Suggested Annual Maintenance

[Chirag Shah]

Hey all,

I am an early stage investor (9 mos in the game) in Austin and Bryan/College Station. Currently owning 2 properties with 6 units (1 duplex, 1 quad).

I am curious to know what types of annual maintenance I need to do without the burning the bank. My goal is to ensure there is absolutely no deferred maintenance, a high-quality experience for my tenants, BUT also make the right decision on what I should and shouldn't do.

 Just to let you know where my thoughts are right now, I am thinking of the following:

Doing

- Bi-Annual HVAC maintenance 

- Annual Pest inspection 

- Bi-Annual interior/exterior inspection of each property

Not Doing

- Quarterly Pest inspection

Tenants are expected to do:

- Change A/C filters every 1-2 months

Please let me know, really need to round out my thinking here!

Thanks in advance.

Chirag

[Brendon Woirhaye]

I think a lot of this depends on the age and construction of property, what amenities it has, and the environmental factors (geography / weather).  "interior/exterior" inspection is pretty broad, so think about what that actually entails.

Make sure you check fire suppression equipment (smoke alarms, extinguishers) as tenants love to pull those off the wall and throw them in a drawer.  Check faucets and under sinks for leaks.

If you are an over achiever, drain and flush the hot water heaters every year.  I rarely do this, but I'm not an over achiever.