Get To Know Breanna Sells, PorchLight Research Manager

Sometimes with relocation finding a rental is not as easy as 1,2,3! But some of PorchLight’s secret sauce often times can be found in the Research Department! Meet Breanna Sells, Rental Research Manager at PorchLight. Breanna has been with the company since 2003 involved in research, compiling rental information and options, locating tour partners, data reporting, customer follow-up and more! Her goal is to find solutions for a whole variety of issues that come her way. How does she do it? It all starts by carefully reviewing the file she receives in-house about any given transferee. She takes into account neighborhoods, home size requirements, garages, amenities and all the things that are usual requests for a rental. But then it might get a little more challenging—what if credit is less than stellar, or there are multiple pets, possibly aggressive breeds—or all of the above? All this on top of a rental market that is extremely competitive and very lean on inventory, it can sometimes appear to be impossible to find a home.

When asked about her role, Breanna told us about some of the things that PorchLight does to make things easier for a transferee. “I think we attempt to uncover what is most important to our transferees in a rental and strive to set them up for the best possible outcome for their rental search and or tour. We do this by conducting a thorough rental search and qualifying all options presented to ensure they fit the transferee’s criteria. We include specific details on fees/deposits, lease terms, square footage, local schools, distance to work locations as well as property amenities and features. When options are limited or there are challenges with budget, amenities, etc., we communicate these limitations and offer alternatives for them to consider. We do not limit them to one or two searches, we work with them until they find a rental that meets and often exceeds their requirements. We set ourselves apart from the competition by taking the time to get the details and dedicate the time and energy necessary to ensure our transferees and their families are happy in their new homes. Anyone can go online and search for rentals but not everyone has the time or the patience to personally reach out to uncover the details and establish a connection with the landlord/property manager like PorchLight does. We’re not just providing the transferee with information on rentals, we’re often introducing them to the landlords or agents for the properties and helping to set the stage for them to move forward and hopefully sign a lease.”

When asked about any one specific situation or unusual circumstance that stood out to her while at PorchLight, Breanna replied, “I can’t think of one particular situation but there have been times when PorchLight has been asked to step in as a last ditch effort to help someone find a rental. Often these situations come to us because the transferee has been looking for a rental on their own with little success or with an agent who isn’t able for whatever reason, to find the time to understand the transferees’ needs and work through the challenges. These transferees may also be moving to a remote area that offers limited rental options which can further hinder their search. This means that we call anyone and everyone we can find to ask if they have or know of anyone with rentals in the area. Once availability is established we then become an advocate for the renter and position them in the best possible light. This means providing information up front, providing pet resumes and or other pertinent details to landlords and agents.”

In her free time Breanna enjoys cooking, reading, the outdoors, attending concerts and spending time with her partner, Jason as well as her family and friends.