Have you begun to dip your toes into the exciting life of Fort Walton Beach, FL real estate? Before renting out a property, you must perform a pre-leasing inspection. In most instances, you won't be able to obtain a rental license without having one done.
This is only one of the many different types of inspections that all landlords should be familiar with. There are move-in inspections, quarterly inspections, and routine inspections. Continue reading to learn more.
1. Pre-Leasing Inspections
Getting a pre-leasing rental property inspection will allow you to assess the condition of your rental property before you lease it out. As stated above, you won't be able to begin your operations without going through with a pre-leasing inspection.
The purpose of this inspection is to identify anything that needs to be fixed for the tenant. For example, if the house went up before 1978, the paint could contain lead. If there are any signs of mold or water damage, the tenant won't be able to move in.
Once you know what you need to repair, you can give renters an accurate move-in date.
2. Move-In and Move-Out Inspections
On the first day of a tenant's lease, you'll do a move-in inspection. You'll walk through the property with the resident to look for any signs of damage.
You'll document anything that needs repairing and get it done right away. When the tenant moves out, you'll perform a move-out inspection.
You'll walk through the property room by room and note any damage the tenant left behind. You'll compare your notes from the move-in inspection to the ones in the move-out inspection to determine how much money you should withhold from the tenant's security deposit.
3. Quarterly Inspections
As the name suggests, quarterly inspections in Fort Walton Beach, FL take place at the end of every quarter. It's part of regular maintenance to ensure everything is working as it should be.
Many landlords time their quarterly inspections to fall near extreme weather changes. For example, they may drop in at the end of the fall to winterize the pipes. Before the hot summer weather starts, you'll want to ensure your tenant's air conditioning works.
4. Routine Inspections
Routine inspections in Fort Walton Beach, FL will take place throughout your tenant's lease. It will allow you to make sure that your residents are taking care of the property like it's their own. You can also check for undocumented pets and other lease violations.
You can perform an inspection whenever you want, but you can't be too excessive. Scheduling an inspection once a week isn't lawful. You must also give your tenants plenty of notice before knocking on their front door.
Rental Property Inspections Every Landlord Should Know
As a rental landlord, there's almost nothing more important than scheduling inspections. Doing so will allow you to keep your property maintained for present and future tenants.
In most cases, you can't even begin operations without performing a pre-leasing inspection. Routine and quarterly rental property inspections are also a must. The problem is remembering to schedule them on top of performing all the other tasks that you're responsible for.
All American Realty specializes in helping military personnel in Fort Walton Beach, FL rent out and maintain properties. Contact us today to learn more about our services!
