3 Reasons Why It's Critical to Maintain Clean Bellevue Rentals: [Improving ROI]

As a property owner, you know how important it is to keep your rental properties up to code and looking great. However, you might be wondering why property managers are specifically talking about cleaning your real estate investments in this blog post. 

The truth is, many landlords forget that the cleanliness of their property can have an impact on ROI and property values. If you're not sure how your property's level of cleanliness can affect those two things, read on! We'll discuss our best Bellevue property management insights about how thorough cleaning helps improve ROI and property values for rental owners with the help of our top three reasons for keeping your property spotless.

1) A More Appealing Home Attracts Better Quality Tenants

If you want better tenants, make sure you give them a home to get excited about! Your Bellevue, Washington rental property won't attract quality residents if it's dirty, dingy, and doesn't smell fresh and clean. 

While we're not suggesting you show up every week to clean your real estate investment while your tenants take a nap, a thorough "deep clean" is a critical part of the make-ready process between residents. Before taking fresh photos for your rental listing, make sure a rental is spotless to catch the eye of excellent potential renters. 

When you experience quality residents that enjoy living in your well-kept rental property, they're more likely to renew their leases (and improve your returns)!

2) A Clean Rental Sets the Right Example

The cleanliness of a rental property on move-in day sets the tone for your expectations with new renters. If the property has stained carpet and dusty window blinds, you'll have difficulty getting your renters to keep the property any cleaner than they found it when they first move in. 

Set the stage for prospective tenants by cleaning every nook and cranny before they move in. When they see a well-maintained rental, they'll be more likely to keep it at that level  (or close to it) throughout their lease term. A clean rental is also an excellent way to welcome new residents and start the landlord-tenant relationship well! 

3) Cleanliness Reduces Potential Problems for Real Estate Investments

No matter the condition of your rental after your last renters moved out, make sure you don't let any maintenance or unsanitary conditions continue into a new lease term. 

When residents don't keep a clean home, your property is open to problems like pest infestations, necessary renovations to replace soiled carpeting, and other damage from bad habits and neglect. These issues become expensive problems to fix, and your property values can decline. 

Dealing with unsanitary conditions can also make your rental unfit for renters. Real estate investment owners in King County lose rental income while making repairs or deploying costly cleaning processes to make a property livable again for new residents. 

How Should Owners Keep a Rental Property Clean?

Now that you know more about why it's important to keep clean rentals for better ROIs, how should you approach it? Consistent cleaning can eliminate the need for corrective measures for a property that goes too long without a thorough cleaning process. 

A professional property management team knows that cleaning a rental property is one of the best low-cost ways to improve returns—and it doesn't have to be a difficult or lengthy process between renters. When renewing a lease in King County, offering an annual all-house professional cleaning can help maintain excellent property conditions (and encourage renters to renew)! 

Use What You Have

Before investing in expensive cleaning solutions or tools, see what you already have. Keeping a clean rental property doesn't require high-end tools or multi-step processes that can discourage you (and renters) from keeping things clean.

A property manager recommends collecting items like:

• A bucket
• Old rags
• Non-toxic cleaning solutions
• A brush with a handle
• Rubber gloves
• A vacuum

Often, the best way to clean your investment property is to use these simple items and scrub floors, tubs, sinks, counters, toilets, and more. Even DIY cleaning solutions can be all you need to brighten surfaces, kill germs, and help your rental smell "ready to rent!"

Bring In More Help If You Need It

If stubborn carpet stains persist after your first attempts to clean them away, consider renting a carpet steamer. For rental property owners with multiple rentals, buying a carpet cleaner can be a smart investment to use throughout each property between renters. 

While cleaning an investment property doesn't have to be a time-consuming project, sometimes finding the time to do it can be challenging. Grab a friend to help you clean, or consider hiring a cleaning service or property managers to handle it for you. 

A Property Management Company Can Clean Up and Boost ROIs!

Keeping rental properties clean may not seem like a priority compared to other ROI-boosting strategies, but it can actually be one of the best ways to get more out of your investments. In addition to boosting ROI and property value, cleaning up your rentals will undoubtedly help you attract better renters!

With Real Property Associates on board as your property management partner, we can make sure that all of your investment properties stay spotless. You'll enjoy better ROIs and property values and more free time!