Working as a landlord is challenging for several reasons, especially renting out a property in another state. It requires patience, skill, and taking on huge risks. After all, if you’re not physically present at the property, it is tricky to verify things that you would otherwise get to do in person.
One of the biggest challenges for long-distance landlords is coordinating and managing the property and the tenants from a distance. It includes screening potential tenants, overseeing the rental process before they shift in, collecting rent, and performing regular maintenance and repairs.
Neglecting the various property concerns due to physical absence is challenging and can deteriorate the property’s value over time, which may even affect the rental income. It is why most landlords require the assistance of third-party agents or hire a property management company to handle the various routine tasks and manage the tenants.
Additionally, there are various state regulations and other legal challenges that tenants and landlords must deal with. It includes laws related to eviction, the state of the property, repairs, and maintenance, security deposit, etc., which can be difficult for landlords to navigate remotely. However, with a few practices and being mindful of renting, being a long-distance landlord will become convenient before you know it. Here’s a simple guide to help you through the process.
Did You Know?
The average landlord owns at least three properties.
Handling long-distance property management – what should you know?: Choosing Reliable Tenants
When renting out a property to a new tenant from another location, it is necessary to ensure that you can trust them to maintain your home as well as you do. Asking them about past rental experiences, rent payments, previous landlord grievances, references, and more, is an excellent way to verify if the tenant will be a trustworthy person for the property. Once you confirm everything, you can proceed with granting the rental lease.
Use a Maintenance Service
One of the best ways to ensure your property stays in shape is to hire a maintenance service to look after things in your absence. You can also leave the contact details of the home property management service with the tenants so that if anything comes up when you’re not around, the maintenance service will be able to look into the matter and provide solutions.
How to handle long-distance property management: use a caretaker 
If you do not have any tenant living in your property but still want to ensure everything is alright, you can hire a caretaker who can visit the property once or twice a day to check everything. They can report to you to inform you about different queries, and you can also guide them to take external help if they find any issues.
Did you know?
Landlords handle a minimum of 6 calls every year for property repairs.
Have a Rental Guide in Place
A rental guide will allow you to lay down some ground rules that all tenants must follow when staying on your property. Depending on what you deem necessary, a rental guide can include information about property facilities, vehicle rules, pets, adding fixtures, and more. It is an excellent way to ensure that your property will remain in good condition in your absence.
Make Room for Inspections
Most landlords conduct property inspections periodically to check if everything within the property is healthy. Before a new tenant moves in or when one tenant moves out, make room for a visit, if possible, to inspect your property. During other times, you can ask a family member living in the area or any other trusted person to review the property’s state on your behalf too.
Get Rental Insurance
Rental insurance benefits all landlords as it gives them cover to manage any damages that take place in an unprecedented manner. For example, natural weather, such as rain, snow, etc., can damage the property if it isn’t built to withstand extreme conditions. When getting insurance, you can look at property management San Francisco regulations to ensure that the policy abides by all the laws. Having an insurance cover will ensure that you can have the means to cover any damages, even when you’re not on the property yourself.
Did you know?
Most landlords screen an average of at least two applicants for potential vacancies.
How to Handle Long-Distance Property Management: Endnote
Being a long-distance landlord is a challenging process. Especially if you’re used to managing everything in person, having to look after a property from a different location can feel overwhelming.
However, if you’re mindful about how you run things, make provisions, and set down rules, managing your property while away will come conveniently to you. All you have to do is be as prepared for emergencies and ensure that you can oversee the situations that come your way.
