Fill Vacancies Faster with Lessons from American Horror Story

Fill Vacancies Faster with Lessons from American Horror Story

SHARE:

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!

Subscribe for more news and tips!

* indicates required

Share with your friends!

Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on Linkdin
Share via Email

More Articles from ApplyConnect

Tenant Screening

Landlords: The FTC and CFPB Request Public Comment from You!

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) have united to inspect how background screening can impact American renters, with a particular emphasis on examining the use of criminal and housing court records and tenant screening practices. As part of a whole-of-government effort detailed in the White House’s January 2023 Blueprint, the FTC and CFPB are seeking public comment until March 30, 2023. We urge you to voice your unique industry perspective.

Read More »
Tenant Screening

The Ideal Tenant & The Ideal Landlord: A How-To Guide

It’s no secret the relationships between tenants and landlords are sometimes portrayed as less than ideal, even to the point of one party painting the other in a cartoonish, sinister manner. Often, many of the instances that perpetuate ongoing stigmas about both are the result of simple misunderstandings or miscommunication.

Read More »

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Share this Article!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

More Articles from ApplyConnect

Blog Topics

Click the dropdown

Tenant Screening

Landlords: The FTC and CFPB Request Public Comment from You!

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) have united to inspect how background screening can impact American renters, with a particular emphasis on examining the use of criminal and housing court records and tenant screening practices. As part of a whole-of-government effort detailed in the White House’s January 2023 Blueprint, the FTC and CFPB are seeking public comment until March 30, 2023. We urge you to voice your unique industry perspective.

Read More »
Tenant Screening

The Ideal Tenant & The Ideal Landlord: A How-To Guide

It’s no secret the relationships between tenants and landlords are sometimes portrayed as less than ideal, even to the point of one party painting the other in a cartoonish, sinister manner. Often, many of the instances that perpetuate ongoing stigmas about both are the result of simple misunderstandings or miscommunication.

Read More »

Get Started with ApplyConnect!

The nation’s most trusted tenant screening for real estate agents, landlords, and property managers. No cost background checks available 24/7.

©2018 ApplyConnect. All rights reserved

ApplyConnect marks used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of applyconnect.com. Other product and company names mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.

Get Started with ApplyConnect!

The nation’s most trusted tenant screening for real estate agents, landlords, and property managers. No cost background checks available 24/7.

©2018 ApplyConnect. All rights reserved

ApplyConnect marks used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of applyconnect.com. Other product and company names mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.