Any good responses for the Is this available Facebook messages?

[TJ McDonald]

I just recently posted for a vacancy in one of my units. The most contacts I got was from Facebook but I don't think I got one tour from there. 90%+ would send the message and never reply back to me. Sometimes I had the phone in my hand and replied immediately but it didn't seem to matter. I tried switching up my responses from detailed replies to just Yes, it is still available but it didn't seem to matter. Does anyone have a good response for when they get these messages?

[Maureen Connor]

I've been using RentRedi to Pre-Screen.  I use CL because too many poor quality responses on FB and Zillow.   I ask them to send me their direct email and that they will be directed to an App to pre-screen.   It has been great--only those willing to download the App and answer basic questions (name, contact info, number of renters, income, credit score, felony) will be considered.  Amazing how many don't 

[Joe Splitrock]

Originally posted by @Kevin Manz:

@Joe Splitrock

Curious to what ur reply is, when asked are u a private landlord? I don't know why but for some reason that question just ticks me off when they ask me.

 I tell people, "Yes we are a private landlord, but we use similar approval criteria as property management companies." That ends most conversations. If they are ok with that, I send them pre-screening questions. 

[Derrick Dill]

Originally posted by @TJ McDonald:

@Derek dill - Can you configure FB to autorespond that way or are you saying that's just something you manually respond with?

There's a auto-populated response on FB that appears when they send that message. I click it, and it replys automatically with that message

[Jim S.]

My Facebook add starts with: I do not respond to "is this available". Call for a showing ######. I list my qualifications. When they call I do a thorough screening. 90% qualify. If they schedule a showing more than 3-4 hours from now they must call me an hour before showing or I don't show up. And I tell them that. 90-95% call and show up. I schedule them a half hour apart.

[Carlos Ptriawan]

wow, many good replies here. We actually only list in FB marketplace and continue to have good renter from there.

[Sam L.]

FB User: "Hi Sam, is this still available?"

ME: Yes, we have an open house TOMORROW AT NOON til 3pm at *insert property address*

Please fill out an application if interested or unable to make open house:

*Link to my online google forms application* 

If I get 100 inquires, I'll get about 70 that actually response back, of them 70 only 20 show to the open house and of the 20 that show up maybe 12 will fill out an application. I can usually find a good tenant from them 12 individuals. 

[Steve Vaughan]

Originally posted by @Wesley W.:

Here's my script.  BTW the questions are the exact same questions I ask in the ad, but I add #6 as a "stupid tax" for not reading.  Note I request a response via email.  I do not engage in any dialogue on FB messenger after the canned response.  Sadly, I have a very similar experience with the time-wasters on Zillow, which now charges $10/week per ad.  As other have said, it's all because of the "one-click response" they allow tire kickers to indulge in.  Surprisingly, CL yields about the same percentage of qualified renters as Zillow in my market, and is free.

Can you please tell me a bit about yourself and answer the following questions VIA EMAIL for me to provide some context to your inquiry?

1.) Your first and last name, email address and phone number
2.) Total number of people that would occupy the apartment
3.) Proposed animals (size/breeds)
4.) Monthly pre-tax income for household
5.) Date you wish to move in

6.) Do you currently have enough funds to pay first month’s rent and a security deposit?

Thank you for your interest, and I look forward to communicating with you about your current housing needs.

Wesley

(email listed here)

Good questions, especially about animals.

I'd also ask how much do they smoke.  Smokers rarely only do it outside and all of my serious headaches have been smokers. 

 I ask my questions in the ad itself. 

[Mary M.]

Facebook does not generally result in quality leads, but I posts my lower price units there. 

I just respond with "Hi name, yes its available. Happy to set you up with a tour, what works for you"
mostly i dont get responses back but if I do, I go from there. 

One caveat - its REALLY easy to hit the "hi I'm interested"  button - i have done this accidentally myself so maybe keep that in mind :) 

[Kyle O'Donnell]

@Joe Splitrock

Agreed. Fb is a waste of time. Poor quality tenant capture, same problem with yard signs. Zillow is the best and the only marketing I do at all to target great quality tenants.

I even take it further to use cozy.co as an application system as it takes a certain amount of sophistication and seriousness to do that. End result is (usually) a serious and good quality tenant with almost no effort on my part.

[Nik Corbaxhi]

@Will Fraser I have not had any good experience with facebook. It is irritating and after trying it for about a week and getting a lot of “Is it available” or “When can I see it”, I opted for other non-free advertising platforms (Zillow, Trulia, HotPads, Realtor) and had much more success.