Best Virtual Property Tours in the Bay Area and How it Helps Find Quality Tenants

Landlords Choose ReLISTO Agents Because We Do It Right

Prospective tenants in the San Francisco Bay Area market overwhelmingly use computers or mobile devices to find their next rental property. This has been the case for many years and it’s a trend that is unlikely to change. What has changed, in part due to the pandemic, is the desire for increased information and how this translates into properties renting more quickly. Prospective renters want a clear understanding of the property, its features and how its rooms are configured, and the general layout. If they can confidently achieve this during their online search, they will focus near exclusively on these properties, which benefits the owner.

At ReLISTO we have appreciated this phenomenon for a while. In fact, our youtube channel has over 1000 videos! We do this because we represent landlords, and one of the best ways to rent our landlords’ properties quickly and at the best price is in part by having a video walk-through.

Key Ingredients

Whether the property tour video is for tenants who are moving to San Francisco from elsewhere or because they are limiting their exposure to others due to the pandemic, there are a few key ingredients to a good property tour video.

1. Accuracy. It’s important for the video to be true to the property and accurately communicate its layout. Starting at the street and walking completely through the property is important to provide a solid understanding for the prospect.
2. Under 3 min. Keep each video between 1-3 min long. Anything longer and you start losing interest. This is enough time to get through most apartments and rental homes.
3. Focus on Tour. Jump right into the tour. Prospects are looking at a lot of properties, and want to see the property. Save any narration which does not include walking/viewing till the end.
4. Narration. We will narrate certain videos, but do it on a case-by-case basis. The advantage is you can build up the apartment and call out certain features which may not be obvious, such as double pane windows. The disadvantage is videos are longer and you may lose viewer interest.
5. Editing. We strongly believe videos should be true to the property. This being said, video equipment may not capture the full light of a room or it will capture a pile of debris from the prior tenant which may need to still be removed. In these cases, editing is called for.
6. Neighborhood. Adding scenes of the neighborhood to the end of the video can also be advantageous for the owner as it further communicates an understanding of the property.

Our Video Services

Close to every one of our property listings features a virtual tour on the property. As we represent some of the nicest properties in San Francisco, there is a lot of reasons why prospects are endeared to each one when viewing our videos. This in turn translates to securing qualified tenants for our landlord clients at solid market rates.

Learn more about how we attract tenants, and the video services we offer to our landlords. Virtual tours are one of the many ways that we stay proactive, engaged, and prepared for our landlord clients. Contact an agent today to discuss how we can make your home stand out online and maximize your return.

Best Apartment Photography in the Bay Area and Why it Matters

Landlords Choose ReLISTO Agents Because We Do It Right

In today’s digital world, a property manager or owner has 3 seconds to grab a potential tenant’s attention. If successful, your potential renter will swipe right, if not you have lost that lead. Only then will they take the time to review the features, amenities, and narrative. We appreciate this new world and work very hard to make sure that each of our properties are swipe right properties.

At ReLISTO, we are committed to do things right for our landlord clients. When it comes to attracting qualified tenants, nothing is more important than great photos and multimedia. As such, we are laser focused on bringing out the beautiful in each and everyone of the properties which we represent for our landlord clients.

Backed by Data

It is critical when trying to lease a property to know whether or not you are attracting interest. When listing with ReLISTO, landlords can be assured we are managing the leasing process methodically, using data to ensure properties are successfully leased. As such, we know how many people are looking at each apartment in our portfolio, how long they are spending on it and if the property is being shared. Great photos result in more interest, and this fact is further reinforced by these statics:

Listings with videos receive 403% more inquiries than those that don’t
Viewers are 85% more likely to purchase when they’ve watched a product video
According to Forbes, 59% of executives would rather watch video than read text

ReLISTO’s Focus

Our focus is highlighting the key features that prospective residents are seeking in their next rental home. Today’s tenants are looking for spacious living spaces, specific features, outdoor areas, and great neighborhoods.

SPACIOUS SPACES. Tenants want to see the full room when reviewing photos. ½ room shots only serve to make the room look small and attractive. We shoot the full room to ensure prospects understand the space and its size.

PROPER LIGHTING. Most tenants want well lit apartments, the exception may be those who work night shifts like nurses/doctors. It’s critical for lights to be turned on, windows open and natural light to shine in!

FEATURES. Every property is special and it’s the job of the leasing agent/property manager to ensure what is special about your property is highlighted and featured. It could be the quartz kitchen island, large closets, big windows, tall ceilings, kitchen appliances, air conditioning. Whatever it is, it needs to be beautifully captured and shared with prospects.

WINDOW SHOTS. Windows are not only to allow light in but for folks to enjoy the views. So many of our properties have lovely views and we make it a point to share this with each prospective tenant

NEIGHBORHOODS. We attract a lot of tenants from outside the city who may be moving to the San Francisco Bay Area. As such, visually communicating the neighborhood, its features and why it’s a place someone would want to live near.

At ReLISTO, we want to do things right for our clients. We take professional grade photos of our landlord’s rental properties because we know it attracts great tenants. Contact us today to see how our team can help your property lease fast to quality tenants.

Find Pet-Friendly Rentals in San Francisco with ReLISTO

At ReLISTO, we understand the importance of pets for San Francisco’s residents. In fact, many of us have lovable pets of our own! Our commitment to providing pet-friendly rentals comes in three parts:

Tenants: We help prospective tenants find pet-friendly rentals in San Francisco.
Landlords: We work with owners to take advantage of this pet-friendly city! We have policies and guidelines that we implement to protect our owners and keep the property safe. These policies, in turn, also ensure the safety and satisfaction of pets, pet owners, and the community. Disclaimer: Though we encourage our landlords to list their properties as pet-friendly, sometimes it isn’t possible due to health risks or other concerns. If landlords prefer not to allow pets, we make sure these policies are clear in the listing and the lease agreement.
Pets: ReLISTO is on a mission to not only find homes for humans but for dogs, too!

Keep reading to learn about our pet-friendly rentals, tips for living in a rental as a pet owner, and our volunteer work with Family Dog Rescue.

Pet Culture in San Francisco

Did you know that there are more dogs in San Francisco than children?

According to a report by Air Mail, San Francisco —the city named for the patron saint of animals— is extremely dog-friendly. Dogs are welcome nearly everywhere from onsite workplaces and rideshares to fashion shows and tech events. Many residents even declare their dogs as emotional-support animals to ensure they can tag along anywhere.

Air Mail goes on to mention, “the city’s demographic is skewing younger and richer, and people are staying single for longer, having fewer children, and procuring dogs.” Dog adoption is so high, that in 2019, the San Francisco S.P.C.A. experienced a shortage of rescue dogs!

It’s safe to say, for San Francisco residents, pets are very important family members.

Our Commitment to Offering Pet-Friendly Rentals in SF

As a rental agency that specializes in urban real estate, we encourage (but never force!) landlords to list their properties as pet-friendly. Why?

Let’s look at the metrics:

The city’s estimated dog population ranges from 120,000 to 500,000. Compare that with only 115,000 children under 18 living in the city, according to KQED, a news media and educational organization serving Northern California!
About 65% of San Francisco’s households rent their place of residence; a much higher share than the region overall (45%), according to the “San Francisco Housing Needs and Trends Report.”
In 2010, there was a total of 222,165 rental properties in the city or roughly 65% of the total housing stock, according to the 2010 Bay Area Census.
Based on the numbers above, we’ve estimated that roughly 35% of prospective tenants are pet owners in the Bay Area! Owners can increase the number of people interested in their property just by listing it as pet-friendly.

With numbers like these, pet-friendly listings are a huge plus! Our pet-friendly rental listings range from single detached homes with big yards to condos and apartments that are located near pet-friendly parks.

Check out our current pet-friendly rental properties.

Tips for Living with Pets in a Rental Property

To create harmony between tenants, pets, landlords, and our communities, we recommend following the tips below when living with a pet in a rental property:

Register Your Dog with the City:

Did you know that in San Francisco, dogs over the age of four months must, by law, be licensed? This law is largely unknown and seemingly unenforced, but landlords can require Dog Licensing in their lease agreement. This is also true for service dogs. As a pet owner, you can now register your dog online.

Disclose Your Pet:

To build a strong partnership between you and your landlord, make sure your landlord & rental agency are aware that you have a pet. It is important to disclose the breed, weight, and age of your pet to the landlord and rental agency so they can include it in the rental agreement.

Pay Any Required Pet Deposits or Pet Rent:

Landlords may require you to pay a fee to keep your pet in their rental property. Most commonly, this can come in the form of a refundable pet deposit or a monthly charge. These fees provide liability coverage in case there are damages and cover the extra wear-and-tear that comes with a pet living in a rental property, such as on hardwood floors and carpets.

Don’t Leave Pets Alone for Over 4-6 Hours:

Dogs that are left alone for long periods of time can grow anxious, which may lead to aggressive behavior. This rule of thumb helps to avoid damages and keeps your pet healthy and happy. There are many ways to ensure your dog has proper attention:

Hire a dog walker, here are some recommendations:
- Black Nose Trading Company, a local, all-in-one pet services, and retail boutique.
Get to know your neighbors or the people in a nearby dog park! Many people are willing to share dog-walking responsibilities.
Ask your workplace about their pet-friendly policies. Many tech companies in SF allow you to bring your dog to work! Take a look at this list of Dog-Friendly companies in SF.

Clean Up After Your Pet:

Pets love to play, that’s what makes them so fun! However, when outside they also poop and pee. Many owners clean things up right away but some do not. This is problematic in community/shared housing, such as apartments and condos. As such, we put some “pooper scooper” rules into our contract to protect our owners and other residents. One of these rules is an agreement to a Dog DNA test. In the case that an owner is leaving excrement in public areas and not admitting to doing so, DNA testing is authorized. This isn’t anyone’s first choice, but it allows rule-abiding tenants to live in a clean space.

Report Accidents Right Away:

Inform the rental agency or property managers of your rental right away when damages happen. This can help clear up any confusion about liability and develop trust with your rental agency and landlord.

ReLISTO’s Mission to Find Homes for Dogs

In addition to finding housing for people, ReLISTO co-founders, Eric Baird and Jackie Tom, are also committed to finding housing for pets in San Francisco!

They volunteer with Family Dog Rescue, a local San Francisco 501c3 dog rescue organization dedicated to bringing people and pets together. Learn more about their mission here.

Currently, ReLISTO’s co-founders are fostering Rambo (we call him Ralph, which better suits his gentle personality), a 10-year old German Shepherd who is looking for his forever family! Read what Eric & Jackie have to say about Rambo!

Contact Us

Tenants: Take a look at our pet-friendly listings or contact Family Dog Rescue to adopt a lovable pet of your own.

Landlords: If you are a landlord who is concerned about taking pets. We are happy to help, email us

Have questions for ReLISTO or want more one-on-one support? Contact us. We are passionate about finding humans AND pets a happy home!