out. Property Management is all about making Lemonade. What have you done to sweeten yours up today?