After your current tenant has vacated your rental property, your first job is to take the steps needed to make it ready to rent as quickly as possible. While some property managers seem to be under the impression that a unit is ready for the next tenant as soon as the previous tenants have moved out, when you want the best possible tenants, this is never the case. In fact, it should never be the case. Here are three things you should be doing to make sure your properties are ready to rent.
No one wants the previous tenant’s junk when they move in. Be sure to go through the entire property inside and out, removing all junk. Then go over the inside of the property cleaning it from top to bottom. This must include the walls, light switches, outlets, baseboards, trim, door handles, and window sills. Be sure to pay particular attention to the kitchen and all bathrooms. The more the property sparkles when you show it, the faster it will rent out.
The details are where the biggest differences can be made for the least investment. For example, that rusty shower curtain rod in the main bathroom – replacing it for a few bucks can make a huge difference in how a prospective tenant sees the bathroom. Those nasty stains in the toilet or on the seat are enough to turn just about anyone away. Either clean it or replace it with a new model designed to save water.
Just when you think you’re ready to go, you notice a broken outlet cover in what is supposed to be a kid’s bedroom, that $2 item could be the difference between renting the home out and letting it sit empty. As you can see, it is very easy to miss the little things, but at the same time, it is the little things that can make a huge difference in whether or not your property remains empty or commands a higher rent that is happily paid.
Take a good look around the property, do the kitchen counters look old and worn out or simply grossly out of style? What about the kitchen cabinets? Do they look like they were installed back in the 50s or maybe the 60s? Still, go shag carpeting, why not go ahead and add a little black lighting and some really groovy artwork?
All kidding aside, if you really want to attract better quality tenants who can afford to pay a little more, you have to give them something in exchange. When it comes to ugliness such as those items listed above and anything else that makes your rental property look like it belongs in a museum, just RENOVATE it. That’s right, this is a point at which you must be ready to invest a little in your rental property in order to see a significantly higher return on your investment in the future.
As you can see, it’s the little things that truly do make a difference. The is an old adage the goes something along the lines of “You take care of the little things and the big things will take care of themselves” and when it comes to property management, nothing could be more accurate.
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