Is Your Home Rent Ready?

How to Make Your Home Rent Ready?

Hey everyone!  Spencer Sutton here with evernest. Today I want to ask the question, is your home rent ready? And really, how do you know it is? We have rented several thousands of houses over the years so we have plenty of experience to help you get your home to where it needs to be.

A new lease is an exciting time for a rental property owner, but it does not come without its set of tasks to complete. It’s your responsibility to make sure that your unit is ready to go for your new residents on move-in day. But how do you know if your home is rent-ready? Let’s take a closer look to find out what steps to follow.

Article at a Glance:

To make sure your home is rent ready, make sure you follow these steps:

• Clean
• Check
• Replace
• Test
• Freshen Up

Make Your Home Rent Ready

Putting in a little extra effort to make sure your home is rent ready for your new residents sets the tone for your rental relationship. Even better, the cleaner your property is upon move-in the more likely your residents are to maintain the condition upon moving out. Remember that most residents want to get their deposits back, which means leaving the property in the condition they received it in.

Here is an essential list of items you should go over before a new move-in.

Clean

It might seem obvious, but the first thing you’ll want to do is make sure your home is clean. Even if your home is clean from the previous residents, you will still want to bring in professional cleaners for your new residents.

If you get into this routine, you can relay this expectation to your new residents that they have your home professionally cleaned when they move out. If they do not meet those standards, you can use whatever you need from the security deposit to take care of those costs yourself.

Some areas you’ll want to pay special attention to cleaning include:

• Bathrooms
• Walls
• Windows
• Carpets

You can pay for professional cleaners at a rate of around $25 to $40 per hour, depending on how deep of a cleaning your home will need. As a rental property owner, it is in your best interest to develop a relationship with a local cleaner that you can rely on and refer to your residents.

Check

When your residents have moved out, use the time to go through your home and check to make sure essential features are still functioning correctly. Here are a few areas of your home you’ll want to check closely.

Safety Features

Ensure you keep your residents and yourself protected by ensuring all your home’s safety features are working correctly. Perform a thorough inspection of both the interior and exterior of your home and be on the lookout for: 

• Appliances
• Structures
• Walkways
• Railings
• Entrances

The last thing you want is for your new residents to hurt themselves on your property. Prevent accidents within your control by checking on safety features around your home before every new move-in.

Appliances

A lot of your home’s larger appliances need minimal maintenance that might go overlooked during your residents’ lease. Things like cleaning the lint trap from your dryer might not be top of mind for your residents. When you inspect your home, make sure to check on:

• Washers and dryers
• Stovetops
• Refrigerators
• Sump pumps

HVAC systems

Checking on your appliances helps to maintain the longevity of your appliances and reduce safety concerns. Large appliances can cause bodily harm and significant damage to your home if not cared for properly. Not to mention, paying for maintenance or replacing these appliances can also be very costly.

Windows

Windows can get used and abused when not taken care of properly. Make sure you check that everything is clean in the tracks and they open and close properly. Similarly, you’ll want to check sliding glass doors for the same features.

Replace

Some standard items will need to be replaced after residents have moved out of your home, including:

Batteries

Change out batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms. That way, you can make sure you are following proper safety protocols as a landlord. You can also prevent any damage to these devices from any residents trying to replace the batteries independently.

Air Filters

You should always change out the air filters in your home for new residents. You can also help promote proper maintenance of your HVAC equipment by providing them with some replacements for the future. If you have a property management system, you can setup reminders through that for your residents to help keep them on a good schedule.

Locks

Providing new residents with new locks can help them feel extra safe in their new home. Since you have no control over how many copies of keys were made, it’s best to swap out the locks with each new resident to be safe.

Test

Like checking on certain areas of your home, you’ll also want to test different functions. Check your lights to make sure your electrical system is working correctly. You’ll also be able to see if you need to swap out any light bulbs.

It’s also recommended to test your water by running all your faucets. Keep a lookout for proper drainage, water pressure, and any potential leaks that will need fixing before new residents move in.

Freshen Up

Lastly, you’ll want to freshen up any areas of your home that are in dire need. It’s normal for things, such as flooring or paint, to wear over time. Keep your home looking fresh so that your renters want to do their part to keep it looking its best as well.

The exterior of your home is just as important as the interior when it comes to keeping it looking fresh. Make sure you do a thorough walkthrough of the landscaping and touch up whatever you need to in the front and back of your home.

Wrap Up

By following these simple steps, you can make sure your home is rent ready in no time at all. It’s essential to present your home in the best possible condition for new residents to know what the house should look like upon their moving out. Otherwise, they might risk losing part, if not all, of their deposit.

Spencer Sutton

Spencer is the VP of Marketing at Evernest. He wakes up with Google and Facebook on his mind. Having bought and sold over 150 homes in Birmingham, Spencer gets a kick out of helping new and seasoned investors navigate the mistakes he made as an investor. Spencer is also passionate about his love for Michael Jordan and does his best to explain to the Millennials (who never saw him play live) how much better he was than LeBron. He loves to hang out with his wife, kids, and the world’s best black lab, Jett.