This landlord tip seems like common sense, but it is amazing how many times landlords show up just moments before the tenants do, or worse yet after they do. You never know what could be awaiting you and if you have ten sets of tenants coming in thirty minutes, that half hour hopefully gives you time to right whatever is wrong. During the winter, this is time to shovel the walk if it isn’t done. During spring or summer, it’s time to open those windows to freshen the place up.
This is also your preparation time to make sure everything is just right, the floor is clean, dust bunnies in their pens, toilets cleaned and flushed, all the lights on to brighten the property and all your information ready to go. So you must also make sure you have a package of cleaning supplies, rags and air fresheners with you as well.
If you haven’t been to the property for a few days, it is an excellent time to spray some Febreeze around or plug in a couple Glade plug-ins to help the place out. Make sure you pack some extra light bulbs just in case as well. With some of the modern fixtures you run into the new R20 or A16 or new halogen bulbs and you cannot be expected to carry all of them around, so if you do have any bulbs out, make sure to note this and bring them next time! With the hard water around Calgary if toilets aren’t flushed regularly they quickly develop water marks, so be ready to possibly do some scrubbing.
For the adventurous and to create an even better environment, it never hurts to bring a vase of aromatic flowers in. Or if you are especially energetic, you can even pick up some of the cookies you just spoon out onto a baking sheet and bake away so the potential tenants are greeted with the scent of fresh cookies when they arrive. Tell me that doesn’t help push the popularity up of the property!
Your goal as a landlord at this time is to not just be a property owner, but also the best marketer of their property you can possibly be. Don’t forget your goal is to fill that property with the best possible tenants out there. If you are just one of five places they are viewing that day you want yours to stand out, be memorable and be the one they not only want, but feel they need to live at! Being a landlord involves wearing many different hats, hopefully this landlord advice is helping you not only become a better landlord, but a wiser one as well.
