4 Easy Steps To Follow To Get Your Apartment Rent Ready | Nexus Property Management® Franchise

16 April 2024

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TRANSITION EFFICIENTLY TO MAXIMIZE YOUR PROPERTY’S VALUE

A major key to successful real estate investment lies in adding value to your property during rent ready turnovers. After a tenant leaves it’s essential to get the unit ready for the next tenancy very quickly while also taking advantage of this opportunity for upgrades. During times of high rental prices, due to market factors not necessarily unit quality, we’re seeing more and more landlords skimping in this department. Investment is all about long term objectives and the best way to continually add value to your property is to maximize rental potential through turnover upgrades and improvements.

All that may seem easier said than done. In reality, it is a pretty simple formula and Nexus’ Vice President of Franchise Sales, Greg Rice, breaks it down into four easy to follow steps.

1. DEBRIS REMOVAL

The first thing you need to do is remove any physical evidence of the previous tenancy. It is very common for outgoing tenants to leave behind any items that are difficult to move or dispose of. At the top of this list are mattresses and boxsprings, which most landfills and transfer stations will charge you to dispose of. Also common are tables, chairs, and from time to time toys and clothes children outgrew. Whatever it is they left behind, get rid of it. You can’t improve your property while navigating around someone else’s.

The longer these things linger, the more likely they are to attract pests and rodents and bugs are far more difficult to remove.

LEARN MORE: HOW BEST TO HANDLE DEBRIS LEFT AT YOUR RENTAL PROPERTY

2. CHECK ENTIRE UNIT FOR FUNCTIONALITY

Next, you want to make sure everything is in working order. It’s in your best interest to create a checklist for this to ensure you’re addressing all issues. You’re not going to get a tenant, nevermind a high-quality tenant, if your lights don’t work during a showing.

ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE CHECKED:

Windows: Do they all open, close, and lock? Does any glass or screens need to be replaced/repaired?
Doors: Do they fully close and do all locks work?
Lights: Do all light switches work? Are there any missing light bulbs?
Closets: Do all closet doors work as intended? Is infrastructure intact?
Kitchen: Do all stove burners light? Oven working? Fridge fully closing and light working? …
Plumbing: Are all faucets working? Shower running? Hot water? Toilets flushing?
Laundry Machines: Fully operational?

As any property manager and most property owners can attest to, you’re likely to get as many maintenance service requests in the first three months of tenancy than you’ll get for the entirety of a year-long lease. Skipping this step is a big reason why.

LEARN MORE: MAXIMIZE RETURNS AND ATTRACT QUALITY TENANTS BY DOING TURNOVER RIGHT

3. CHECK ALL WALLS

While the appliances and fixtures in Step 2 get the most use and are most vulnerable to repair, the walls have the most universal impact. Like a blue cloudless sky on a summer day, a newly painted wall can make everything in your unit brighten up and pop. And conversely, a wall with scuffs and holes from long-removed picture frames is like a damp fog. There’s a reason people with nothing to talk about default by bringing up the weather.

When it comes to your rental unit, each and every wall needs to be addressed. You need to patch and sand any holes and then paint as needed. In most cases, the entire unit should be painted. For this reason, it’s best to stick to neutral colors and buy in bulk to save on costs. Your primary goal is to erase all holes, scuff marks and signs of prior tenancy. If you’re looking to charge top dollar for your unit, you’ll also want to paint the walls and ceiling.

LEARN MORE: GET READY TO BE FLOORED; LEARN THE BEST FLOORING OPTIONS FOR YOUR RENTAL PROPERTY

4. THE CLEANING PHASE

You’ve removed all the trash, you’ve checked all the fixtures, and you’ve fixed up walls and painted the entire unit. Your rental property is just about ready to attract the highest quality tenants…but there’s still one more step. The entire unit needs to be cleaned. If you already cleaned during debris removal…do it again.

The difference between a freshly cleaned unit and one that was only partially cleaned or cleaned a month or week ago prior to work being completed comes down to a simple three letter word: “new”. When you end with the cleaning phase your apartment will look, smell, and feel new. And “new” tells tenant candidates that this is where they want to be so they can start fresh and create their own memories. This is not just “a”home, this is “their” home…and then they pay top dollar because you’re providing a top product.

LEARN MORE: THE WINNING APPROACH FOR RENTAL PROPERTY COUNTERTOPS

CONCLUSIONS AND NEXT STEPS

Nexus Property Management® is a national franchise with five offices across the U.S. Visit and subscribe to our Nexus Youtube Channel for countless examples of what a Rent Ready property should look like, and as always, contact any of our teams across Arizona, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island if you have any further questions or are interested in management services.

LEARN MORE: THE 3 PROS AND CONS OF HIRING A PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY

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Mick Lefort is the General Manager of Nexus’ New Haven County Franchise Office and the Vice President of Operations for Nexus Property Management®, a National Property Management Franchise that manages all types of rental property from single family homes or condos to large apartment buildings and complexes.

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