Hi, there! Joe White here from Grow Property Management, your trusted property management company in Philadelphia.
I had a tenant reach out yesterday – visibly upset and distraught – right after moving into one of our rental units. Before he even explained, I already had a pretty good idea of what was going on. This wasn’t the first time I’ve encountered this issue. It all comes down to a policy we have in place at my property management company: we don’t rent units sight unseen. And this situation is exactly why that rule exists.
We often get inquiries from people relocating to Philadelphia who want to rent a property based solely on the marketing materials – photos, videos, and descriptions. I understand why. It can be hard to travel for a showing, and the listings may look appealing. But no matter how professional our marketing is, there’s no substitute for physically stepping into a space. That’s why we’ve made it a policy that a tenant must physically view the property before signing a lease. It’s even built into our lease agreement – they must acknowledge that they’ve laid eyes on the property before renting it.
The reason is simple: we don’t alter the property to meet expectations after move-in. If a reasonable person could have seen the paint color, flooring, layout, or condition during a showing, then it’s the tenant’s responsibility to accept or reject it before signing. However, if something like a microwave isn’t working – something that can’t reasonably be tested during a showing – then of course, we’ll fix or replace it immediately. But aesthetic issues? That’s on the tenant to evaluate in advance.
In this particular case, I learned that the tenant never saw the unit in person. He hired a real estate agent to do a walk-through on his behalf. Despite knowing our policy, the agent either ignored or misrepresented the situation. On the lease, the tenant indicated that he had seen the property, even though he hadn’t. Unsurprisingly, the unit didn’t meet his expectations when he arrived.
Now, to be fair, our marketing isn’t misleading – but it is elevated. That’s just part of real estate. Our photos and videos are designed to show the property in its best possible light. We take over a hundred photos per unit and choose only the best few to post. We don’t fabricate anything, but naturally, a well-lit, edited image is going to look better than what a tenant might experience on move-in day. I’d say our marketing represents the property about 17-20% better than it actually is – close enough to reality, but still meant to attract attention.
We don’t include unappealing features in our listings either. For example, if the basement is unfinished or unusable, we don’t show it. If a bedroom is awkward or cramped, it may not make the cut. And we never showcase the neighbourhood – especially because some of our best units are in areas that might not photograph well or might not appeal to everyone unfamiliar with Philadelphia. But again, that’s why seeing a property in person is so important, especially for people moving from out of town who don’t yet understand the nuances of Philly neighborhoods.
I’ve learned this lesson over and over: every single time a tenant moves in without seeing the property first, there’s an issue. Disappointment. Complaints. Frustration. It never ends well. Tenants often build up an image in their minds based on the photos and then feel let down when the real thing doesn’t match that mental picture. That mismatch leads to resentment, and no one wants a resentful tenant living in their property from day one.
That’s why I strongly recommend that other landlords and property managers adopt a similar policy. Don’t rent units sight unseen. Put it in the lease. Make sure you’re covered legally. But more importantly, go out of your way to ensure tenants actually see the unit before they sign anything. You’ll save yourself – and the tenant – a lot of headaches. And you’ll avoid starting the landlord-tenant relationship with disappointment and conflict.
So that’s another day in the life for me – a Philadelphia property management company owner doing my best to share the lessons I’ve learned, often the hard way. If it helps you avoid a frustrated tenant or a rough start to a lease, then I’m glad I shared it.
As always, happy rental property investing.
