There are multiple ways to increase the curb appeal of a rental property. But making sure that its level is maintained is a whole other matter, especially if you have a long-term tenant in your property. To help keep the curb appeal strong, it’s best to get your tenant involved. They could pitch in for the good of the Jacksonville rental property. After all, it would benefit them as well. Keeping your property in good shape depends, a lot, on the tenants you have. It would be best if they, like you, want to keep the property in good condition. So, with the help of good communication and implementing some simple strategies, you’ll be well on your way to increasing and maintaining your Jacksonville property’s curb appeal — one tenant at a time.
Start with Your Lease
Clear communication of what you expect about property maintenance begins with the lease documents. This document, after all, should lay out everything you’ve agreed upon. This includes what to expect from each other. All rental property owners want a tenant who will watch over their property. And even if you think your tenant is one of the good ones, it’s still important that you make it clear in writing. Make sure the document explains those expectations clearly. Many landlords will say that if the tenant makes any mess, then it should be cleaned up promptly. But what if you could have prevented those messes in the first place? There would be nothing to clean up! Let’s say you have a tenant who puts their vehicle in the driveway for vehicle maintenance. If they change the oil there, what do you think will happen? Chances are, it will leave an ugly oil stain behind. However, if you can discourage them from doing messy jobs like oil changes on the driveway, then you could prevent those oil stains from forming in the first place. This would make sure that the front exterior of your property will remain clean and pleasing to look at. So, by making clear which tenant activities are acceptable and which are prohibited, you’re making sure that your tenant-landlord relationship is headed for success.
Encourage Cooperation
You can encourage your tenant’s cooperation in taking care of the property in other ways as well. Learn more about your tenant. They may have skills that could benefit you and the property. For example, they could help with maintaining or improving the landscaping. If your tenant has a green thumb, they would be really good for landscape maintenance. You can enlist them to help you make the front yard look good, or just tidy up other outdoor areas of the property a bit. They may like the fact that they have a say on what the rental house will look like. So, with this additional investment they put in, they may be more willing to put in extra effort to maintain or improve its look.
Offer Incentives
Another way to encourage your tenant to help you increase your property’s appeal is to propose different forms of incentives. If your tenant is handy, maybe you could offer a lower rental rate in exchange for them doing the basic maintenance on the property. Or, consider the alternative: for a bit higher rent, offer to have a professional do the work instead. Depending on who your tenant is, they may opt to pay more rent if it means that they don’t have to weed flower beds and mow the lawn every week.
No matter what route you take, the best thing you can do is keep a close eye on things and offer encouragement and help if you notice any issues of exterior maintenance starting to develop. Have positive and frequent communication with your tenant. This can help alert you if maintenance tasks were not done.
Finally, remember that the best way to encourage someone is to first model that behavior. Show your tenant that you care about the property and they will be encouraged to take care of it too. Responding to repair requests promptly and scheduling regular maintenance and updates really helps motivate your tenants to maintain your property’s appeal.
Would you like more information about developing your property’s curb appeal? Give Real Property Management Champion a call at 910-782-4488! Our Jacksonville property management professionals can offer suggestions and assistance with everything from property maintenance to tenant relations. Contact us today!
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