Buying a property is a big investment, and it only makes sense to take care of it properly. As a landlord, you have a number of responsibilities in keeping your real estate up to standard.
However, it isn’t just an obligation or a responsibility: it’s just good practice. Here’s why you should always keep property maintenance at the front of your mind.
Ensuring that you fix a problem early enough can result in far fewer problems in the long run – and a lot less expense and hassle on your part.
By keeping to a strict maintenance schedule, both you and your tenant will know that your real estate is ship shape and ready for service. If not, you could very well find that you’ve either ignored something that results in a lot of expense, or not discovered something that puts your property on the back foot.
If your property is in a poor state of affairs when you are trying to rent it out, you might find that you can’t attract the best calibre of tenants.
As a result, you could either find that you have to settle for someone you’d rather not entrust with your property, or having to swap out tenants every year or so. That’s wasted time, wasted money and it can end up putting a dent in the capital gains of your property as well.
Not only that, but the right kind of maintenance (even if it’s just minor cosmetic additions) could mean you get a better rental yield as well.
That property could be your ticket to a comfortable retirement, which is why it pays to take care of it. However, your tenants will also have responsibilities to keep the place up to standard and avoid as much damage as possible.
As part of your maintenance routine, you get the chance to ensure that your real estate is being taken care of properly, as well as get a feel for what areas that might not need a repair yet, but could do with an update.
Of course, there’s only so much the average Australian can do in this regard, which is why so many people choose to use a property management service to ensure that their property is well cared-for. Maintenance is a serious issue, which is why so many people prefer to entrust the responsibility to a professional.
Whether you do the maintenance yourself, use a property manager or otherwise handle your real estate, keeping on top of repairs is a legal, ethical and financial responsibility for your investment property. Make sure you pay it the attention is deserves!
December Market Monitor: Ray White Coastal Living Network The Ray White Coastal Living Network’s December Market Monitor reveals a dynamic end to the year, with notable shifts in buyer activity, auction results, and private treaty sales. Here’s a snapshot of the key trends and insights from the quarter. Auction Market … Read more
The Ray White Maroochydore and Buderim offices joined forces last night to host the highly successful Auction at Altitude event at at The Altitude Nine Function Centre, marked a significant achievement in the local real estate market, drawing an impressive gathering of more than 200 people plus over 300 online … Read more