Keys to Approaching Landlords

For brokers who are thinking about going into the rental business or ones looking to improve upon their existing business, we’ve put together a series of tips to securing rentals listings. The first in our series is on approaching landlords.

It can be a struggle when approaching landlords. Because you are only one of the 40,000 brokers in New York City these very landlords receive dozens of calls a week from other agents. If you sound like everybody else, you will not get very far. Always remember to stand out to make an indelible impression.

If you are looking to approach a landlord, I suggest following these three steps:

1. First get them to welcome your calls. Be welcoming and make sure not to sound pushy on the first phone call. This is simply an introduction about yourself and your company. If the landlord seems reluctant at first, ask them if it’s OK to send a follow-up letter with more information. There is a good chance the letters will start to build a relationship with them.
2. Build the Relationship. There is no recipe for this as every relationship is unique. This is where your talent and ingenuity come into play. Real estate is a “people business” from the bottom up. Connecting with people and getting new accounts is no exception.
3. Solidify the Relationship. This should naturally flow from step two. However, this doesn’t come easy as you will need to continue working hard on bringing in tenants for the landlord. If you are able to establish and keep the relationship working, it can do wonders you and your company’s business.

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