Whether you’re showing the actual residence a potential new community member will lease, or a show residence that’s already furnished and staged, preparing residences for new occupants is important.

Everyone wants to move in to a fresh start, and no one wants to get into a new lease feeling like they’re living with the previous occupant’s mess. For this reason, there are a few things your management and property maintenance team can do to make sure your teams and new residences really get off on a great start. A few ways to prepare residences for new occupants are:

1.    Give the carpets a cleaning – If your residences use carpet in any area of the home, giving them a good solid cleaning is a great way to ensure new residents are getting that new and fresh moved in feeling. Carpet can collect a myriad of dust, allergens, and stains, and the only way to remove these effectively for a new resident is to have them cleaned. A bonus for you – a regularly cleaned carpet is also a carpet that will last longer without falling into need of repair or replacement. 

2.    Fresh coat of paint – Much like cleaning the carpets, a fresh coat of paint can make all the difference in transforming a space into something ready and new. Focusing on the walls and the front door, this will give new residents the feeling that your management team is one that cares about not only upkeep, but the first impression residents are given as well. 

3.    Wash the outside – A quick pressure washing of the outside of the residence, if possible, can also really help to prepare residences for new occupants. This simple and quick process can help to make paint look fresher, it will make the exterior look much cleaner, and the walkway or porch area will look and feel much more inviting. 

community members know how your team cares about the impression they’re making on new additions to your community. These simple steps taken before a new occupant moves in will get you just the right start you want to keep these residents around, and happy, for the long haul.