How to Prepare a Rental Property After a Tenant Moves Out

Every day of vacancy costs you. Here's how to move fast without cutting corners.

Table of contents

Document first

Photos before you touch anything. It protects you if there's any dispute over damage or belongings left behind.

Whatever's left — furniture, garbage, mattresses — goes first. It's hard to inspect a unit that's still half-full of somebody else's stuff.

Not a regular clean. Behind the fridge, inside the stove, baseboards, windows. Small stuff makes the difference in showings.

Wall touch-ups, light fixtures, door locks. The obvious stuff before photos.

Photos in daylight, good angles, and honest listings. You'll get better tenants.