Long vacancies in your Snohomish County property can be detrimental to your business. With our experience in property management, we understand how important it is to get your Washington property rent ready to attract long-term renters as quickly as possible.
Let’s take a look at a few tips so you can better prepare yourself, and your rental, for future tenants.
1. Set a competitive market price for your rental
Setting a competitive market price is a crucial step in getting your place rented.
If you underprice your property, you might notice a lot of interest. However, with all the expenses that come with owning a rental property, it may not be a profitable long-term solution.
On the other hand, if you set your price too high, you will notice little to no interest in your property. And as we all know, we want to avoid vacancies at all costs.
That’s why it is very important to set a price that is competitive with other rental properties on the market. This way you stay competitive and your property should receive the interest it deserves.
2. Automate as many rental tasks as possible
If you can automate any task to create less work for yourself, this is a practical way to prepare and get ready for new renters.
By hiring a rental management company in Snohomish County, this is another great way to delegate tasks and automate almost everything there is to do with preparing and finding quality renters.
Such tasks can also include hiring out a professional photographer to take quality photographs of your rental unit. By using quality photos, this will increase your rental views by a lot. If you do not use quality photos of your rental this could scare off quite a few people.
You can automate your bookings by putting your listing on a booking website. This will allow tenants in Washington to book your unit without needing to contact you prior. This all depends on how hands-on you want to be with your rental.
3. Top up your insurance plan
Every landlord needs to top up their insurance plan before they get prospective tenants.
It would be a landlord’s worst nightmare if the tenant damages anything substantial and the landlord has to fix it using money from their own pockets.
Your Owner’s policy will help protect your property and the items in your rental unit.
Make sure you understand what your insurance covers and whether or not you need more coverage than what you already have. We recommend getting as much coverage as possible.
4. Complete minor upgrades on your home
Now is the best time to complete those minor upgrades. Minor upgrades will enhance the value of your property and will allow you to up the rent.
Tenants want to move into a property that is well taken care of. Therefore, if you can tell there are personal touches from the landlord, this should leave a good first impression.
Minor upgrades can include a fresh coat of paint, a new area rug, a few upgraded appliances, new blinds, and of course or whatever you think is necessary.
5. Clean up
Clean up your place and create an atmosphere that you would want to live in. In order to get a home in “rent ready” condition we would advise a very detailed cleaning including often overlooked items such as light globes, oven racks, baseboards, etc.
If your rental property is dirty and you have too many material items visible, this could distract potential tenants and make them look elsewhere.
6. Screen your tenants
Screening your tenants is a step that should not be overlooked. In order to learn more about the history of your tenants, you need to get a bit of background information about their previous place of residence and their job.
This will help you understand whether or not they would be a good fit for your rental.
Are they capable of making the payments on time, taking care of the property, and being a responsible neighbor? This information will help you determine whether they are a good fit or not.
7. Protect yourself and your home with a lease agreement
A lease agreement is important for the renter and the landlord. The lease shows that the renter will stay put for the period that is agreed on the lease. This will give the renter and landlord clarity and reassurance.
As a landlord, it is important to get a security deposit before your tenant moves in. This will protect you from minor issues and if he or she fails to pay rent.
8. Understand your obligations and responsibilities
As a landlord in Washington, there are many obligations and responsibilities you still have even after you find the right tenants.
If anything happens during the period your tenants are occupying your property, you are responsible for the damages or for fixing whatever requires it.
You must keep your property in good standings and obey to the health and maintenance standards.
In the end, the amount of time and money you have to invest in getting a unit ready to rent depends on the rental market and the condition of the unit.
By working to attract renters, you’ll reduce downtime and future maintenance costs, thus recouping your investment and keeping your books in the black.