5 Steps To Take After Your Tenant Moves Out

During your time as a landlord, you will face an ongoing cycle of tenants moving in and out. When an old tenant leaves the property, there are a few items you should never forget to take care of in order to make your turnover as seamless as possible.

Check out these five tips for handling a tenant move-out.

1. Complete A Condition Move-Out Report

One of the most important items on your list is to create a condition report and do a walkthrough. Filling out a condition report at the time a tenant moves out will help you determine what needs to be repaired, how much security deposit to give back to the tenant, and what normal wear and tear you need to handle.

• During the walkthrough look at the condition of the following:
• Light fixtures and light bulbs
• Flooring (e.g. stains on carpet, gouges in hardwood)
• Paint
• The yard
• Appliances
• Windows
• Doors

The move-out report should be compared to the original move-in report. This will help you to know what was already damaged and what happened recently. Make clear notes and ensure both you and the tenant sign-off on the report.

2. Get The Property Ready For New Tenants

After you know the condition of the property, take care of any repair or maintenance items on the list. Even if your previous tenants left the property in excellent condition, you will still need to handle routine maintenance.Change out air filters

• Change light bulbs
• Put new batteries in smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors
• Clean up the property exterior if needed (e.g. gutters, broken tree branches)
• Touch up the paint
• Schedule carpet cleaning

3. Take High-Quality Photos

While the property is vacant and clean, take high-quality photos. Be sure you feature the best parts of your property and take photos in good lighting. A quality photo gallery of the property will go a long way in helping you during the marketing process.

Make sure you have at least one photo of every important component of the property. For example, if the rental has three bedrooms, include a photo of each one. If there is a backyard, take photos of that space as well. Does the rental offer any

Avoid taking photos at night or when the property is in the middle of repairs. Prospective tenants will have a hard time envisioning the property in a good light if you don’t show it in one.

4. Touch Up Your Property Listing

If your property hasn’t been on the market in a while, it might be worth reading over your listing to make sure it is accurate. Be sure to include any updates or upgrades that have taken place.

Important items that may have changed as well include the date available, the deposit cost, the rent amount, and additional policies (e.g. pet-policy, no smoking).

5. Start Marketing Right Away

Once you have your photos and listing ready to go, don’t waste any time and start marketing your property right away. Schedule showings with interested parties and get the application process rolling.

Be sure you list your property on multiple websites. Use a property syndication system to make the process faster. The more places your property is seen the better chance you have of finding a qualified tenant.