Repairs for Rent-Ready

[Dan Nguyen]

I got my list of items that the property manager recommends repairing today. Most are paint/patch/caulk and window screens. This is a long distance home so I am not able to manage it myself. The total estimated cost seemed high for just minor repairs  ($2700-$3700, $500 of which is PM fee) There are a couple items I expected would be flagged but not mentioned:

Recommended items that i think may not be needed:

- Seeding back yard lawn

- Remove satellite dish on roof

Items I thought would need to be on list but not mentioned:

- Add washer/dryer

- Clean gutters

- Attach electrical panel cover

- Fix loose lighting fixtures, cover open junction box

Thoughts? Do you typically seed your lawn for a rental property? I doubt it grow anyway with the amount of attention it would need to start germinating and growing. Also is it necessary to remove the satellite dish on roof? I haven't even removed the ones on my own home.

[Nathan Gesner]

Quote from @Dan Nguyen:

Welcome to the BiggerPockets forums!

Seeding depends on the condition of the lawn and location. It's the wrong time of year to seed a lawn in my area.

I do not remove existing satellite dishes because it could damage the roof. You can remove the actual dish and leave the bracket. This makes it less visible, but it doesn't leave holes that require patching.

Cleaning the gutters and putting a cover on the electrical panel is far more important than removing a dish.

I'm jealous that your PM gets away with charging 15% markup on maintenance! I hope they're worth it.