Why is a Property Inspection Essential

In keeping your rental property a long-term investment, you must ensure that it is being well cared for and maintained.  As a landlord, it is important to have a peace of mind and that sense of security that your rental property is in good shape. Doing a property inspection is a sure way of getting all maintenance issues around your property resolved and to know how the tenants are taking care of it. 

Some landlords only do an inspection when a tenant moves out and is getting the property ready for a new tenant. Regular property inspection is not only about preserving the value of your investment, but it is also about being proactive in keeping your property in good condition. It is an assurance that it is livable comfortable to live in for your tenant as not all tenants will complain about issues.

When to do a Property Inspection

Move-In Inspection

Before a tenant moves in, you must conduct a property inspection. In this way, you can assess if there are any repairs needed before your new tenant comes in. It will be better if your tenant inspects the property with you before they sign their contract to better discuss the current situation of the house. They can also ask questions about the property. You can explain their responsibilities and they will not miss any damage.

Move-out Inspection

Doing this inspection helps you determine the condition of the house before your tenant moves out. A checklist is handy so you will not miss anything. Also, do it on the day the tenant leaves as they may potentially cause damage a few days before leaving. Things like getting the hardwood flooring scratched because of moving away from heavy bags or furniture or even getting the door hinges lose. This is also an assurance that your tenant will preserve the quality of the house until their last day.

Routine Inspection

This is normally done every 6 months or when the seasons change or before renewal. Doing a routine inspection will help you be on top of your property maintenance. This will help you prevent any unnecessary and expensive repairs or getting any severe damages caused by negligence. Tenants can also let you know if there are any damages and you can have it fixed right away. This promotes a positive landlord-tenant relationship too. Your tenant knows you are doing this inspection to ensure they are staying in your property peacefully and safely. Let your tenants know beforehand that you will be conducting an inspection all the time.

Get a professional to do a property inspection every 6 months. You can cut any unexpected maintenance requests, unnecessary repair costs and check if your tenant is doing their responsibility too in maintaining the property.

Advantages of doing a regular property inspection

Prevent Severe Damages Early

Professional Property Inspectors check every bit of the property to ensure everything is working properly. An expert in the field can spot a potential hazard immediately. Some issues may include plumbing issues, leaks, electrical issues, and HVAC issues. Even if it is a small maintenance issue, if left unresolved, could potentially cause bigger damage and be more expensive.

Tenant Required Maintenance

Upon signing the lease contract, you should specify the rules you set with your tenants. Even if you do a very thorough screening process, you may never know how your tenants act and how they take care of your property unless you do an inspection. Most tenants don’t know their responsibilities as well. When a pipe bursts or an appliance is acting out, even if they are responsible for it, they will place a call to the landlord or the property manager and that’s it. Doing a regular property inspection helps them in reminding what their responsibilities are and help them keep your rental property in shape.

Safety Concerns

There are some landlords and homeowners who haven’t done a formal property inspection in their properties for years. As a result, they end up neglecting their investment properties and even paying fines for it. Missed maintenance issues can also cause injuries to your tenants. Issues like leaks seeping through walls and may lead to termites getting attracted due to moisture. This can get more dangerous and hazardous if they infest nearby support beams. There are also issues like rotten sub-flooring is hidden under the linoleum. A detailed home inspection can spot structural damages, termite infestations or other major issues that may get more expensive and dangerous right away.

Performing regular preventative maintenance goes a long way in preserving your rental property. A small fee for a Professional Property Inspector is nothing compared to the cost you may have to pay if you neglect your property.

Passing City Inspections

The city of Boston and many others are now requiring all investment properties to be registered with the city and they inspect the property regularly. Their inspections are very thorough and will require all issues to be resolved quickly and a reinspection will be conducted for any violations. A proactive inspection will help you ensure your property passes on the first try avoiding issues with the city or residents.

Green Ocean Property Management offers a Bi-Annual Property Inspection to its clients. It is important that these types of inspections are done to ensure the property is well cared for and issues are addressed quickly. We offer a comprehensive property inspection report. This official inspection report consists of photos and videos of your property. We indicate any glaring issues that need attention right away and a detailed description of your property’s current condition.  We schedule any approved repairs on the report and help you come up with a plan that will maintain the quality of your home. 

Green Ocean Property Management promotes a Proactive Maintenance Plan that ensures your property is well-maintained and issues that may arise are already resolved. 

We can also perform property inspections by request. You can trust us in keeping your property safe and sustained. Let us know if you want an inspection conducted and we’ll be happy to help. Send us an email or call us anytime!

Book a free consultation. You can reach us at  hello@grennoceanpm.com or call 617-487-4868. You may also visit our office at 268 Centre St Newton MA 02458.