Two days ago, I posted an Ad on Zillow to advertise my only vacancy. I have been tweaking this Ad since then by adding watermarks and a Scammer Alert message. I have not watermarked all of my photos yet but thought I would get your opinions before I made any more adjustments. Also, my rent for this house ($900) is the highest it has ever been and I am trying to figure out what the true market rent for this house actually is. My last tenant of 2 years, paid $775.00.

Here are the HUD FMRs for Etowah County; looks like they will be going down from 2024 to 2025 (despite what I've heard to the contrary)

You have to subtract the monthly utility costs:

Sophisticated scammers are able to remove watermarks using A.I. now, so while this might deter your standard "mama's basement" Craigslist scammer, there really isn't a way to be "safe" now.

I recommend putting signs on the inside of the windows by the front and back door with your name and phone along with a message, "If you haven't talked to Roy yet, you were talking to a scammer. Please call (insert your number)."

Tech is leaping ahead. We can try to help, but ultimately people have to watch out for themselves. The truly despearate won't care if your watermarked photos don't match up: if someone is offering a $900 rental for $500 a month with no credit checks, there are people who will Venmo or Paypal a $75 app fee (using the no returns or clawbacks option) without thinking twice. Greed and fear overcomes caution. Can't help such people, unfortunately.

I had a guy once call me on one of my sign when he got to the place. He said the person he'd been talking to said they'd "lost the key, but you can climb in the back window."

Seriously? Yeah, he went there and when he saw the window was 7 feet off the ground he saw my window sign and asked if I'd left a ladder for him.

You cannot protect such people. You can only try to fend them off and keep them from becoming squatters.

Sid,

Thank you for your suggestions. In the past 12 months, I have posted 5 Ads on Zillow. Within 24 hours, every single one of those Zillow Ads got copied and reposted on FB under a fake name.

Roy, yeah, that's typical. Most of these scammers are out of state or even out of the country. You will NEVER convince them to meet you. That takes them too much time and invites too much risk to them getting caught. They want everything anonymous, to PayPal/Venmo accounts tied to scam emails that they shut down after a few scores so that there's no way to trace them over time.

I added the same type of wording.

Plenty,

I expect all of my applicants to fill out a Zillow application which Zillow will forward to me. I use the Zillow app only as my initial screening tool. Anyone who refuses the Zillow app, gets an automatic DG.

I am going to take Sid's advice and put signs in the windows with my company name and phone number. I am showing this house in about an hour to the only person out of 10 who have completed a Zillow application so far. Most prospects do not want to pay Zillow that $35.00 fee and they call me using the Google number in the Ad.

Plenty,

"Mint condition home and a Mint price of $ 35.000"

You want our opinions of what?

I think better (even professional?) photos would make a HUGE difference. So would staging. It's really hard to get a sense of the house from the photos.

Roy,

Home looks nice.

But your pictures don't do it justice. Your first and only showing in online.

You asked for feedback...

Gotta use FEMALE eyes, not MALE eyes. Momma picks the home.

To her the empty rooms look blah and lonely. Cold, orphaned little rooms. I'll have to buy drapes and spend a bunch of time decorating before I put my baby in that room."

Can see out the blinds, which are half cocked.

Broom and dustpan?? Toilet seat up too?

I think that pink mold Robin noticed might be iron/rust in the grout from the water but is does look nasty. Me? I'd stain ALL the grout to such a color. OR spray it down with CLR.

BRAD

PLEASE!! VSHmedia started a new AI virtual staging an is offering FREE or $2 per pic. Make the rooms INVITING to get better people and more money.

Did the scammer crop off your watermark? Use a prettier font, 50% see thru, with your phone I use our website.

PS

Dead grass on the front steps on the main photo?

Your pro photog skills could make your ads look terrific!

For the pink mildew, I'd use a can of Kaboom bathroom cleaner on that stuff. Our tile is similar coloured, and gets a soap film that discolors it like that. The Kaboom does a great job getting into the nooks and crannies of the tile, scrub brush takes it off. I have to wear my N95 mask when I use the Kaboom, or it bothers my lungs.

For the pink mildew, I'd use a can of Kaboom bathroom cleaner on that stuff. Our tile is similar coloured, and gets a soap film that discolors it like that. The Kaboom does a great job getting into the nooks and crannies of the tile, scrub brush takes it off. I have to wear my N95 mask when I use the Kaboom, or it bothers my lungs.

Brad 20,000 - No, you have not pissed me off with your scathing critique of my house on Zillow. My LL skin is a lot thicker than that. And I do appreciate your comments even though I might not agree with everything.

That brownish iron colored grout is not mildew but the result of hard water down here. Yes, I will spray it with some CLR before showing the house next.

My photos: I realize they are not the same quality as the ones I use to shoot for Architectural Digest, however, those days are long gone and are not coming back, especially for a Zillow Ad. Yes, my photos could use some staging and I would be more inclined to that if I was selling the house. For rental house photos, I prefer the KISS method.

I do have one question for you and everyone else here. It seems that I am the only LL here that has the nerve to post a Zillow Ad and then make a post on the Mr. LL site inviting all of my LL peers here to see and evaluate my current Zillow Ad. Why is it that I am the only one here that has the nerve to do this?

Plenty - Thanks for your soothing and positive comments.

Roy, I like the laminate backsplash. I used to work for a laminate cabinet shop and I put that behind my counters back them. My daughter's place has it behind hers, although it wasn't glued up well.

Pull the blue film off the range hood. Add a few more pics. Mine were ugly and critiqued by a few people on here. I did not watermark anything but I will next time. I also didn't stage anything. Might have made it nicer if I staged the living room at least, but I just didn't.

The place looks good and is still above my market for sure.

As everyone said: More pictures. Better pictures.

1) Use Allure Restore or similar to shine up the wood floors.

2) Fix the blinds

3) Clean the grout - in shower and on floor.

4) Close the toilet.

5) A bit of staging: flowers, shower curtain, etc. if you don't want to full out.

Make it LOOK as if it SMELLS nice.

Roy - I like your Zillow write up. I have a house very similar - a little larger - 3x1 that I advertise as a 2x1 to min the number in the house hold.

My rent is about the same 850 - lower end of HUD - Good neighborhood - BUT 35K already fixed up - Nothing that cheap in my area.

Try the professional pics - you will be amazed at the difference.

AND you may want to consider some low maintenance shrubs in the front - another cheap way to add a little WOW to the house.

Roy, I sent a text to you but seems it is maybe a Google number as I got a canned response.