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~ Jewel, MNVegas, other landlords ~
For our one house that we manage ourselves, our tenants just gave us notice to vacate. This is the first time we'll be doing a move-out. Can you tell me how you handle things? Tips in general?
- Do you show the house while the tenants are still living there? We're putting the house back on the MLS now with a June availability date. I want to say no showings until they've moved out. WDYT? WWYD?
- How many days do you give yourself to turn the house around and get it back on the market, provided things are in ok condition? I've set the availability date for a Friday after their Sunday vacate date.
- Unfortunately, I'll be 12 hours away from the house this summer with an internship for school. My trusted contractor and housekeeper will be doing the inspection for me. (Normally I'm 4 hours away and would make the drive.) Can you think of any tips? I was thinking that having them take photos for me of any questionable areas would be the best way to go? Since my contractor practically rebuilt the house after The Tenants From Hell, I trust that he knows what every square inch of that house should look like.
- How do you handle the deposit return? Do you wait a certain time or until everything's been cleaned/repaired/whatever?
- How clean do you expect the house to be? "Broom clean?"
Thanks. And I'd welcome any other advice. Blessedly, there shouldn't be any surprises this time around since my contractor's been over there twice during their short, 6 month lease and the house looked fine.
Re: ~ Jewel, MNVegas, other landlords ~
If utilities are currently in tenants name, make sure they are transferred to your name as of move out date so you don't have interruption of service.
Also even though keys are returned we always go in and rekey the locks.
- Do you show the house while the tenants are still living there? No. According to our leases, we can but we've found over the years that it's much easier to rent a unit if we wait until it's vacant and cleaned/repaired before we start showing it.
- How many days do you give yourself to turn the house around and get it back on the market, provided things are in ok condition? If there is no major damage, DH can usually turn things around in 2-3 days. If he has to clean carpets and/or paint, those are *full* days. Anything requiring more work or even a contractor obviously takes longer but fortunately that's only happened once (and even then DH managed to get the repairs done in a weekend).
- I was thinking that having them take photos for me of any questionable areas would be the best way to go? Definitely document everything you're deducting for. Especially if you as landlord aren't doing it yourself you'll need proof should the vacating tenant question you.
- How do you handle the deposit return? Do you wait a certain time or until everything's been cleaned/repaired/whatever? State law where two of our properties are require return of outstanding deposits within 30 days. As soon as DH has assessed any damages, he writes an itemized list and sends that to the tenant(s) with a check for the remaining balance after deductions. We don't wait until cleaning/repairs have been done. Of course, DH has been a landlord for 15+ years so he can easily determine how much each issue costs and deduct accordingly without having to wait for estimates, etc.
- How clean do you expect the house to be? "Broom clean?" Broom clean is fine. That includes clean appliances. We expect to have to do some cleaning prior to re-renting a unit, but we shouldn't have to collect trash, power wash the inside of the fridge, etc.