When you own multiple investment properties maintaining them and managing them can be more than a full-time job. There are so many different things to do to the property in order to keep it functioning and in good condition. Many times property owners will own properties in different states and even in different countries sometimes and this makes it difficult for them to be hands-on with every single one of their properties. Property management services can help the investor with their properties and keep them not only looking good but bringing in rental income as well. Anytime you own rental properties there are going to be times when the property will be vacant while you are looking to replace old tenants with new ones. Leaving vacant property unattended can cause more than just a couple of problems that could cost thousands of dollars to fix. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons you should think about using vacant property services.
Your Property Could Be Vandalized
This is probably the biggest reason you should consider vacant property services. Thieves will often canvas neighborhood or businesses properties looking for the ones that are vacant with no activity. They will often break into these properties looking to steal anything worth value. Copper thieves are especially dangerous because they will go into a property and steal all the copper wiring out of the walls and air conditioning units and this could cost you in upwards of ten thousand dollars to replace. It’s also common for thieves to steal the entire air conditioning unit, windows, doors and any type of fixtures out of homes. These items bring top dollars on the black market and it’s big business for criminals. If you have a property management services monitoring your property and securing it properly with alarms and daily inspections this will eliminate the potential threat of thieves coming onto your property.
Homeless People Can Live On the Property
Vacant homes are often infiltrated by homeless people who are simply looking for shelter. If your property is unattended for extended periods of time they will look at it as an opportunity to find shelter. However, in the process, they will cause damage to the home that will cost thousands of dollars to repair. Not to mention that it will be hard to find tenants or buyers for the property with a group of homeless people living in the home.
The Condition of the Property Will Deteriorate
A home that sits vacant, without any general upkeep, will very quickly deteriorate and become a horrible eyesore. There are several things that need to be done to properties to keep them in good rentable or sellable condition. The grass needs to be mowed at least once a week during the summer months and every two to three weeks during the winter month. It’s also a good idea to run the water inside and outside the home to keep the plumbing in good working order. During the winter months, we often go through days where we endure below-freezing temperatures for extended periods of time. When this occurs the water pipes will need to be protected and water will need to be left on in a sink at a slow drip to prevent the pipes from freezing over and bursting. In the event that bad weather strikes your property, you will need to have property management services inspect the property for damages so they can be repaired right away. All of these services are provided by vacant property services and it will help keep your property looking its best.
