As much as we want to keep long term tenants, it's an unavoidable fact that at some point you will have some vacancies. There will always be some sort of maintenance that will be needed to complete before putting your rental unit back onto the market.
Below are a few repairs that will need your attention before listing your rental as well as potential upgrades to compete with a more modern market.
One of the first things you may want to look at is the property’s flooring. Do a thorough inspection of all the rooms. Depending on what kind of flooring you have there may be no maintenance required other than a simple cleaning.
If your rental has tile flooring, make sure there are no broken tiles as this can cause injury to future tenants. Making sure the grout between the tiles can help reduce bacteria and mold which can cause bad odors.
Older homes tend to have wood flooring, if this is the case then having them be bright and shiny can be attractive to new tenants. Sometimes a proper deep clean is all you need to bring life back to dull hardwood flooring. If your previous tenant wasn’t vigilant about pets or dirt on the wood floor, you may have too many scratches and may require a refinish.
Wood flooring
If your Long Beach rental has carpeting, make sure to replace it if it is moldy, unsanitary, or ripped. Although there is no law that governs aesthetics, if the carpet is stained or very old we would recommend replacing it in order to increase its appeal.
Vinyl and Linoleum should only be replaced when needed, or if you would like to change the aesthetic of the rental by replacing old vinyl and linoleum with a more modern pattern that can last 10 - 25 years for vinyl and 20 - 40 for linoleum.
When a tenant moves out of your rental, you may inspect the walls and think to yourself that the paint looks fine, and you may not need to repaint. Looks can be deceiving however, a closer inspection can reveal faded paint, that can make a room look dull and unappealing. If you find cracks or holes, this is the time to patch them up. Old paint can absorb odors from the previous tenant. A fresh coat of paint is highly attractive to potential tenants. The look and smell of fresh paint on the walls can make your rental feel newer and brighter. Keeping the colors of the paint simple neutral colors like light gray or white is an easy and affordable choice for rentals. As you would rarely require more than a couple coats of paint to get desired results. Just be sure to not paint over electrical outlets and switches as the pain can cause them to become faulty.
It goes without saying that a clean rental is necessary to attract new tenants. Eliminating bad odors, dust and grime is critical for the success of your rental. You only get one first impression. In addition to general cleaning, you will want to pay attention to less obvious parts of the rental. Fan blades, window blinds, and light fixtures can accumulate dust, which can trigger allergies and contribute to bad odors. In a kitchen, the microwave, the inside of the refrigerator and the kitchen sink need the most care as they tend to hold the majority of foul odors. Be sure to replace or clean the filter for the stove hood as well. Once you’ve reached the bathrooms, check for mold or mildew. Take care of these issues immediately as they can cause health problems for your tenants. This can be a result of poor ventilation, check the bathroom exhaust fan if you have one, and consider having one installed if you don’t. Finally if can access the AC filter clean or replace it to have fresh cool air when showing the rental to future tenants. If you don’t have access to the air filter contact a handyman or HVAC company to replace them.
While inspecting the rental make sure to take note of any general maintenance that needs to be kept up with. If the showers or faucets are leaking or if any of the drains are backed up, you may need to call a plumber or handyman to fix the problem, or replace the faucets if needed. If you are providing any appliances as added amenities in your rental, make sure they are working appropriately. Common issues can be a dishwasher leak, or a break in the water line for the refrigerator. If you don’t provide appliances to your tenants now would be the time to consider it. Electrical outlets are some of the more important aspects of general maintenance. Not only should you make sure the standard outlets read 110v. You should use this opportunity to upgrade some outlets to outlets that incorporate USB sockets.
If you need more information about how to prepare your rental after a tenant moves out feel free to call us at (562) 888-0247 or feel free to fill out our
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