Most real estate investors and Chula Vista landlords hope for a trouble-free tenancy when they rent out their properties. That means you’ll have good residents paying rent on time, taking care of your investment home, and communicating openly and transparently with you or your property manager. You want a tenant who follows the terms of the lease, doesn’t cause problems with neighbors or the law, and renews the lease agreement year after year.
Today, we’re taking a look at three actionable ways to ensure you have a tenancy that’s free and clear of struggles and conflicts.
1. Conduct a Thorough Tenant Screening Process
The first way to ensure a trouble-free tenancy is by screening your tenants thoroughly. This is the best way to influence the way your rental experience unfolds. The wrong tenant will wreak havoc and drive up both your expenses and your blood pressure. They’ll pay rent late (or not at all), they’ll create damage at your property, and they’ll be unresponsive when you try to get in touch.
You need a great tenant, and to find a great tenant, you need a rigorous screening process. You also need to know the fair housing laws and what you can and cannot do when screening tenants. You won’t get a trouble-free tenancy by inviting a fair housing lawsuit.
Take a look at income, and verify that it’s enough to cover the rent. Do a nationwide eviction check, and examine credit histories for unpaid bills and housing-related debt. Talk to former landlords and find out what their experience was like with the tenants.
Don’t use your instinct and don’t skip the tenant screening. You want to be sure you’re placing a well-qualified, responsible resident.
2. Provide a Well-Maintained Rental Home
When you provide a well-maintained home, you won’t be running over there to make minor fixes and manage large repairs on a regular basis. Make sure everything is functional before your tenants move in. This will create a lot of goodwill and it will prevent immediate maintenance expenses.
During the course of the lease, make sure you’re responsive to all maintenance requests, even if they’re minor. This will improve your relationship with your renters and it will also protect the condition of your home. You don’t want to go into the property after the tenants have moved out and find a ton of deferred and unreported maintenance.
Responsive maintenance also contributes to high tenant retention.
3. Work with Professional Chula Vista Property Management
The best way to protect yourself from troubles during a tenancy is by working with professional property managers. Your management company will know how to expertly lease, manage, and maintain your investment. You won’t have to worry about finding the right tenant, collecting rent on time, and responding to maintenance issues. Your accounting and bookkeeping will be handled, and you’ll know that an expert who knows all the state, local, and federal landlord laws is keeping you compliant and protected.
We can help you have a trouble-free tenancy. Please contact us at Encore Realty for more information.
