What does “Rent Ready”, really mean?
Inviting, bright, happy, modern, and updated may not mean the same to all the different tenants looking at your property.
Maybe you just decided to turn your residence into a rental due to a move, or your tenant gave notice and is vacating one of the properties you already turned into a rental. The most challenging part of having a rental property can be the turnover, which can turn costly. (Stay tuned for how to get your property rent ready on the cheap!)
Here are some things to consider about getting your property rent ready:
What are the state and local legal requirements of a rental property?
You may this this is obvious, but sometimes there are regulations you might be unfamiliar with or have changed recently. Always be sure to check your local legislation for compliance with your area! But here are some of the basics so that there are no health or safety violations. You need to include the following:
Shelter from the elements – no leaking roofs, no active water leaks anywhere, windows that secure and keep out elements
Acceptable source of heat
Acceptable source of water, and hot water
Proper sewage and drainage
All locking doors and windows so that the property can be secured
Safety – this can often be a tricky one so you definitely want to speak with experts about what this entails. But things like carpet tacks not being exposed, nails, holes, sink holes in the yard, anything that could cause injury to an adult or child, pests can also be included on this list.
However, while that may be the minimum standard – doing just that will more than likely not be enough to land some great tenants! Not considering additional things to get your property rent ready could drastically increase your vacancy time and add to your expenses. It’s better to make that initial investment to do things right, make a really marketable property and land yourself great tenants in the first place!
4 Additional Tips to consider for getting your rental rent ready!
What additional items need to be done for a rent ready condition?
We live in a world of options today, and instant gratitude, so it’s really important to make a first great impression! Just having a safe and warm rental is not going to land you on that list. We live in a world where people compare all their options side by side from the comfort of their home or on their phones anywhere they are! In order to land great tenants and be someone’s top pick make sure your rental has some of the following things:
1. Every tenant wants to feel like they have privacy – make sure that your property has proper window coverings, and landscaping to provide some additional privacy if there are close by neighbors
2. Have the property professionally cleaned! I don’t care how great of a cleaning you are, make sure that you have the place professionally cleaned by someone who is used to doing vacancies. The smell of chemicals, while it may seem odd, tells the tenants the place was scrubbed! ESPECIALLY focus in the bathrooms! A stray hair could be enough to make the tenants feel like the whole place is dirty, even if it’s not.
3. Make sure things function properly…. You may be OK with the door that you have to jiggle to open, or the sliding latch that takes Hercules to close, but those little details can cause tenants to feel really frustrated, and even begin looking at other places. Those tiny details to make sure doors close properly, closet door tracks slide easily, windows can open and close makes a huge difference!
4. Neutral décor and design choices – not everyone loves a bright yellow kitchen, or a dark red accent wall. Make sure that your home is neutral in design choices that you have control over, without taking away any of the original charm that may be there. Make sure that there is nothing personal attached to the property or in the property. Allow the tenants to see themselves and their families living in the space. The more opportunities they have to see that, the more emotionally connected they will be with a property and keep that high on their list of choices!
Be sure to check out video library for more resources on rent ready properties, turnover, finding tenants, and tools for helping you find a great tenant, and getting your vacancy rent ready!!
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