Renters can be, well, a bit harder on rental homes than the average homeowner. With so many people shuffling in and out, it can lead to a lot of wear and tear. Remember, your rental prospers or fails due to its condition both inside and out. If you made it through the summer without any necessary repair calls, that doesn’t necessarily mean that all is fine. The old phrase “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” is not a good one to live by for rental owners. These are basic things that you can do to enhance your rental home as we head into the fall and winter, to ensure that you are protecting your investment and providing the best experience for those who invest in you.
Pressure Washing
Pressure washing is one of the quickest and easiest ways to make your home go from drab to fab. As siding becomes caked with dirt and debris, it can look years older than it is. Before you decide that it is time to rip it off and start fresh, give pressure washing a try. While the pressure washers are there, they can also clean up the walkway, sidewalk, and driveway. Not only are appearances important; safety is a must. Allowing dirt and debris to build can make things a little slick, which could put you in danger of litigation.
A Fresh Coat of Paint
Nothing makes an interior look fresh like a new coat of paint. Renters, especially those with kids, can do a lot of damage to walls, and those little imperfections have probably started to equal big ones. Painting is not an extremely expensive upgrade, but it is a necessary one. Try some beach colors for your beach house, or brighten things up with more neutrals and whites. Just make sure you spend the extra for high-quality paint; otherwise, it will look very worn in just a few years.
Roof Maintenance
As we head into the fall, storms and Hurricane Ian took their toll on the Summerville area. If you haven’t had your roof inspected this year, now is a good time. If you have a roof leak, it will probably go unnoticed until there is significant and expensive damage. And if you have renters in while your roof leaks, it will make a poor impression, potentially lead to mold remediation, and cause downtime for your rental and your rental income. Having your roof inspected will give you peace of mind that it will make it through the winter ahead, and if there is something amiss, the inspection will give you the documentation you need to file a claim with your homeowner's insurance.
Landscaping Spruce-Up
First impressions do matter. Renters form an impression about the quality of your rental as soon as they drive up. If they are unhappy with the maintenance on the outside, it will make them more critical of the state of the inside. Also, fall is the best time to have your trees trimmed before they go dormant for the winter to trim branches so that they don’t pose a hazard of falling on the surrounding area. Regular lawn care is a must, but don’t overlook the forest through the grass.
HVAC Tune-Up
The key to keeping your HVAC working optimally is maintenance. As we head into fall, now is the time to ensure that your air filters are switched out and your furnace is maintained. Nothing will make a worse impression than someone coming for a stay and not having any heat. While the HVAC company is there, have them service your air conditioning, too; that way you will be good to go when the spring weather hits our area and you’ll be ahead of the game on the first steamy day.
With the fall here, it has been a successful summer rental market – which is great, but maybe not so great for your rental if you haven’t had time for maintenance. Don’t take a chance that you will overlook something that could potentially lead to unhappy renters, and poor ratings and reviews. At Sea Turtle Properties, we are a property management company that is consistently ensuring that your rental is in good shape – not just for your renters, but also to protect your investment. We take care of the maintenance for you, so you are always making the best impression possible. Contact us today and let us be your eyes and ears to keep things fresh.