The time between one tenant leaving your rental property and another moving in can be expensive, especially if you’re not moving with efficiency.
It helps to have a team of vendors who can help you shorter the number of days between tenants. You’ll need access to great cleaners, repair people, and a landscaping crew. You might need painters or experts in carpet installation. There may be appliances to replace or windows to seal.
The turnover process is often complex, but it does not have to be time-consuming. If you’re working with a property manager in Columbus, GA, you’re more likely to get one tenant moved out and another moved in with ease.
Here’s our process for quickly moving tenants out of your property and then moving new tenants into your property.
Get a Firm Move-Out Date
The move-out process should be explained in your lease agreement. You’ll want to remind your tenants of what’s expected from them. The lease should state how much notice is necessary. You’re likely to receive your tenant’s notice to vacate within 30 or 60 days of their renewal date. It should include their move-out date.
Send your tenants specific instructions about what they’ll have to do before moving out. This will help you move through the turnover process more efficiently. You’ll want them to move out all of their personal belongings, for example. You can require that they clean the property to the standards that were set for them at move-in. You can ask them to return the keys to you and to provide a forwarding address for the security deposit.
Conduct a Move-Out Inspection
Once your tenants have moved out, you’ll want to get inside the property as soon as possible to inspect the home and assess what kind of work needs to be done. Much of it will be cosmetic; those issues that are a result of normal wear and tear will be your responsibility. Schedule the vendors and get the work taken care of as soon as possible so the home can be ready for new tenants.
If there’s damage, make sure you document it. This will be necessary for any charges you’ll make against the security deposit.
Whether you’re working with strictly wear and tear or damage as well, get your vendors into place. All of the work needs to be completed before you begin marketing the home to new tenants and scheduling showings.
Start Looking for New Tenants in Columbus, GA
The time between tenants is an excellent opportunity to update your marketing plan.
You will need to find a new tenant quickly so you can avoid any large gaps in your rental income. Take new marketing photos of the home if you make some updates and upgrades. Write a listing that gets the attention of good tenants. Make sure the home is rent-ready before you begin showing it.
You should be able to move one tenant out and another tenant in within a matter of two weeks. If there are extensive repairs that need to be made, it could be longer. Minimize tenant damage by conducting inspections and maintaining a good relationship with your renters. This will help the turnover process more along with less stress and expense.
We can help you get a new tenant in place quickly after your existing tenant moves out. When you have a turnover period approaching, contact us at Bickerstaff Parham Property Management. We can serve as your resource for property management in Columbus, GA.
