Military families are known for moving quite frequently. Every one to four years, military members and their families are given Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders and asked to move to a new area or entirely different county. As such, military homes for rent is a very special and highly profitable market for landlords.
Here at AHRN, we serve as a direct marketing channel to help landlords reach this niche group of service members seeking military homes for rent. By registering and posting your active listings located near military installations, you’re taking the next step toward renting your vacant unit or closing a home sale.
Marketing anything is as simple as letting the right people know what you have available. Put optimal military homes for rent in front of the right families, and you will find a steady stream of new tenants who need to live in the area!
There are some key characteristics military families look for in a home. Let’s discuss how you can effectively market your property for this unique community!
1. List Your Proximity to The Base
The closer your property is to the local base, the better! Military homes for rent that are near the base are usually rented out quickly. This is because most military members have to report to their assigned base daily for their job and a long commute isn’t ideal.
When listing your property, clearly indicate your location and proximity to the military installation. You can even provide some information about the commute between your property and the base. For example, you could write something like, “This property offers easy access to NAS Pensacola and is located less than five miles from the north gate.”
Military members reviewing your listing will appreciate the helpful information. Moreover, it’ll make you stand out as a credible, military-friendly landlord!
2. Meet Military Family Needs
If you like the idea of appealing to military families, try to imagine their lifestyle and what you can do to appeal to their needs. Military families move often, so they typically travel light and bring as few furniture items as possible.
Consider advertising your property as being furnished or partially furnished. This will attract those military families who decided to sell or throw away the furniture at their previous base to avoid the hassle of packing and moving heavy items.
Furthermore, military families typically look for homes with 3+ rooms and 2+ bathrooms. This way, they can ensure their children have enough space to settle in and adapt after a long move. So, don’t be afraid to include room dimensions and placement to really help military members picture their lives in your rental home.
3. Showcase a Clean Property
Some military commands have quarterly home inspections, while others perform them on an as-needed basis. As such, military families are generally tidy and live in an orderly manner.
Therefore, landlords normally find that military tenants are respectful of their property, which isn’t always the case with civilian renters.
Attract military renters by showcasing a neat and clean property. A fresh coat of paint, clean carpets, and uncluttered surfaces can go a long way! Make your rental property appear fresh and clean in pictures by:
- Removing clutter from all surfaces
- Choosing white or gray paint shades
- Brightening spaces by opening curtains
- Professionally staging the home
- Keeping the yard mowed
- Hiring a pest control service
Take photos of your property when it is at its brightest and cleanest to ensure you are giving the best first impression to viewing military families.
More Like This: Check out these 5 Reasons Landlords Should Rent to Military Tenants!
4. Make it Military Kid-Friendly
Single service members are typically asked to live on-base in the barracks, while those with spouses and children are allowed to rent or purchase off-base. To attract military tenants who may have children, you can include information about local playgrounds and schools within your listing.
In addition, you can ensure your backyard is set up to be kid-friendly with a fence and an open space where they can run around and play. Helping military tenants picture their children enjoying the property will help you keep the place leased!
5. Advertise As a Military-Friendly Landlord
When it comes to writing your property listing(s), you can catch the attention of military families by showcasing your knowledge of the military lifestyle. Mentioning that you are “knowledgeable of military living standards” or “accommodating of military family needs” will set you up for success as a trusted military-friendly landlord.
Ready to List Your Military Rental?
Keep these tips in mind as you prepare your rental for, hopefully, your next military family tenants! By properly positioning your property as being the perfect fit for any military family, you can bypass using an expensive realtor to rent out your property.
A much more cost-effective way to list your property is to use our services at AHRN to connect with service members PCSing to your area. With over 1.4 million registered users, AHRN has quickly grown to become a trusted resource for military families looking for housing.