It pays to be a good landlord. After all, the aim is to ensure a steady stream of passive income while you focus on your life. Like all investments, an investment property requires work and maintenance. It’s hard to attract good tenants to a run-down property that needs some love and care. Your goal should be long-term tenants that treat your property well and pay the rent on time. So, how do you attract tenants like this? It’s easy – you get your home ready and looking and working great. So let’s take a look at the residential refresh and explore how to prepare your home for renters.
Clean the Floors
The last thing you want during a rental open home is dirty floors. Invest in a steam cleaner and give your rugs, carpets, and tiles a good going over. Steam cleaners work in two ways – they remove stubborn stains and blemishes, leaving surfaces spotless, while also disinfecting and killing bacteria. This means that your new tenants will move into a clean, hygienic home.
While you’re at it, clean the rest of the house from top to bottom as well. Moving into a dirty home, with dust and debris everywhere, isn’t pleasant and will set you off on the wrong foot with your tenants from the get-go. Consider employing a professional cleaning company as they do a great job at vacating cleans.
Check the Plumbing
A landlord’s nightmare is malfunctioning pipes, sinks, drains and toilets. These can cost a fortune in plumbing bills and are a headache for property owners and tenants alike. So before you lease your home, get a plumber in to do a health check of your drainage systems. They can spot any potential issues and hopefully fix them before they balloon out in scope and cost.
A Fresh Coat of Paint
A new lick of paint will do wonders when putting your home on the rental market. Young couples and families like to live in homes that they can make their own, so painting your property inside and out will make it appealing to this market and help you to secure a lease agreement. Make sure to patch any holes and scratches while you’re at it. If you have time, you can do this yourself, but if you’re busy and you can afford it, a professional painter is your best best.
Make Any Repairs Required
If something is broken – fix it before you let your home. Failing to do so can result in disputes and urgent repair requests, which are a headache to deal with, and you’ll spend the same amount of money anyway. So if a heater is broken, a shower is leaking, a door won’t lock, or a window won’t open, repair it first. You’ll save yourself, your tenants, your rental agent and your state of mind a great deal of trouble by fixing things first.
What Can You Include?
Some tenants prefer homes with inclusions, like dishwashers, washing machines, dryers and other appliances. So instead of selling or taking these with you, consider including them in the lease agreement. They could even see you get a higher rental yield.
A Renter’s Dream – Make it So
A good landlord will take specific steps to get their homes ready for lease. Clean the floors, and the rest of the property before your tenants move in. Check the plumbing to avoid any nasty surprises down the line, and give your home a fresh coat of paint inside and out. Make any repairs required to prevent disputes, and consider what inclusions you can provide to sweeten the deal.