Showing rental without floors?

[Deb Searcey]

I recently had a flood at my rental and gave my tenant the option to leave, which she did.  All repairs are done, or scheduled. Should I wait to list until the floors are done? Or list now with a note saying that floors are being put in and showing the house that way? 

I'd like to have an August tenant, and if I wait until the floors are done I can list it until 7/12.

[Patrick M.]

I have waffled on this as I renovated apartments. The bottom line is that I have listed all of them when still in the renovation stages. My last 2 were both rented when (1) we still had finishing work/backspash tiling to do. (2) we had just sheetrocked.

It all depends on the potential tenants "vision" and you should be able to assist that by having a flooring sampling ready.

In the one, I was bringing sheetrock out to the dumpster when an older couple approached me and asked what I was doing. They were out looking at apartments for their son and girlfriend who were not in an immediate rush- they were interested in seeing the place. I walked them through, showed them the kitchen plans- they loved it. They called me later and asked if the son could come look... he loved it. We had only sheetrock and sub floor. They made a soft commitment, at my request and then followed up when everything was finished. This is my priciest apartment and I just had the July rent Zelled to me yesterday. I am loving this millennial couple.

But the parents were previously contractors- so they had an eye, and so did the kid growing up around it.

I handle everything myself- so it costs me zero to list it on Zillow when still working and updating the pictures as I progress.