For owners: how to rent out your shop, office or house faster

Every month a property stays vacant is a month of lost rent. In smaller towns the right tenant is often out there, but they don't know your place is available. Here is how to reach them and convince them quickly.

1. Take good photos

Photos are the first thing tenants look at. A listing with clear photos gets far more calls than one without.

• Shoot in daylight, with doors and windows open.
• Clean and clear the space first. Remove old boxes and sweep the floor.
• Stand in a corner or the doorway so each photo shows as much of the room as possible.
• Hold the phone level, not tilted.
• Include the front of the building, the road, and the washroom. For shops, show the shutter and the frontage. For houses, show the kitchen and the compound.

Five or six good photos are better than twenty dark ones.

2. Set a fair rent

Look at similar places in your area. If your place has been vacant for months, the rent is probably higher than what tenants expect. A slightly lower rent that starts this month usually earns more than a higher rent that starts in four months.

Be clear about the advance too. A very large advance can scare away small business owners who are just starting out.

3. Write a clear description

Answer the questions tenants will ask anyway:

• How big is it, and on which floor?
• What is it best suited for: an office, a clinic, a shop, a family, students?
• Is there parking, and for what?
• What is the water source? Is there power backup?
• How far is it from the bus stand or the main junction?
• When is it available?

Honest details bring serious tenants and fewer wasted calls.

4. Reply quickly

Tenants usually call several owners on the same day. The owner who answers, or calls back within an hour, often gets the tenant. If you can't take calls during work, say so in the listing and mention WhatsApp.

5. Check your tenant

A good tenant is worth more than a slightly higher rent.

• Ask for an ID and, for a business, details about the business.
• For families, ask about their work and how long they plan to stay.
• Talk to them in person before agreeing.
• Sign a written agreement. See our guide to rental agreements in Kerala.

6. Keep the listing up to date

When the place is rented, mark it as rented so you stop getting calls. When it is vacant again, relist it in one tap from your private link.

Ready to start? Post your property on Noomart. It is free, and tenants contact you directly.