Creating positive interactions with your tenants is something you should actively do as a property owner. This is something you can do during the conduction of a move-in walkthrough. Both you and your tenant will be able to benefit a lot from a move-in walkthrough. Let’s look at these benefits for property owners and a few best practices for making the most of your move-in walkthrough.
Rethinking the Move-In Walkthrough
Too often, the move-in walkthrough is viewed as more of a tenant’s responsibility than something a landlord does. In thinking this way, though, you may be robbing yourself of the many benefits that come with move-in walkthroughs. There should be a walkthrough at both move-in and move-out. The process of a move-in walkthrough is quite simple: the landlord and tenant walk around the property to check if there are maintenance issues that need to be looked at before the tenant actually moves in.
There’s a good reason why Valrico property managers should take a move-in walkthrough seriously. Here’s why that is.
- It facilitates good relations between you and your tenant. When you walk through a property with your tenant, you are showing your interest in keeping your investment in good shape and hear out your tenant’s feedback, if any. Tenants will most likely immediately report small issues when they are confident that you care — this can lead to reduced repair costs. During this time, you can even discuss the “house rules” with your renter again. These small interactions between you and your tenant can be what strengthens your relationship with them.
- It makes it easier for you to have the right amount deducted from the deposit at the end of the lease. To foster a smooth and hassle-free move-out time, you need good documentation of your property’s condition before your tenant moves in. This can help you better gauge wear and tear and other repair issues and provide ample evidence to support any deductions you make from your tenant’s security deposit.
Walkthrough Best Practices
To really experience the full range of benefits that come with a move-in walkthrough, make sure you follow best practices. Such as:
- Schedule a walkthrough with your tenant. If it is possible, have a scheduled move-in walkthrough with your new tenant. Use this time to get to know your tenant more through face-to-face interaction, which can foster a good working relationship.
- Use a checklist. A move-in checklist is something you can go over with your new tenant. And then, make sure you give your tenant a hard copy of this checklist. In doing this, you are essentially telling your tenant that you value transparency and honesty in your interactions.
- Take photos. Anything that should be carefully considered in the property should be documented through pictures — such as potential repairs. These pictures can be used to schedule repairs, and they can serve as a reference for when you will need to do a move-out walkthrough.
The value these move-in walkthroughs provide is really good; however, they tend to take a good amount of time. If your rental property isn’t anywhere near your residence, then this will mean more time allocated for the process. You need someone who can handle the logistics and the planning for you, so as to optimize the time you allocate for these kinds of things. At Real Property Management Empire, we provide a full range of services that help rental property owners make the most of their investments. Call 813-867-7300 today to learn more!
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