Applying for rental properties: how to stand out from the competition

Open inspections for fantastic rental properties often see crowds of prospective tenants taking a look. With that kind of competition, how do you get your foot in the door, to secure the home or apartment you want? The key is to treat the process like a job interview.

Fine-tune a rental resume

Each time you apply for a rental property, you’ll need to fill out the appropriate forms. Check with the agent exactly what they require, this may vary from agent to agent. It also pays to have a dedicated rental resume on hand to submit at inspections or online, this could give you the upper hand. Set it out as you would a job resume, including your employment history, achievements and hobbies.

Include references from previous landlords, employers, mentors, housemates and even long term friends.  Financial statements indicating savings or investments also help, by going a step further than just submitting payslips. Attaching a headshot allows agents or landlords to instantly recognise you and, if you made an impression at an inspection, this could help put you at the top of the list.

Be ready to impress at inspections

Open inspections are a two-way street. You’re there in the hope that the property will impress you and landlords or agents are hoping a tenant will impress them. So, just like you want to see a clean, tidy and fully-functional home, landlords look for tenants who represent responsibility, punctuality and excellent communication skills.

Therefore, dress smartly as you would for a casual job interview, be on time or ensure you call if you’re running late, introduce yourself to the property manager and clearly communicate when discussing terms. It’s crucially important to do this, even if you’re rushing in after work feeling harassed. As the first point of contact with a property manager among other prospective tenants, it could be the only impression that counts.

Follow up after the inspection

A display of professionalism and enthusiasm for a property showcases the type of tenant you’ll be. It’s a business deal after all. Landlords are interested in a professional scenario with a tenant who’ll look after their property and communicate any issues directly and with confidence.

Follow up with the property manager a couple of days after an inspection, to demonstrate your interest, ensure the agent knows who you are and have everything they require from you.

Most of all, think like a landlord while applying for rental properties and you’ll be on the right track to securing the home you want.