Tips for a Quicker Turn Around

When you are a landlord, you aren't making any money when your units sit empty. In fact, it often costs you because you are going to be doing a detailed cleaning, along with some maintenance. If your tenants weren't careful with the unit (or have been there for quite some time), you may need to do some painting, replace some flooring, and do some updating to the unit.

For this reason, some units can sit empty for several weeks (or even months). However, it doesn't have to take that long. Here are some tips for a quicker turnaround between tenants.  

Have a detailed checklist for your tenants. As soon as you know that your tenants are going to be moving out, you should hand them a list of the things that you expect of them when they move out. This may include any extra cleaning that you may want, including cleaning the windows, walls, and much more. The more that you expect of them, the less work that you will have after they move out.

Don't forget a move-out inspection. Once they are ready, you need to go through the unit together to make sure that you are happy with how it looks. Ideally, this should be around one to two weeks before your tenants move out so that they have time to make any changes that you want.

When you go through the inspection, you should bring a copy of the move-in inspection papers. This allows you to compare the unit now against how it was when they moved in. Once you go through the entire apartment (room by room), you (and your tenant) will want to sign a move-out inspection paper.

Schedule the professionals in advance. As soon as you know that your tenants are moving out, you need to call and schedule any professionals that you might have come in to do work on the unit. Many are usually booked up, so you don't want to wait until the tenants are gone and have to wait three weeks to get in. Instead, if you let them know a month out, they might be able to come within a few days of move out.

What professionals should you book? You may want to hire a professional cleaner, which can save you a lot of time. You may want to hire a professional to shampoo the carpet and make it look brand new. If you know that you are going to have to do painting or replace the floor, you might want to hire someone who will do a better job (and faster).

This is also a good time to do some repairs and maintenance. The best time to fix up the unit is when it is empty. You won't have to inconvenience someone to replace any appliances in the kitchen. You won't have to find a time that works for everyone just to replace the plumbing in the bathroom.

It is important to use this time wisely to make your unit as nice as possible, so it is easier to find new tenants.

Don't forget about the outside. Though the inside is very important, the outside is just as important. This is a great time to power wash any dirty sidewalks, porches, and siding. You may want to inspect the roof and clean the gutters really good. If you aren't going to do this work yourself, you also need to schedule these as soon as you know that your tenants are moving out.

Start looking for new tenants right away. Even if you are going to have to do some work to your unit, you should have a tentative move-in date for your next tenants. The process isn't always quick and easy, so you should always start looking right away.

Advertise in the paper and online. When advertising online, you should only use the best photographs. In fact, you may want to hire a professional to help you show your unit off.

You may also want to put a sign out in front of the unit, so people driving by will see it. You never know, they may be looking for a place that is closer to work, and your sign might make them stop!

Make the application process simple and easy. There are many ways to make it easier than ever to apply. You may want to have an online application process, which allows potential tenants to complete their application at any time (and from anywhere).

By doing so, you can also get their approval to run credit and background checks, along with references. This will really save you (and your potential tenants) a lot of time.

Do a final inspection. On move out day, you should visit with your tenants before they leave. Not only will you need to get the keys from them, but you should also make sure that they didn't do any damage while they were moving their things out. It is also possible that some furniture could have hidden some problems too!

Once you do your final inspection, you will be able to determine what the damages were and if they are able to get their security deposit back. You may also give them what will be left of their security deposit after you fix the damage.

If you want a seamless transition from one tenant to another, you need a detailed cleaning list. This will ensure that your tenants do a thorough cleaning before they move out. You will know exactly what will be done and what needs to be done before the unit is empty.

Then, you need to start scheduling workers so that they can come within a few days of the tenants moving out. It often takes time to schedule cleaners and repairmen so the sooner that you know, the sooner they will be able to fit you in!

You should also use this time to start finding new tenants. It takes time to go through the application process. By starting right away, your unit shouldn't sit empty for too long!