HELP US, HELP YOU, GET YOUR PROPERTY RENTED!

1. Turn Everything On If you have your cable, hot water, or any other services turned off in the off season, make sure they are turned back on before the rental season starts.
2. Telephone Supply a phone with a long distance phone block. Cell phones are popular, but many tenants still expect a house phone for local calls.
3. TV's with Cable TV in the master bedroom (in addition to the living room) has become the norm. Many owners offer TV's in all of the bedrooms. Provide 2nd tier cable service. The cost is low and something often requested by tenants. More and more tenants are requesting wireless internet access.
4. VCRs and DVD Players now cost under $100 and almost all owners provide them. Also supply a few movies, particularly ones for children for rainy days. Please make sure you have remotes.
5. Deck Furniture is expected. Having a four-bedroom unit with 4 deck chairs is inviting the tenant to bring living room or dining room chairs onto the porch.
6. Grills (Not Recommended) Grill use is regulated in Ocean City. Please contact City Hall and check the city ordinance that restricts grill use.
7. Dining and living room seating You should have dining room area seating for at least the number of people your unit sleeps. Be sure you provide ample places for the tenants to sit and eat.
8. Dishes, Pots, Pans, Utensils, tableware, etc. Look them over before the summer. Make sure there are enough for the number of people who will occupy your unit. Also check your glassware before and during the rental season. Check your pots and pans for excessive wear and grease buildup.
9. Small Appliances Microwave oven, Coffee maker, Tea pot, Blender, Toaster oven, mixers, stereo, etc. Tenants expect these items in the unit and they take these items into consideration when looking for a rental.
10. Beach Tags We do not recommend supplying beach tags. If you advertise them as being included, the tenant expects them to be there. Tenants sometimes inadvertently take them home leaving the new tenant extremely upset when they are not available. Provide 3-4 beach chairs as a courtesy instead.
11. Trash Containers Have ample large trash containers outside and a couple of extra dosen't hurt in case the trash collection is missed. Have a larger size container in the kitchen for convenience. Post the day during the week when trash is picked up along with rales for recycling. Leave plenty of bags.
12. A supply of Board Games, cards, paperbacks, and magazines will be used and appreciated on rainy days.
13. Cleaning supplies If you leave cleaning supplies, people will use them. Many tenants that don't clean after they leave complain that there were no cleaning supplies to use. Good mops, brooms, buckets, sponges, detergents, Windex, etc. A good vacuum with spare bags will save your rugs much wear and tear. The best way to avoid carpet and upholstery stains is to provide a good spot/stain remover. Don't forget to leave extra light bulbs and batteries.
14. Service your Air Conditioner Have your air conditioner serviced every spring. It can save you lots of headache in the summer and expensive emergency repair costs.
15. Cleaning People One of the most important decisions that you will make is hiring a cleaning person. Interview them carefully and if possible get references. Ask them how many properties they will clean in addition to yours. Ask them to leave a checklist of the items cleaned at your property after service. Ask if they are willing to leave their name and number at the property, informing the tenant that the property has been cleaned. A quality cleaner will have no problem doing this. Change shower curtains liners midway thru the summer, as mildew tends to accumulate at the shore, giving the appearance of an unclean shower or tub. Ask your cleaner to check the property to look for any obvious damage as our agents are unable to view the property after every checkout.
16. Deadbolt, Garage Codes, and Keys Please make sure that we have garage codes and keys. If you have a deadbolt that you alone have the key for, please give a key to the rental agent assigned to your territory or one of our office managers. Every year we have lockouts for deadbolts we don't have the keys for.
17. Security Deposits Security deposits are for damage outside of normal wear and tear. Tenants are only asked to leave the property broom clean, not immaculate. Don't rely on your tenants to do the job of the cleaning service. Want to make your tenant really mad? Take $15-$25 out of their security deposit for some minor item after they just paid $4,500 to rent your property for one week. Accidents happen, but is it worth losing a potential tenant over $ 15 or $20? If you are paying a cleaning service to come in and clean after your tenants leave - let them clean. Don't be so anxious to take a tenant's security deposit because it wasn't left as clean as the cleaner would like. That is what a cleaner does - clean.
18. Pre and Post Season Cleaning Tenants come down to rent units in the winter, so units that are cleaned after the summer, always show the best and have a greater chance of being rented. Professionally clean your carpets at the end of every summer. Repaint if necessary. Have the landscaping regularly attended to - weeded, etc. Get ripped screens repaired as needed. Check decks for holes, crack, etc. and spray on a wood preserver every September. Check you property before every summer to make sure it is clean and stocked with all the necessary items tenants expect. Make sure the outside shower is cleaned. A good fall and spring cleaning may make or break you rental season.
19. Rates Do you really know what you should be charging based on your competition? If you raise your rent $300 a week or don't reduce it $300 where needed and lose a $2,000 rental, what have you gained? The lost income from an empty rental week can never be recaptured and can't be made up by raising the rates. This will only create more empty weeks. We notice far too many open units that are simply overpriced and will most likely sit empty. Please call our office and one of our agents will discuss your rates with you.
20. Make it easy for agents to rent your property Are you hard to reach on the phone? Do you book rentals yourself without confirming it with your agent(s) first? Nothing is more embarrassing and frustrating for an agent than booking a rental and having the owner call him back two days later and inform him that he has already rented it and didn't bother to call. This can leave a lasting negative impression from everyone's standpoint. A double rental is the worst thing that can happen and you don't want a $2,000 rental to cost you thousands of dollars more in legal costs and fees.
21. Owner Rentals Please report all owner rentals to us immediately. Marr Agency will not provide keys to rentals not done through one of our Marr Agency offices. Owners who rent their own units should make arrangements with the tenants to handle problems and distribute keys.
22. Think about what you would like in a rental Property First impressions are important when people come down to rent. Does the entry stair area or front door need paint or cleaning? Open the front door, walk in, take a look around as if you were a tenant and try to be as critical as possible. Upon entering the property the very first thing a tenant may notice is not the furniture, the layout or the view - it's the smell. That musty smell caused by a combination of "Sea Air" dampness and odors trapped in carpeting and upholstery in a home closed up for many months. Many rentals have been lost due to "the smell". There are many products on the market today to help alleviate musty odors. Look at the rugs for wear, color, and cleanliness. Look at the walls, doors and trim - Do they need paint? Is the color from the 60's? What about the furniture -does it match? Is it appealing? Does it need to be replaced? Are the bedspreads, pillow covers, pillows, throw rugs, etc in good condition? If you were fussy would you rent your unit?