Taking on the task of managing your rental properties can be a daunting one, but it has numerous rewards and benefits as well. Doing thorough research, looking to buy residential property, renting it out and finding the right tenants are some of the required tasks that you need to carry out if you are managing a property. This may seem like a lot of work, but the key is managing everything efficiently.
If you are not up for the task, you can outsource this work to vacation rental property management companies that handle everything for you. However, if you are curious to do it yourself, then continue reading this guide, which will help you manage your rental properties.
Table of Contents
Getting Started with Rental Property Management
The first step involved in managing a residential rental property is to do thorough research and understand all the housing laws. After this, all you need to do is put up your property for rent and look for the right tenants. Some simple steps to do this include:
Step 1: Taking Pictures
Take pictures of the property with a good quality camera during daylight. Take pictures of all the rooms that people would want to see.
Step 2: Rental Listing
Write a thorough rental listing containing all the required information, such as information about the recent renovations, the utilities, parking, washer, dryer, etc. Post your listing wherever you can and use multiple marketing strategies so that it reaches more people.
Step 3: Showing the Property
Show your property to groups of people at a specific time and date. This will save you money and resources. Plus, you won’t have to waste time showing the property to each potential renter.
Step 4: Screening the Tenants
This is the most crucial step in the entire process because you need to rent your property to the right people who will take care of it and stay in the property. You can do this by checking background information, calling references, going through rental applications and their income information, seeing their previous rental history, etc.
Determining Whether You Want to Self-Manage
After you buy residential property and post the listing, you also need to consider whether you can manage the property yourself as a landlord or need to hire a property management service to do it for you. If you don’t hire anyone, all the profit goes into your pocket but you have to work hard for it.
To make this decision, you need to make several considerations and ask yourself the following questions:
- Do I have the time or desire to show the property?
- Do I want to keep all the profit for myself?
- What do I plan to do if there is an emergency at the property? What will my action plan be?
- How do I plan to screen my tenants?
- Am I aware of all the laws I will have to abide by as a landlord?
Some Tips to Consider
If, after answering all these questions, you have decided to manage your property and become a landlord, here are some quick tips that you need to consider to avoid making any mistakes after you have selected suitable tenants:
- Consider getting a pet deposit if you are allowing pets on your property
- If you cannot collect a pet deposit for some reason, consider increasing your rent instead.
- Purchase insurance as the landlord and encourage your tenants to buy insurance as well
- Discuss everything with the tenants that have been mentioned in the lease to enhance clarity
- Set up an online payment system to collect rent payments
- Be sure to have a rent expense tracking system for tax purposes
- Ensure regular maintenance
- Make time for rental visits
Final Words
Rental property management is a daunting task that can be taxing. It is crucial that you stay committed and devoted to renting out the property to the right people and following your duties as a landlord if you are to manage it independently.
If you are looking for a rental property or require further guidance, don’t hesitate to reach out to Harcourts. With our expertise, years of experience, and real estate agents in Carlingford, we can provide you with excellent quality services at an affordable price.
Author Bio:
Harcourts Carlingford, We are real estate agents in Carlingford, we cover all aspects of real estate from commercial or residential property for sales, auctions, property management, and commercial leasing and have a proven track record of success.