Nothing dramatic here, just wanted to share a small win. Noticed the HVAC on one of my units was creeping up in age and had it inspected proactively instead of waiting for it to fail. Tech found a component that was about to go, replaced it for a few hundred dollars instead of the full unit replacement it would've needed in a few more months, probably during a heat wave, probably on a weekend. what actually changed for me wasn't luck, it was just tracking the age of what's in each property instead of only thinking about it when something breaks. Feels obvious in hindsight but it took me two properties and one bad year to actually start doing it.
Anyone else have a moment where getting proactive about something small actually paid off?
Rental Property Investor · Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2021 · 770 posts · 499 votes
1mo
@Giuseppe Cavucci - I think the most proactive routine that I have is making sure you stop by properties in person at least once a year. Having a presence allows you to lay eyes on the house and gives you some perspective. Good Luck!
Lender · TX, FL · Member since 2025 · 131 posts · 54 votes
1mo
Love this, proactive maintenance is such an underrated skill, the win is invisible since you never see the disaster that didn't happen. I do the same thing, tracking install dates on HVAC, water heaters, roofs, once something hits 70-80% of its lifespan I get it inspected before it becomes a 2am call. Caught a failing water heater element that way last year, saved myself a flood. Takes getting burned once to build the habit though, you're not alone there.