Getting Your Property Ready to Rent
If you’ve recently acquired an investment property or have a vacant rental property, now is the perfect opportunity to enhance its appeal to attract high-quality tenants. By paying attention to some crucial maintenance details, you can make a significant impact without breaking the bank.
Timing is key when it comes to addressing these tasks, as carrying them out while the property is unoccupied ensures minimal disruption for tenants.
- Test and Service Appliances Before renting out your property, it’s essential to inspect and test all appliances, including the oven, stove, hot water system, air conditioning, heaters, and fire alarms. Appliances have a limited lifespan, so ensuring they are in proper working condition before new tenants move in is crucial.
- Identify and Eliminate Mold Check for mold in areas such as dark corners of the laundry room, bathroom tiles and fixtures, closets, and downstairs or under-house spaces. While you can scrub mold with soap and water, avoid attempting to remove it from drywall. Unless the mold is superficial and confined to the surface paint, the best course of action is to replace the affected drywall.
- Re-key or Change Locks Changing locks between tenants is a wise precaution. If re-keying the existing locks on entry doors isn’t feasible, consider replacing them altogether for added security.
- Touch-Up Paint on Walls Over time, walls and their paint can deteriorate. If possible, refresh worn-out walls or rooms to enhance the property’s presentation to potential tenants. Repainting a wall or room doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. You can hire a painter or dedicate a weekend to take on the task yourself.
- Enhance the Garden Well-maintained gardens contribute to the overall appeal of your property, particularly when targeting families as potential tenants. Consider the following steps:
- Mow the lawns
- Tidy up garden edges
- Power clean driveways and concrete areas
- Trim hedges
- Replace dead plants
- Repair or replace any damaged lawn
- Add colorful plants to enhance attractiveness
- Consider painting the front door (an affordable option that adds significant value)
- Spruce Up the Interior To create an attractive and inviting environment, it’s important for potential tenants to envision themselves living in the home. Attend to the following tasks:
- Replace worn-out carpeting
- Fix any broken door knobs and handles
- Clean windows to maximize natural light
- Ensure all windows are fully functional
- Remove rust stains from wet areas
- Clean stained grout and tiles
- Dry clean curtains or consider replacement if necessary
- Address any chips or marks on surfaces
- Ensure the property smells fresh and pleasant
While some investment may be required, the return on your small investment will be significant. By making your property more appealing to potential tenants, you can attract higher-quality renters, reduce vacancy periods, and potentially achieve higher rental income.
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This is not meant to be financial or professional advice and is only of general nature. You must seek professional advice before taking any actions. The above information comes with no warranties whatsoever. We take no responsibility for any actions you may or may not take. All content is of general nature only and is NOT to be taken as advice whatsoever