Tips On How to Cut Costs as a Landlord

Unquestionably, the biggest goal of any business is to generate and maintain steady income and profit. This is also the goal of every landlord and property manager in the rental property business.

One other way in which you can achieve this goal in your rental property business is by cutting costs.

Therefore, this article covers practical tips that can help you cut costs in the rental property business world.

Scrutinize Tenants Properly

This is one of the best tips that can help you cut costs. Irrespective of how long your property has been vacant, make sure to always go out of your way to get the best tenants for your property.

Although leaving a property vacant can lead to loss of potential income, the loss caused by evictions and arrears is far more costly.

Ensure that all prospective tenants are properly referenced to ascertain that whoever you let your property, can afford the rent for the period of the fixed term.

Therefore, you should not admit a prospective tenant into your property if there is a doubt over their character or source of income.

Educate Yourself on Applicable Laws

One of the ways landlords incur extra costs is through fines mainly caused by refusal to comply with federal, state, or local legislation.

Therefore, to cut costs, you need to ensure that you take your compliance obligation as a landlord seriously.

Below are a few tips you can adopt to avoid breaching your compliance obligation as a landlord:

Purchase any necessary licenses to let your property

Carry out “Right to Rent” checks to ensure that prospective tenants have the right to live in the United States

Provide your tenants with a property that is safe and habitable. For example, a valid gas safety certificate

Agree with your tenants on a reasonable time/date you can enter the property

It is noteworthy to state that certain legislations will vary depending on the city. Therefore, you must know the local laws that apply to landlords/tenants in the city where your property(ies) is located.

Invest in Landlord Insurance

Insurance is an essential commodity everyone should invest in, especially owners of property. Landlord insurance can help you prevent huge monetary loss in the case of a serious incident to your rental property.

That said, it is important to state that landlord insurance policies are typically costly. Therefore, you need to get the best insurance policy for your money.

Below are two tips that can help you get a good insurance policy while also saving money:

Reach out to certified insurance experts or professionals. They will provide the right information that can help you find a good insurance policy that fits your budget and property.

Ask the insurance firm about the kind of discounts they provide. Mostly, insurance firms provide discounts to:

Landlords with smoke detectors and home security systems on their property
Landlords that belong to certain organizations
Landlords that already have a homeowner insurance policy with them

With the discount, you can cut down on insurance costs. Notably, landlord insurance policies might seem unnecessary, however, they protect you, your money, and your rental property against future risks.

Hence, if you get a good landlord insurance deal, it is definitely going to be worth the investment.

Regular Maintenance of Property

No landlord should treat regular maintenance and repair of their rental property in a lackadaisical manner; it is an essential part of property ownership.

Not only does regular maintenance of your property keep your tenants happy, but it also keeps your property value and your real estate finance in good shape.

The ‘a stitch in time saves nine’ rule also applies here. If you regularly maintain your property, there is a chance that you’re avoiding future emergency costs or problems.

Below are a few things you should routinely do to maintain your property:

Always check your emergency alert systems and ensure they are working optimally. (Security systems, fire alarms, and smoke detectors)

Observe your sewage system, water system, and pipes for evidence of faultiness or leaks

Schedule regular pest control inspections to prevent infestation

Based on the features of your property, there are several other routine maintenance procedures you can carry out. Therefore, you should use your discretion to determine other procedures.

Learn About your Tax Advantages

When you speak to a real estate accountant, you can discover a lot of tax advantages that are available to you as a landlord.

Hence, the importance of partnering with a good real estate accountant cannot be over-emphasized.

With proper knowledge, you can maximize profits and reduce your tax costs.

Moreover, remember to always keep all of your receipts – you would need them to qualify for the tax advantages. A good real estate bookkeeping system can help with this.

Regularly Review Rental Rates

You need to periodically review your rental rates and compare them with the rates of the landlords around you.

By doing this, you can easily avoid overcharging or undercharging your tenants compared to similar properties around you.

Rental rates change from time to time. Therefore, there’s a need for you to keep yourself abreast of current rental rates, so you’re not knowingly losing money every month.

You can keep yourself abreast of the current rental rates in your community by:

Checking through the Internet and finding out what landlords in your community are demanding for similar properties

Looking through your local paper, especially the section that deals with letting

Speaking to letting agents in your area

If you find out that you’re undercharging, increasing your rental charge to the current market price is never a wrong idea. However, you must always try to achieve balance and fairness.