Needle in a Haystack

Things to Remember When Marketing a Rental

We often hear from people who say, “We listed our rental and got hundreds of inquiries! Why did your ad only get 15–20?”

Our response is always the same: “Wow, that’s great! Out of all those inquiries, how many were good leads?”

The typical answer? One or two.

That’s the key difference between quantity and quality. When marketing rentals, the goal isn’t to get the most inquiries — it’s to get the right ones.

Quality Over Quantity

In our experience, if we receive 10–15 inquiries in a week, we usually have 3–5 strong potential candidates. That’s a solid ratio — because we’re attracting people who actually fit the property and are serious about renting.

Why the Difference?

It starts with effective advertising.

A well-crafted rental ad not only draws in people looking for that type of property — it also helps others identify that it’s not the right fit.

For example, if a home doesn’t have a main-floor bathroom, someone with mobility issues can quickly see it isn’t suitable for them. The clearer and more honest the ad, the better the matches you’ll get.

Our Reputation Matters

At A.G. Secure Property Management, we’re known for our thorough screening process.

This reputation works to our advantage: “professional tenants” — people looking to take advantage of landlords — tend to avoid us.

The result?   We attract stronger applicants and maintain an exceptionally low arrears rate.
(As of October 23, 2025, only 0.69% of rent is over 30 days outstanding.)

The Screening Process

Once someone inquires, that’s when the real work begins.

We look at:

• Did they provide all the requested information?
• How do they communicate — respectfully and clearly, or demanding and evasive?
• Do they meet the income and credit criteria?
• If there are past issues, can they reasonably explain them?

If everything checks out, we schedule a showing and move forward.

Finding the Needle in the Haystack

Good tenants are like needles in a haystack — the less hay you have to sift through, the better your chances of finding that needle.

That’s why we focus on attracting quality inquiries, not just volume.

The Role of Pricing

Quality tenants look for quality properties that are priced correctly.

Overpricing a rental doesn’t increase value — it sends a message that the owner may be unrealistic, which attracts the wrong kind of attention.

Remember: getting first and last month’s rent doesn’t mean much if you don’t get paid for the next five.

Let’s Get You to the Needle

Smart marketing, honest listings, and the right price point — that’s how we find great tenants.

Talk to us about pricing your property properly.
Together, we’ll find that needle in the haystack.