PropertyManagementMaven: Landlord 10 Commandments!

1.  Thou shalt not rent to friends or relatives.
This should be enhanced to include friends from church or co-workers.

2.  Thou shalt not show the unit until the property is rent-ready.
One of the BIGGEST problems tenants complain about is seeing a property while the landlord is in the midst of repairs and the repairs are not completed.

3.  Thou shalt not provide property keys without a signed lease and move-in monies in hand.
Landlords who don't have their paperwork in order BEFORE showing property often provide keys thinking they will have the paperwork completed later.

4.  Thou shalt not covet other landlord's employees or service personnel.
Before I provide a service person's name to someone, I get there permission and I KNOW they will get paid and treated RIGHT!

5.  Thou shalt not skip routine maintenance on my rental property.
If hauling a 2 story ladder to your rental property on the top of your new car is unappealing, have the gutters cleaned PROFESSIONALLY.

6.   Thou shalt not lower your tenant standards to rent your property.
Giving concessions is OK; however, lowing your standards is DOUBLE trouble.

7.    Thou shalt not NOT keep a set of keys to your property.
This is all too common.  At the cost of $2 per key, this is CHEAPER than dealing with a locksmith down the road.

8.    Thou shalt not allow residents to get behind on their rental payments.
Dealing with deliquent residents when you have an eviction court date seems to be easier than trying to connect with them over the phone.

9.  Thou shalt not NOT DOCUMENT the property condition when residents move in.
Many states do not require that landlords and tenants document the property condition at move-in, and they should.

10.  Thou shalt not NOT provide move-out cleaning instructions  to departing residents.

Tenants don't know what you expect and they forgot how CLEAN the unit was when they moved in.