1. Do a walk-through
Before your new tenants move in, do a thorough inspection of the property and make a list of everything that needs to be replaced, repaired or cleaned. If you have hired one of the apartment management companies, they will take care of this.
2. Repair any major damage, health issues
Check if there are any broken window locks or holes in the wall. Look for any signs of mold or pests. Find out if the carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are functioning or not. These issues should be dealt on a priority basis.
3. Make sure the property is clean
We have seen too many apartments for rent in Calgary that are not as clean as they should be. Some are in a deplorable state when handed over to apartment management companies. When we say CLEAN, we mean thoroughly clean. Make sure the outside and inside of kitchen drawers, cabinets and appliances are wiped down. The fixtures, vents and baseboards should be properly dusted. Wash all the windows and check all the blinds. Too many houses for rent are left with broken blinds by the previous tenants. If you find any, replace them.
4. Ensure that plumbing, heat and electric are working
Make sure all the utilities are in perfect working order. See to it that there are no leaks or clogs in the plumbing, overhead lights and power outlets are operational and the heat is working in all rooms.
5. Change the locks/passcodes
After your previous tenants move out, you should have the locks changed or re-keyed. For digital locks, just change the passwords. Do it for all the doors, especially the front door, back door and the garage door.
6. Check all the equipment
All homes for rent have a variety of equipment that tenants would need to utilize the property properly. These include remotes or keys for garage, security system and any other amenities. Make sure these are working properly. You should also document each piece of equipment that you handover to the tenant. In fact, you should have this list ready the moment you decide to hire a rental management company.
7. Clean up the yard
Spruce up the lawn to welcome your new tenants. Mow the grass, prune overgrown shrubs, rake the leaves, remove weeds and dead plants and fill up the cracks in the patio or sidewalk.
8. Change the air filters
As basic as it may seem, cleaning or replacing the air filters can make a lot of difference to how your home feels. If possible, go for a full service duct cleaning or furnace maintenance before your home is occupied by the new tenants.
9. Paint and flooring touch-up
You don’t need to replace your carpet or repaint the house every year. However, make sure they look pleasing to the eye. Go for professional carpet cleaning and touch up the wall paint wherever required. If you haven’t replaced the carpet or painted the walls in a long time, you should go for it before you put up your homes for rent. Most Calgary property management companies have liaison with vendors and contractors that can do quality work in time and within budget.
Getting your rental property ready for a new tenant requires some effort, but it’s all worth it when you welcome happy tenants into your home.
You have homes for rent but can’t find the right tenants or get the right rent for your property? Does apartment search seem like an unending task for you? Get in touch with our rental company in Calgary to put an end to all your rental woes. Remember, there are many rental management companies out there, but you need the one that has the expertise and experience in the local rental market and can best manage your property.