The Importance of Rental Property Inspections in Dallas, TX
As a Dallas landlord, the protection of your property should always be your main priority.
The Dallas/Fort Worth area saw 37,000 evictions in the first few months of 2022. Evictions can be highly stressful and time-consuming, so you need to do what you can to avoid them. Thoroughly screening your tenants is a great start, but you need to take further measures.
In today's post, we'll discuss the role of rental property inspections for Dallas landlords. By inspecting your properties regularly, you can get the most out of them for the long haul. Keep reading and you'll understand the benefits of keeping a close eye on your investments.
Ensure Compliance with the Lease Agreement
The biggest benefit of regular rental property inspections in Dallas is that you can ensure your tenants are complying with your lease agreement. When you have a vacant property, it's essential to perform background checks on applicants to get the best possible tenants.
Even so, you need to take measures to protect the property. Obtaining a security deposit from your new tenants will give you some insurance, but performing property inspections will keep them in line as well.
In particular, a move-in inspection will document any existing damage when the tenant moves in. When they move out, you'll perform the move-out inspection to see if there's any new damage. Any damage is paid for with some or all of the tenant's security deposit.
Protect Your Property Over Time
You can also perform intermittent property inspections during a tenancy. In Texas, there's no limit on how often you can perform inspections, but you need to give them 24 hours of notice before entering the property. It's also important to preserve your tenants' privacy, so don't show up too frequently.
When your tenants know that you're checking up on the property, they're more likely to care for it. Rental properties go through a lot of wear and tear, but you can curb some of the damage done by renters through inspections. This will preserve the home's value over time.
Catch Maintenance Issues
Speaking of wear and tear, inspecting your property regularly will help you catch maintenance issues. Landlords rely on tenants to report maintenance issues and make repair requests, but you need to show initiative as well.
Keep a checklist with you for each time you perform an inspection. The most important things to look at are the wiring, plumbing, HVAC system, and structural aspects of the home. If you discover any problems, you can fix them promptly and prevent any costly repairs.
Property Management and Rental Property Inspections
If you own real estate in Dallas, rental property inspections are a regular part of your job. That said, it can be a lot of work to keep on top of inspections, whether you own a single property for side income or multiple properties as an investor.
That's where a Dallas property manager can help. At PMI North Dallas, we're a top property management company in Dallas, helping rental property owners take care of everything from property maintenance to tenant screening and even evictions.
To learn more about how we can help you, please contact us today.
