Preparing Your Home For A Tenant

Many homeowners like to make extra money from their properties by renting out some rooms or their whole house when they are away. That is not a bad way to earn extra income, but you need to prepare for it first. Here are some practical ways of preparing your house for rent:

Make Sure the Home Is Safe

If you are renting out your house, you become responsible for injuries that may occur in the common areas you control. A tenant or visitor who gets injured in any of these places can sue you for damages if they think that your negligence caused their injury. For example, a tenant may sue you for damages if they slip and falls on some dark stairs. Therefore, make sure your property is safe before inviting tenants to move in.

Ensure All Essential Appliances and Systems Are Working

You can sell a house "as is" but you can't rent a house on an "as is" basis. You have to make sure that all the essential appliances and systems, such as the heating system and the electrical system, are operational and safe. Therefore, go through all the essentials, especially those that the law requires you to provide for your tenants, to confirm that they are working.

Remove Items You Don't Want To Risk

If you are renting out a house that you have lived in for some time, then it probably has some of your personal stuff. You may also have some expensive items that you don't want damaged or stolen or fragile items that you fear can easily get broken by your tenants. It's best to err on the side of caution and remove them from the house (perhaps you can put them in a self-storage unit?) for the duration of the lease.

Improve Curb Appeal

Improving curb appeal is not just the responsibility of home sellers; you also need to make your home appealing to convince tenants to choose it over other properties for rent. Mow the lawn, trim the hedges, and make sure your home looks clean and inviting. Otherwise, you may not even convince people to pay the rent for which you are asking.

Once you are ready to rent out the property, consider using a real estate agent to fill out the vacancy. Using an agent has several advantages; for example, it can screen potential tenants better than you can and can also help you set the right rental amount for your property.