Hello homeowners,
Ryan is from The Furies Cleaning and Linen Rentals based in Wellfleet. Every spring the Furies performs hundreds of Spring Cleanings and over the course of the summer cleans numerous second homes and vacation properties on Cape Cod. The Furies have been serving property owners and tenants alike for over 30 years, giving us a unique perspective on how to build and maintain successful relationships.
This is the first part of our two part guide to preparing your rental property for seasonal vacationers. (Here is the link to Part 2.)
It is vital to prepare your rental property prior to the arrival of your first renters. The last thing you want is for a tenant to arrive and find your house unprepared. When it comes to renting your house and getting repeat tenants, first impressions count. Make sure that your house makes a good one! If you have not already done so, now is the time to make all the necessary arrangements.
The two most critical things to get your house ready are;
- Make sure all the utilities are on.
- Have the house spring cleaned.
We recommend having the utilities turned on at least two weeks prior to the spring cleaning. This gives your service people ample time to deal with any unexpected problems prior to the cleaning. Just because a house was not used in the off-season does not mean it is ready for a tenant. A good spring cleaning includes an in-depth cleaning to remove all of the dust, cobwebs, and dead bugs that have accumulated over the off-season. This can be tailored to your individual needs. Depending on your house, it may be prudent to get your carpets and upholstery cleaned or your windows washed. Typically, we recommend that the windows be cleaned after the pollen season.
And remember, right after a spring cleaning has been completed is the perfect time to stage your house and update the photos for your listings!
A visual inspection of the property should be done before the spring cleaning. Check for any damage incurred over the off-season or for evidence of mice. If you have a caretaker, property manager, or someone performing a property watch, they will generally perform this each time they check a property. In the case that significant evidence of mice is found, you should contact an exterminator as soon as possible and ask them their opinion on the extent of the infestation and whether you should have your insurance company take a look at the house. Each year, The Furies finds a few homes that have been severely damaged by mice, in some cases requiring that they be completely gutted and rebuilt. Houses near marshes are especially at risk. If your house has a history of mice issues, you should consider establishing a service schedule with an exterminator.
If you are updating appliances, furniture, or having any work done to the house, this should be completed prior to the spring cleaning. If you are having a significant amount of work done,. The Furies offer specialized post-construction cleaning services. Again, when you update the look of your house, make sure that you update the pictures on your online listings.
To ensure that a renter gets off to a good start before they even set foot in the house, there are a few of things to be mindful of. Make sure that your house’s street numbers are clearly visible from the street. If your house sits back from the street, it should have a sign at the start of the driveway as well as numbers on the house itself. Some tenants arrive after dark, and it is important that your house be clearly identifiable. If needed, your driveway and parking area should be brushed out and any low hanging tree limbs removed,. One of the surest ways to get someone’s vacation off to a bad a start is for them to pull into an overgrown driveway and badly scratch their vehicle. Also, if you have wooden walkways, steps, decks, or other wooden walking areas, they should be checked to see if they have algae. Algae can pose a significant safety hazard as it can get extremely slippery when wet. To prevent an accidental injury, these areas should be power washed. The Furies can arrange for this.
Finally, we recommended that you uses a single key for all your doors or install a door knob with a punch code. You should not have 4 separate keys for four separate doors as this can cause confusion and frustration. Be sure that your service providers have current copies of your keys as needed. If you have one locked section of your house used for personal storage, it is best to clearly indicate this to your renters. Additionally, if your house is near the water, the salt air can cause corrosion or blow sand into the locks, making them difficult to open. Consider having the locks cleaned and lubricated if they are getting sticky or have not been serviced in a while. Perhaps you have a key that is tricky, such as jiggling it “just so.” Usually this is the result of getting copies of copies of copies of keys. In this case, have a locksmith rekey the locks and cut a number of new keys for you. This will save you and your tenants a great deal of unnecessary grief.
