Posting: How to get the most out of your listing

General Information

• Make an Appearance - Look good on site: The more information you give and the more accurate you are when you fill in the posting pages, the better you will look and the better your chances are to rent your property.
• How Much Rent To Charge - It is always good to do a little research when establishing the value of your home / rental property. A good rule of thumb is to price it lower than local hotels that offer extended stays at the same time of year and a little higher than the average rent for unfurnished rentals. Do a quick survey of local short term rental properties if possible. Comparable rent trends are really the best way to gauge your expectations. Note that some properties vary in price according to seasonality.
• Utilities - How to deal with utilities, phone... is up to you. Our advice is: If you know exactly what your monthly utility bills are (i.e.: cable, all inclusive phone, prorated gas/electric etc, then you should add it directly to the rent up front. Other options include having the renter take over the accounts or you sending the renter the monthly bills or even arranging to take it out of security.
• Leases - In most cases you will want to use a lease or a Guest Agreement. If you don't have one, there are many sites that offer lease template, two of them are: ezLandlordForms, AutoPayRent.com
• Blank Lease - If you are in need of a blank lease, this one is a good starting point. Should you use this lease, please keep in mind that every property is different and every rental arrangement is different. You must amend this lease so that it is accurate with your property and accurate with your rental situation. As with any legal document, we recommend that you have it approved by a lawyer, Six Degrees Housing cannot guarantee it as a legal document. Download the blank lease in pdf or in word format.

Staging

• Unclutter! That is the number one rule. Renters prefer a home to a hotel but they prefer a home that is not too personal. If you have all your family history framed on various surfaces, it is best to put the photos away while you are showing and renting the property.
• Personal items like clothing, wine collections, or just about anything you would prefer not to find tampered with when you return home, should be stored away.
• Make sure light bulbs are all working.
• For staging help, www.rentfurniture.com or any furniture rental company can help as well as rent furniture to complete your home and make it desirable for rent.

Photography

• It is best to shoot an uncluttered space. Cleared surfaces show better in photos than surfaces with books and papers and knick-knacks strewn around. Move toys, furniture, and anything else that would not help produce the best possible photograph. Remember: staging your photo is not deceiving - it is enhancing.
• If using artificial light, all light bulbs should be on, don't forget overheads, lamps and lights under kitchen cabinets. You may want to use these lights for daytime photography also.
• Shoot a whole room. Avoid shots that showcase a particular piece of furniture, bed, or toilette unless these items are specifically selling points for your home. Make your bed. Put your clothes away, move boxes out of camera range and tidy up the TV, computer and stereo cables. The good news is that you have now done a dress rehearsal for the day you actually rent the property.
• If there is a fireplace, light a fire for the shot.
• Decks and Gardens should be cleaned and any unsightly items removed.
• Buy flowers. Bright colors work best to highlight parts of a room that you want to call attention to. The human eye seems to be particularly attracted to the color red.
• Kitchens: A bowl of colorful Fruit or vegetables placed strategically in a kitchen can give a photo depth and dimension.
• Views: If there is a view through a window that you would like to photograph, wait for a clear sky to maximize the shot. Don't shoot directly into the sun. Night views should be shot at the time sunset occurs on that day.

Property Preparation: Renting your place

Your Stuff

• Sheets and Linens - Make sure your sheets and linens are clean and ready to use or buy new ones for the tenant to use.
• Closets and Drawers - Empty your life out of your closets and drawers. Make sure to leave enough space for the tenant to comfortably unpack, they should not feel encroached by your stuff.
• Sharing - You must assume that people will use your pens and paper, your spices and condiments, your paper towels and toilet paper. Some guests will have the curtousy of replenishing your stock if they've used a lot, others will not. Try not to judge them either way.

Do's and Don'ts

• Don't let your tenant walk into a messy apartment.
• Do dust, mop and freshen. Change sheets (have them ironed and folded and leeave clean towels ave them stacked on the bed). Lin the bathroom. Make sure the dishwasher is empty.
• Don't leave personal items like toothbrushes, hairbrushes, or razors out on your counter or in your shower. Not only will your tenant be grossed out by the sight but it's not something you really don't want to share, right?
• Don't meet your tenant at the door.
• Do have a housekeeper or friend welcome the tenant and give them keys and instructions.
• Don't get too frustrated when your guests leave and your stuff is not exactly how or where you left it. You must expect some collateral damage. It is one thing if a dish is broken and another if the TV is broken. Put away anything you don't want touched.
• Do make a plan. To make this a pleasant experience for you and the tenant, you should have a plan. Does the tenant get to use your spices and condiments or will you leave your kitchen empty? Should they replace the ketchup if they finish it off? Or do you expect to stock up at the end of the tenants stay? No matter what you decide, your plan should be well thought out and simple, friendly instructions should be left for the tenant to follow.
• Do leave a box of unused an unopened toothbrush and a fresh tube of toothpaste, a bottle of shampoo and conditioner and a few full rolls of TP. Your tenant will probably bring or buy theirown personal items (other than tp), but in this case, a little goes a long way and shows thoughtfulness.

Searching

General Information

• For the most results, make sure all listing types are selected and provide only the city and state (or country). For more pointed results, select your preferred listing type, include a town or neighborhood and a simple Keyword search. Remember, if you are too specific with your keyword search or your address search, you will limit your results.

Listing Types

You have the option to search Owner properties, Broker properties, Corporate Housing or all the above:

• Owner: We have defined owners as people who have the legal right to rent a specified property. They can be the owner of a home, a tenant who has the right to sublease or they can be an investment property or time-share owner. It is a good idea to check the type of owner you are dealing with.
• Broker: A broker may charge a fee on top of the rent, they also may offer valuable services. It's a good idea to ask the listing broker what the fees and services are, if any, beside the basic rent.
• Corporate Housing: A corporate housing listing is usually located in a building used exclusively for short-term use. They usually offer multiple properties and offer amenities like housekeeping and parking and other services.

"Industry Only" Properties?

• These are property listings whose owners prefer to rent to entertainment industry professionals only. If you are in the industry, please check the box to add these properties to your search.

Contacting an Owner

Contact an Owner

• When you contact and owner you are forwarded to an email box where you may tell them of your interest, your desire to see more photos, questions you may have, concerns... Whatever is important to start the ball moving.
• In this modern world, most involved in the entertainment industry are Googleable. These public links of ourselves become a kind of professional representation of who we are in the industry. Six Degrees Housing encourages you to use these links when you contact prospective owners and renters. It cuts to the chase about whom you may be you may be trusting in your renting experience.