It’s like a tornado – you know it’s coming but feel like all you can do is crouch under a desk to get ready. We’re talking about peak rental season. If you dread the busy season every year, we have good news for you; this year doesn’t have to be that crazy! We know from a recent survey we conducted among apartment professionals that the top three most frustrating parts of getting a vacant unit ready for new residents are the quality of work; timeliness to complete work; and scheduling vendors. So, we’ve curated five tips for simplifying apartment prep with those hurdles in mind that will keep units turning but stop head-spinning.
Put your walking shoes on: Reach out to residents to gather all move-out dates in advance. Then mark your calendar to ensure you’re walking units close to the move-out date or squarely on the move-out date to fully understand the condition of the unit. This way, you’re not caught with any surprises and are fully in-the-know on what type – and the extent of – services you’ll need to schedule.
Avoid the traffic jam: Part of the problem of the busy turn season is the number of units, and therefore services, you must schedule all at the same time, right?! If you are completing #1 above, you’re already getting your ducks in a row. Take that one step further and schedule those future services now when the move-out traffic isn’t quite as busy, saving yourself the mountain of work in a few weeks/months.
Take the one-stop-shop approach: We get it, #2 still sounds like a ton of work – even when you’re getting ahead of the deluge. Spare yourself time and dozens of headaches by working with one vendor to complete each turn. For example, you could contact Rent Ready and be paired with one team member who schedules all turn services for you, ensuring that each is completed on time, on budget and done so perfectly. We vet all the vendors and monitor to ensure top-notch work.
Get outside “hands” for your punch list: Have you ever considered outsourcing your punch list during the busy leasing season? Perhaps you’re accustomed to enlisting an extra hand from third parties for tasks like painting, cleaning, carpeting and resurfacing, but always have that pesky list of other maintenance issues that must be fixed. (Helpful tip: we have vendors on our platform who specialize in punch work.) During the busy season, hire an outside vendor. That way you can free up maintenance staff’s time to handle all work orders for new and existing residents to ensure that resident experience stays exceptional. Otherwise, you know exactly what happens; the maintenance team becomes maxed out and the wait time for repairs increases. The result? Unhappy residents.
Be red-carpet ready: To avoid the tissue shred flying around your office because you’re scurrying at the last minute to prepare your new resident gifts, start now! Order the items, create an assembly line, find a closet or area to stow them in and voila, you’re set to make move-ins more efficient and welcoming for everyone.
For more tips on streamlining your operations, follow along on our blog.
