Slow Craigslist Traffic

[Deborah Burian]

For the first time in years, I'm having very little return on a Craigslist ad. The property is just a tidy little 2/1, nothing exciting, pretty run-of-the-mill with one major flaw, no washer/dryer hookups. Price is $600 which is a little under market because of the w/d issue.

It's had a few great tenants and a few really awful ones over its 11 year life so I'm planning to hold out for just the right people this time, however, no one is looking. They're not looking and rejecting it; they're not looking at all... If anything, our market should be warm if not hot right now (low unemployment, significant loss of housing units after tornado) so I'm pretty surprised... I had more traffic on a $500 1/1 garage apartment last month!

I'm going to go in and fully stage it, retaking pictures... any other suggestions besides lowering the rent? I'll do that to if no traction in a week...

Thanks in advance.

[Chris K.]

Originally posted by Shaun Reilly:

Just since I am always curious about other investors mindset and rational why do you only want them to call?

I'm actually the exact opposite and would like people to only email me. In fact the one thing I don't like about Postlets is it requires me to put a phone number, which I stopped doing in my regular Craigslist ads. I put in the ad that they should email for more info. Every so often I get a phone message and I in all honestly never return them since I usually have plenty of people that email me and I figure they pre-screened themselves by showing they can't follow clear and simple written directions. :)

I personally feel like talking on the phone is a much faster and clearer way to communicate. I like to do a pre-screen (mini cross-examination) right there on the phone with them and I like that I can pretty much put them on the spot with questioning. They don't have as much time to think up a cleaver response to some of the questions asked. Plus it's just easier to ask questions back and forth on the phone.

Just like you if they email me with the "I'm interested, please give me a call at 555-5555" I just take it as they can't follow directions or just aren't interested enough.