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How to Prepare Your Hawaii Home to Rent

Nov 23, 2021

How to Prepare Your Hawaii Home for Renters

So, you’ve decided to rent out your Hawaii home—before you place that ad or hang that “For Rent” sign, you’ll want to make sure that your property is ready to welcome your new tenants. Ensuring that the home is clean and move-in-ready will go a long way toward getting off on the right foot with your new tenants and avoiding potential future conflicts. Remember, first impressions really do matter!


The property managers at Locations recommend that landlords take the following steps before placing their home on Hawaii’s rental market.


Assess the property

Before you rent out your home, you’ll want to assess the property to see if any repairs are needed. This is also a great time to consider upgrades to the home, such as new flooring, paint, appliances, window treatments or light fixtures. Taking some time to make your Hawaii rental home more appealing before you list it can help you to attract more potential tenants and net a higher monthly rental income. If you’re not sure which upgrades will get you the most bang for your buck, as your Locations property manager.


Remove all personal items

Unless you plan to include furnishings with your rental property, you should remove all personal items from the home before your tenants move in. All that should remain in the rental home are large appliances, working smoke detectors, mounted light fixtures, plumbing fixtures and window coverings (if you chose to provide them).


Turn on utilities

If the utilities have been turned off, you’ll want to arrange for them to be turned on. You’ll need working electricity and water to do a deep cleaning and make any necessary repairs. You’ll also want to have working lights and running water for showings.


Make it sparkle

No one wants to move into a dirty home. Before you list your property, you’ll want to do a thorough cleaning. This includes cleaning appliances (inside and out), steam cleaning carpets and mopping hard floors, dusting vents, molding and baseboards, and scrubbing showers, tubs, sinks and toilets.


Cleaning your home for new tenants can be a big undertaking—if you’re not able to do the cleaning yourself, or if you just don’t care to, your Locations property manager can arrange for a professional cleaner to prepare the home.


Download our cleaning checklist


Check appliances

Be sure all appliances are clean and in good working order. If your rental home has a dryer, be sure to check the vent and lint trap—a clogged dryer can be a fire hazard. Run a load of towels through the washing machine to make sure there are no leaks and that the water drains properly.


In the kitchen, you’ll want to make sure that the refrigerator and freezer run at the appropriate temperatures, and that the refrigerator coils are clean. To check the stove and oven, test all burners and check the oven temperature with an oven thermometer.


Check that hot water comes out of every faucet and that all outlets work (outlet testers are inexpensive and handy). If your property has air conditioning, make sure filters are clean and that cool air comes from all vents or units. Be sure to test all smoke detectors, too!


If you’re not sure how to test your appliances, ask a professional property manager at Locations.


Pro tip: Keep all appliance manuals together where tenants can easily access.


Change the locks

Before a new tenant moves in, you’ll want to call a locksmith to change out all the locks. Make sure that all keys, as well as building fobs or garage door openers, if applicable, are operational.


Verify parking, storage

If the rental property is a condo or townhouse, you’ll want to verify which parking spaces and storage areas your tenants may use.


Provide documents

Make sure your tenants have a copy of building or homeowners’ association (HOA) documents, if applicable. If your tenants violate a building or HOA rule, you could be held responsible.


Leave it to the pros

Because there are several steps to preparing your Hawaii home for renters, do yourself a favor and hire an experienced property manager at Locations. Our expert property managers can help to ensure that your rental property is clean, safe and ready for renters. Hiring a qualified Hawaii property manager can help to put more cash in your pockets each month and keep your tenants happy. It’s a win-win!


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