How to get My Rental Property Ready for Tenants
If you’re a landlord or are thinking about becoming one, then it’s important to learn how to get your rental property ready for tenants. I will teach you what needs to be done for the property to be rented out successfully and without any problems.
If you’ve ever thought about renting out a home or apartment but had no idea where to start, then this blog is perfect for you! It’ll show you exactly what steps need to take care of before putting up the “For Rent” sign in front of your rental property.
Clean Up Your Property
Remove any personal items from the property
Be sure to completely remove any and everything personal from the property. This includes anything that might look like it belongs to you; this will keep your renter happy and willing to stay. There’s nothing worse than having someone walk into a home or apartment and see a bunch of pictures of a family they don’t even know.
If you have any personal items that can’t be removed, then make sure to place them in a closet or some hidden area. Then, it’s important to go out and buy a few things for the home; these are going to make the property look as if it belongs to an actual homeowner. Things like books, vases with flowers, pillows on the couch (with your colors), etc… You want this house or apartment to feel like theirs so they’ll stay longer.
Clean and organize your closets, kitchen cupboards, and pantry
Make sure to clean out and organize your closets, kitchen cupboards, and pantry. This will make the house look like it has some life to it. If you’re too far behind on this step, then hire a professional cleaning company to get the job done for you. They’ll have your place ready in no time at all; just make sure to pay them by cash because that’s how you want things done when your renter arrives.
Get rid of any expired food in your fridge or pantry
Before your renter arrives, you need to make sure that all of the expired food in the refrigerator and pantry are thrown out. Vomit on carpet or even dust bunnies under a bed is just not good for business. Make sure to get rid of any greasy pans in your kitchen; they’re a huge turn-off and will only serve as an annoyance to your future tenant.
Dust off surfaces around the house to remove cobwebs and dirt particles
Make sure that the countertops are clean along with wood cabinets and floors – this doesn’t mean that you need to polish them each day, but just make sure no layer of dust can be easily removed. This means sweeping or vacuuming all surfaces daily. The last thing you want is for your tenants to see any layer of dust or filth within their homes after they have their first month’s paycheck deposited into your bank account!
How do you get a professional cleaning done on my rental property?
The first step is doing simple cleaning yourself to make the property look presentable. Once you’ve cleaned it, find a professional cleaning company that can do an excellent job for you.
It’s best to call several companies and get estimates from them. Make sure they have experience in doing home or apartment cleanings after tenants move out or even after renovations are complete. The last thing you want is for your new tenant to move in on Monday and Tuesday cleaning crews showing up at the door! You should also discuss how much damage might be caused by your existing tenants; if there are damages from pets, etc. then let the cleaning crew know so they have this information when assessing how much work will need to be done.
Do Light Renovations and Fixes On Your Property
Paint the walls a neutral color to make them look more spacious
This is one of the easiest ways to make your home look more inviting and spacious. Neutral colors such as browns, grays, blacks, blues, or whites are likely going to be your best options here; the last thing you want is for a potential tenant to think that they’re living in a frat house when they pay their rent on time each month!
Make sure all appliances work properly – replace old light bulbs with LED lights if needed
Before your new tenants move in, you’ll want to make sure that all of the appliances are in working order. This means washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, stoves & ovens, microwaves, and much more! Check each appliance to see if there’s anything wrong with it; if there is then get it fixed immediately before their move-in date. For example, if your AC unit suddenly stops working a week before tenants are expected to move in then you’ll need to quickly replace it. You can also ask about any other repairs that they might have needed to be done.
Once everything is on its way to being back up and running within normal operating conditions for each appliance you should be just fine heading into their next month’s paycheck. Of course, a good maintenance person is what you are going to want to hire for this task and if you don’t know where to look then I suggest using websites like Task Rabbit or Craigslist.
Leading up to the point where your tenants have already made their first month’s rent payment, there are other things that you will want to make sure are working correctly as well. This means making sure that all of the plumbing fixtures and appliances within the home function properly; the most important of these would be toilets and sinks. If a toilet is leaking water from underneath it then get it fixed by a plumber ASAP – nobody wants a smelly bathroom!
When it comes to cleaning out trash cans, you’ll want to check each can individually throughout your rental property before they in turn empty their trash into the general collection container. This way you don’t come home to a big stink in your house because the tenants simply dumped stinky trash within the can outside of their door instead of taking it out!
As far as appliances are concerned, be sure that all refrigerators and freezers are running properly. If they’re not then check to see if they need new filters or just defrosting (for fridges). This is important, especially with how long some people eat within their homes; nobody wants to end up with food poisoning from eating spoiled food!
What other tips do I need to keep in mind when renting out my property?
The last big thing you need to do is to call your insurance agent. Let them know what’s going on with the rental and ask about renters’ insurance. The cost will be around $20 per month, which is worth it for having peace of mind that you’ll be compensated if any future events happen such as a fire or flood damage caused by the renter. If you have not looked into renters’ insurance I highly suggest it! It’s an investment worth every penny for all landlords since they never know what could go wrong from one day to the next. Be sure to get a good amount of liability coverage along with enough coverage in case there’s a fire or other damage that needs to be repaired.
Keep an eye on your rental property
After a tenant moves in, you want to keep your eyes open for any problems that might develop. For example, if the AC dies or stops working properly then you’ll need to call the tenant and figure out what’s wrong with it. You’ll also need to get someone in to fix whatever is broken as well as deducting from the rentering’s deposit at this time.
Be sure not to unreasonably withhold a security deposit when your tenants move out. If there are damages that they caused, then be sure that you charge them for it and document everything thoroughly. Along with this, return their security deposit promptly – preferably within a month after they move out.
To make things as easy as possible when dealing with tenants, it’s best to use paperless rent collection systems. This way you can simply use your smartphone or tablet along with the online system and track what payments are due per tenant without having to go through an entire stack of papers from the mail each week. With this type of technology, you never have to worry about lost or damaged checks ever again!
Keep in mind that the tips above are just a few things to know when renting out your property; check with an attorney if you need professional advice on how to go about doing this right. Above all else, be business-savvy and invest in yourself by reading as much information as possible online about selling or buying real estate. When it comes down to it, the more knowledge you have the better: your education is truly one of the most important parts of investing successfully!