Long-Term Rental Owner Call Script: 18 Questions Before You Quote Rent

Eighteen questions, with follow-ups, for the first call with a property owner who wants help with a long-term rental. Long-term, mid-term, short-term or sell: do not decide until you have asked.

Before you dial

• Pull the county record and your MLS data: owner or entity, last sale, estimated rent, comps. Do not ask what you can look up.

• Look up the HOA and city rental rules if you can. Ask the owner to confirm, not to research it for you.

Goal of the call: find out why now and what outcome they want. Do not quote rent or fees until Questions 6, 14 and 15 are answered and we have comps.

A. Open and frame

1. Tell me about the property and what is happening with it right now.

• Occupied, vacant or between tenants? Since when?

• Who has been looking after it day to day?

2. What made you reach out now?

• What changed recently (tenant, manager, a move, a deadline)?

• Was there a moment you thought 'I need help with this'?

3. What were you hoping we could help with, and who else have you talked to?

• What did they say? What was missing?

• How did you find us, and what did you search for?

B. Goals and motivation

4. What would a great result look like 12 months from now?

• Steady rent, less work, fewer vacancies, better tenants, a path to selling?

• If you could only pick one, which matters most?

5. What is not working about how it is set up today?

• Rent level, vacancy, repairs, late pay, tenant issues, time, distance?

• If you could change one thing, what would it be?

6. What do you need the rent to cover?

• Mortgage, taxes, HOA, insurance? Is that a net monthly number?

• What happens if rent comes in below that?

7. How hands-off do you want to be?

• Only rent deposits, or do you want to approve repairs and tenants? What repair amount can we approve without a call?

• How do you want updates: monthly statements, a portal, texts?

8. Have you thought about other uses, or selling?

• Would mid-term or short-term rental pay more? Do you know the rules where you are?

• Would a sale be a large gain? Are you working with a CPA? Do not advise. If it is an investment sale, bring in an investment specialist and note any 1031 interest.

C. History of the property

9. Walk me through the rental history.

• Who rented it, at what rent, for how long, and why did the last one leave?

• Any evictions or major disputes? How did you find and screen tenants?

10. Who has managed it, and how has that gone?

• Self-managed or a property manager? What did you like and not like?

• Is there a contract, an end date or a cancellation notice? Do not criticize the other manager.

11. If it is vacant: how long, and has it been marketed?

• Asking rent, how long listed, showings and applications, feedback?

• What do you think is keeping it from renting?

12. What condition is it in?

• Roof, HVAC, appliances, flooring, pool equipment: age and recent work?

• Anything to fix before listing? What is the make-ready budget?

13. Who else owns it or has to sign off on decisions?

• Entity or trust? Co-owner? (Check the county record.)

• Does a CPA or attorney need to weigh in?

D. Numbers

14. What do you owe, and what does it cost to hold each month?

• Loan balance, payment, rate. Taxes, HOA, insurance, utilities, pool or yard?

• Look the loan up first. Confirm it, do not interrogate.

15. What rent do you expect, and how did you get to that number?

• Online estimate, a past tenant, a neighbor? Compare with a rent estimate built from your comps. Do not quote until we have comps.

• What is the lowest rent that still works for you?

16. What are you willing to put into the property to rent it well?

• Paint, flooring, appliances, landscaping? Budget and timing?

• How do you want repair funds handled?

E. Decision and next step

17. What matters most in choosing a manager?

• Tenant quality, speed to rent, communication, fees, reporting?

• What would make you leave a manager?

18. What is your timeline, and what do you need from us to decide?

• When does it need to be rented? What happens if it sits?

• Walkthrough, rent analysis, written proposal? Confirm best phone, email and time. OK to text?

Which way does this lead go?

• LTR. Rules allow rentals. Owner wants steady and hands-off. Rent meets the goal. Book the walkthrough and send a rent analysis.

• Ready to launch. Vacant, repairs done or scheduled, wants it rented quickly. Prioritize the walkthrough, photos and listing.

• MTR instead. Rules allow 30+ day stays. Owner will furnish and can wait to launch. Comp-backed net beats long-term rent by enough.

• STR instead. Only if HOA, city and license all clearly allow it. Larger budget and more rule risk. If unclear, do not pitch STR.

• Sell. The property cannot meet the goal. Repairs, distance, fatigue or a wish to exit. Bring in an investment specialist. Ask about the gain and the CPA.

• Not ready. No clear why-now or timeline, or still under another manager's contract. Log it, set a follow-up date, and keep in touch.

Red flags: no stated motivation. Fees quoted before rent comps. Owner cannot say what they need monthly. Under contract with another manager and no end date. A decision-maker is not on the call.

After the call (within the hour)

• Log a note in your CRM: their motivation in their words, monthly goal, rules, numbers, options, next step. Save your call notes or recording with it.

• Update the lead status in your CRM. Do not leave it at consultation complete: set a clear next step or a follow-up date.

• Book the walkthrough and send the rent analysis. Selling or buying an investment property: bring in an investment specialist.

Sending a client to Las Vegas? Refer them at cgvegas.com/refer.