On the subject of rental home ownership nationwide, being informed of and staying abreast of the state of each home’s exterior elements is just as critical as assuming when to replace the carpet or repaint the walls.
Whether you’re renting out an older property or a newly built home, being aware of the age of each item and how long it can adequately be expected to last is an essential part of successful rental property management.
Importance of Maintaining Your Property’s Exterior
A good landlord or property manager appreciates the healthy lifespan of common exterior elements of your rental property. A product’s lifespan is the period of time it should last, sticking to standard conditions. Like for example: a quality cement patio could stand upwards of 50 years, on account of the extremely durable nature of cement. With that said, wooden decks only last about ten years, given their sensitivity to the natural elements.
For your quick guide, we’ve listed here some common exterior items and their average lifespan:
- Garage Door: 15 years
- Automatic Garage Door Opener: 5-10 years
- Wood Fence: 10 years
- Stucco Exterior: 20-50+ years
- Vinyl Siding: 25 years
It’s vital to really understand how long an element is expected to last in your property, most importantly if your tenant engenders damage beyond normal wear and tear. For illustration, if the vinyl siding, which is over 25 years old, gets damaged, the tenant shouldn’t be held responsible for the repair expenses. But, in fact, if the vinyl siding is less than 25 years old, the renter would potentially be obligated to pay some or all the repair costs.
Stay Ahead of Property Damage
Rather than spend time and money on a fruitless judicial process, the best option to complete is to be ahead of property damage. With practical and pertinent information, and a proactive system for property management, it’s highly possible to manage and keep every single component of the rental home – both in and out– in very good form. Properly and regularly replacing items beyond their practical and useful lives is one way to avoid bearing the full cost of repairs by reason of tenant negligence. Another is fulfilling regular property evaluations to find out about the state of various areas of the rental home.
Real Property Management Champion offers a full property management program that covers preparing for future years with maintenance plans, property evaluations, and significantly more. We have the vital equipment and competence needed to work with your Jacksonville real estate investments gainfully and efficiently for the coming years. Contact us online or at 910-638-0190 today!
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