Being a landlord may sound very easy on paper. After all, you're just renting out your property and collecting the rent at the end of the month, right? How hard can it be?
But from our years of experience interacting with hundreds of tenants and landlords at Flatio, we can tell you that there's an art to running a successful rental business, no matter the scale.
It takes a lot of patience to deal with tenants from different backgrounds and with different expectations and demands. As a landlord, you also need to have other skills, such as communication, active listening, time management, problem solving, and decision making skills.
At the same time, you need to keep up to date with local rental regulations and become more tech-savvy to get the most out of digital solutions and stay on top of your game.
Explore more: Must-Know Tips for Becoming a Successful Landlord
But if you're willing to put in the effort, being a landlord can be a very interesting journey of learning and growth with lucrative financial gains.
Sandra Escribano from Alicante––a port city on the southeastern Costa Blanca in Spain––is a landlady who knows well how to provide her tenants with a pleasant rental experience and reap the rewards of her work. She has 11 rooms and an entire flat listed on Flatio so far and has received great reviews from her tenants.
In an interview with Flatio, Sandra shared her experience of renting through our platform and talked about, among other things, the most important qualities a good landlord should have––which can be useful for property owners who want to enter the rental market or for experienced landlords who want to attract more tenants.
You should ‘enjoy’ being a landlord
Sandra believes that, first and foremost, you have to "enjoy" being a landlord. Otherwise, she says, the effort may not be worth it at the end of the day. "It's a lot of work if you want tenants to feel safe and secure at all times."
Sandra's decision to rent out her properties was actually inspired by her lifelong love of interior design and home renovation.
"Also, when I was a student, I never had the opportunity to rent a nice and tastefully decorated room where I felt safe and happy. So when I had the opportunity, I decided to design my own apartments and offer rooms for rent where tenants would feel safe and happy."
Tenants should feel ‘heard’ and ‘cared for’
When asked what makes a good landlord, Sandra said it all comes down to providing "good quality," both in terms of accommodation and the stay experience, and delivering "excellent customer service". In this way, she adds, tenants "feel heard and cared for quickly and efficiently".
As for her experience on Flatio, which focuses on monthly rentals and digital nomads, she said it's been "very good", noting that the "staff is wonderful".
Some homeowners may be wondering whether to rent short-term, monthly, or long-term. What Sandra has to say about this is that renting monthly gives tenants and landlords more "flexibility."
Digital nomads seem to be ‘perfect’ tenants
Also, she likes to rent out her properties to digital nomads, saying, "They look perfect to me, I wish there were more of them."
Explore more: Why Digital Nomads Are Good Tenants and How to Better Market Your Rental Property to Them
On what makes Spain, and Alicante in particular, a good destination for digital nomads, Sandra cited the weather, quality of life, and beaches. "Everything you want is just a step away and available at affordable prices!"
Explore more: Fully Furnished Rentals on Flatio in Alicante
Are you interested in renting out your property and having a passive source of income while helping people live, work, and study with peace of mind at an ideal accommodation?
If so, check out this article to find out how Flatio can help you get started as a landlord.
Explore more: Want to Become a Landlord? Let's See What It Takes and How Flatio Can Help
