About Erie County, NY

Marketing your properties can be one of the bigger challenges you face as a landlord / investor. There are a lot of sites on the internet that offer the ability to post your apartment, either free or for a fee. However, the one site that I see continued success in using is Craig’s List. Their website is free to post apartment listings on (in most areas) and I see a pretty good response in the Buffalo area using their service. They are located at http://www.craigslist.org. Once you are on the site you can navigate to your state and then city using the navigation bar on the right side of the screen.

I’ll be releasing a video within the next day or two with a video showing how to add an actual apartment listing to their site. A couple days after that I hope to have a list of “marketing buzzwords” that you can use to spice up your ad. But for now I want to discuss the meat of your ad.

Craig’s List offers you the ability to post the rent, the number of bedrooms, a subject, the specific location, and the body of the ad. You can also fill in your email address and the address of the property so people who are interested can get a map to the location. In addition you can specify if cats or dogs are allowed in the apartment.

The specific location is different from the address. Generally for specific location, you would want to list the district of the city. For instance, in Buffalo, you might use South Buffalo, University, Black Rock, or any of the other defined districts. This will help people narrow down what they are looking for when they scroll through the listings.

You want to make your subject catchy, but also informative. A subject such as, “3 Bedroom Upper on Main – NEW KITCHEN!” is informative because it tells you the pertinent information up front. The new kitchen will catch the attention of someone scrolling through the page. You do not need to list the rent amount in the subject, because Craig’s List automatically adds that before your subject.

The body of the text is really where you can get into the specific details about the apartment. Start off by talking about the apartment, then move on to amenities offered. Round out the body by listing things near the apartment, such as restaurants, bus lines, parks, schools, etc.

Example Body:
Beautiful 3 bedroom upper apartment with newly renovated kitchen and open floor plan is great for entertaining. Sliding glass door leads to balcony as well as allows tons of sunlight in. Rent includes water, tenant pays gas and electric. Amenities include on site laundry, free wireless internet access.

Enjoy the benefits of the area! This apartment is within walking distance to several restaurants, bus lines to downtown, and the Boulevard Mall. Conveniently located between University of Buffalo North and South campuses.

Please call us at (716) 555-1234 or email us at rentals@abcrentals.com for more information!

Keep in mind that a picture is worth 1,000 words. Craig’s List gives you the ability to upload 4 photos of your apartment! Why wouldn’t you take advantage of that feature? Find 4 well lit rooms, or amenities that your apartment or complex offers (nice kitchen, pool, etc.) and be sure to attach them to your ad.

Marketing your apartments on Craig’s List is a smart move for anyone renting an apartment. The response rates vary, but are generally very good. Keep in mind that you can repost your ad every 3 days to keep your apartment near the top of the list. The more active you are in your marketing, the more responses you will see on your apartment!

Real Estate Investment is a Business

Being a successful Real Estate investor in WNY (or anywhere for that matter) takes a lot of hard work. You cannot achieve it by just showing up, with little money or effort.

I got a call from a potential WNY investor the other day from Texas. They heard from a friend of a friend that they could make buckets of money investing in rental property in the city of Buffalo by the college. They wanted to purchase a $10,000 home that nets them $500 a month after expenses. They wanted me to provide them detailed analysis on all the homes available. I get calls all the time from people with hopes of making lots of money with little effort or financial investment on their part.

Read Also: Commercial Real Estate Investment - What not to do!

I am reminded of a recent post over on Seth Godin's Blog, one that he gave permission to reprint freely. I think it is important reminder for those Investors that think that they can make a quick buck easily:

Read the rest of the article at: If it seems too good to be true....

Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Real Estate Investors, Real Estate News

Moving can be an overwhelming experience.

Here is a tip that you might find make getting into your new Buffalo area home a little easier. Make an Open First Box and have such items to make your first day in your Buffalo home easier. Better yet, have these items at the house days before you move if possible! Here is a list of items we feel you might need that first day in your Buffalo home:

Bath Items

# Roll of Toilet Paper for each bathroom

# Antibacterial liquid soap for each bathroom and kitchen

# Shampoo

# A set of bath towels for each member of the family

# Hand cream

Kitchen & General Items

# box cutter - to open boxes

# garbage bags

# light bulbs

# Rolls of paper towels

# Dishtowels

# Paper Plates, plastic silverware and paper cups

# Dishwasher detergent, dish soap

# Ice cube tray (in case you need to make ice)

# extra batteries # flashlight

# cleaning supplies

Bedding Items

# Clean set of sheets for each bed

# Clean change of clothes for each member of the family

Comfort Items

* Your favorite pain reliever, antacids and eye drops

* First Aid Kit

* Hand held can opener, bottle opener

* bottled water, snacks

* If you have a pet, items for them

Remember if you are buying or selling Real Estate in the Buffalo NY area -- Call me at (716) 743-5297.