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Marketing and Screening Tenants: Frequently Asked Questions
 Does your web hosting list change often?
Yes. Web sites come and go. We are not responsible for specific companies going out of business. The web hosting landscape changes rapidly and the free sites (as well as pay sites) come and go over night. Our promise is to list your property on all the sites we list our managed properties on, which currently includes these.
Do sites occasionally refuse certain postings?
Apparently they do. We have never been refused a posting but they reserve the right to refuse one at any time.
Should I be concerned about Crown redirecting callers on my ad to other properties?
No. If someone calls about your property we promise to speak to them about your property only and not redirect them to another property. When we pass them over to you we will follow up in one week. If they didn’t rent yours, we will try to get them to rent something else through us.
Note: We are marketing over 100 houses at the same time. Some callers know exactly what property they're calling about, some don’t. When they don’t, all we can do is probe them as to “what they need” and tell them about properties we have that might meet that need. Your location and rent range is the most distinguishing feature that determines which property we point them to.
Do you take calls 24/7?
No. We currently staff our call center 8:30am to 5pm on weekdays plus monitor calls weekends and holidays. During business hours we answer live or return the call within minutes. Weekends and holidays calls are returned within two hours. In summer months we staff up for the increased volume of calls.
Do you guarantee a tenant?
No. This marketing is on a best efforts basis. We can’t guarantee results as we are not in control of many parts of the process. We promise to advertise your property along side all our others and respond to the calls, sort them out and pass them on to you. We get between 80 and 120 calls a day (more in the summer) and currently rent 40 to 50 houses a month. You will benefit from all the call volume but there is no guarantee of results any more than you would get from an AJC ad.
Crown follows a strict policy of non-discrimination. We strongly encourage do-it-yourself landlords to do the same. Never discriminate on the basis of sex, national origin, handicap, race, gender, color or familial status. It can land you in jail and is just wrong.
Do I get a prorated refund if I rent it in a few days?
No. Many homes are rented in a week in our program due to the massive advertising we do. There is no way to know which ad made a particular caller pick your home; it all gets lost in the volume. No refund will be made if you rent it quickly. In fact, if you think about it, our service should cost more if it gets you a tenant quicker. But we wouldn't do that to you.
What happens if my house does not show up on a specific site when I check it?
If you check a site, and your house is not there, it may be for any one of three reasons. 1) Occasionally we made a mistake and hit the wrong button. Just let us know and we will re-post it. 2) Sometimes, especially on the free sites, their posting systems crash and all our listings get lost in the reboot. They are not always funded well and their systems don’t always work perfectly. 3) Lastly, most of the free sites are auto-populated from the expensive pay sites that we post on and that auto-populate system breaks down from time to time. Keep in mind that this is technology at work and therefore imperfect. Our goal is to keep you on the expensive pay sites that generate all the traffic and all the free sites they auto-populate to. Please understand that it is a mammoth task to keep 120 houses on 20 to 30 sites 24/7. We do it well, but not perfectly. As long as you find your property on the big pay sites, you are getting your money's worth.
When should I start marketing my property?
When it is ready to occupy. It’s a waste of money to spend your advertising dollar before a property is ready to occupy. Prospects have lots of choices to rent and ‘rent ready condition’ at time of viewing is important. If you run ads, and show a property before it is ready, you are wasting your time and money. Save your money and start ads when the house is ready. See what rent-ready means »
Do the utilities have to be on?
We think so, but it’s your call. When we market and show properties in our management system we require the utilities be on. Tenants can’t see the property on dark days; you can’t flush toilets; vacuum up dead bugs; it’s too hot or too cold; vacant houses develop musty odors if utilities or off. There are 100 reasons utilities need to be on but it’s your call. See more about why we think utilities should be on »
Should I paint it neutral or wait for an applicant?
It is hard for many people to see it like it will be when previewing a property. You need to have it ready to move in on short notice. Don’t wait until you have an applicant to make it rent ready. See Mistakes Owners Make Marketing Their Properties »
Can prospects call me directly off the ads?
No. Our licensing agreements with these sites prevent us from “reselling their service”. We therefore have to take the calls and screen them. Your phone number can’t be in the ad.
Who takes the photos?
You do. We have no boots on the ground to put up a sign, take photos, hang a lock box or mow the lawn. This service is state wide and we have no way to do it for you. The data page gives you opportunity to upload photos that we will put on each site just like you would if you posted it yourself. We are trying to keep the cost down to make this affordable so photos are your responsibility. Good photos can really help attract attention, and therefore get a tenant quicker.
How do I pay for this service?
By credit card only. We are trying to keep this technology driven so everything is by email and credit card.
How much advertising do you do in the Atlanta Journal?
Very little. Classified advertising has lost its value for rental listings as the national rental hosting sites have gained so much attention. The big media giants that own the Washington Post and New York Times have seen their print revenues shrink and have bought up all the auto, home and car web sites. Today they control the market in these areas and rental hosting sites have become very popular and very expensive. The cost of print advertising is high; the results are low, and the web far outperforms it. We run generic ads in the AJC most every Sunday pointing prospects to our inventory without discriminating on the basis of whether we are managing the property or not. See our rental inventory »
If I convert my listing to another Crown leasing option does any of my money here apply?
No. The cost and margin of this system is peanuts. If you want to convert to our Tenant Placement service or our Full Lease and Management program nothing you spent on the program applies.
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