There’s no way of avoiding it – damages will happen to your rental properties from time to time. But just like being proactive about tenant screening can reduce the risk of costly turnover, being diligent about damage proofing your properties can help reduce the extent and frequency with which damages may occur. Here are a few helpful things you can do to lessen the inherent risk associated with property management.
Ditch the carpets.
Carpet is much easier to stain and ruin, and steam cleaning is costly and time consuming. Worse yet – you may find yourself having to replace carpeting every few years or so, which gets expensive. Materials like tile, laminate and vinyl are much more durable and will last you longer, saving time, aggravation and money.
Get your free copy of The Property Manager’s Guide to Proactive Management — and make the time necessary to plan for an extraordinary future.
Remove anything that is unnecessary.
It may seem like a benefit to help draw and retain good tenants, but things like air purifiers, humidifiers, water softeners and security systems will inevitably break down, causing the hassle and expense of repairing or replacing them. Skip these non-essentials altogether.
Keep landscaping simple.
Your property may look lovely with all those shrubs, plants, flowers and trees, but the cost and time it will take to maintain these things will outweigh their benefit. Keep landscaping simple and easy to manage so you’ll save money and reduce the risk of falling behind on upkeep.
Use satin or semi-gloss paint on interior walls.
This type of paint is much easier to clean in between tenants, reducing the need to repaint each time you re-rent the place. Also, stick to one or two neutral colors throughout the property.
Related Post: Retain More Tenants With Proactive Property Maintenance
Use bumpers and door stoppers.
Reduce the damage doors and doorknobs can have on walls by installing these simple, inexpensive yet highly effective tools throughout each of your properties.
Install gutter guards.
Gutters must be kept clean and free of any leaves or debris in order to prevent backup and flooding issues. Invest in gutter guards to help keep loose materials from building up, or stay on top of cleaning them on a regular basis.
Keep up with maintenance on large items.
It may be tempting to cut back on the frequency with which you have the large appliances within your properties serviced, but doing so could result in a much more costly problem in the long run. Keep up with maintenance to prevent having to spring for expensive repairs or worse – having to replace them altogether.
In order to remain successful in the property management industry, saving money is a must. By being proactive and investing in the right tools, you can reduce the risk of costly damage to your properties, saving you time and money over the long haul.
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Get your free copy of The Property Manager’s Guide to Proactive Management — and make the time necessary to plan for an extraordinary future.
