If you’re new to investing in real estate but haven’t yet taken the plunge to hire a Bothell property management company then you’re sure to have questions. If you’re just getting started, then one of the most obvious should be “how much do I charge for rent”. Figuring out the rent means learning how to determine the rental amount, which might seem a bit daunting, especially if you’ve never rented in the Bothell area before. With that in mind, here are a few easy ways to determine the rent rate for your property.
Research the Neighborhood The first step to determining the rental rate is to research the local neighborhood to see what other houses in the area are going for. Unless your unit or units are vastly superior or inferior to the average unit in the area, then this gives you a very good starting base. You don’t want to price too much higher than the rest of the neighborhood, especially not if there are several other landlords letting property. Because you have to remain competitive, unless there are no other units, then you have to price similarly to other units in the area.
Check Your Amenities Amenities also affect the going rate for your rent. Consider how close the unit is to shopping, public transportation, and entertainment, and price accordingly. Homes that are very close to grocery stores are great to advertise to seniors who may get help with the rent. If you allow pets and smoking, then that is also an amenity.
Consider the Insurance It is always a good idea to consider how much you are spending on your unit before you agree to letting it out for a specific rate. Consider getting your insurance in advance, deciding on whether or not you’re allowing pets and smokers, and adding the cost of the insurance into your basic rent. If you decide on a certain amount that you want to make in profit each month, settle on an expenditure for monthly maintenance and upkeep, and add in the insurance and cost of inspections, then you’ve already set a good basic rent cost.
Check the Rent Rate for Other Similar Houses Finally, you also want to research to see what other similar houses are renting out for. If you have a three bedroom condo with two bathrooms then finding out what similar size units are renting for can help you a great deal with setting your rent. This is important because most tenants will compare several similar units in different areas rather than a variety of different homes in the same area.
Determining the rental amount can be difficult if you don’t know the area, but hiring a professional Bothell property management company means that you don’t have to worry about details like setting the rent, or collecting it, because your management company does that for you. Contact us today at SJA to find out more about what we can do for you.