In this guest post, John Daniell, Commercial Strategy Lead at Gumtree Property, explains how the platform works to help both landlords and tenants alike:
In Celebration of Choice
Finding tenants has come a long way from placing ads in agent windows or putting your listing in the local paper. Time and simplicity have become precious commodities for landlords and would-be tenants. The advent of the internet has brought with it an ‘always on culture’, with people now expecting to do what they want, exactly when they want. With this also comes the desire for much greater choice – from types of coffee to mobile phones – consumers not only expect it, but demand it. Finding a home is no different, with would be tenants expecting to be able to search a huge range of property whenever they want.
Changing Tastes
Gumtree was launched on this premise, offering choice and giving people a free and easy way to buy and sell. As a business, we are committed to giving renters and landlords a platform that opens up the best opportunities the market has to offer. What people want from a home has changed over time, for example our own research earlier this year revealed that 86% of renters now would not pay for a living room in a rented property, and 37% would rather have an en-suite than a communal space. Using data allows us to identify what is important to renters, in turn giving landlords a unique insight into the best way to market their property, helping them work with prospective tenants and get the best deal for both parties.
An Industry Issue
With choice and opportunity, the internet has also brought higher instances of fraud and cybercrime, making trust and safety an issue for all e-commerce and digital companies. Property websites of all shapes and sizes have a responsibility to ensure their users stay safe. Our property section is used by millions of people every year to list both properties for rent and for sale, and if a user has a bad experience we encourage them to report the incident to us or the police.
How does Gumtree assist both landlords and renters?
Still Sharing
There is much discussion currently about the ‘sharing economy’, which refers to ‘a socio-economic ecosystem built around the sharing of human, physical and intellectual resources’. This is the model on which Gumtree established itself sixteen years ago. As a platform it has retained its founding principles such as no fees, little paperwork and minimal hassle which have ensured its continuing popularity. With tenants and landlords continuing to demand real choice and flexibility, finding and renting property on their own terms, Gumtree has proved its staying power, and strives to be there for our trusted users in the future.
How to get the best out of Gumtree as a Landlord:
- Upload images of the main rooms inside the property, including the kitchen, reception room, bathroom and bedroom, as well as the property’s exterior to give renters a flavour of what they’re buying in to. Give as much written detail as you can on the property, to avoid wasting time with renters and yourself.
- Check out the local competition and how other landlords are marketing their property. Search for similar properties and what the going rates are as a guideline.
- Market your property in the correct region, as Gumtree is spilt up by location (major cities and counties). Make sure you create an advert for the correct region by selecting the area in which the property is located and providing the postcode.
- Refresh your advert as frequently as possible in order to get the most exposure, as Gumtree’s search results are displayed in order of freshness.