In Nigeria, most landlords do not seek to interest their prospective tenants as they practice the ‘anything goes’ philosophy. It is only when seeking to get a house in the upper class areas of various cities in the country that you get to see a standard reception by the sales agent and the landlord.
This ‘anything goes’ mindset does not make for good profit or investment. This is because, as the owner of the property you want to leave your property to someone you can trust in exchange for a fee over a period of time.
To get the right tenants, it is advisable to do the following for your benefit and that of your tenant(s):
Do your research: The key to the success of your investment is to do your own research. This would help discover whether the property matches the target tenant and whether a potential rent matches the financial return.
Know the demographic of your prospective tenants: This would help out a lot as what a bachelor wants might not be what a married man would want.
What does your prospective tenant do?: Knowing what kind of job your prospective tenant does would give you an idea of the style of house suitable for him. Also, you would have an idea of the amount of rent to be paid. You do want the cash don’t you?
Security: What measures have you put in place to secure your property? Security is a coveted asset when looking for a house and your tenants must feel very safe.
Building amenities: Things such as water, light and other basic amenities shouldn’t be a problem in your building. Your tenants should be proud and comfortable in the house
In order not to miss out on a good investment, you have to sweat a little more to make sure your prospective tenant would find it difficult to resist that opening.
