Learn from our property management experts!
As a landlord, you are responsible for upkeeping property and renting it out to tenants. When the property looks great and spotless, the tenants will respect you as a landlord more and are more likely to stay longer. If you’re a landlord and are unsure of how to prepare your rental for new tenants, follow these guidelines:
If you have tenants moving out, make sure you perform an exit walkthrough in the rental with them and take note of anything that may have changed about the property. Normal wear and tear are expected. Carpet and paint don’t last forever. However, if anything is off about the place, like broken tiles or torn window screens, write it down and take the cost for repairs out of their security deposit.
It’s important to perform a walkthrough before any tenants look at the rental. As a landlord, your responsibility is to upkeep the property. Make sure everything works! Walk around the property and ensure that all outlets, appliances, lightbulbs, smoke, carbon monoxide detectors, and plumbing are in good working condition. If they’re not, have all issues fixed by the time any tenants move into the property. No tenants want to move into a rental and find out that things don’t work as they should. This looks bad for your property, and for you as a landlord.
Unless you’re good with your hands, you may want to consider hiring some professional help when it comes to maintenance. If there are any issues with the plumbing or electrical, it’s better to have it done professionally than to DIY.
The best time for renovations and updates is when no one occupies the rental unit. If you need to update or renovate anything about the rental, now is the time. With the current demand for homes and living spaces, you’ll be able to charge more for rent than your competitors if your rentals are newly renovated.
Have the HVAC serviced and be sure to change the air filters. The HVAC systems need servicing at least once a year. Change the air filters before a new tenant moves in to ensure they don’t have any allergies from previous inhabitants.
You’ll also want to hire a professional cleaning service to make the rental spotless for the next tenant. If the rental has carpets, make sure the carpets get cleaned by every tenant. Hire painters to refresh the paint in the rental. A fresh coat of paint will make the rental look bright and clean. New paint and clean carpets are the standards for most rental agreements.
Does the rental have a yard that needs upkeep? Consider hiring a lawn service to tidy it up and make it look good for the next tenant. If it’s not in the rental agreement for the tenant to take care of the lawn, you may want to hire a lawn service that will come regularly.
Consider hiring a property management team to help you take care of all these responsibilities and more! MMC is the premier property management team here in Middle Tennessee.
If you have a new agreement with a tenant, great! Make sure to take pictures of the property before they move in so you have a baseline of how the rental looked after they move out. This helps you later on and gives you hard evidence to compare the state of the rental. If you don’t have a new tenant yet, you can still take pictures and use them to advertise the rental property!
Make sure to collect the security deposit and the first month of rent before the next tenant moves in. Deposit the first month of rent before they move in so you know it clears. Walk through the property with the new tenant to go over the condition of the rental.
For the best property management experience in Middle Tennessee, look no further than MMC. With a wide range of services including an in-house maintenance team, thorough resident screening, and access to licensed real estate agents, MMC can help you grow your business while freeing you up to pursue your passions. Call today!