Читать книгу Property Management Kit For Dummies - Robert S. Griswold - Страница 18

Before you can rent your property, you have to make sure that it’s ready for a tenant to move in. But you can’t simply put up a “For Rent” sign and expect to rent to the first caller; you need to spend some time preparing the property properly. And by some time, I mean a lot.

Relax! Tear up your applications to those reality shows that renovate your fixer-upper for free, because you can prepare your property yourself. Just remember to focus on the inside as well as the outside. Chapter 5 shows you the best way to determine what to upgrade and renovate to meet the needs of your target market. I also explain how to ensure that your property’s curb appeal (exterior appearance) makes potential tenants want to see the inside — not keep driving by or swiping to the left to the next property on the list.

During this stage, you get to test your decorating-on-a-budget skills because you don’t want to over-improve the property. But if you’re too tight with cash and try to get by with anything less than your best effort, be ready for most of the people who show interest in your rental unit to be the least-qualified prospective tenants. The moral of the story? Don’t be cheap, but do be practical!

To get great tenants, you need to guarantee that your rental property compares favorably with other properties in your area and makes that important positive first impression. These days, that first impression often happens online, but it always starts with the exterior of your rental property, which should have a neat and well-maintained appearance, and continues with a clean and inviting interior, with the features and amenities that prospective tenants in your area expect.

Preparing the unit properly also often requires the use of outside vendors, suppliers, or contractors. What you don’t contract out — tasks such as basic cleaning, maintenance, and painting — you need to do yourself. You also need to know how to perform a careful inspection to make sure that the unit is ready to show. I give you details about how to accomplish all these tasks in Chapter 5.