Maintenance Items, Maintenance Record, and Property Expenses

Dustin Edwards • August 18, 2022

Keeping Records and Tracking Expenses is Essential For Property Managers

An inevitable aspect of operating your Long Beach rental is dealing with maintenance. While this can be a frustrating experience for you, it’s also very bothersome for your tenants and poses a potential safety hazard. Not to mention, tenants who are unhappy with the condition of your rental may not opt to renew their lease and even negatively impact your local reputation. 


The best way to avoid these possible issues is by staying on top of key aspects of your property to minimize potential headaches. Although it’s impossible to predict every maintenance problem, completing consistent inspections throughout your property and making minor adjustments can have a major impact on property longevity and resident contentedness. Here are the best tips and tricks for keeping a low-maintenance rental. 


Routine Check-Ups of Essential Systems

Routine check-ups are simple and easy actions that you only need to complete a few times a year but can save you from disaster. Along with common repairs, you should also complete these routine check-ups after tenants move out. 


One of the most important items to check on frequently are smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. First off, you need to ensure that your rental meets the California Building Code that requires there must be one smoke alarm on every floor of non-sleeping rooms, one smoke alarm in every sleeping room, and one smoke alarm in every hallway that leads to a sleeping room. Then, you also need to replace all carbon monoxide detector batteries biannually. Similarly, you usually need to replace all smoke detector batteries annually, but some smoke detectors come with batteries that last for ten years. Understanding which kind you have is imperative to know when replacements are necessary. By doing this, you avoid any false chirping, which is both annoying and might falsely scare tenants into thinking there is a threat. Additionally, this gives you time to check on all the detectors and see if they are malfunctioning or broken. 


It’s also important that you get your rental’s HVAC system serviced and cleaned by a professional once a year. Not only does this improve longevity, but it also prevents larger maintenance issues from coming up that would greatly inconvenience your tenants, especially during a heat wave or cold spell. 


Though it’s good to check on appliances (especially washers, dryers, stoves, ovens, and refrigerators) to confirm that they’re working properly, everything has a shelf life and sometimes repairs or replacements are not always preventable. 


How Expenses Can Help Your Rental Property

When it comes to these necessary repairs or replacements, remember that they can actually have a positive impact by improving property value and increasing interest for future tenants. 


This is not only true for buying new appliances, but also for taking on much larger projects such as re-roofing, paving a new driveway, replacing flooring, or repainting. Yes, these projects may not be necessary, yet they can be incredibly valuable in boosting curb appeal. 


Keeping Record of Maintenance to Your Long Beach Rental

Whenever you complete any of these tasks, write them down in a Maintenance Log so that you don’t forget to do them or accidentally do them multiple times. Additionally, keep a record of who completed jobs like HVAC system inspections or renovation projects for future reference. Maintaining these long-term connections can make scheduling projects or calling in emergency repairs much easier. Instead of hiring someone new and unfamiliar, you can use a trustworthy individual who you and your renters are comfortable and happy with. 


This documentation is also incredibly helpful during tax time. Instead of aimlessly searching for receipts and hopelessly trying to remember dates off the top of your head, you can have all of your records in one place ready at your convenience. 


Following these action items will ultimately make your life much easier and help you avoid various maintenance problems that would otherwise take up lots of your time, energy, and money. That said, even the most efficient and careful landlord can’t dodge everything. There will always be unexpected crises that creep up on you and your tenants; however, being prepared for them ahead of time will make them much easier to handle, especially if you have a reliable property management company by your side. To learn more, we invite you to call us today at (562) 888-0247 or you can fill out our Owner Application online.

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If You Have These 3 Things, Consider Putting Solar Panels

By Dustin Edwards • May 22, 2025
As California becomes more and more electric, the idea of installing solar panels becomes more enticing for many landlords. While the initial investment may be quite expensive, there are a few things to consider before making the decision. By keeping these factors in mind, you can greatly reduce the overall cost of installation as well as reduce your operational costs throughout the lifespan of the solar panels. Below, we’ve compiled three considerations you should keep in mind before making your decision to install solar panels on your rental property. Long Term Ownership For landlords whose plan is to own their rental property for a long period of time, a solar energy system can be a strategic investment with long-term benefits. The longer you own a solar panel system, the lower the operational costs can be for your rental property. Unlike a homeowner, who sees their return through their energy bill. A landlord sees their return through lower vacancy rates and higher lease renewals. The initial expense associated with installing solar panels can be offset over time through reduced energy costs, improved property efficiency, and adjusting your property’s rent accordingly. Tenants are quite receptive to features that lower recurring expenses, such as their electricity bill. With so many people working from home, a lower energy bill can result in an improvement in tenant satisfaction , as well as reduced vacancy and turnover rates. The use of solar panels fits well in a long-term investment strategy that focuses on keeping operational costs low and reliable while improving your rental property’s value . Stand Out From the Competition In a competitive rental market, such as in Long Beach, CA. Features such as solar panels can help your property stand out to prospective tenants. Features such as solar panels can increase a rental property’s attractiveness to many tenants, though, specifically environmentally conscious individuals and younger tenants tend to gravitate towards rentals with solar panels more. Properties that are energy efficient appeal to renters who prioritize lower utility bills and more sustainable living conditions. These features may influence a prospective tenant’s decision when choosing between rentals of similar characteristics and space. Additionally, tenants who are interested in sustainability often care for the rental and follow the rules better than others. They are also more likely to opt into lease renewals. This means that solar panels can improve your bottom line through a more consistent monthly rental income due to the reduced vacancy and turnover rates. Your Roof is in Good Shape It goes without saying that your roof needs to be in a structurally sound condition in order to install solar panels. In general, a roof is expected to have a lifespan of twenty to twenty-five years, If your roof still has over fifteen years of proper functionality, it's ideal for installing solar panels without requiring additional costs for repair. If your roof is in good condition and won't require repairs in the foreseeable future, you’re far less likely to face problems that would require you to remove the solar panels temporarily. This can be expensive, which is why it's important you don't properly inspect your roof before making the decision to install solar panels. Installing a solar system on your rental property offers measurable benefits to your bottom line in reducing your vacancies and turnover rates, as well as keeping your rental property competitive in the market. If you’re unsure if your roof is structurally sound to install solar panels or you need help managing your Beach City rental property, we invite you to call us today at (562) 888-0247 or complete our Owner Application online .

When To Include Utilities in Your Monthly Rent

By Dustin Edwards • May 17, 2025
Have you considered including utilities in your rent? Here are some of the most common utilities that help tenants see a greater value on renting your property

5 Signs It's Time To Replace Your Rental's Roof

By Dustin Edwards • May 8, 2025
Your property’s roof is its first line of defense from the sun, rain, and wind. Which means it will eventually wear out. Many landlords overlook this since a roof is generally designed to last twenty or so years, and they simply forget until the signs begin to show. Below, we’ve compiled a short list of five signs it’s time to replace your roof for when doing property inspections. Tenant Complaints When your roof has become damaged, your tenants will likely be the first to notice. When tenants report water stains on the walls and ceilings, it's a sign that you should inspect your roof. In severe cases, your tenant may notice water dripping from roof leaks. This moisture, if left unchecked, can lead to the growth of mold and mildew, which can be a health concern for your tenants. Some tenants simply move out, assuming the odors or recurring respiratory issues are caused by the rental and not just the roof. This leaves you with a vacancy to manage, and if you’re unable to find the leak during this period, the following tenant may have a negative experience as well. Many landlords have found it beneficial to have property inspections regularly in order to preserve both the property’s value and the tenant’s trust. Roof’s Age Even with the highest quality materials, a roof still has a shelf life. Most roofs in Long Beach, CA, use asphalt shingles, and these generally last around twenty to twenty-five years. Once they've passed this threshold, the faults begin to show themselves. A sagging roof line is a sign that your roof is due to be replaced, as it's a serious concern. It often indicates that moisture has entered the underlying decking and caused some structural damage. From ground level, you may not be able to notice these problems. However, during an inspection of the property, an experienced inspector should be able to notice soft spots or contours on the roof. These forms of damage often get worse over time. Coordinating these inspections and preventative maintenance can be difficult for landlords with an extensive portfolio, which is why many enlist help. Shingle Damage Damaged shingles are one of the most obvious signs that your roof is deteriorating. If you ever notice cracking, curling, or patches with missing shingles, the roof is no longer providing adequate protection to your property. Although you can buy time with spot repairs, if the entire roof shows signs of damage, it’s likely time to replace the roof. Aside from protecting your property, the roof affects your property’s curb appeal. A patchy and worn-out roof can drive down the rental appeal. Prospective tenants will easily be able to spot the differences between pictures taken in the listing when compared to the property in person. This can not only hurt your chances of filling a vacancy, but it can also hurt your reputation as a landlord. Granules in Gutters After heavy rainfall, it's a good idea to inspect your rain gutters. If you or your property manager notice large amounts of black or gray granules, it means your roof shingles are breaking down. These granules are critical for shedding water off the roof. Once the granules fall off the shingle, the shingle begins to degrade faster under the sun and elements. If you’re not sure how old your roof may be, Loss of granules can be a strong indicator that your roof is nearing the end of its lifespan. Regular gutter cleaning and roof inspections can help catch these problems early before they become expensive repairs . Increase in Utility Bills Your tenants complaining about their utility bills increasing or poor temperature control in the rental may not realize the roof is to blame. A failing roof can result in subpar insulation and ventilation. This can lead to higher heating and cooling bills for your tenant. This can be frustrating for your tenants while putting more strain on the HVAC system. This puts more wear and tear on your HVAC system. Being aware of the warning signs and being proactive can protect your rental property, maintain tenant satisfaction , and avoid emergency repairs. If you need help inspecting your roof or you need help managing your Beach City rental property, we invite you to call us today at (562) 888-0247 or complete our Owner Application online .
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