Prepare Your Rental Home For The Fall Market

Check the Exterior

A good place to begin evaluating the state of your rental home is by examining the exterior. During this step in the evaluation, you’ll be looking for both minor and major areas that need repair. Here is a complete list of items to look for on this walk around.

Look for areas that need new caulk, such as around windows and door frames. Caulking these exterior gaps can help improve heating efficiency and make your home more attractive to potential renters.
Check your gutters and roof. Fall leaves will clog your gutters quickly and, if not dealt with, can cause serious drainage problems that will affect both your roof and the ground surrounding the house foundation.
Tidy up the landscaping. Cut the grass, weed the garden beds, and consider planting winter-resistant trees and bushes to make the home more attractive for the coming winter weather.
Turn off faucets and blow out sprinkler systems. Leaving water in your outdoor lines can be a costly mistake when a winter freeze arrives. Burst pipes are a very serious issue that requires professional attention, which can get expensive quickly.
Check the roof. Walk the roof, checking for weak spots, loose shingles, and so on. This can help you ensure your rental house is ready to provide a safe environment for your new renters and prevent large, emergency roof fixes in the future.
Inspect Siding. Inspect the siding for loose boards or bricks, as well as any cracks or other issues that will need to be seen to.
Stock the home with salt and shovels. This will give your potential tenants the tools they need to clear ice and snow from the property. Doing so helps protect your tenants and your property from harm.

Check the Interior

Now that the home exterior checks are complete, the interior checks should be much easier. Yet, these checks are often the most important for renting your property to desirable tenants, since most potential renters make their decisions based on the interior state of the property. Here is your extensive, room-by-room checklist for your interior walkthrough.

Kitchen +

Make sure all your kitchen outlets and lights are functioning properly
Check all of your kitchen appliances for proper function and ensure they are not leaking
Check your kitchen sink for signs of leaking and check that the garbage disposal is functioning properly
Check gas-fueled appliances, such as stoves, for any sign of a gas leak
Check all surfaces and floors for built-up dirt or grime that needs to be cleaned
Check countertops for signs of significant wear or damage that needs to be repaired
Ensure all fire alarm and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly and that safety equipment, such as fire extinguishers, are properly placed

Bathrooms +

Make sure all your bathroom outlets and lights are functioning properly
Check all of your bathroom fixtures for proper function and ensure they are not leaking
Check your bathroom sinks for signs of leaking
Check your walls for any signs of pipe leaks
Check all surfaces and floors for built-up dirt or grime that needs to be cleaned.
Check countertops for signs of significant wear or damage that needs to be repaired.

Living Room +

Make sure all walls and floors are in good condition and free of significant damage.
Check paint to see if touch-ups or repainting are needed
If there is a fireplace, check it for damage and make sure the flue is operating correctly. Also, check if the fireplace or chimney needs cleaning.
Check that all interior, built-in decorations are in good order
Check the interior side of your windows for any signs of gapping, cracks, or other issues

Hallways +

Check all doors to rooms that are connected to the hallway for function and signs of damage.
Check the walls, floors, and ceilings, whether hardwood or carpet, for signs of damage.
Check carpeting for signs of odor or stains that will require professional cleaning.

Laundry +

Make sure the washer and dryer are in good working order
For homes with a gas dryer, make sure a carbon monoxide detector is installed and that it functions properly
Make certain the laundry area and appliances are clean
Make sure all outlets and lights in the laundry area work properly

Garage +

Check the garage for any items left behind by old tenants
Make sure the garage is clear of unwanted debris
Ensure there’s plenty of available space for new tenants to park their car in the garage
Make sure all lights and outlets in the garage function properly
Make sure the garage door opener is in good working order
Make sure the garage door and entryways are adequately sealed against pests

Attic +

Make sure the attic lights are working properly
Check attic insulation for signs of wear and tear or unwanted pests
Make sure there is no damage to attic beams that would make the home unsafe for future tenants
Ensure the attic ladder is in good working condition

Utilities +

Ensure your furnace and water heater are easily accessible
Ensure your house circuit breaker panel is easily accessible
Make sure your furnace and water heater are functioning properly
Make sure any carbon monoxide detectors around your furnace or water heater are working properly