The Steps to Take Before Renting Out a Home

If you’re thinking of renting out a home you own, there are lots of steps you’ll need to complete before you can move in your new tenants. There’s more work and preparation that goes into being a landlord than many people imagine. We’re going to talk about some of the things you’ll want to do first before you list your home for let, so read on and learn more.

Clarify Living Arrangements

First of all, you should try to be as clear as possible about your future living arrangements, as well as the living arrangements of the people you’re going to be renting the property to. Are you going to be living in the home and renting out just part of it or just one room? Or are you renting out the entire place? If so, what are your plans, and what needs to happen before the new tenants move in?

Start Staging the Property

The way in which you stage the home will go a long way towards deciding how easy it’s going to be for you to find tenants, as well as how much money you’ll be able to charge in rent. So be sure to put some time and effort into staging the home properly before you attempt to start renting it out to someone. Keep things appealing and neutral, and always keep your target tenants in mind.

Move Excess Possessions Into Storage

If your home is currently filled with possessions and you’re not planning on moving them with you to wherever you’re planning to live next, you’ll need to give them a home. Your future tenants are probably not going to want to move into a property that’s already overflowing with your own junk. That’s why you should consider self-storage services, such as those offered at StorageArea.

Make it Safe with Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

It’s going to need to be safe before you allow a tenant to move in. This is obviously the right and ethical thing to do, but it’s also the law. As a landlord, you have responsibilities and you need to make the home you’re renting out safe. That means fitting things like smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, as well as giving thought to fire safety matters.

Hire Someone to Do the Work of Finding a Tenant for the Home

When you’ve ticked all of the above boxes, it might be a good idea to work with a real estate professional who can help you find good-quality tenants to move into your home. When you do that, you can avoid having to take on all of that work alone. Plus, when you work with trusted professionals, the outcomes tend to be better. After all, you might be asking questions like who can be a guarantor? The experts know all the answers, and will know how to properly vet and interview prospective tenants. 

It’s important not to skip over the important work when you’re looking to rent out your property. When you prepare well and complete all of the steps discussed above, you’ll face fewer problems and less confusion later. Clarity and simplification make your life a lot easier as someone who’s soon to be a landlord.