Those who own, maintain, and/or manage rental properties have a lot of work to do… almost all of the time. As the months and years pass by, there will be repairs and updates that need to be made in order to keep things running smoothly (and to keep the property in the best shape it can be in). A big piece of the workload is keeping everything in working order and in good shape, so consider some of the following do-it-yourself maintenance that can be managed without too much difficulty.
DIY Ideas for Some Property Maintenance
Your property management team should have the resources necessary to undertake a variety of property projects, and quickly. The longer you wait to tackle the issue, the worse it could become. In addition, if you utilize shoddy tools, then the work that’s completed will likely reflect that sooner or later. Especially considering that you’ll likely need to make similar repairs or adjustments more than once, it’s a good idea to make quality purchases of things like tools so that your work (and the property) doesn’t suffer.
When is the best time to install upgrades or to undertake renovations? Not when your residents or tenants are still there! Instead, make these changes between move-ins so that you reduce how disruptive you are to those renting from you at the time. Not only with your noise, presence, and likely “invasion” of their personal space be an irritation to them, but you have to face the frustration of trying to get work done while the renters’ things are still in the way. It’s much easier to do work on all areas of a unit when there are no people or belongings cluttering the area, so consider waiting before undertaking those projects.
While they’re gone and you’re doing updating work, it may be tempting to undertake a lot at once. Don’t bite off more than you can chew by trying to overhaul a dozen units in this period of time; doing just one at a time will allow you to complete the job more quickly while retaining a lot of spaces to show to potential tenants. Of course, another big advantage of taking such a project one space at a time is that you’ll save money, cutting down on time and costs while you attend only to those units that need the boost the most. A larger project is a good idea if you have the time and budget to undertake it, but make sure you give it a lot of thought before making big changes across the board.
Enter into the modern world of design by removing interior carpet. Hardwood, or even linoleum, is more popular these days than old carpeting that is likely dirty and stained, if it’s been there for years. It can be cleaned, of course, but it dirties much more easily than the bare alternatives. For those who think that replacing carpet with a more appealing other flooring might be too big a job, worry not; it can actually be a weekend project for an ambitious landlord and will improve the value of the unit in a flash.
We’ve gone into detail about this before, in other posts, but don’t forget about the massive value of curb appeal. If you can present your property as having immense value before prospective renters even step inside, you’ll be doing yourself a big service. “Regularly maintaining and improving the outdoors is a great way to keep your property occupied and profitable,” so take note of outdoor design trends and keep up with outside maintenance. You want to make sure not only that the exterior looks great, but also that it has no apparent problems, such as potholes, faulty lighting, or wilting flowers.
Another point that has been discussed previously is the inherent value of “going green.” Installing energy-conscious utilities and appliances will allow both you and your tenants to save money (not to mention the good you’ll be doing for the environment). There are a lot of products on the market with this purpose in mind, so look into some of your many options and consider them in order to invest “both financially and socially.”
These may seem like small steps to take, but each will help you to make a big difference in presenting your unit in the best light. While you and your team handle these upgrades and maintenance, let Budgetrac software handle the electronic playing field. Because Budgetrac can increase you ROI, you can worry less about the potential success of your property. Instead, you can focus your efforts on the DIY projects described above and you can rest easy knowing that this robust system has your back.