Want to Rent Your Home for Extra Cash? 4 Ways to Let Your Property Run Itself

Renting out your home can be an excellent way to make some extra money, but that type of project could become quite stressful if you aren’t careful. Luckily, with a few basic upgrades and some professional help, your property could practically run itself.

Hire a Property Manager

There are quite a few reasons why many landlords decide to hire property managers. In addition to limiting their risk of high tenant turnover, an experienced property manager can also minimize the amount of time that they need to spend on each piece of property. 

Those professionals can be hired to carry out a wide variety of important tasks, including finding and vetting tenants, collecting rent, and taking care of repairs.

Put Tenants in Charge of All Utilities

Covering a few expenses on your own could attract high-quality applicants, but all of the primary utilities should be signed over to your tenant. Once the utilities are in their name, you won’t have to worry about figuring out additional bills or collecting extra money each month. 

As an added bonus, switching the utilities over to a tenant will also limit your risk of a major blow to your credit if the bills aren’t paid on time.

Use Landlord Software

One of the best ways to simplify this process is to use high-quality landlord software. That type of software will allow you to save and track vital information, such as when rent is being paid and how much you are making on your property. 



Some landlord programs also make the process of finding a tenant much easier by allowing you to create eye-catching listings, organize incoming applications, and screen those who have applied.

Invest in Maintenance Contracts

It might be tempting to save some money by carrying out maintenance on your own, but that is only going to eat into your time. Even seemingly simple maintenance could take up hours every month, and that is why some landlords invest in maintenance contracts with local companies. 

Local contractors can help you take care of many different tasks that are going to keep your rental property running smoothly. That includes regular pest control, HVAC maintenance, electrical work, and minor plumbing repairs.

Before you rent out any type of property, you should always speak with some type of financial adviser or tax specialist. Becoming a landlord is going to have a huge impact on your finances, and you want to be absolutely sure that you don’t make any mistakes that could eat into your profits.

How to Ready Home for Short-Term Rentals

Short-term rental opportunities make it easy to generate a little extra income. Preparing a spare room, unused area, or even the whole home for a short-term rental can be an important undertaking. A clean, orderly, and comfortable household can help to ensure better reviews and more rental opportunities in the days ahead.

Deep Cleaning

The first step towards any make-ready is too deep to clean any room being rented, as well as any common areas. Frequent rentals can allow you to get away with only a single deep clean with some less intense cleaning in between each guest. For an initial rental or for the first rental in weeks or even months, it is always a good idea to scrub everything down fist.

Declutter the Environment

A cluttered environment can lead to many problems. Depriving a guest of the space, they need to unpack or get comfortable is rarely beneficial. Cluttered and disorganized environments can also increase the risk that something gets broken or becomes misplaced. 

Pairing a rental area down to just a few essentials is often the smartest move. If you are transforming or flipping a home basement, you will have a lot of big projects. Use garbage removal services to throw away all your junk and get your rental clean and clutter-free.

Make Sure Everything Works

From light switches and electrical outlets to bathroom fixtures and WiFi access, taking an extra minute to ensure everything is in good working order can help you to avoid unnecessary problems with future guests. Contacting utility providers like electrical contractors to resolve an issue is something that would best be done long before the arrival of a guest.

Providing Amenities

A few amenities like extra towels or access to hot beverages like coffee and tea can help to make a short-term rental far more comfortable. Using the home to generate rental income can be an uphill battle for those who fail to meet the needs of their guests. 

Simple amenities and courtesy items often play a crucial role in ensuring that homeowners are more likely to obtain a favorable rating or review following a short-term rental.

Ensuring a Stress-Free Stay

Anticipating the potential needs of a guest rather than dealing with a problem after the fact often proves to be the best policy. A little care and forethought mean that essential concerns are less likely to go overlooked. Taking a more active approach towards preparing a room or even the entire home for a short-term rental means that problems and complications are less likely to occur.