Having more financial means allows you to purchase more items you need, helps you realize your dreams, and directly translates to a deeper sense of security when bad times come. The issue is, in the case of traditional jobs, making more money is often a result of getting a raise or a promotion, and these don’t come often.
One way in which you can significantly increase your income is to rent out your property, preferably one which is not currently used by your family.
The financial gain from doing so is considerable; however, it is not as easy as it might seem. Leasing estate is a serious process, and doing so without proper procedure is not the wisest idea.
Fortunately, there are several tips concerning what to focus on when renting out your property, such as renovating it, hiring a real estate agent, screening possible tenants, writing proper tenancy agreements, and getting landlord insurance that can make your life much easier.
Read on and learn how to safely reap profits from your newly rented living area.
Screen Possible Tenants
When interviewing candidates for your property, be sure to put their personalities under the microscope.
While you should also make sure that they have enough money to pay for rent, it’s not only about whether or not they have enough money. It’s also about whether or not they are willing to pay the rent on time, if they are
respectful towards others, etc. If they have a stable job, that would be a huge plus, though an income protection policy could make the situation less questionable.
That’s why you should make sure they have proof of income, proof of residence, proof of identity, proof of their credit score, proof of their bank account balance, proof of their address, etc.
These guarantees will allow you to hold them accountable for their actions if some problems arise.
Renovate Your Property
If you want to rent out your property, it is very likely that you will have to invest some money into it.
In the case of a house, you will most likely have to paint it with pleasant-looking colors, make sure that all electrical appliances work, and add a few shelves here and there.
Your tenant will be paying for this in the form of rent, so it’s worth the money.
Sometimes all you need to do is to fix any broken windows, repaint your front door or your front yard, and add a few decorative plants.
This way, your home will look significantly better and will attract potential tenants much faster than before.
Hire A Real Estate Agent
Now that your house looks much better than before, you should start looking for potential renters.
As a landlord, you will have to deal with a lot of paperwork and problems that might arise. If you don’t want to spend much time on these, you should hire a professional agent instead.
The agent will deal with tenant problems, maintenance work, and any other issues that might come up.
Moreover, you can rest assured that they will select an ideal tenant for your house who is not only financially fit but also matches your requirements when it comes to personality and behavior.
It is well worth it to pay someone for this, as you will spend less time and mental energy dealing with such matters, which will allow you to focus on your primary job.
Most importantly, they will help you avoid getting scammed by a fraudulent person who wants to take advantage of you.
Write Proper Tenancy Agreements
Tenancy agreements are essentially contracts between the property owner and the tenant where the former agrees to rent out their house or apartment to the latter for a certain period of time in exchange for a certain amount of money.
They can be written either on paper or digitally, though paper is still more common.
Write your tenancy agreement carefully, and make sure that it covers all possible questions and concerns that might arise.
When writing it, consider that you will have to defend yourself in court if the tenant tries to sue you, so make sure that you’ve covered all bases.
Always make sure that the agreement is signed by both parties; otherwise, it will not be valid under the law. You should always keep a copy of the tenancy agreement and make sure that your potential tenant does the same.
Get Landlord Insurance
Last but not least, get landlord insurance which will protect against any possible damages which might happen during the rental period of time.
For example, if something happens while your tenant is staying in your property, such as fire or flooding in their bathroom, this policy will cover the repair costs.
If something happens to your property in general while it’s rented by someone else than you, this policy will cover you for repairs as well.
Additionally, if someone gets hurt on your property due to negligence on your side, this policy will compensate them for medical expenses.
Conclusion
While renting out your property might seem like a quick and easy way to make money, it’s actually a serious process that requires you to be on top of your game.
If you are not careful, you could end up losing money instead of earning it. Therefore, if you are considering renting your property out for additional income, be sure to follow the aforementioned tips on how to do so properly. Good luck!