On the subject of rental home ownership nationwide, assimilating and staying abreast of the state of each home’s exterior elements is just as imperative as looking ahead to when to replace the carpet or repaint the walls.
Whether you’re renting out an older property or a newly built home, being aware of the age of each item and how long it can reasonably be expected to last is a necessary part of successful rental property management.
Importance of Maintaining Your Property’s Exterior
A good landlord or property manager appreciates the healthy lifespan of common exterior elements of your rental property. A product’s lifespan is the span it should last adhering to standard conditions. For instance: a quality cement patio could lasts upwards of 50 years, arising from the extremely durable nature of cement. That being said, wooden decks only last about ten years, given their sensitivity to the natural elements.
For simple reference, we’ve listed a small number of common exterior items and their average lifespan:
- Garage Door: 15 years
- Automatic Garage Door Opener: 5-10 years
- Wood Fence: 10 years
- Stucco Exterior: 20-50+ years
- Vinyl Siding: 25 years
It’s primal to be knowledgeable of how long an element is expected to last in your property, especially if your tenant induces damage beyond normal wear and tear. As for instance, if the vinyl siding, which is over 25 years old, gets damaged, the tenant shouldn’t be held responsible for the repair cost. But conversely, if the vinyl siding is less than 25 years old, the renter would conceivably be accountable for paying some or all the repair costs.
Stay Ahead of Property Damage
Rather than spend time and money on a fuitle judicial process, the best option to accomplish is to be ahead of property damage. With the right information and a proactive system for property management, it’s, indeed, possible to manage and keep every single component of the rental home – both in and out– in a fair form. Replacing items regulraly beyond their effective lives is one way to avoid bearing the full cost of repairs on account of tenant negligence. Another is fulfilling regular property evaluations to ascertain various areas of the rental home.
Real Property Management Investor’s Choice bestows a full property management program that comprises preparing for the coming years with maintenance plans, property evaluations, and substantially more. We have the equipment and proficiency to take care of your Brentwood real estate investments making them highly profitable for the conceivable future. Contact us online or at 615-810-9578 today!
Originally Published on March 22, 2019
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