Rent Ready Guidelines

Rent Ready standards deliver professional standards which ensures that homes present well for showings, are compliant with local and state habitability, and provide a clean and safe home for tenants.  A property that shows well rents faster & commands higher rents.

Home Cleaning

A professional deep cleaning is required before we move in tenants and depending on the current cleanliness, maybe before we list the property. Clean homes photograph better, create stronger first impressions, and reduce complaints at move in. We prefer to manage this service as our vendor is affordable, timely and knows our standards. You can review our Owners Handbook for typical pricing and scope so you know what to expect.

Carpet Cleaning

Carpeted areas must be professionally cleaned before marketing begins. This helps remove odors, improves appearance, and sets a clear baseline for the resident’s move out responsibilities. For homes with tile, we strongly recommend a professional tile and grout cleaning if it has not been done recently. It improves the look of the floors and helps the home compete well in the rental market.

Guidelines

• Home to be professionally cleaned or cleaned to a professional standard. Carpeting to be professionally cleaned.
• Walls are patched and painted to match. Paint throughout is clean and looks to be in excellent condition.
• Baseboards are clean and look clean and fresh. Faucets & shower heads are free of scale buildup. Clean or replace and ensure good flow.
• All doors & windows, including closet doors must be functioning and have handle locks as appropriate for each room\
• Bathroom and kitchen caulking must be fresh and free of mildew.
• All windows and glass doors have window coverings.
• No personal property or items left in the home. Including furniture, knickknacks, toiletries, shower curtains, kitchen or bathroom items, soap dispensers, miscellaneous storage items, pictures, light fixtures, etc.
• No lawn equipment including furniture, barbecue, mowers, tools, etc.
• Shelves, closet systems must be clean, functioning and secure.
• Garage and out buildings, floor swept and garage free of debris.
• Garbage and recycling receptacles empty, no exterior debris.
• Lawn cut and trimmed. Lawn care will need to continue while home is listed for rent. Deferred lawn maintenance should be completed.
• Exterior of home looks clean and without obvious need for painting. Driveway & sidewalks are clean.
• Carbon monoxide and smoke detectors to be installed according to law and have fresh batteries (if not a 10 year battery).
• Water filtration systems should have new or recently changed filters. Water softeners should be at least 3/4 full.
• All mechanical components are working as designed. Including but not limited to HVAC, plumbing and electrical systems, lights, kitchen appliances, laundry appliances, sump pumps, water softeners, sprinkler systems, gas fireplaces, water filtration systems, etc.
• All system components that have batteries should receive new batteries unless recently changed.  AC controls, garage door openers, gate remotes, etc.
• There should be at least one garage door opener for each “car”.  A 1-car garage should have at least one opener, a 2-car garage should have at least 2 openers.  Please install new batteries in the openers.
• Wood-burning fireplaces shall be clean of any debris and have a fireplace screen or heat-proof glass doors installed. If non-operational, the fireplace opening on the interior of the home shall be aesthetically permanently sealed.

Walkthrough

We complete an initial walkthrough to confirm the home meets our rent-ready standards. After the visit, we share a clear report with any items that need attention, along with suggestions that can improve market appeal. If we discover additional issues during follow up visits, showings, or based on resident feedback, we update the report so you always have an accurate picture of what is needed. We ask owners to address required items so the home stays rent-ready. We begin advertising once all standards are met. Delays in completing these items will delay the start of marketing and showings.