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Does a Move-In Walkthrough Benefit Little Rock Rental Property Owners?

Little Rock Property Manager Doing a Walkthrough with New TenantsOne of the things you need to make sure of as a property owner is that you have positive interactions with your tenants. When you do a move-in walkthrough, you can engage in these interactions with your tenant. Why a move-in walkthrough? Well, it affords you and your tenant a host of benefits. 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. This kind of thinking only leads to missing out on benefits for both parties; benefits that come from allowing a move-in walkthrough. A walkthrough is best done at both move-in and move-out. The process of a move-in walkthrough is quite simple: the landlord and tenant walk around the property to check if there are maintenance issues that need to be looked at before the tenant actually moves in.

It’s quite a sensible thing for Little Rock property managers to take the move-in walkthrough seriously. Here are some good reasons as to why — two, to be exact.

  • It strengthens your ties with your new tenant. When you walk through a property with your tenant, you are showing your interest in keeping your investment in good shape and hear out 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. During this time, you can even discuss the “house rules” with your renter again. In your dealings with your tenants, make sure you think about how you can foster a relationship that is transparent and healthy.
  • Also, it makes it easier for you to have the right amount deducted from the deposit at the end of the lease. For the move-out time to be smooth, 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 most out of a move-in walkthrough, you need to make us of a couple of 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 face-to-face interaction will be a good way for you and your tenant to bond and have a good exchange to get to know each other better.
  • Use a checklist. Your tenant will most likely need and benefit from a move-in checklist. Your tenant should then be given a personal hard copy of this checklist too. In doing this, you are essentially telling your tenant that you value transparency and honesty in your interactions.
  • Take photos. If there are potential problems you find, make sure to take pictures to document them properly. These photos will serve as references for repairs and when you will need to check the property for the move-out walkthrough.

 

These move-in walkthroughs might take time, but there are a lot of benefits that come from having them. Especially if your rental property isn’t within easy access to you, then these walkthroughs have to be planned ahead of time. 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 Hometown, we provide a full range of services that help rental property owners make the most of their investments. Call 501-701-4702 or  501-303-6870 today to learn more!

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