As warmer weather quickly approaches, it is time Montgomery County property owners start thinking about how to prep their rental homes for the upcoming season. Whether your property is vacant, or has long been occupied by high quality tenants, it is important to think about the seasonal change that is advancing.
Since the harsh cold of the winter months oftentimes places your Montgomery County rental property into a mild state of hibernation, many parts of your rental may have been neglected or unused for a long time. That’s why today we are offering six exceptional ways to prep your investment property for the warmer weather, thus allowing your tenants to enjoy the beautiful outdoor living space you have provided them.
The Top 6 Ways to Prep Your Montgomery County Rental Property for Spring
1. Address Landscaping Issues
If your property experienced heavy snowfall this past winter, chances are there is plenty of yardwork to be done to spruce things up in both your front and back yards.
Here are some things you can start doing now:
- Trim the hedges. Getting rid of all the weakened branches that made it through heavy snowfall this winter will help encourage new growth as the weather warms up. If your region is prone to springtime rains, it is best you clear out branches that may easily break off and land on your tenant’s car or possibly go through your property’s window.
- Clean the ground space. There is a small window of time between the ground in your yard being too wet from slushy snow and being too hard and dry from warm weather. Try to time it perfectly and let most of the soil dry out before you start raking up old debris from the last seasons. While you rake the soil to again, encourage new growth, take care not to damage new roots that are just taking hold.
- Prepare for weeds. Right before spring fully blooms, it is a good idea to think about preparing for the inevitable weed growth that comes with beautiful foliage. Try using a pre-emergent herbicide to prevent weed seedlings from ever growing. Be careful not to damage existing plants and grasses, though.
2. Examine the Exterior
It is easy to forget how much wear and tear the exterior of your rental property experiences over time, especially as the Montgomery County seasons continue to cycle through each year. Before the weather gets too hot, inspect the exterior of your property. Check for worn out weatherstripping on all door and window closures. Further, make sure there are no cracks in the existing exterior caulking that may invite pests into your property.
Another important part of your rental property’s exterior that is often forgotten is the roof. Here are some key things to look out for:
- Broken or missing shingles
- Damaged and cluttered gutters
- Roof flashing that may have detached during a storm
3. Backyard Necessities
Beyond needing to clean up your ground space and trim your trees and shrubs, now is the best time to prep your property’s backyard with all of the landscaping necessities. This is especially true if you have made your tenant responsible for maintaining the yards. It is only fair you provide them some of the required tools to care for your property as best they can.
Here are some of the things your yard is likely to need at some point during peak gardening season:
- A good solid hose with no holes or cracks
- A working sprinkler system set on an appropriate watering schedule
- Rakes, brooms, or power washers for large areas
- Pool supplies such as a deck brush, skimmer, thermometer, and pool cover
Although not required, providing your Montgomery County tenants with what they need to maintain your home is going to help guarantee they prep your yards for spring. Moreover, by employing Montgomery County’s top property management company, Bay Management Group, to help you with all things property related, you can rest assured regular property inspections will be scheduled. This way you will always know that your tenants are upholding their end of the bargain.
4. Inspect the HVAC Systems
Heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning units always take a beating regardless of what season it is. It is crucial you inspect your property’s HVAC systems before the onslaught of summer. Make sure your tenants have been changing the air filters regularly if you have assigned them this maintenance responsibility. You may even consider providing the filters for your tenants so they are more apt to change them out when needed.
In addition, check your air-conditioning system before the heat kicks in. Routine maintenance keeps the unit in good working order and reveals issues before they end up costing you hundreds or thousands of dollars to fix. If you do not know how to perform an AC inspection properly, hire a professional to help you; it is worth it to take a proactive approach. After all, hot tenants are not typically the most pleasant to deal with.
5. Wash Those Windows
The exterior portion of your property’s windows are likely dirtier than either you or your tenants know. Since spring brings longer days, it is not unusual to notice tenants letting some extra sunshine into your property. Do them, and the exterior curb appeal of your property, a huge favor and have the windows cleaned.
Additionally, if your property has a chimney that was used during the cold winter season, have a professional come clean it and inspect it for fire hazards. Not only will this help keep your property cleaner overall, it ensures your tenants are safe.
6. Safety Checks
Fall and spring are often the mildest seasons to conduct all around safety inspections of your rental property. And, since Maryland law requires that many rental properties have working fire and carbon monoxide alarms, now is a great time to remind your tenants to make sure they are working properly. It is easy for tenants to forget to check such seemingly trivial things each summer. Reminding them as part of your prep for the warmer seasons is a simple way to keep everyone safe.
In the end, preparing your rental property for the upcoming warm season does not have to be difficult or time-consuming if you get started at the beginning of the seasonal transition.
In addition, by having an experienced property management company on hand like Bay Management Group to help guide you through the seasonal preparations, you are sure to have a beautiful, safe, and springtime-ready rental home.
If you are interested in hiring Bay Management Group to help manage your Montgomery County rental property, contact us today and see how we can help you. From tenant placement to rent collection, legal backing to routine inspections, Bay Management Group handles everything that your tenants need, so you don’t have to.
