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Hi,
We've been in our house for a little over a year and now we need to move to Colorado for a great job offer in the next few months. Our current house is a 3 bdrm/2 bath 1925 bungalow with hardwood floors, period moldings and details etc. What are the main items on our list that have to be done before we move? Should we cover the hardwoods w/ carpet to protect them and should we bother having some 100 year old trees (which drop a lot of big branches during storms) pruned/cut down before we leave to cover our bases on keeping the property looking nice? We've never been in this situation so I don't know what has to happen or what would is considered overkill. Selling really isn't an option because of the slow market and taxes. However, we are in a desirable neighborhood which is getting better by the day with new restuarants, coffee shops etc. so we "anticipate" the value to increase with time. Thanks!
Dont cover the hardwood floors ; why. Because the trashy tenant we just got rid of had fleas so bad, her cats werent house trained so they urinated all over the carpets ; underneath we had hardwood floors. Now we are restoring them.
I would cut down any overhanging trees. Leave as little in the house as possible.
Have the house professionally cleaned. When I moved into the house we are currently renting we were told it had been cleaned and carpets cleaned. (Dh rented the house I never saw it til move in day) This house hadn't been cleaned in forever. I had to wash walls, blinds, all the counters were coated in a grime that took forever to get off. I cleaned the carpets myself and the water came out brown. Ick. Ick. Don't even get me started on the bathrooms. Backyard we hauled out 30 bags of yard waste.
Not saying your house is like this but as a renter it sure is nice to move in somewhere and not have to do all that before you can even unpack.
Hi,
We've been in our house for a little over a year and now we need to move to Colorado for a great job offer in the next few months. Our current house is a 3 bdrm/2 bath 1925 bungalow with hardwood floors, period moldings and details etc. What are the main items on our list that have to be done before we move? Should we cover the hardwoods w/ carpet to protect them and should we bother having some 100 year old trees (which drop a lot of big branches during storms) pruned/cut down before we leave to cover our bases on keeping the property looking nice? We've never been in this situation so I don't know what has to happen or what would is considered overkill. Selling really isn't an option because of the slow market and taxes. However, we are in a desirable neighborhood which is getting better by the day with new restuarants, coffee shops etc. so we "anticipate" the value to increase with time. Thanks!
I wouldn't put much into the place because it is a rental... Get a gardner or your yard will be trashed (you can almost always point out the "rental" on the block becaust that's the one with the crappy yard), find a way to run credit checks online... Don't put carpet in, it will only trap spilled and damage the wood underneath anyway.
I grew up in Greensboro and all my family is still there
Anyways I would have everything maintenanced and make sure you have someone that takes care of the maintenance. Leaving it up to the tenant it won't get done. That means have your A/C system cleaned (coils and blower motor) Make sure you have someone that can change filter reg. that you trust to make sure it's done and make sure your system is properly charged. So basically have a co. come out and perform maint. The filters are there for system protection and not what most think to filter the air for the residents. It's the first defense for the system and as they get clogged it not only cost more money to maintain but deteriorates your system quickly. HVAC repairs are costly and having a home warranty they will not leave you with many option and the majority of the time only want the cheapest solution in their eyes....even if it's not a real solution.
The trees I would have cut back if you think they could cause problems/damage.
Other than that do the normal painting, cleaning, carpet cleaning, small maintenance issues. (Re-caulking the tubs, filling any grout that is missing in the tubs, check for clogged drains, change the locks after every tenant, if it has a fireplace have it checked every two years, ect...ect...ect.)
And, have it inspected with the condition documented. If there's a hole in the wall or broken window, and it wasn't previously inspected, you can't prove it wasn't like that when they moved in. I had a tenant steal all of my interior doors once. An inspection should be about $50 or so, but if it's a nice home, pay whatever they want. I'd get a referal from a real-estate attorney. They know everybody. Also, since it's a first time rental, you'll probably need lead-based paint disclosure forms and inspections, rental registration, and assurance that you are legally allowed to rent in your area. Again, real-estate attorneys are worth their weight. Also, there are professional property managers that will take on the task for a 10 percent commission or so.
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