Rental property inspections are necessary to track the condition of the unit. It helps landlords pinpoint significant damage and get it fixed to maintain the habitability of the place. Typical inspections include reviewing tons of things while inspecting your Visalia rental property, such as leakage, drainage, structural issues, functioning of appliances, and more. Apart from these, there are other items landlords often tend to forget during inspections.
So, here is a list of 5 things to review in your Visalia rental property.
1. Exterior Elements
The exterior of the house, including the grounds, walkways, sideways, and gardens, are often overlooked items in a conventional inspection checklist. However, a well-maintained and aesthetic exterior is a crucial part of keeping your property rent-ready.
Drive-by assessments are the easiest and least intrusive way to inspect the property from the outside. These are different from regular inspections and take less time to complete. Often, people make a mess around the property, litter, and park dead cars on or outside the premises. With drive-by inspections, you can see whether the cars are not parked near your rental, whether the walkways, hallways, and sideways are clean, and the garden is well-maintained.
2. Standard Inspection Checklist Items
Check for major systems such as Air filters and HVAC, utilities, smoke/CO2 detector, fixtures, electrical appliances, mold and pest infestation, the existence of asbestos and lead paint. Also, look for structural problems, plumbing issues, clogged drainage, and bathroom surfaces to prevent potential damage from occurring.
Exterior portions of the property such as parking, garage, and porches are exposed to extreme weather conditions. Plus, they have a critical form of structure and odd-even space. Take a look at these places to ensure there is no interior or structural damage.
3. General Cleanliness Checks
People often throw the trash into a container installed outside of vacant properties and set it out for trash collection. Make sure there is no garbage or trash scattered around the house, solid animal waste, harmful accumulations of debris, and dumping of rubbish on the premises.
Gardeners also keep postponing the monthly garden maintenance such as mowing and edging lawns, fertilizing, and pruning. Not carrying regular garden maintenance might result in potential hazards such as the growth of harmful plants, pesticides, and disease-carrying bugs. Make sure your premises are free from such pests.
4. Opportunities for Proactive Maintenance
Proactive maintenance helps landlords identify the areas of the property that require repair or replacement. We recommend landlords should check fixtures in the property, inventory, ducts, heating and cooling systems, chimneys, and the roof for evidence of deterioration. Also, check the floors, walls for cracks, mold, and pest infestation. An inspection from the perspective of proactive maintenance helps you maintain structural integrity and enhances the market value of your property.
5. Communication Systems Between Tenants and Inspectors
The person who lives in the rental has a better idea about the repair issues and structural problems that exist. Open communication with tenants helps inspectors gain better insight into the unit they are inspecting. They can talk about the damage already existing in the property and ask the inspector or landlord to fix it. Landlords should also ensure that tenants communicate with inspectors about the exact faults and the places where they occur.
As a Visalia landlord, you will need to conduct inspections every time while hiring new tenants, which can be exhausting. A better alternative is to hire a property manager who can take care of all property inspections for you.
The Equity Group is a full-service property management company in Visalia, also serving Tulare, Hanford, Lemoore, Dinuba, Reedley, and Porterville. With years of experience in property management, we can provide timely inspection services and protect your asset from unexpected damages.
For more information, connect with us at The Equity Group.
