On the subject of owning rental homes in Pillager, knowing and keeping track of the condition of the home’s exterior elements is every bit as important as knowing the proper time to replace the carpet or repaint the walls. It makes no difference if you’re renting out a property you’ve had for years or a home you just finished building, knowing the age of each item and how long it can be reasonably expected to last is an important part of successful rental property management.
A good landlord or property manager understands the healthy lifespan of common exterior elements of your rental property in Pillager. A product’s lifespan is the number of years it is expected to last under standard conditions. As a case in point, consider patios. A quality cement patio lasts upwards of 50 years owing to the very durable nature of cement. However, wooden decks only last for about ten years due to how quickly it reacts to natural elements.
For reference, we’ve listed a few common exterior items and their average lifespan:
- Garage Door: 15 years
- Automatic Garage Door Opener: 5-10 years
- Wood Fence: 10 years
- Stucco Exterior: 20-50+ years
- Vinyl Siding: 25 years
The concept of a lifespan is extremely relevant when dealing with tenants that have caused property damage; especially when the extent of the damage went well beyond normal wear and tear. As a case in point, if your vinyl siding gets damaged, but it is more than 25 years old, the tenant shouldn’t be held responsible for the cost of repairs. If the vinyl siding is fewer than 25 years old, the tenant would likely be responsible to pay some or all of the cost of repairs.
The wiser thing to do, instead of throwing your time and money into a futile lawsuit, is to stay ahead of property damage. With the correct information, coupled with a proactive approach to property management, it is very likely to keep all the elements of a rental home in good condition. Regular replacement of items beyond their useful lives is one way to avoid bearing the full cost of repairs caused by tenant negligence. One more way is to conduct regular property evaluations to keep track of the conditions of the different parts of the rental home.
Real Property Management Deluxe offers a complete property management program that includes, among other things, planning for the future with maintenance plans, property evaluations, and much more. We have the knowledge and the tools to keep your Pillager real estate investments profitable for a long time to come. Would you want more information? Please contact us online or give us a ring at 218-454-7962.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
