Before you can begin looking for a tenant and collecting rent, you need to get your rental property on the market and visible to prospective renters. Today, we’re talking about what you have to do in order to get your house rent ready.
Pay Attention to Curb Appeal
First, you want to look at the curb appeal. Stand back and look at your property from a distance. Decide if it looks presentable, and make sure it looks as nice as it can. The grass needs to be cut, the bushes trimmed, and the entire property weeded. Make sure the back yard looks nice too, because tenants will be looking there. A good first impression attracts a high quality tenant. Eliminate any hazards around the house and make sure you don’t have debris lying around or things that could be dangerous. You don’t want anyone to get hurt at your property.
Inspect Your Property’s Interior
Inside, you need to check for working smoke detectors. We check those things every year as a property management company. It’s the landlord’s responsibility to make sure these are present and working. You also need to have locking windows and doors that are secure. This sounds funny, but sometimes people have windows that don’t lock. Look for plumbing leaks and make sure there aren’t any repairs needed before you turn the property over to a tenant. It’s hard to see these things until they become major problems.
Clean and Update the Home
Have the carpets professionally cleaned, and the give the house to the tenant in whatever condition you want it returned. If there are stinky pet smells, hire a cleaning services that can eliminate those. It’s a big turnoff to walk into a house and smell animals. When you paint, use neutral colors and eliminate anything that’s bright. We use Kilim beige for our paint color, and we always keep extra paint for when we have to do touch up work. Using the same paint can keep that project inexpensive. 
Remember that the nicer your house looks, the better quality of tenant you’ll be able to attract once it’s on the market.
If you have any questions about renting your house out or using professional property management services, please contact us at Dennis Property Management.
