How to manage your rental properties better.

Investing in rental properties is one of the most effective ways to build wealth, generate passive income, and secure your financial future. However, effectively managing rental properties requires juggling numerous responsibilities, from coordinating with tenants to collecting payments and addressing maintenance issues. 

The right property management software can simplify these tasks so you can stay organized and focus on maximizing your portfolio’s potential.

Avail (Part of Realtor.com®) is a property management software tailored for landlords managing portfolios of all sizes. Avail offers a range of tools to streamline daily operations and can help you through your entire landlording journey.

1. Find the ideal price for your rental.

   Calculating the right rent price for your property requires you to consider multiple factors to balance profitability and affordability. To help you make an informed decision on your rent price, Avail offers Rent Price Analysis reports for a one-time fee. You can use the six-page report to understand how much other landlords charge and your local demand.

2. Find qualified renters.

   It can be hard to find the right renter, but since most tenants today begin their apartment search online, crafting a compelling listing for your unit is essential.

   Avail helps draft your rental titles and descriptions based on the information you provide.
   Once ready, Avail posts your listing on 20 top rental sites, including Realtor.com and Apartments.com, getting your property in front of millions of renters. If you want to give your property extra visibility, Avail’s new Promoted Listings tool ensures it stands out to potential tenants.
   
   

3. Receive and respond to applications.

   
   As a landlord, you’ll want to ensure you’re requesting the information you need on a standard rental application form to decide who to rent to. Examples of details you’ll want include the applicant’s name, rental history, pet information, current employment, and monthly income.
   Avail offers free rental application forms to have prospective renters fill out online. In addition to the standard template Avail offers, you can add custom questions and even leverage Avail resources to understand any state-specific restrictions. As you receive leads from your listing, you can automatically request applications from prospective renters, manually send them links, or allow renters to apply directly from partner sites like Realtor.com — all from your Avail dashboard.
   
   

4. Screen prospective renters.

   
   After selecting good prospects, the next step is to screen potential renters. Finding quality tenants doesn’t have to be hard, but tenant screening is essential to the journey as it helps you find the tenants who will reduce your risk and potentially your costs. Quality tenants pay rent on time, don’t damage your property, and abide by the lease – helping you avoid expensive legal headaches.
   Avail provides complete online tenant screening services, including TransUnion credit reports, tenant background checks, and eviction history — everything you need to protect your investment and select a great tenant. You can choose which rental screening reports to request from a prospective tenant and decide whether you or your applicant pays. Screening reports can be easily added as a step for the renter during the application process.
   
   

5. Create and sign a lease.

   
   Once a tenant’s application has been approved, the next step is signing the lease to finalize the agreement. A good rental lease agreement is important and should include all the information and legal elements required to protect landlords and tenants. 
   Avail offers free lawyer-reviewed and state-specific lease agreements; you can also upload your existing lease for online signing. With Avail, you can select your lease duration, and renters will receive automated reminders as their lease expiration date approaches, ensuring a smooth renewal process. You can also set rent amounts, due dates, security deposits, and additional fees. After the lease is ready, you and your renters can electronically sign it.
   
   

6. Securely collect rent.

   
   Rent collection is a part of rental property management that can be stressful and time-consuming, or with the right process it can be very easy to handle. How this pans out will ultimately depend on the reliability of your tenants and the way you collect rent as a landlord. 
   Avail streamlines rent collection for multiple tenants. With Avail, you can schedule payments, charge late fees, and collect other fees like security deposits or pet fees. Your tenants get monthly payment reminders and can select their preferred payment method. Avail accepts debit and credit cards, as well as ACH payments – with any one of these payment options, your renter can opt into autopay to have their monthly rent automatically be processed With Avail, tenants can also opt for CreditBoost, which allows them to report their on-time rent payments to TransUnion, so it works towards their FICO 9, FICO XD, and VantageScore credit scores.

Avail also offers other tools, such as maintenance tracking, including in-app messaging and property accounting, which automatically populates payments and maintenance expenses logged through Avail to your dashboard.

Landlording can be stressful, but it doesn't have to be.