When you have a rental vacancy, you naturally want to find tenants quickly to continue earning your passive income from your investment. But before arranging the property showings and advertising on different platforms, you need ensure your unit is rent-ready.
When your rental space isn’t ready yet, prospects will be disappointed when they drop by for a property tour. It’s also tough to create professional looking photos and video tours when your property lacks readiness.
A rent-ready property will be well-maintained and well-priced – and easily attract prospective tenants.
Here are some of the ways you can get your property rent-ready:
1. Focus on your Property’s Curb Appeal
Pay attention to how attractive your curb appeal is.
Ask yourself:
- Is the place well-maintained?
- Is the grass overgrown and in need of mowing?
- Are there weeds growing?
- Are there signs of peeling paint anywhere?
These are things a prospective tenant may ask themselves when looking at the exterior of your unit.
If your curb appeal is attractive, a tenant may be more interested in seeing the inside of your unit and they may schedule a property showing.
When crafting a video tour and shooting property photos, make sure to capture your curb appeal in its best light.
2. Perform a Property Walkthrough
When you’re satisfied with the curb appeal of your property, you can proceed with conducting a property walkthrough. This is a detailed inspection you perform to ensure that your unit is rent-ready.
Pretend you’re a renter looking to find a home to settle in. Ask yourself the following:
- Does the paint look fresh?
- Are the carpets clean and in a good condition?
- Does the property smell good?
- Are there signs of cracks in the walls?
- Are there wall stains?
Circle around the rental and move from room to room. Don’t let any details escape you and list down anything strange that you notice.
Here are some things you can do:
- Inspect the electrical outlets
- Check the locks of the doors and windows
- Observe if there are cracks on the windows
- Verify that the furnishings and blinds are in good condition
- Open the faucets and make sure there are no leaks
- Test the appliances to see if they function
- Make sure appliances are clean and dust-free
Pretending to be a prospective renter lets you evaluate the condition of your rental home with less bias. If you find areas that need improvement, do that right away.
3. Start Jotting Items for Maintenance Repairs
When doing the property walkthrough, it’s advisable to carry a checklist. This way, you’re able to zero in on what needs to be improved.
Maybe you spotted a flickering lamp. Perhaps, more cleaning is needed in some corner of the house. It’s best to record this in real time so you don’t forget it. You can even take photos to help you document the issues.
The list should be as detailed as possible. Even if the issue is minor, it should be fixed. Some prospects are fussy and can immediately be turned away from your property if something is not in good condition, or if the unit isn’t perfectly maintained.
That’s why, when you show a tenant your rental, it should be rent-ready. As the landlord, you are responsible for certain maintenance duties.
4. Conduct Repairs and Maintenance
Now that you have a detailed list of things that need to be repaired and maintained, you can get started!
If you don’t know how to conduct the repairs on your own, you should consider hiring a professional. For instance, if your shower is leaking and your toilet isn’t flushing properly, you can hire a plumber to perform the repair work.
Alternatively, if you do know how to perform repairs, you can do them yourself! When you make use of your repair skills, you’ll be saving money on labor costs.
5. Don’t Hesitate to Replace
Sometimes, to avoid purchasing new items, landlords can end up overusing the repair strategy. If an appliance keeps getting sent out for repair and it’s nearing the end of its life expectancy, then it’s best to consider replacing it.
You don’t want to repair something if you know it’ll break again within the next few months.
6. Provide a Clean Rental
Nothing turns off prospects more than finding cobwebs and dirty stains in a rental unit.
For deep cleaning, it’s best to hire cleaning specialists who have the proper cleaning equipment and skills.
7. Hire a Property Management Company
Preparing for a tenant’s move in or property showing requires times, knowledge and skills.
If your time is limited or you feel overwhelmed, you can decide to hire a trusted property management firm. Choose one that has a long industry experience and wide resources to tackle rental preparation.
Consider Pinnacle Property Management.
Bottom Line
Getting your property rent-ready is essential if you want to find renters as soon as possible. To maximize your investment returns, you need to offer an attractive rental home to potential tenants.
We hope this article was helpful!
If you have further questions, reach out to Pinnacle Property Management today.
