If you are in the process of figuring out the best way to advertise your rental property, Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist are great places to start.
Craigslist has over 60 million monthly visitors and Facebook features 2.7 billion active monthly users, indicating that the people, and specifically, renters, are online using these sites.
Plus, it doesn’t hurt that both sites are easy and free to use! In this post, we will cover posting to Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace.
But before we dive into how to post your rental listing to these two websites, let’s talk about avoiding online rental scams.
Marketing. Applications. Leases. Payments.
One of the most significant reservations that landlords and property managers have about posting their rentals on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace is that the sites have a reputation for attracting rental scams.
Given that the sites are easy and free to use, anyone can create a listing, including scammers. Here are just a few tips for avoiding scams on both websites:
Set a competitive rent rate: Use local rental rates and our Rent Estimate Tool to determine the best rent for your unit. If your rent is low, you will likely have more leads, which can make it more challenging to spot scammers.
Report fraud: Do your part to protect your property and other landlords by letting Craigslist or Facebook know when you spot a fishy rental ad. On each site’s listings, there is a place where you can report the ad if you believe it to be fraudulent.
Know how to spot a scam: If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. For more in-depth information on popular scams, take a look at our article, “Avoiding Rental Scams 101.”
Posting your Facebook Marketplace rental post is easy.
The Marketplace is accessible from the Facebook website or app.
On the website, click the Marketplace icon in the left sidebar. In the app, tap the Marketplace icon at the bottom of the screen.
You’ll see a form where you should enter the details of your rental. If you’re not sure what to include, check out our property listing webinar.
Be thoughtful about the type of photos you include.
Ensure they accurately represent your property, showcasing its amenities and unique features.
Upload the pictures in the same order that the tenant would experience each room, starting with the outside. Learn more about property rental photography to make the most of your efforts.
Enter:
Focus on being clear, concise, and informative while highlighting the best features of your property.
Your goal is to encourage renters to reach out, so consider what you’d want to know about a rental.
You can publish your listing to your personal profile, business page, or both.
You can also elect to make your listing public or private.
Once you’re ready, click “Post” to publish your listing!
Similar to Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist also requires you to add your listing to the site manually.
The good news is that we have made the process extremely simple for our landlords.
After building your initial rental listing in your TurboTenant account, follow the steps outlined below:
Log in to your TurboTenant account and go to the “Properties” tab located on the left side of the page.
From the “Properties” gallery view, the option to manage the property will appear as shown in the below image.
Click on the property you wish to post to Craigslist.
Go to the “Marketing” tab and scroll down to the “Other Marketing Tools” section – then select the “Post to Craigslist” button.
When an interested renter reaches out to you through your Craigslist ad, TurboTenant will prompt them to fill out a leads questionnaire so you can better evaluate candidates for your rental property.
There are specific steps you should take to build an enticing rental listing.
To start, a catchy title will help you stand out from your competition and grab a renter’s attention.
You’ll want to use capitalization to draw the reader’s attention to important words like location and amenity details.
For example, “3-Bedroom Townhome near Hughes Stadium w/ A/C” or “Studio Apt. w/ Pool – .5 Mile from Dewey Beach” are both specific headlines that use capitalization, location specifics, and show off amenities.
After deciding on a headline, the listing’s description is where you’ll share your rental’s essential features and amenities.
Ensure that you paint a clear and honest picture of your rental for your prospective tenants.
The last thing you want is to have a prospective tenant go to your property for a showing and feel as though they’ve been lied to.
Be sure to include the following information:
Last but not least, clear, well-lit photos will make your property stand out.
Avoid adding filters to your photos or using a fisheye lens to take them, as this can make the room appear larger.
As tempting as it is, it can create a false first impression for your applicants.
If you want to make the process of advertising your rental property across the web a cinch, try out TurboTenant today.
Our rental advertising feature, along with our suite of landlord tools, is 100% free to use.
With our help, easily create a beautiful property listing, complete with your own rental property web page.
Did we mention our landlords average 28 leads per listing? With our marketing, you’ll be able to increase the number of applicants and fill your vacancy faster – get started today.
Yes, you will need to have your own Facebook account to post your rental listing on Facebook Marketplace.
Yes, you can edit your Craigslist post once it is active. When editing a post you can change the title, description, images, and category. Simply click the “Edit” button next to the listing you want to update. Once you’ve made your changes, click the “Continue” button twice. Then, enter the verification word and click “Continue” to update the post.
Leads from Craigslist will be stored in the “Leads” tab within your TurboTenant landlord account.
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