Before you rent out your property in Northern Virginia

Before signing a lease or property management agreement it's a good idea to read and understand the document. If you have any questions, ask your agent and we'll do our best to explain the document to you. We are not permitted to give legal advice but we can advise on real estate matters. If your question is beyond our capacity we will refer you to an attorney, accountant or appropriate expert. If a term or condition in the lease is not acceptable to you, discuss it with your property manager or Realtor. The best time to negotiate terms and conditions is before the documents are signed.

For the most part our documents are written by the staff attorneys for the Virginia Association of Realtors. Because these documents have been tested in court and written by experts in this field, whenever possible we prefer not to deviate from the standard language.

Preparing your property for listing

Many of our property management accounts in Northern Virginia also use our brokerage to list a property for rent. As part of that process we'll want to photograph your property in the best light. When preparing to photograph turn on all lights and open all blinds and drapes. De-clutter and de-personalize the property as much as possible.

Delivery

Please have your rental professionally cleaned. This makes the place rent more quickly. Additionally the better the condition we deliver to the tenant the better condition we expect upon return. If you need help finding or dispatching a cleaner, please contact us.

Please advise us of any systems which are known to be a problem or expecting problems. Make sure all your fire detectors are working properly. Check to see that all your lightbulbs are working.

Please take this moment to think about anything that may need attention at your property that you have not previously reported to us. Do you have toilets that run? Do all the appliances work properly? Have you caused damage to the property that needs repair? If you think of anything, please let us know in writing so we won't be surprised by it when a tenant moves in.

Before the tenant moves in :

• inspect and clean any fireplaces;
• put fresh caulk in the bathrooms and kitchens as needed;
• ensure that all toilets are in working order;
• put in a fresh filter in the HVAC and an extra filter near the HVAC;
• touch up your paint and make any necessary repairs;
• put fresh batteries in the smoke detectors and if necessary the thermostat;
• make sure that all light bulbs are functioning;
• clean the carpets professionally.

Lastly, clean the property one more time. We like to deliver the property in a high-standard of cleanliness because we expect the same when it is returned to us. During the course of the rental is is possible that the property will have some wear-and-tear but there is no reason it can't be clean.