Posts Tagged ‘Find Tenants’

Ontario Landlords – How To Attract Good Tenants

Wednesday, October 1st, 2014

 Ontario Landlord Marketing How To Make Your Rentals Attractive For Great Tenants

Great Tenants Want to Rent Attractive Properties. Here’s A Way To Get Tenants To Want to Rent Your Rental Property!

Ontario landlords know the importance of renting to good tenants.

This means landlords need to screen applicants carefully before handing over the keys to their rental unit.

Experienced Ontario landlords know careful tenant screening should also include an Ontario landlord credit check on all potential renters.

How Can I Find Good Tenants?

In order to rent to good tenants you need to be able to attract them to your property and they need to want to rent from you.

This means you need to have a well-maintained and high quality property.

How Can I Make My Rental Property More Attractive For Good Tenants?

A recent post at the Ontario Landlords Forum from a Toronto landlord asked how to improve curb appeal.

Here’s the post:

“I have a multiplex in Toronto that I put a lot of time and money into to make the inside very attractive. I’m in an area where this is a lot of competition for qualified tenants… The problem is the outside of the property isn’t appealing and it turns off a lot of good potential tenant from even wanting to view the inside of the rental. How can I improve the curb appeal of the property without spending a fortune?”

Improve Your Rental Property By Planting Trees and Shrubs

An Alberta landlord replied with the advice of planting trees and shrubs to improve curb appeal. This landlord said after adding some leafy shrubs and a few trees her rental property attracted a lot more applications from interested tenants.

A BC Landlord echoed the opinion and stated that the trees near his rental has attracted a lot of great tenants.

Fortunately, for landlords in Toronto and the GTA planting trees and shrubs is a terrific and affordable options thanks to a program called LEAF.

LEAF – Local Enhancement & Appreciation of Forests

LEAF is a non-profit organization that has been offering a subsidized tree planting program in York Region for the past 18 years.

LEAF offers a full-service planting program to help multi-units in Toronto and York Region plant trees and shrubs on the private property around buildings. This includes a consultation and site assessment with one of our expert arborists and full planting service.

Melissa Williams, Acting Program Manager for LEAF

The Ontario Landlords Association interviewed Melissa Williams for more information on the LEAF program.

We thank Melissa for her enthusiasm to help landlords know about the program and how it can help landlords create attractive rental properties.

1.            Could you tell us how your program can help residential landlords?

LEAF offers a full-service planting program to help multi-units in Toronto and York Region plant trees and shrubs on the private property around buildings at affordable rates. This includes a consultation and site assessment with one of our expert arborists and full planting service. LEAF is a non-profit organization that receives funding to offer this subsidized program for private property plantings. 

Trees and shrubs increase the aesthetic value of your property which in turn can increase property value by as much as 30%! Trees also reduce air and noise pollution, lower summer air temperatures and provide much-needed shade.

2.            Are all landlords in Toronto and York Region eligible for this?

All residential landlords in Toronto and York Region are eligible for the program.

3.           We have lots of members all over Ontario.  

                    Can Mississauga landlords and Ottawa landlords access the program?

At present time we only offer the program in Toronto and York Region. We would recommend that landlords in other cities check with their local municipality or conservation authority to see if similar programs are offered in their area.  

4.            What happens during the consultation/assessment of the property?

During the consultation, a LEAF arborist will assess the site conditions such as soil type, sun exposure and spacing restrictions, and speak with you about what your preferences are in terms of trees and shrubs for the property.

The arborist will then recommend suitable native species that will do well on your property, and determine planting locations with you as well. We would then come back and plant the trees and shrubs for you in either our spring (April-June) or fall (September-November) planting season.

5.            What are the costs involved for the landlord and what does this include?

The cost for the program ranges from $150-$220 per tree, depending on the species selected. This price includes a site consultation with an arborist, a 5-8 foot tall tree, and delivery and planting service.

The full value of this service is approximately $300-$400, and the difference is paid by our funding partners. Native shrubs can also be purchased for $25 each.

6.            How can landlords interested in this opportunity get started?

We recommend visiting our website at www.yourleaf.org/multi-units-and-businesses to learn more about how the program works and to fill out our application form. We can also be reached by email at info@yourleaf.org

Make Your Toronto or York Region Rental Property Look Good!

Toronto and GTA landlords can take advantage of this program to make your rental property more attractive to renters.

Whether you are landlord in Toronto or cities in the GTA make your rental property sparkle and attract good tenants.

Ontario Landlord Question – My Tenants are Awesome, Should I Send Them a Gift Card or Other Christmas Present?

Friday, December 14th, 2012

December 14th, 2012

An Ontario Landlord Asks: “Should I Give My Great Tenants Christmas Presents To Say Thank You?”

It’s a landlord question that comes up every December.

The landlord has great tenants who pay on time and respect the rental property.  They have never been late with rent and the rental unit looks better than ever…these tenants treat the property with care.

With so many bad tenants out there, the landlord feels grateful and wants to show his or her appreciation.

What better way than sending the tenants some nice gifts and presents for Christmas?

The question is especially popular this year because of a popular recent news story. A Los Angeles landlord who owns large buildings sent a special Christmas message to his tenants. In his message he told his tenants they would be receiving $70 their normal December rent.

It’s come up again on the Ontario Landlord Forums this December, 2012.

Here’s the question from the new landlord:

Hello everyone, very excited to find this organization and to share my experiences and question and answers with others.

I have my first set of tenants. One group has been with us since August 1 and the basement tenants have been with us since October 1.

(1) Do other landlords also give gift cards to tenants for a Christmas gift?

(2) What type of gift cards are best? Milestones? Bestbuy? Others?

(3) If not gift cards, what do you give?

Happy Holidays!!

So What Is The Right Answer? Should You Give Christmas Gifts to Your Best Tenants?

The answer is more complicated than you might first think.

You are turning a purely business relationship into something more personal. So before wrapping up that gift, consider the following:

1. What if you eventually have to evict these tenants? If there are personal feelings involved things can easily turn very nasty.

2. We live in a multicultural society, especially Toronto and the GTA. What if your tenants don’t celebrate Christmas?

3. What if your tenants don’t realize your true intentions and view the gift as you ‘showing off your wealth’ or ‘looking down on them’?

4. Your tenants are already happy with the property and how you run your rental business, so why rock the boat?

5. What if one tenant feels slighted because they feel you gave a better gift to another? There have been examples of tenants having problems with other tenants.

These are just some of the things you need to think about.

 

To Discuss This Go to the Ontario Landlords Forum and Find Out What Other Landlords Think About Giving Gifts to Tenants.