September General Membership Meeting Recap

You find yourself with a vacancy at your rental property. Are you taking the steps to effectively market your property and attract good prospective residents, as well as thoroughly screen the applicants to better ensure a successful selection?

The Apartment Association of Orange County’s (AAOC) General Membership Meeting on September 20, 2022, featured a discussion on “Apartment Marketing & Leasing 101” with Jessie Childers, Regional Property Supervisor for Santa Fe Management, and Windell Mollenido, Director of Marketing for The REMM Group. Together they offered insight and outlined key steps that all rental housing providers can and should consider taking to improve the marketing of their properties, maximizing rents, and making a good resident selection.

When it comes to property marketing, Mollenido indicated an important first step — and a simple one — picking up the phone! He explained, “It starts with this basic step of being responsive. You can have all the technology in the world, but it starts with this simple measure. Answer the phone.” Mollenido indicated that only one-out-of-five property managers will respond to a phone call.

There is also the aspect of knowing your property. Mollenido recommended Google searching your own property to see what potential residents are seeing. He also suggested asking your current residents to post positive property reviews on Google, Yelp, and other review sites.

Mollenido also reminded attendees that Google has a free option for developing a property website, and even a phone option that can act as a go-between you and the perspective resident.

Childers recommended another basic step of property marketing —placing a sign outside. And while she admitted that it’s considered an “old-fashioned” tactic, she’s found that it continues to be very effective. She also strongly suggested checking out your competitors’ properties, either in-person or online via a Google or Zillow search.

On the topic of leasing, prospective tenant screening, and best practices for a successful selection, Childers advised that once you find a viable resident, secure their three most recent paycheck stubs, double check the current address by what is indicated on the paycheck stubs, and make sure you leave no stone unturned when verifying that accuracy of the information they provided on their application.

Mollenido and Childers concluded the evening discussing scammers and the amount of renter fraud that runs rampant in the rental-housing industry. Mollenido indicated there are many good fraud-detection services that can be utilized at a reasonable cost. He also warned everyone to be wary of prospective tenants who claim they can move in as quickly as tomorrow.

AAOC wishes to thank Wendell Mollenido and Jessie Childers for sharing their insight and experience with the members in attendance. Thank you also to our valued Product & Service Council members who sponsored the meeting: Kay Properties & Investments; Professional Towing Services; and Southern California Edison.

The next AAOC General Membership Meeting will be held on October 18,2022 at The Villa, Orange, and will feature a legislative session wrap up and preview of the new rentalhousing laws that will take effect in January 2023. Registration is now open at www.AAOC.com.