Welcome back to the Roots Blog — where we’re not just building portfolios, we’re solving real-world problems for everyday landlords and investors. In this episode, Max and Tyler dive into the chaos of late-summer leasing and break down how to actually rent your property quickly, effectively, and with confidence.

Spoiler: good tenants aren’t just going to “show up.” You have to earn them.

Crisis in the Leasing Streets: Why Everyone’s Stuck

August hit hard. Tyler and Max had rentals sitting vacant, clients were panicking, and everyone seemed to be saying the same thing: “I can’t rent my home.”

But here’s what they found when they reviewed those properties:

• Listings with horrible photos — some taken from rooftops (!?)

• ChatGPT-written descriptions full of formatting artifacts

• Properties wildly overpriced vs comps

• Zillow missing from listings altogether

No wonder the units weren’t moving.

The Photo Problem: Invest or Stay Vacant

One word: photos.

Tyler and Max hammered this hard — you must invest in professional photos. Whether it’s $250 or $300, it's worth it. That single investment pays for itself the second you cut vacancy time in half.

DIY phone shots, roof photos, or grainy hallway pics aren’t cutting it. Buyers don’t love those in sales, and tenants hate them in leasing.

Pricing: Let the Market Speak

Roots' go-to rule: look at actual comps, not your wish list.

If a near-identical unit just rented for $1,900 and you’re holding at $2,100, guess what? You’re not going to lease. One client lost $2,000+ in missed rent trying to hold a higher price.

Drop the ego. Drop the rent. Get the tenant.

Tell the Property’s Story

Max emphasizes that great listings don’t just show square footage — they tell a story.

Showcase the neighborhood. Highlight walkable local spots. Use visual branding to suggest a human lives here, not a grumpy property manager. Add flair. Add warmth.

They even mocked up graphics in Canva to show local gems like Amelia’s Bread or Kan-Kan Cinema. That human element matters.

Red Flags and Lessons in Tenant Screening

Letting urgency cloud judgment? That’s how you get burnt.

Tyler shares a cautionary tale: a tenant applied with urgency, skipped income checks, and later ghosted — taking the fridge, washer, and dryer with her.

Key lessons:

• Don’t skip income or background checks

• Trust urgency as a red flag, not excitement

• Stick to standards — 3x rent, no felonies or evictions

Oh, and always check their car. If the vehicle’s a mess, their unit will be too.

Ghost Tours Are Dead (Or Should Be)

If your manager is giving out lockbox codes with no agent walkthrough, you’re ghost showing. That’s not how you find solid tenants.

Roots’ method? Use motivated agents to show rentals as if they were listings. It trains new agents, creates accountability, and gives prospective tenants a real human experience.

Public Announcement: Roots Is Leasing

Max and Tyler are obsessed with leasing well — and they’re now offering it as a service.

Got a property sitting? Hit up Roots Realty Co. and let the team bring it to life. With better listings, better photos, and better communication, it’s not just about filling a unit — it’s about finding the right tenant for the long game.

Final Word
Vacancy is expensive. Leasing poorly is even more so.

If your property’s sitting, don’t panic pivot into mid-term rentals or slash your standards. Just do the work: take the photos, price it right, and let Roots help you lease it right the first time.

Want your rental to shine? Let’s lease it together.