Why Inspect Your San Francisco Rental Property?
Whether you’re renting out a small apartment building with four units or a series of high rises downtown, keeping that investment compliant and in good condition impacts your bottom line. It also makes you a better landlord.
During any inspection, the first thing you want to check is that the building is safe and secure. Look at doors and windows and make sure they lock. Evaluate your exterior lighting and make sure there are no dark spots in parking lots or garages. Can tenants feel safe approaching and entering the building?
Test smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and fire extinguishers. Make sure emergency and evacuation instructions are clearly posted and easy to find. If there’s a gate or a security code, make sure it’s functioning and up to date. Walkthrough the entire building looking for safety issues such as loose handrails, trip and fall hazards, and any problems with walls, ceilings, and floors. Spend some time in the common areas and make sure residents are treating furniture and amenities properly.
Water is a big problem for properties. Protect your investment from leaks and drips by checking faucets, hoses, sprinkler systems, and gutters. Look for any signs of moisture, such as discoloration on the ceilings or soft spots in the walls. If tenants have recently requested water-related repairs, follow up to make sure there haven’t been any additional incidents.
You’ll also want to make sure the electricity is working and safe. Look at the outlets and test the lights.
An additional benefit to these routine inspections of your San Francisco rental property is that you can create a maintenance checklist and update your maintenance budget. When you put eyes on your property every month or every few months, you’ll know when you might need roof work or a lighting upgrade. You can plan for small repairs and major projects. Don’t wait for the water heaters to start rusting; put together a timeline for when they’ll be replaced, and a plan for how they’ll be maintained.
Other preventative maintenance issues to pay attention to include:
● Pest control
● Servicing and inspecting the HVAC system
● Pool or spa care
● Landscaping
At BanCal Property Management, we conduct monthly visits and inspections to ensure the property is compliant, safe, and habitable. We also make any recommendations on necessary maintenance to our owners, investors, and HOA boards.
You can expect us to ensure all units are rent-ready after an efficient turnover process. We’ll check building systems and make sure everything is up to date and compliant with all local and state codes. We look at fire alarms, elevators, sprinklers, HVAC units, fans, and we check emergency generators.
All of your annual and seasonal maintenance needs are documented and scheduled, which helps us stay organized with preventative maintenance and building certification requirements. We’ll also manage all security systems, preventing any additional liability and risk for owners and associations.
Contact us at BanCal Property Management with any questions you may have about property inspections and why they matter to San Francisco rental properties.
Author - Kelli Smith
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