The rental market in NYC is competitive — it can be hard to cut through the noise and understand what renters really want.
That’s why we culled through more than 1,000 messages sent to one key rental management company over the course of 30 days.
While the majority of renters wanted to see the unit, we found renters had the following common questions before they were willing to commit to see the unit.
So, in order to get more, better-quality leads that are already interested in scheduling a showing, make sure your listings aim to cover the following topics of high importance to the renters we sampled.
Top 12 Things Renters Want to See in a Listing
Floor plans
Sometimes flat apartment images don’t tell the whole story. Give renters a sense of the space and how their lives will fit in.
Whether flex walls are allowed
NYC can be expensive for renters. Giving them the assurance that they can split a one-bedroom into a two-bedroom with flex walls might help them justify the budget.
Pet policies
We’ve found in the past that having a pet is a huge priority for renters. There’s even a separate field for pet policies on StreetEasy listings.
Move-in dates
Many renters reach out on the contact form simply to ask when the apartment is available. You’ll get much more qualified leads if you put that info right on the listing.
Short-term availability
In a city like NYC, subletting and short-term stays are commonplace. While you might prefer that a tenant stay long-term, being upfront about this policy will help your lead quality.
Utility costs
The rent is almost never the whole picture (electricity can be 40 percent more expensive in NYC than the rest of the country). If your buildings include utilities in the rent, it can be a huge selling point, especially for pricier units.
Parking availability
Parking in NYC can be the wild west (seriously). If your building has parking, it’s a huge plus and it should not be left off the listing.
Application and approval process
Another common initial question for renters is how much the application fee will be and what the process entails. Transparency on your end can really push on-the-fence renters to reach out.
Amenities
It might surprise you how few rental listings paint a good picture of an apartment’s amenities. Your buildings probably have great features (gyms, roof decks, etc.), so put them front and center.
More apartment pictures
Taking a good apartment picture is important. Making sure you have enough pictures is, too. We recommend putting an interior shot first.
Laundry availability
Another benefit of a bigger building is laundry availability. Assure prospective renters that they won’t have to spend countless hours at a laundromat, and they’ll be excited.
Concessions or price flexibility
Offering concessions and 13-month, promotional lease periods are great ways to give value to renters. But be sure to put the actual rent in the “rent” field, and outline the net-effective rent in the description.
Want even more help making your listings stand out?
Check out our guide on how to construct more successful listings. And be sure to read up on how to take amazing real estate photos, according to professional NYC photographers.