As a property owner, you should ensure positive interactions between you and your tenants. When you do a move-in walkthrough, you can engage in these interactions with your tenant. Both you and your tenant will be able to benefit a lot from a move-in walkthrough. Let’s look at these benefits for property owners and a few best practices for making the most of your move-in walkthrough.
Rethinking the Move-In Walkthrough
Too often, the move-in walkthrough is viewed as more of a tenant’s responsibility than something a landlord does. In thinking this way, though, you may be robbing yourself of the many benefits that come with move-in walkthroughs. A walkthrough works best for both move-in and move-out. The move-in walkthrough allows both landlord and tenant the opportunity to walk around the property with the intention of looking for potential issues that need to be addressed before the tenant moves in.
It’s a smart move when San Bruno property managers take the move-in walkthrough seriously. To further that point, let’s go over a few good reasons that support it.
- It allows you and your tenant to reach a mutual understanding in trust. Walking through your property with your tenant sends a message that you are a responsible owner that cares about the condition of your property and that you are open to the thoughts your tenant might have about the property, as well. When a tenant can be assured that he/she will be interacted with positively by their landlord, bringing up smaller issues will be easier. When this is done, reduced repair costs will eventually follow. This is an opportune time to go over the “house rules” with your tenant. Make sure that your connection with your tenant is honest and healthy. In this way, you can build a relationship that is sincere and open.
- It helps you get the deposit deduction right at the end of the lease. To facilitate a swift and stress-free move-out time, you need good documentation of your property’s condition before your tenant moves in. This can help you better gauge wear and tear and other repair issues and provide ample evidence to support any deductions you make from your tenant’s security deposit.
Walkthrough Best Practices
To make good use of all that a move-in walkthrough offers, make sure to follow best practices. Here are some:
- Schedule a walkthrough with your tenant. Prepare a set time for both you and your new tenant to have a move-in walkthrough in person. This face-to-face interaction will be a good way for you and your tenant to bond and have a good exchange to get to know each other better.
- Use a checklist. A move-in checklist is something you can go over with your new tenant. Your tenant should then be given a personal hard copy of this checklist too. In doing this, you are essentially telling your tenant that you value transparency and honesty in your interactions.
- Take photos. If you notice any issues that might become problems, make sure to document them and take pictures. These photos will serve as references for repairs and when you will need to check the property for the move-out walkthrough.
The value these move-in walkthroughs provide is really good; however, they tend to take a good amount of time. Especially if your rental property isn’t within easy access to you, then these walkthroughs have to be planned ahead of time. You need someone who can handle the logistics and the planning for you, so as to optimize the time you allocate for these kinds of things. At Real Property Management Mid Peninsula, we provide a full range of services that help rental property owners make the most of their investments. Call 650-696-1800 today to learn more!
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