Open Letters to Rental Agents

Dear Angry Rental Agent:

My wife got an email from you the other day about her post on Craig’s List. In that posting my wife indicated that we are a professional family looking for a house that isn’t a student rental. She also dropped that I was university faculty. You, Angry Rental Agent, indicated that my wife’s post was offensive, elitist, and discriminatory. I can only assume it is because my wife played the faculty card and implied that student rentals are not as nice as houses rented to families.

But you, the Angry Rental Agent, and your colleagues created the rules of the game we are now playing. You do, in fact, maintain student housing differently from family housing. You do, in fact, advertise family housing as different from student housing. And, you do often play the faculty card in your posts and listings. From experience we have learned that you, Angry Rental Agent, provide better service if you know I am a professor. And we have learned that student rental housing is chopped into more and smaller rooms and often receives much greater wear and tear than family housing. We know rental agents who expressly price their rentals so as to discourage students from renting. You learn in your marketing seminars that this is called segmenting the market.

You indicated that faculty members have been your worst tenants. You said that professors seem to think they know everything and can do anything they want. You said you would never rent to us because I am a professor. I applaud you for taking a logical and principled stand against discrimination in the rental market of our fine city!

Still, you seem angry, Angry Rental Agent. Perhaps it is your crusade against discrimination in the rental business that has made you so angry. Crusaders who give so much of themselves for the greater good often end up resenting the very commitment that makes them who they are. Look at Batman (the Caped Crusader), most agree that he was a pretty angry guy. Even Mother Theresa had her issues, I hear.

I am sorry you are so angry and I wish I could help you. Maybe renting a house from you would help. Unfortunately, you do not rent to professors because they are so filled with self-importance that they tend to be bad tenants. It is a shame that you paint all professors with that same brush. It is that kind of stereotyping that leads to misunderstanding, unnecessary conflict, and discrimination. If it is not possible for me to give you some business, then maybe I can help you with business networking. I will share your approach to renting houses with my friends. Since most of them are not professors, I am sure they will instantly see value in your approach and encourage their friends to rent from you.

Dear World’s Friendliest Rental Agent in the World,

Thank you for reaffirming my faith in the general goodness of humanity. You showed us a very nice house in a neighborhood that is very much in demand. You took the time to walk us around the neighborhood a bit and talk about the people you knew living there. You spent as much time as we wanted looking and talking about the house.

You were honest about who had lived in the house before and the things you’ve done to maintain it. When we pointed out concerns, you told us that you would fix them and it would be no problem. You told us about how you have a father-son handy man team that you employ for all your maintenance needs and that you also have them do work on your own house. You told us how you’ve used the same cleaning service for years and that she also cleans your house. You offered to store our refrigerator, washer and drier for us while we rented from you.

Unlike the Angry Rental Agent, you were honest about the fact that some properties are best suited for students and that they are different from properties designed for families and professionals. You told us you wanted to keep professionals and families in these properties because they have always been good tenants.

Most importantly, you talked to us and treated us as if we were people. You did not make assumptions about us based on preconceived notions formed because of the nature of my occupation. You listened to our story, asked about our lives, and really heard what we wanted. More than that, you honestly talked about your business and told us about you and your family as well. You told us about how you love Carolina sports and that you were going to the baseball games this weekend. I mentioned that I had been meaning to take my son to one. You gave me tickets to a game. You knew we already that we liked the house. You gave me those tickets because you love the baseball games so much that you wanted to share that with my son and I. Because you are the World’s Friendliest Rental Agent in the World, you established with us a relationship that is based on mutual respect and understanding. When I saw that you sell insurance, I considered using you as my agent.

Thank you, World’s Friendliest Rental Agent in the World. By treating us as individuals and not making assumptions about who we are, you created a positive relationship that has made a lasting impression. I like you and trust you. Whether I rent the house from you or not, I can still help you with business networking. I will share your approach to renting houses with my friends. Like me, I am sure they will instantly see value in your approach and encourage their friends to rent from you.