I got a call on Monday morning from prospects wanting to see a home I have for rent. It took me 30 minutes to get to the property and they were waiting outside While showing the home, they indicated they were selling their home in NY and wanted to rent for a year before buying....PERFECT!!! They then indicated they had gotten a referral to a local real estate agent and when they indicated they wanted to rent for a year, they never heard back from her and started looking for rental homes on their own.
Since they only had 3 days to find a home and return to NY, I gave them some suggestions since schools were of a major concern. I saw them again this morning coming out of my office building and I stopped them to see their progress. They had decided on another property manager's townhouse and were instructed to apply online. They were leaving that manager's office which is in my building. They were heartbroken as they had no way of accessing a computer and had checked out of their hotel. I invited them in to my office, we downloaded the application forms and they started to work sitting at my conference table. When they did not have some of their financial information, they had an application they had completed previously e-mailed to me and I printed it so they could copy the information.
Finally, they were able to present their applications and check for their move-in monies to the property manager of the townhouse. I gave them 2 cold water bottles from my refrigerator and sent them on their way back to NY.
Hopefully, they do not have such a bad feeling about our area and our real estate agents and they will enjoy their new home!!!
Wallace S. Gibson, CPM * GIBSON MANAGEMENT GROUP, Ltd.
Central Virginia
LandlordWhisperer
View our available Charlottesville, Albemarle and Lake Monticello rental homes online with photos and floor plans
"...to be a Virginian, either by Birth, Marriage, Adoption, or even on one's Mother's side, is an Introduction to any State in the Union, a Passport to any Foreign Country, and a Benediction from the Almighty God...." Anonymous
Rental prospects can and do turn into buyers. I have worked with many many tenants over the years and while some have no respect for realtors, many of those tenants who I helped find a home to rent have turned into buyers.
Rita * I agree and while I don't sell, I'll make sure these new friends are contacted by some good local agents. I suspect they will decide to BUY in the area where I showed them a rental home.
Wallace, It is nice to have property managers who only manage properties.
Wallace, what a great gesture. Why can't we all work more in harmony? I am sure it uplifted you the rest of the day knowing you did such a good deed.
Wallace, you exhibit the true meaning of being a professional! ~ Susan
Wallace,
You will be blessed many times over for helping them.
"And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward."
Jesus Christ
They are super nice people and from a LARGE city in NY, and they were very unprepared for our rental home prices, scarcity AND demand. They thought our rental market would be flooded with properties.