FAQ: How Do You Prepare a Property for Potential Renters?

Preparing a rental property for renters is extremely important. We call this getting the property “rent ready.”

What does “rent ready” mean?

It means the property has been cleaned, repaired, or remodeled and that it’s in rent-able condition for new tenants.

In addition to making sure the appliances are in working order, carpets are cleaned, window coverings are repaired, and the landscaping is in excellent shape… there are a few other steps landlords should take to ensure the property is in the best possible condition.

1. Change the locks. Change the garage door and alarm codes.  Re-key all outside doors. And remember other locks too: mailboxes, side gates, outdoor sheds. Re-keying and recoding locks make old keys unusable – which is important since you never know who may have a set of your old keys or codes.
2. Change the air filters. In addition to changing the air filters, cleaning the vents and surrounding ceiling area, it’s not a bad idea to replace any reusable air filters with disposable ones. Disposable air filters don’t require monthly cleaning (like reusable ones) and make for one less maintenance item your tenant needs to remember.
3. Inspect the lighting. Replace any broken light bulbs; consider putting in energy-efficient bulbs, which reduce energy costs and don’t need to be replaced as often. (And don’t forget the bulbs outside!) For outside lights that don’t need to be replaced, give them a thorough wipe-down: dirt and debris tend to make these lights dimmer; and when it comes to outside security, brighter is better.
4. Brush away spider and cobwebs. Clean all indoor webs that may hang in corners and walls. On the outside, clean all webs that may be near doors, overhangs and lights.
5. Fix up wear and tear. Fix any holes in the walls before applying a fresh new coat of paint. Repair or replace any carpet that shows signs of damage (or doesn’t come clean after a professional carpet cleaning). Fix or replace any damaged tiles.

Questions? We’ve got answers!

Give us a call: 702-750-9725

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