Marketing your investment rental property requires only a few decisions. How much rent to ask, where to advertise, the length of your lease, improvements to be made and do you need to stage the property? The answers to these questions also depend on the current market environment. Determining the request rent is the most important piece. Most tenants base their search for a new space on the rent they can afford. The easiest way to see what equivalent properties are renting for is to peruse your local paper. Much of your search can also be done online.

Many towns have their own real estate sections on their websites with links to local agencies listing rental prices and properties. These same places are where you would advertise your own property. There are many directories offering free vacation rental listings which can help you in the process. To have a good Free vacation rentals listings website is the key for a successful rent.

Second, for how long are you willing to lease your property? You might stand for the longer the term the better. That way you always have a stream of income on your investment property. But, remember, rents are usually going up and you wouldn't want to miss the opportunity to increase them because you are stuck in a long term lease.

While twelve months is typical for residential properties, sometimes shorter or longer terms can be desirable for the landlord or the tenant. A prospective tenant may need a temporary space, while building their house perhaps. Short-term rentals can be advantageous to a landlord because they fill the space quickly, often with little or no improvement to the property and at a higher rent. Additionally, the investor will now have more time to market the space to a long-term tenant while still receiving rent. Not a bad deal for the investor.

Now that you've got your place advertised, be prepared for phone calls to see the property! Make sure you have a way to stay organized and keep track of the showing appointments. It's very important that you are flexible so that you can schedule your time in a way that you'll be able to meet the prospective Buyers.

When bringing Buyers into your house, have a "guest book", or "visitor's book" out for them to sign and have them include their phone number. Alert the Buyers with a sign that your home - and its visitors - are under video and still-camera surveillance. If this seems overwhelming, then remember, it is always a good idea to hire a real estate agent. For a small fee, you can have an expert on your side, looking to rent your property for the highest rent with as little cost to you as possible. Often, an agent can rent your investment rental property faster than you would on your own and for more money, easily outweighing their fee.