Preparing Your Home for a Tenant

Prep for Listing and Photos

• Use incandescent light bulbs, all lights working and fixtures clean and bright
• De-clutter and de-personalize
• The cleaner the better
• Make any needed cosmetic repairs (can wait to do other repairs after you move out)
• Clean windows — sunshine makes all the difference!

Before a Tenant Moves In

• Deep clean the house (if not already complete) — the standard of clean YOU SET is the standard we hold the tenant to
• Have the carpets professionally cleaned — we require the tenant to do the same on move-out
• Inspect/clean any wood-burning fireplaces
• Clean gutters (tenants clean gutters after their move-in)
• Fresh caulk in all bathrooms, and kitchen if needed
• All toilets working well — replace flappers if needed
• Fresh furnace filter — leave a couple for the tenant — they are required to change
• Touch up or repaint as needed, make any needed repairs
• Fresh batteries in all smoke detectors
• All light bulbs working (can put those fluorescent ones back in now)
• Landlord Insurance (tenant must have renters insurance)
• Utilities stay in your name until lease start date — we will guide the tenant to transfer into their name
• Consider preparing a “Welcome to My Home” instruction sheet for the new tenant, with important information you want the tenant to know about the home, home care, and/or the neighborhood.

Please let us know what we can help you with — we can refer cleaning companies, contractors and handymen and we can arrange to have the work done after you move.