Here are 10 things to check in a do-it-yourself rental property inspection from a veteran landlord and manager in the field.
By Phil Schaller
Conducting an informational inspection/walkthrough of your rental property is important periodically; we recommend at least once a year.
It allows you to understand how your tenants are treating the property, troubleshoot for larger issues, plan some preventative maintenance, and build trust with your tenants.
While there are hundreds of items you could inspect in a walkthrough, we’re going to focus on the low-hanging fruit and most important boxes to check.
Before we get into the list, here’s a few pointers:
- Schedule this walkthrough far in advance with your tenants; they’ll keep it on the radar and (hopefully) focus on keeping the property in good shape. Washington State requires at least 48 hours written notice before anyone enters the dwelling.
- Communicate to your tenants why you’re conducting this walkthrough. You want to know what’s going on with the property but you also want to make sure you’re providing a hospitable environment for your tenants.
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