Rent Ready: Preparing Your Indianapolis Home for the Market

Written by David Treat | Nov 29, 2016 5:00:00 AM

There is an extensive list of things to do when you’re getting your property rent ready. If you’re not sure what that means, it describes the things you need to do before you place your home on the Indianapolis rental market and have a tenant move in. A checklist can help.

Inspect Property Quality

Make sure your property is quality. You want high quality appliances and features that will appeal to great tenants and allow for higher rents. Curb appeal is also important. It must look as nice on the outside as it does on the inside. You can have new stainless steel appliances and fresh carpet, but if the outside looks shabby, people will just drive by and never see the inside of the home.

Check the Property Systems

Check the HVAC and make sure it’s working. If prior tenants had pets, were smokers, or didn’t change the furnace filter very often, your ducts might be dirty and creating dust, mold, mildew, and other types of build-up. People with allergies might have problems, and that will be an issue you’d have to address with new tenants. So, make sure your air conditioning is working and your thermostats are accurate. The HVAC system is critical when you’re preparing your property for the market.

Check all your plumbing. Make sure drains and faucets are working; toilets flush well, and the shower runs. You want your refrigerator and other kitchen appliances to be in good shape. Check the garbage disposal, stove, and dishwasher. They should look good and work well. Ask yourself if you would cook in that oven. If new burners or drip pans are needed, they are easy and inexpensive to replace.

The electrical system is also important. Make sure light bulbs work and are consistent. If you have white or clear bulbs in one vanity fixture, make sure they all match. It’s inexpensive and important to how your home looks. GFCIs should also work and be appropriately placed in the bathroom and kitchen. Know where they are so you can educate tenants on how to reset them.

Stay Compliant with Laws and Standards

We always recommend you place a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, pantry, or laundry area, close to where most fires would be. You need smoke detectors in bedrooms, hallways, and at the top of the stairs. Make sure they have new batteries. If you haven’t tested lately, test them. When you have gas appliances or a gas furnace, you also need a carbon monoxide detector.

Update Paint and Carpet

You want your walls to be freshly painted or touched up so there aren’t any visible nail holes or marks in the back, where a door might have hit a wall. Carpets must be professionally cleaned. If there are odors from pets or smoke, you need to have it remediated. If your carpet is old and torn, install new carpet. An even better idea is to upgrade to vinyl plank. This type of flooring will last for 20 years. Change the furnace filter and leave a couple new filters for your tenants. That will help them change the filters every three months.

Do a full professional cleaning. Hire someone to scrub your bathrooms and kitchen, remove the cobwebs, and take care of any spiders, webs, and ants. People want to see a clean, sparkling home that looks and smells great. Rekey or change the locks during every turnover.

We also recommend faux wood blinds on every window. They last longer than the cheap blinds. Upgrading where you can helps you get your property rent ready.

If you have any questions or need help getting your property rent ready, please contact us at ES Property Management.

We’d be happy to help you with any of your Indianapolis property management needs.

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