Dating websites have grown in popularity and are apparently very effective; one in five people who get married put their advertising claims online. That’s pretty good!

It may be even better for real estate. Many surveys conclude that more than 90% of home searches start online! Real estate websites have the potential to be much better matchmakers!

But the real test of effectiveness is how many leases are consumed (for lack of a better word) from this online matchmaker. And if the owners and tenants are happy with the union after the move. Just like 4 out of 5 people who don’t get married from dating sites, sometimes it doesn’t work between landlords and renters. Why not?

Perhaps this matchup could be a lot more effective if there was a lot more honesty on both sides of the deal?

For example, online house listings tend to look like this, regardless of what the house actually looks like:

Immaculate and inviting, this 3BR/2BA wonder can make even the most discriminating renter’s heart melt. Beautiful home with too many upgrades to count. Voted the Safest and Best Managed Neighborhood in Elmwood for 2 of the last 3 years (as reported by the Elmwood HOA Newsletter)! Attractively priced at $1,200/mo and sure to sell out fast!

What if the tenant had an advertisement? It would read something like this:

Ideal tenants are looking for a quiet abode for a loving family. Our 8 dogs are Vienna trained (on Vienna Drive in Lincroft, NJ, it turns out…) and have never soiled a single carpet fiber. Our rent is always paid on time and the only time the police come to our house is when we make them hot chocolate after they finish singing Christmas carols in our neighborhood. We love our owners and they love us!

But what is the truth? No tenant or landlord is completing a 300-question survey in which algorithms will match the tenant and the house. Every one of them is going to claim that what they offer is top of the line, no matter what the actual truth is. The problem for the landlord is that the tenant can view the home and determine if the rental advertisement is true, while the landlord must run an application and make a partially subjective decision on the information gathered during the application process.

So how can landlords get the type of tenant they want? It really goes beyond the rental application. Just like dating is about being the partner you want to attract, rental houses are the same way. What???

Generally speaking, it is a simple truth and goes like this:

If the rental home is affordable (compared to similar homes on the market) and immaculate, the chances are exponentially higher that the tenant you attract will be affordable (buys properly priced things) and values ​​cleanliness.

On the other hand, if the house is overpriced and dirty, the tenant you attract is more likely to spend recklessly (re: which can lead to situations where you have difficulty paying rent) and not care about house cleaning.

So, in practical terms, should carpet stains be cleaned before going to market? Yes, if the landlord wants a tenant who rents the house to worry about stains on the carpet. What about cleaning appliances? Only if the landlord cares about attracting tenants who care about clean appliances. Should you ask for the highest rent possible? Only if the landlord wants a tenant who doesn’t research his increased spending, which may indicate his overall financial instability.

Just like humans, homes attract suitable mates. Beautiful people marry other beautiful people. Clean people rent clean houses. Financially responsible people don’t lock themselves in overpriced rental homes.

What type of tenant will your rental home naturally attract? Or more importantly, turn off?