In Pakistan, it is not uncommon for people from rural areas and small cities to move to metropolises like Lahore, Islamabad and, especially, Karachi in search of better job prospects. This has resulted in a massive influx of tenants in each of these cities over the past decade. In order to search for the best house on rent suiting your needs and requirements, one needs to do thorough research and go through a number of rental listings. Nowadays, tech-savvy people mostly turn to the internet to look for options instead of reading old-school adverts in newspapers. When searching for a rental home online, tenants look at all the factors that can help them make an informed decision. Zameen.com is the best website in the country that can help you in this regard. However, you need to take care of certain things while listing your rental property online.
What to mention when you’re listing your rental property online
Remember, when you are advertising a house or flat for rent, you are essentially helping someone find a roof over their head. Therefore, the message needs to be as descriptive and direct as it can be. For a distracted reader on the internet, in particular, the information needs to be concise but effective. We have narrowed down the most important factors you should always mention in such adverts. Have a look:
- Orientation
- Covered area and size
- Utilities
- Bedroom count
- Extra outdoor space
- Furnishing
- Road links
- Security
- Good quality photos
- Discretionary amenities
Let’s discuss these in detail:
East open or West open house?
The first thing that every homeowner should list down when putting up their home on rent is whether the house is east open or west open. If it’s west open, the unit will experience a natural air flow; this is a popular belief in Karachi. The weather becomes harsh in summers. As such, people look for homes that do not allow heat to trap in. If you are renting an upper portion, there can be problems in keeping the house cool; since the roof directly absorbs heat from the sun. Tenants prefer houses or portions that have a natural cross ventilation system. People living in Lahore or Islamabad opt for east-facing houses as the winters are long and cold here. So, in east open houses, sun rays enter your house and till midday you have direct access to sunlight. If you advertise your house for rent, let’s say, in Islamabad and your house is east-open then, make sure you mention it in your rental listing.
Area of the house
Of course, the capacity of a unit is the most important bit of information tenants look for in an advert or listing. Is it a 120 sq yd house or a 240 sq yd one? In the province of Punjab, 5 marla, 10 marla or 1 kanal are quite in-demand among both homebuyers and tenants. If someone has a big family, they would, understandably, want to shift to a bigger house. In fact, after location, the second most important thing a prospective tenant looks for in a listing is the size of the home.
Availability of basic utilities
Utilities are of utmost importance. Be it someone looking to buy a house or someone hunting for a rental unit, everybody wants to make sure they’re moving to a place where there’s adequate supply of gas, water and electricity. Most tenants also want to know a rough estimation of electricity and water bills to gauge how much it would cost to live on rent. Another major concern that tenants have is whether the landlord has paid all previous bills or not. It is always good to mention all of this information when listing your rental property online.
Bedroom count
Listing the number of bedrooms in your rental property is crucial. It’s also an effective way to attract serious tenants, as only people sure about their requirements will contact someone offering a certain number of bedrooms. Some property owners also mention the size of the bedrooms and whether they have attached bathrooms. Finer details like built-in wardrobes, provision of air conditioner or—if your landlord is kind enough to fix these—room lights, should be mentioned in rental listings. As a homeowner, if you have used imported tiles and bathroom fixtures, then it should be the star feature of your rental home listing.
Any terrace, study or servant quarter
Who minds an extra bit of outdoor space? A terrace is a key feature of your house, if you have one. You can increase the rental price because of these special highlights of your abode. Is there enough space for a clothesline? Is there a balcony which offers great views? Do you have a peaceful study room or is there a servant quarter outside the house? Mention these factors when listing rental property online.
Furnished or unfurnished?
It is worth mentioning in bold letters if the house is furnished. Fitted lights, newly painted walls, a revamped plumbing system or any other renovation that has been done must be mentioned. For example, if there is a house available for rent in Karachi and the property owner mentions that the bedrooms come with fully functional air conditioners, it is definitely a plus point. Who wouldn’t want to avoid the hassle of installing electronic devices after moving into a new place.
Accessibility to main road
Sharing pictures and information about the housing area can also help you find a serious tenant. Whether the house in question is approachable through the main road or not. If there is a wide road in front of your house, mention the width of the road in the rental listings.
Security of the area
The ever-increasing crime rates have compelled homeowners and tenants to take preemptive security measures. House security is a major concern these days. It will lure tenants if your house is located in a gated housing community. Moreover, it is worth mentioning if you have installed surveillance cameras around the house.
Good quality pictures of the house
When listing your rental property online, make sure to take good quality pictures. It is always good to post as many images as possible. A tenant would like to get every bit of detail about the house. Why not show them through photos? After all, a picture is worth a thousand words. Make sure to take HD shots of the master bedroom, kid’s room, study, TV lounge, drawing/dining area, terrace, balcony
Easy access to mosques, markets and other amenities
People interested in renting a house in Pakistan usually calculate the distance to nearby mosques and markets. Almost all housing societies cater to these demands and you will find mosques in every block and sector of any residential area across the country. The shorter the distance, the better it is. Also, for grocery shopping, people prefer if a local market or a superstore is situated nearby. Nobody likes to drive long distances to buy vegetables and meat on a weekend. It’s even worse if one has to hail a rickshaw or a taxi just to visit a grocery store. So, if your rental property is situated near, let’s say, Imtiaz Supermarket, make sure you highlight this in your advert.
Listing your rental property online is just the first step. Once you start receiving responses, the next step is to screen a potential tenant. Fortunately, we have a comprehensive list of questions to ask a tenant that can make this process easier for you.For more property related content and tips, stay tuned to Zameen, the best property blog in Pakistan.
