How to Make Your Rental Ready for New Tenants

Print Friendly

It’s peak rental season and the competition is on for tenants who will pay their rent on time, respect their rented property and not cause problems with their neighbors. On the other side, tenants are competing for a rental that fills their needs, is attractive, safe and affordable.

How do you, the landlord or property manager, win the competition and sign that perfect tenant? One way is to make your property desirable and tenant-ready before you offer it for rent. Remember the saying, “You only have one chance to make a first impression.”

If You Can See It, They Can See It

There is more to renting a house or apartment than just putting a For Rent sign in front of it. Whether you are preparing for a new tenant or renting a unit for the first time, there are specific steps you should take to prepare your investment property so it will attract a good tenant.

The best way to gauge if your unit is ready for a new tenant is to put yourself in their place. Walk through it as if you were seeing it for the first time. Are there cracks in the walls that you never noticed before? A hole in the carpet or broken tiles in the bath? Maybe the window coverings that you bought ten years ago need to be replaced. Or how about those out-of-date kitchen appliances? If you can see it, your prospective tenants will see it.

Please note: This is not the same as your Move Out Inspection where you look for damage your current tenant may have caused with respect to their security deposit. This walk-through is to discover anything that needs to be improved in order to make a good impression on potential tenants.

It’s been proven that tenants are willing to pay a higher rent for a clean, attractive place to live. Don’t tell them what you intend to fix—fix it first so they can see what a great place you have for them.

Once you have made note of everything that needs to be fixed or replaced, prepare a realistic budget with an accommodation for any unexpected expenses. You may also make a notation next to each item indicating how much extra rent you will be able to charge after the work is completed.

What to Look For

Let’s go room by room to see what things may need to be upgraded or repaired in order to make your rental more desirable to a prospective tenant.

Exterior

By the time the prospective tenant sees the interior of your rental, they have already made a judgment based on the condition of the exterior, so be sure that the outside of the home or building is appealing.

The following are some important tasks that will create a positive first impression for the applicant:

1. Trim bushes, cut trees, plant flowers and mow the lawn.
2. Remove any junk or garbage that previous tenants may have left.
3. Check the siding and paint to make sure they are clean and free of damage.
4. Examine the windows, looking for water damage, leaks, and broken glass.
5. If there’s a chimney, have it cleaned, and make sure it’s structurally sound.

6. Place potted, blooming flowers along walkways leading to the house or building to add a welcoming vibe to the property.

In single-family homes, don’t forget the garage and rear yard. Remove the contents left behind by previous tenants and clean the garage floor.

Living Room/Family Room

Living rooms and family rooms are usually the most used areas in a home, causing damage or excess wear and tear to carpets and even walls. Where possible, clean flooring and window coverings, replacing them when necessary. If you are having carpets cleaned, be sure to do them far enough in advance of your first showing or open house so that they are dry.

As for the walls, fill in nail holes and repaint with washable paint so that the next time you will only have to wipe them down. Be sure that the bulbs in all lighting fixtures are working properly.

Test the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors throughout the home and replace them if needed per your local laws.

Kitchen/Laundry Room

When you prepare the kitchen for the next renter, you’ll want to be sure that the appliances are all working properly. Things to check include:

1. Do all the burners work on the stove?
2. Do the microwave, oven and broiler heat accurately?
3. Does the refrigerator get cold? If there is an ice maker, does it actually make ice?
4. Check if the dishwasher and garbage disposal operate correctly.
5. If an in-unit clothes washer and dryer are included, be sure lint traps are clean.

Don’t forget to examine the cabinets and drawers to be sure they all open and close properly. Wipe them down to remove any food or grease.

Bedrooms

Like the living and family rooms, you will need to inspect the carpet for excess wear and tear as well as stains. You may also need to touch up the paint and fill holes in the walls caused by hanging pictures and hooks.

Bedroom windows need to open and close properly and screens should not be torn. New window coverings will make the bedrooms attractive and inviting.

Bathrooms

Clean bathrooms with properly working fixtures and plumbing are at the top of a tenant’s priority list, so be sure yours are in good shape and do not leak. The faucets must work and the toilet has to be clean and function correctly. And keep in mind that nothing will turn a tenant off faster than a moldy shower or tub.

Also, replacing broken or chipped mirrors or sinks is an inexpensive way to make a bathroom look more appealing to potential renters. Regrouting the tile is also a quick and economical way to make a bathroom appear newer.

Now it’s time to place that For Rent sign in front of your property.

Choosing the Right Tenant

With your rental in tip top condition, you will want to find a tip top tenant who will pay their rent on time and treat your property with respect. It is important that you have each person interested in your property fill out an Application to Rent, which is available without cost on the AAOA website.

Once you have reviewed the applications and have chosen which applicants you want to move forward with, it is time to order a Tenant Screening Report for each one. To weed out anyone who may not pay rent or are more likely to damage a home, all landlords should run a tenant background check and a rental credit check before signing any lease agreement. With the current rise in application fraud, you cannot afford to rely on your intuition when choosing a tenant.