Have You Seen Your Property Lately? It’s Time for an Inspection!
If you believe a landlord should be able to buy a rental property, collect the rent each month, and otherwise relax—don’t hurt the messenger! There’s more to being an excellent landlord than owning the property and collecting rent.
Your San Antonio rental property is your biggest asset when it comes to being a landlord. When was the last time you inspected your property? Was it a drive-by “look-see” or did you enter the property? Your tenants deserve a safe home. Plus, when problems or repairs go unnoticed, your rental property can become a significant expense. Here’s what you need to know about San Antonio property inspections.
Why Do Inspections Matter?
As with any home, your rental property requires regular upkeep. You must provide a safe environment for your tenants. It’s a myth to believe that “No news is good news.” If your tenants pay the rent on time every month and never report an issue, everything at your San Antonio property must be in good shape, right?
Would you bet your biggest asset on that? No news is not a reliable sign of the health of your investment property.
Regular property inspections are essential to protect yourself, your asset, and your tenants. It’s better to be aware of the condition of your property—inside and out—than deal with a significant problem later.
What Are the Benefits of an Inspection Schedule?
If you wait until your annual physical to report a health concern to your doctor, you could delay critical treatment. Letting a problem go untreated for too long can let it become serious to the point of being life-threatening!
The same concept applies to your rental property. Use inspections to catch problems early, then resolve them before an issue can become more severe. When you’re pro-active with inspections, you benefit in many ways:
Early Diagnosis and Treatment
Tenants don’t always recognize or remember to report a maintenance issue. An inspection allows you to check appliances, roofing, plumbing, and exterior structures to catch a problem your tenant didn’t see.
Seasonal Preparedness
Seasonal inspections allow you to make sure your property transitions well from one season to the next.
Saving Money
A small leak could be simple to fix. Letting it go without repair can cause a leak to turn into a flood that costs more money to repair.
Keeping an Eye on Tenant Damages
How do you know if your tenants follow the lease agreement rules? Regular inspections help your tenants know you’re engaged and keeping an eye on them and your property. Tenants promise through the lease to take good care of a rental property and pay rent on time. In exchange, landlords are responsible for making sure their rental property is well-maintained and safe.
How Often Should Landlords Inspect?
The frequency of your property inspections depends on the situation. If your tenants renew their lease, a landlord can do an annual property inspection when it’s time to sign a new lease. However, more frequent inspections are a good idea if you have new tenants or want to keep a closer eye on your San Antonio property.
Move-In and Move-Out Inspections
When tenants move out of your property, you need to do a move-out inspection with the outbound tenants.
- Confirm that they left the property in the same condition as the day they moved in.
- Note any damage that seems more severe than normal wear-and-tear.
- Communicate with your tenant about repairs that go beyond what’s covered by the security deposit.
After you conduct repairs and go through the Make-Ready process to rent your property again, do a walkthrough move-In inspection with your new tenants.
- Note the condition of everything in the property.
- Demonstrate how the appliances work.
- Confirm that the new tenant agrees with the condition of the property.
These inspections help you keep your property in excellent condition before and after tenants.
Seasonal Inspections
Quarterly property inspections are an excellent habit for a successful rental property business. Coordinate your inspections with seasonal maintenance. Schedule preventative maintenance with your tenants and use that time to inspect the property. Make a note of any repairs—large or small—and take care of them immediately. When your tenants see how well you take care of your San Antonio rental property, they’ll also take better care of it.
Don’t Inspect on Your Own!
Inspections can be time-consuming and tedious, but they’re an excellent way to provide outstanding service to your tenants while protecting your investment.
If inspections add more work than you anticipated when becoming a landlord, work with a property manager to handle inspections for you. Real Property Management Campanas is your ideal property management team to conduct all inspections for your rental property. Plus, with our maintenance connections, we make quick, effective work of inspections and repairs.
When you understand the value of your property and the income potential, you’ll find it’s worth the effort to inspect and maintain it regularly.
If you are interested in having your property managed by Real Property Management Campanas, have more questions, or want to speak to one of our team members, then contact us online or call us directly at (210) 314-1039 today!
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