How Long Should It Take to Get a Rental Property Ready for a New Tenant?
As a property owner, you know that every day your property sits vacant represents potential lost rental income. If one tenant moves out on a Friday, how quickly does the rental property turnover need to happen? Move someone in too quickly, and necessary cleaning, repairs, maintenance, or inspections could be rushed. Wait too long, and unnecessary vacancy can cut into your rental income.
So, how long should it actually take to get a rental property ready for a new tenant? Unfortunately, there is no universal answer. The timeline depends on the property’s condition, the work required, vendor availability, and how much preparation happened before the previous tenant moved out.
How Long Does a Rental Property Turnover Usually Take?
As mentioned, there is no single turnaround time that applies to every rental property. A property needing only cleaning and minor touch-ups will likely be ready sooner than one requiring repairs, flooring, painting, and/or appliance replacement.
Each time you experience a rental property turnover, document what needed to be done and how long each step took. Over time, this can help you identify recurring delays and opportunities to make the process more efficient.
How Long Does Rental Property Turnover Take on Average?
Nearly half of the property management companies in a study completed by Property Meld revealed that their turnover period lasted less than nine days, with most falling between five and seven days. Most rental turnovers happen between May and September, but that doesn’t mean that winter turnovers are out of the picture.
What Needs to Happen Between Tenants?
Between tenants, you should allow yourself enough time to perform a quality inspection, complete any necessary repairs, and fully clean and prepare the property for your next tenant.
Inspect the Property After Move-Out
When your tenant moves out, do a walkthrough of the property and document its condition. Your next tenant should receive a clean, functional property with necessary maintenance concerns addressed.
Make note of damage, plumbing or electrical concerns, and other maintenance issues. You can also identify potential improvements, such as painting, cabinet refinishing, or updated lighting.
When appropriate and permitted, identifying known maintenance concerns before move-out can give you additional time to plan repairs and schedule vendors.
Complete Necessary Repairs and Maintenance
Once you’ve documented the property’s condition, separate necessary repairs from optional upgrades.
Tasks that take priority include: plumbing or electrical concerns, HVAC issues, doors and locks, appliances, walls, flooring, exterior concerns, and safety related items.
Clean and Prepare the Property
Once repairs are complete, thoroughly clean and prepare the property for marketing, showings, and the next tenant. Trash, dust, stains, or belongings left behind can make a poor first impression, so professional cleaning may be worthwhile when necessary.
Don’t overlook the exterior. Basic landscaping and cleanup can also improve the property’s appearance during showings.
What Can Make a Rental Property Turnover Take Longer?
A quick turnover may be the goal, but some work has to happen in sequence. One repair may depend on another vendor finishing first, while painting, cleaning, photography, and showings may have to wait until repairs are complete. Unexpected damage, material delays, or vendor availability can extend the timeline even when the process is being managed efficiently.
Should You Make Improvements Between Tenants?
Turnover can be a convenient time to make improvements because the property is already vacant. However, that does not mean that every turnover needs to become a renovation project.
Is the improvement that you want to make necessary? Will it make the property more competitive in the market? Most importantly, will it justify keeping the property vacant longer, or can it wait? Check out our previous blog on renovating during vacancies.
Can You Start Preparing Before the Current Tenant Moves Out?
If you know your tenant is moving out soon, can you start preparing for turnover before they leave? In many cases, yes.
When a lease is nearing expiration or a tenant has provided notice, you may be able to begin planning for known maintenance needs, scheduling vendors, and purchasing supplies. When appropriate, communicating with the tenant about known issues can also help you anticipate what may need attention once the property is vacant.
How Can Property Management Make Rental Turnover More Efficient?
Every unnecessary day of vacancy can affect your rental income. Reducing this downtime matters, but so does making sure that the property is ready for the next tenant. Having assistance coordinating all of the turnover tasks can help reduce gaps between each step.
This is where a property manager can help. Coordinating the move-out process, inspections, maintenance, vendors, owner communication, marketing, and leasing can reduce unnecessary gaps between each stage of turnover. Once the property is ready, the management team can also coordinate applicant screening and the next move-in.
So, How Quickly Should Your Rental Be Ready?
There is not a magic number of days that defines a good turnover. A property that only needs routine cleaning may reasonably be ready much sooner than one requiring flooring, repairs, painting, or major maintenance. The real goal is to identify what needs to be done as soon as possible, schedule it efficiently, avoid unnecessary delays, and return the property to the rental market in good condition.
Need help managing a rental property in the Augusta area? Sherman & Hemstreet can coordinate details such as inspections, maintenance, marketing, and leasing to help you keep your rental property moving forward.