Preparing Property for Rental

[Bryn Chatterton]

Good morning everyone. I am getting ready to convert my primary residence into a rental property after we move. This will be my first time as a property investor. I am trying to make sure we do all the necessary updates, maintenance, requirements to the property before putting it up for rent. Does anyone have suggestions on the items they find most important? I am not sure if I am just over thinking it and want it all to be perfect now, to avoid issues in the future. I also don't know if this is creating such a large cost, that it puts us more in the negative and makes it not worth it. 

The property is overall in great shape. Some of the things I am concerned about are the carpets (older, cheap carpet to begin with), windows (do not open and close well), painting (do all the walls need to be painted white? Does all the paint need to be touched up?), caulking (re caulk all the bathrooms), landscaping and grass (1 dead plant that needs replaced, bald spots in the yard).

[Jake Knight]

Congratulations on taking this big step! At a very base level, make sure the property is up to health and safety codes for your location.  In my location, if a window doesn't stay up on it's own that would be a safety violation.  Also, try to depersonalize the property as much as possible and get it in a state that looks like it's well managed.  If you feel like the carpets are really worn, I'd replace that.  That's attractive to renters.  I would make sure wall colors are neutral, etc...