Americans are more likely to move between the months of May and September. It’s when weather conditions are optimal for packing, loading and unloading moving trucks, and it’s away from the holiday season. While the spring and summer may be the most common seasons to for people to move, that doesn’t mean no one ever moves during the winter months, especially to areas that are the most wintery.
It’s true that renting out an apartment, home, or condo during the winter months is more difficult than in the warmer months, but it’s not impossible. Changing your perspective and accentuating the benefits of moving to the area between October and April may help you increase your chances.
Decorate for the Holiday
Holiday decorations can be heartwarming, and help interested renters envision themselves creating memories in the rental. When decorating a rental, be sure to follow these tips:
- Do not go overboard with the decorations. Less is more.
- Use a lot of candles (electric or battery powered).
- White lights are more desirable than colored.
- Wreaths are welcoming, so place them on the front door and back door of the rental.
Set the heat to a comfortable level. You want people to remove their coats and scarves when they enter the rental because they will feel more like they are home.
Educate Renters
Wintery activities can be fun for those who love the snow, so be sure to provide that information when you have people come in to look over the property. Point out great places for sledding, skiing, ice skating, and snowy views.
Ensure Safety
Renters want to make sure landlords are conscientious about their tenants, so be sure that there are no hazards when showing the property. Shovel and salt all outdoor walkways, especially the driveway and path up to the front door.
It may be a good idea to install banisters if there aren’t any for the front stairs. People will be mindful of this when they are looking for ice on the steps.
Offer Benefits
If you really want to sway renters to choose your property, offer shoveling and salting services. This can be a huge relief to tenants and many would gladly pay a little extra in rent to have someone take care of the snow and ice outdoors during the winter.
Including heat in the rent is another way you can increase the interest of renters. Heating bills can be quite costly during the winter months, but if that is paid for, renters will think they are getting a huge deal.
This might mean you need to raise the rent about $20-$40 a month to cover the heating bills during the colder month, but most renters won’t mind or notice. Paying $20 a month more is better than paying over $100 a few months out of the year.
You can also contact the electric or gas company to see if you can have the cost of the heat placed on a budget. This payment program allows you to pay a little extra each month to offset the higher amount during the winter.
Wintery Cities Are Great for Renters
Don’t look down on the area of your rental because you’re stuck renting it out in the colder months of the year. Know that there are many people who love the winter, especially in your city. Give them a good experience to boost your chances of renting out that rental right in the middle of the winter season.
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