Making sure your home is ready for a turnover is essential in renting your property. It can affect how quickly your home will rent and possibly what kind of tenant you’ll be moving in. This can be quite a daunting task - especially for first timers. You may be concerned about missing something that warrants repairs or overspending on beautification.
Uplift Property Management has the knowledge and experience to manage your property. We know what to look for and how to operate to efficiently to get the most bang for your buck! Here’s 5 helpful tips to ensure your turnover is successful.
Re-Key The Property
Many times forgotten but extremely important! The only people with access to your property should be your current tenants and yourself. Your previous tenant may have turned in the original keys but they may have made copies they forgot to return! You’re better safe than sorry. Keep your home safe from trespassers by re-keying between tenants.
Use a Move In / Move Out Form
Start documenting your home as soon as it’s ready! Once your property has been repaired and cleaned, take pictures! You can only have too few, not too many. Get the entryways, living room, kitchen and bathrooms. You want to be able to prove the current state of your property, nothing should be left to doubt. Take pictures of every room in your property and from different angles. You’ll now have a record of what your home looked like prior to anyone moving in, assisting in the use of your tenant’s security deposit.
At the turnover, make sure to give your tenants a move in/move out form. Walk the property with your tenant and ask them to write down any defects in the home-- such as chipped paint, scuffs on walls, damaged flooring, etc. These minor things will be noted at move in so that both parties know the damage was pre-existing.
Protect the Paint
Make sure you examine the paint in your property when a tenant vacates. Although normal wear and tear can usually be touched up, some walls with significant damage may require a full repaint. Paint has a lifespan of around 3-5 years. You should consider a full repaint at that point. As for the type of paint, we never recommend using the cheapest paint available. It doesn’t hold up in the long run and definitely doesn’t market well. If your home was recently upgraded, consider using at least a middle ground paint. If not, a basic paint is fine.
General Maintenance and Cleaning
Make sure your appliances are working correctly. This is an especially good time to replace appliances if it’s been a while. Upgrading appliances allows you to increase your asking price and usually results in your home renting faster! However, doing this can get pricey if you're replacing multiple appliances and it may take you a couple of years to recoup the costs.
Upgrading appliances may be optional but you should never skip on cleaning! We recommend that you have your property professionally cleaned before your tenants move in (after all painting/maintenance/repairs are done). If the property was cleaned a few weeks before turnover, dust may settle and you should consider returning for one final touch up before the move in date. Delivering the property in it’s best condition gives them the expectation it should be kept this way and that we’re expecting it back in the same condition.
During move in, your tenant may notice something that you did not. We recommend you consider any repairs the tenant reports at move in. If repairs won’t be made but the tenant won’t be held liable for pre-existing damage at move out, you should convey that to them so they’re not waiting on repairs.
Advertising Effectively
Make sure you’re putting your best foot forward and advertising your home with the nicest pictures available! First, make sure the property is looking its best when taking photos. Are the repairs all done, walls repainted, and everything cleaned? If it’s looking good, you’re on your way. Next, consider the camera you are using. Although most cellphones take decent pictures, it’s near impossible to compete with a DSLR camera and wide-angle lens. This setup takes pictures that appear less claustrophobic, allowing your home to seem larger on the inside. Lastly, don’t forget to position yourself to take the best angled pictures of your home. Standing in a corner and taking pictures across the room gives a bigger scope of the area. Don’t forget to open windows and shoot when the sun is out for better lighting.
Contact Us
Contact us to learn more about our service, pricing, and the team that gets it all done. Uplift Property Management is a full service property management company and when you become an Uplift client, we will take care of your property like it is our own investment. Don’t forget to contact us if you have any questions!
