It’s important for a property owner to be able to have positive interactions with tenants. The perfect time to have these interactions is when you do your move-in walkthrough. A move-in walkthrough will offer a lot of benefits, not just for your tenant, but for you as well! Let’s look at these benefits for property owners and a few best practices for making the most of your move-in walkthrough.
Rethinking the Move-In Walkthrough
Too often, the move-in walkthrough is viewed as more of a tenant’s responsibility than something a landlord does. A move-in walkthrough does provide, though, benefits to both parties. As such, it should be considered carefully! A walkthrough should happen at both move-in and move-out. For the sake of those who don’t know what a move-in walkthrough is, it’s basically a thorough checking of the property to see if there are any repairs or issues that need to be addressed before the tenant moves in.
There’s wisdom to Rio Rancho property managers taking the move-in walkthrough seriously. Here are a few reasons why that is the case.
- It strengthens your ties with your new tenant. Walking through a property with your tenant speaks to your credibility as a landowner — your personal interest in keeping your property well taken care of. Also, it is a good way to get your tenant’s feedback, if any. When tenants can be assured that you will listen to their feedback, they will be more willing to report small issues. This, ultimately, can help reduce repair costs. When the opportunity presents itself, you could even review the “house rules” with your renter. In these moments, you can establish good relations with your tenants so as to build good and healthy rapport.
- It helps to have the actual deductions from the deposit right at the end of the lease. So that the move-out time is hassle-free, you need good documentation of your property’s condition before your tenant moves in. This can help you better gauge wear and tear and other repair issues and provide ample evidence to support any deductions you make from your tenant’s security deposit.
Walkthrough Best Practices
To get the full benefits of a move-in walkthrough, you have to look at some of the best practices. Here are some:
- Schedule a walkthrough with your tenant. If possible, ensure a set time that you and your new tenant can conduct a move-in walkthrough together. This is a great chance for you to bond with your new tenant and establish good rapport through face-to-face interaction!
- Use a checklist. Your tenant will most likely need and benefit from a move-in checklist. After, ensure your tenant has his/her own hard copy of the checklist. This is a show of good faith as it informs your tenant that you are willing to deal in transparency and openness.
- Take photos. Make sure to take pictures of any issues you find, so as to properly document them. To schedule repairs, you can use the pictures for reference. Also, these pictures are something you can refer back to for when it’s time to do a move-out walkthrough.
Move-in walkthroughs are essential and should be standard practice; however, they do take time. This becomes problematic when your residence is located far from your rental property. In this case, you will need someone who can really handle all of the planning and execution on your behalf, so that the walkthrough accomplishes what it is supposed to. At Real Property Management Expertise, we provide a full range of services that help rental property owners make the most of their investments. Call 505-796-8047 today to learn more!
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