Tag: Homeowner

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Move-In Day: HomeHaks Top Tips On Ways To Help Your New Tenants

Move-In Day: HomeHaks Top Tips On Ways To Help Your New Tenants

Introduction

The job of building a relationship with a tenant begins the first day you show them around. When a renter is choosing a new place to live, how they feel about a potential landlord can count for a lot. It counts for even more when it comes time for tenants to decide whether to stay or go. And if they’ve kept up their end of the bargain by being clean, quiet, and reliable with their payments, you’ll probably want to make sure to keep them around.

Establish a good relationship on move-in day

One of the best times to establish a good rapport with your tenants is on move-in day. Renters will remember the help you offered on that stressful day, and they know they can count on you in the event of a problem and for any questions they might have.

 

Moving Day Tips
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How to help

To come up with ways to welcome incoming tenants, put yourself in their shoes. It’s going to be an exhausting couple of days of unpacking boxes and arranging furniture. What will they need the most during that time that doesn’t involve too much time or effort? Here are a few options for a complete welcome package.

Make sure your tenant is set up for rent payments

This is something you should take care of before move-in day, just to make sure your tenants don’t have too many other arrangements to make. As soon as your tenant has been accepted and paid their deposit, reach out to them to organise if they need to connect their bank account, credit card, or debit card or if it will be cash for quick and easy payments. If they haven’t gotten set up by move-in day, include a friendly reminder in their welcome package outlining how future payments will be made.

Get them familiar with their new neighbourhood

After all, they haven’t just chosen your building – they’ve chosen your part of the city. Your tenant’s welcome package should include a list of nearby banks, grocery stores, post offices, doctor’s offices, pharmacies, haircutters, dry cleaners, petrol stations, childcare and pet care services – anything a tenant might need on a day-to-day basis. With your help, they’ll know where to go in a pinch without spending too much time Googling.

 

This list can go beyond basic services, too. Talk to some popular local restaurants, bars, shops and entertainment venues about supplying coupons to include in your tenant’s welcome package. This tells your tenant that they can come to you for suggestions about where to go when they have free time.

 

HomeHaks Top Tips On Ways To Help Your New Tenants
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Make their first week easy with a few basic supplies

Try and stock your tenant’s kitchen and bathroom with basic necessities. For example: toilet paper, paper towels, all-purpose cleaner, batteries, and light bulbs. This will help your tenants accustom to their new place without having to make a run to the store. They’ll be grateful for your foresight. Check out this article for more information on helping your new tenants on move-in day. 

Connect them with their new neighbors

If you rent a single-family home, make sure to tell new tenants a little bit about their new neighbors and even facilitate an introduction if you know them well. Show tenants that you’re not just operating a building – you’re building a community.

 

Check out this article by HomeHak Best Ways To Be A Great Landlord – HomeHaks Top Recommendations!

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Allowing Pets in Irish Rental Properties – Advantages For Landlords

Allowing pets in Irish properties HomeHak

Allowing Pets in Rental Properties – What Are The Advantages

 

Most pet owners consider their pet as family, and won’t even consider an apartment that would require them to give their beloved animal up. When you think about how many potential tenants are looking for a rental property that will accept pets, it may be worth your while to welcome furry, four-legged creatures. Take a look at our guide outlining the benefits of allowing pets in your rental property.

Allowing Pets in Irish Rental Properties - Advantages For Landlords
Photo by Erda Estremera by Unsplash

Pros to allowing pets in rental properties

There are several positives to establishing a pet-friendly property:

Higher Rent

Market value determines the amount you can set your rent. By allowing pets in rentals (large dogs in particular) especially when very few properties in your neighborhood are pet-friendly, you may be able to command a higher rent. At the very least, it could give you a leg up on the competition if a decision comes down to your property and a similar one which doesn’t allow pets. Check out this article on landlords charging for pet fees.

Longer Tenure

The more a tenant considers an abode their home, the more likely they are to renew a lease. Certainly, settling in with a pet can make a rental feel like a permanent residence. Additionally, The Balance points out that it can be harder for pet owners to find alternate dwellings that will take both them and their pet.  So allowing pets equals longer tenure.

Larger pool of applicants

Pet ownership is at an all-time high. If your rental property is marketed towards a younger market, there’s an even higher likelihood that a pet is part of the package. Allowing pets attracts more tenants to your property and gives you more tenants to choose from, so you can find the best fit.

 

Allowing Pets in Irish Rental HomeHak
Photo by Mikhail Vasilyev on Unsplash

Responsible pet owners are more likely to be responsible tenants 

As we all know, taking care of a pet requires a lot of time and attention. What does this mean? There is a likelihood that behavior will translate into renters treating your property with the same amount of respect and energy.

Decreased chance of unknown pets

Tenants are more likely to be upfront about their pets if you allow them from the start. You’ll have fewer instances of tenants sneaking pets onto the property and will be aware of the type and number of pets living on-site.

To summarise

As outlined above, allowing pets in your rental property has numerous benefits. Higher rent. Longer Tenure. Larger pool of applicants. Respoinsible pet owners are more likely to be responsible tenants. Decreased chance of unknown pets.

For more information on pets in rental properties in Ireland, check out our other article: Finding Pet-Friendly Rentals in Ireland.

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Best Ways To Be A Great Landlord – HomeHak Top Recommendations!

business people making agreement with pen

Journalists, lawyers, landlords. They are up there with some of the most automatically despised people in society. Yet, there are some incredible investigative journalists who help solve crimes. There are human rights lawyers who work for free. Yes, there are also wonderful homeowners that treat tenants like gold.

 

The funny thing is, these homeowners benefit from doing the right thing. Happy tenants stay longer, meaning less time, lost rent and hassle finding new people to move in. People who treat their rental like a true home also make sure everything is looked after too.

 

So, knowing that happy tenants are better tenants, here are the best ways on how to be a good landlord.

 

1. Be a personable landlord

Those who rent from you are people. You’re a person too. Show it. Here are some of the best ways to deal with your tenants.

 

  • Meet them face to face and show them around the property.
  • Say thanks by buying a bunch of flowers and a bottle of wine to celebrate moving in.
  • Be willing to chat through any concerns or questions your tenants have.
  • Simple courtesy has a great way of coming back to you when you give it out.
  • Respect your tenants and they’re more likely to respect you and your property in return. 
Best-Ways-To-Be-A-Great-Landlord
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2. Set fair rent, just below market rates. 

Wait. Below market rates? In this economy? Hear us out. If you set rent at €10 per week below the going rate, you’ll be able to select the very best tenants from the available pool and rent things out sooner. More importantly, if your current tenants know they’ve got a reasonable deal, they’re more likely to be happy where they are and less likely to shop around for somewhere new. Given the average rent in Ireland is over €1,200 per month, that measly €10 discount is covered in just 2 weeks and a lot of hassle is averted. Thanks, maths. 

3. Stay on top of maintenance

According to studies, around 50% of tenants experience poor communication or slow reaction to property issues from landlords. It’s the number one frustration for renters and something we’ve all experienced when dealing with poor customer service.

 

Here is another one of the best ways to act if you want to be a good landlord. If there’s ever an issue with the home you rent out, fix it right away. Be proactive with potential problems as well by patching them up regularly and making sure the tenants are happy with any adjustments.

 

If you want to be a good a good landlord and go the extra mile, ask the tenants if there are any niggling things they don’t like about the place. If they’re easy to fix, just do it. Again, someone that loves where they are is more likely to treat the home better and stay longer. 

 

Best-Ways-To-Be-A-Great-Landlord
Photo by Bence Balla on Unsplash

 

4. Offer rental renewal early

Feeling secure in your home is something that reduces anxiety and helps foster wellbeing. There’s nothing worse than having a lease expiration looming and waiting to see if the homeowner is willing to renew for another year. If you are that homeowner, get on the front foot and let your tenants know 2-3 months beforehand that you’re happy to keep the agreement going. If you’re both willing, even look at extended terms. Less paperwork and hassle for both of you. A sense of security is a must for everyone. 

 

5. Find the right tenant in the first place

It might be easy just to take the first tenant you know will pay the rent each month. While getting paid on time is obviously important, it’s far from the only factor. Better to think long term and match up your home with someone you know will be truly happy there:

 

  • Look for someone who works nearby.
  • See if there are sports facilities, restaurants or other good things you think will be a draw for the tenant.
  • Speak with them about their needs.
  • If things match up and they are a good fit then ensure paying rent won’t be an issue. 

It might sound like a bit of hard work, but really it comes back to being a person. A little thought, some listening and attentive questions, and you’ll find a great tenant who will treat your place like it’s their sanctuary.

 

Have a look at our blog post “Qualities Of Good Tenants – Prospective Tenant Standard For Landlords.”

 

To make finding the right tenant a little easier, HomeHak has set up a community of people looking for their dream home in Ireland. They’ve prepared comprehensive tenant CV’s and their details and references are available in advance. They have outlined the key things they’re looking for in a home, and are easily searchable “meaning you will never make a wrong decision again when it comes to finding a like-minded tenant that you know will stay for longer”.

 

It’s all here at the click of a link!

 

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How To Rent A Home You Can Love – HomeHak’s Top Tips To Help!

A woman and two babies playing with a tablet

How To Rent A Home You Can Love – HomeHak’s Top Tips To Help!

 

Most people looking for a place to rent in Ireland have two big questions looming large in their minds. Can I afford it? and will I get it? While these are important questions, perhaps they’re not quite top of the list, longer term. According to the Good Home Report by the Happiness Research Institute, 73% of people who are happy with their home are also happy in general.

 

It makes sense then that the first things you might be asking instead are: will I love this place? will I thrive here? Just because you’re not in a position to buy (yet!), there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be thinking of every place you look at as a potential ‘forever’ home.

 

Why settle if there’s the option to start enjoying a house you love by putting in a little extra thought and effort? You could find the right place where you can be yourself, truly relax, and be happy now. 

 

Here are some things to consider…

 

 

Will you feel proud to live there?

According to the Good Home Report mentioned above, the absolute number one criteria for whether a home helps bring happiness to your life is whether you’re proud to live there. While that might seem a little superficial at first, when you think about it, it makes sense. In a world where your true home is a reflection of your personality, if you’re not happy with your home, you’re not happy with yourself. You want to be able to invite friends and family over for a drink and get a glow when they walk through the door and smile. 

 

Can you make the space your own?

The freedom to make a space your own will help you create a home that you’re proud of. In a rental, that’s not going to mean knocking down walls or doing bathroom renovations. However, it will likely mean hanging art, adding some indoor plants and curating furniture that’s comfortable. When looking for a place, make sure it has enough space to accommodate these prized elements.

 

Having a good relationship with your landlord is a great way to make sure you’re both comfortable in making small cosmetic changes too. Counter to popular belief, most landlords aren’t moustache-twirling villains. They’re people. They want others to be happy in the home they’ve bought, so will often make concessions if they know it will make you more comfortable. They also know that happy tenants are more likely to pay rent on time and stay there long term. Better security for them. A better home for you. 

 

 

Will you feel secure there?

Landlords aren’t the only ones who want a sense of security. When things are stable in our lives, that flows into our mental health. If things are uncertain, that’s when anxiety kicks in. Personal safety obviously is a must for all, as is financial security. Knowing you’re in a place you won’t get kicked out of is another piece to the well-being puzzle.

 

When looking for a place to rent in Ireland, see what options you have for longer than normal term leases (if you’re happy with locking something in). Ask the landlord what they want in a tenant and make sure your needs match up too. Being mindful of the “people” element will help everyone feel better about their choices.

 

Is your rental convenient for your life?

45 minutes. That’s the amount of time that’s ‘bearable’ for any commute. Studies show traveling further than that means you’re much more likely to want to move. To keep things convenient and close, always look at where your rental is in relation to your work.

 

It shouldn’t just stop at the office either. Is it close to places you like to exercise and socialise? Are there supermarkets within easy reach? Are there good takeaway options nearby for when you’re too fried after a long day to cook (or want a special treat)? A bit of thought and foresight here can make a huge difference in finding a rental where you’ll be at peak happiness. Since good coffee = happiness to many, make sure there are at least a couple of great cafes in the area too. 

 

 

Who will live there with you?

Now that you’ve looked at the actual place you’re most likely to be happy in, you’ll want to give some thought into who’s going to live there with you. Hoping you’ll find random strangers to help pay the rent along the way is probably a poor strategy. Same for trawling Tinder for prospective housemates. Maybe you’ve got friends you know you’ll be comfortable living with? Work is another spot where you can match up with people who share at least one key criteria for home choice. The key here is to take the lead, figure out your own criteria for housemates and stick to them. It’s not just about paying the rent. It’s about sharing a vision on what makes a good home that makes all the difference.

 

By now, you might be thinking, this advice is all well and good, but I still need to be able to afford it and still need to get the place over other applicants. The housing market in Ireland is no fairyland. The thing is, we need to make the rental process more about our needs as tenants. We need to stand up for what we want in our ideal home and make them known to the world.

 

Thankfully, platforms like HomeHak are flipping the script when it comes to matching renters with the right locations. HomeHak is even a great place to find other renters to team up with who share similar interests and home values as you. Check out how you can create a profile here which lists what you’re looking for in a home and guides you through creating a CV that potential landlords will jump at. 

 

Beyond that, finding the best rentals is about forming a well thought out plan. Go about about it step-by-step, and persist when things get hard. All worthwhile things in life take time and effort. Finding a rental you love is no exception.

 

Ready to start your new adventure? Have a look at the 10 things to consider when moving out of home!