Hello, property and potential property owners! Welcome to the RPM Distinguished Care blog, where we provide practical advice about property management! If you’re a return visitor, welcome back. We sincerely appreciate your support! RPM Distinguished Care specializes in managing successful rental properties in and around the Charleston area. We’re here to make your lives easier by giving you the resources you need to maximize profitability and have a successful rental property. We provide comprehensive property management services at every possible level. From advertising and marketing to responding to applications, to inspecting and maintaining properties–there’s nothing we do not do. Further, we ensure tenant compliance, handle necessary evictions, and report directly back to you about revenue and profit potentials. We aim to make owning rental property as easy for you as possible, for as little money as possible. Check out the rest of our site to meet our team and discover what makes RPM Distinguished Care the best property management company in Charleston!
In our last post, we discussed curb appeal tips for property owners. Curb appeal is defined as the general attractiveness of a property from the sidewalk to a prospective buyer or renter. If you are planning to rent out your property, you certainly want to make a great first impression. Great curb appeal helps sell or rent a home faster because it has a positive effect on buyers and renters. If you are interested in learning more about curb appeal tips, check out our last post!
Today, we’ll be talking about how to prepare your property for tenants. When you find the perfect tenant to rent your property, it can be exciting. Of course, if they viewed the space, they must have liked what they saw– You don’t want to overlook the details, however. The move-in date for your new tenant will approach quickly, so you want to be prepared. Preparing your property for a new tenant is crucial to the success of your rental business. There are quite a few things that you should make sure are in order before that move-in date arrives. We’re here to walk you through them! If you are interested in learning more about how to adequately prepare your property for tenants, you’re in the right place. Let’s get started.
Do a walk-through.
If there are current tenants in the property that are moving out, you may want to schedule a casual walk-through before they leave. This will give you a general idea of the current state of the property and will make you aware of any notable damage that the current tenant may be responsible for. If there is no damage of that nature, there will likely still be average wear and tear. While this is to be expected, you still want to address it. For example, scuffs and marks on walls are common due to furniture, but can be remedied with a fresh coat of paint to make them look brand new. There also may be noticeable wear in the carpet, depending on how long a tenant has resided in the property. You may choose to replace the carpet depending on how bad it is, or sometimes a good carpet cleaning will freshen up the look. Doing a walk-through of the property gives you a headstart on figuring out what maintenance or repairs need to be done.
With that in mind, you should do another walk-through after the tenant moves out– Things might look different with all of the furniture gone. Require move-out inspections to be performed by the tenants before the keys are turned over.
Check appliances.
During your walk-through, you need to check that all appliances and utilities are working properly. You don’t want a new tenant to move in and immediately put in a maintenance request. To avoid this, thoroughly check all appliances and utilities. You should test the oven, refrigerator, dishwasher, and faucets. Make sure both the air conditioning and heating appear to be working. Ensure air and water filters, if applicable, have been replaced. You’ll also want to flip on the lights and make sure no bulbs need to be replaced. Test smoke detectors and give them new batteries if needed.
Make repairs or upgrades as necessary.
It is quite obvious that repairs should be made for significant damage, but you should take the time to repair the small things, too. For example, a slowly leaking faucet or toilet may not seem like much in the moment, but it can save you time and money to fix it sooner rather than later. Additionally, if any appliances are old and can use an upgrade, you may want to go for it if your budget allows– This can increase your property value. (Check out one of our previous blogs about renovating your property on a budget!)
Clean all rooms thoroughly.
At some point, likely after you make all necessary repairs, you’ll want to clean the property for your new tenants. Sometimes, hiring a professional cleaning company or crew is best, unless you are extremely confident in your own abilities. (If you have a property management company, they will likely take care of this for you.) A good cleaning of the rental property includes all rooms. Here are a few things you don’t want to miss:
Kitchen and bathroom(s)
- Wipe down all surfaces, including sinks, countertops, shelves, and cupboards
- Check cabinets for leftover items from previous tenants and remove them
- Sweep and/or mop floors thoroughly
- Check for mold or mildew and address any issues
- Clean the toilets, including a good scrub and rinse if needed
- Wash out the tub and shower
Bedrooms, dining rooms, and living room
- Dust and wipe down windows and windowsills
- Vacuum and deep clean any carpeted areas
- Dust ceiling fans
- Dust and wipe down baseboards and door knobs
Exterior
- Mow the lawn and remove debris
- Trim bushes and hedges, if applicable
- Make sure sidewalks, driveways, and porches are clear of any large debris
- Check lighting fixtures and make sure they are working properly
- Clean the outside of the windows
- Clear out gutters, if applicable
These are just a few of the main tasks you may want to add to your “to-do” list when it comes to cleaning your rental property. Every situation is different, so feel free to add or remove tasks as you see fit. Regardless, you want to make sure your rental property is in the best possible shape for your new tenants!
As you can see, preparing your rental property for new tenants is a very important step toward the success of your rental business. Maintaining a clean interior and exterior not only shows your tenants that you care about the property, but also that you care about them. Additionally, a well-kept property can encourage tenants to take good care of their rental.
We hope you found this article helpful. If you are a rental property owner looking for assistance in managing your property, feel free to reach out to us! RPM Distinguished Care specializes in residential property management and offers a range of services including communication, marketing, and advertising, thorough tenant screening and selection, full-service leasing, timely rent collection, regular evaluations, cost-effective and reliable maintenance, strict and compliant evictions, and comprehensive accounting. We utilize an online portal for owners to keep track of their property, including access to reports and financial statements. With over 30 years of experience, we know how to keep your property at its best. We believe in full-service and comprehensive property management. That’s why we take the time to understand each of our clients and help identify their most closely-held goals. Let us give you peace of mind that your property is in good hands. Use our website to request your free assessment and meet with our expert team! Thank you for taking the time to read this article and we hope to hear from you soon! See you next time!
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
