Back to: Landlord Success: Proven Strategies & Practical Advice for Stress – Free Property Management
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Drive by your properties occasionally keep an eye on them see what’s going on. Look for:
- Uncut grass or snow and ice that is not removed. Talk to whoever is responsible, get it dealt with, before the city calls.
- Too much garbage in the yard; on some properties it just blows in. I clean it up if the tenants do not unless it is the tenant’s stuff then I make sure they deal with it.
- Tree branches rubbing on the roof, or untrimmed trees.
- Burnt out light bulbs, replace for security hazard. Also go by at night make sure any/all motion sensors are working correctly.
- Make sure the garbage bins are getting emptied and are being used correctly, recycling in Blue etc.
- Look for broken windows, missing screens, extra pets, extra vehicles, and extra tenants.
- Police or fire vehicles, in other words, the obvious.
- Look for drainpipes that have fallen off, re-connect to keep the water out ot the basements.
TALK TO THE NEIGHBOURS
Get to know your neighbours. They are there everyday; they can be your best eyes to protect your investment.
- When I purchase a property, I go and meet the neighbours and I tell them I just purchased the property next door. I give they my contact detail and I tell them “If you ever have a problem with your property or the tenant, please call me first and I will deal with it”. I tell them that “I do not want them to be inconvenienced in any way”. I also say, “If you ever see anything unusual, please let me know”. When I can help them out, I will do something for them like shovel the walk, trim a hedge etc.
- Make sure your tenant does not bug the neighbours.
- Make sure you tenant does not park in front of the neighbour’s house.
- If you have an illegal suite, be extra nice to the neighbours so they do not complain to the city about the suite.