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If you have a property that you rent out, you are essentially in the landlord business. As such, you may want to consider the services of a letting agent. Such an expert can help you manage any property and tenants, all the while you reap the benefits of the business. Depending on how many of the tasks you are willing to take, letting agents can help you out a lot. Following are the most common services that letting agents provide: 

• Finding good tenants – one of the major duties of a letting agent lies with finding tenants for their client. As a landlord, you know just how important it is to ensure that your property doesn’t remain vacant. No tenants mean no rent and no revenue. A letting agent can help you find tenants quickly. This includes marketing the property, advertising and taking photos of it. They can further arrange viewings for you, and conduct right-to-rent checks. They can set up the tenancy agreement. As for deposits, the letting agent can take up an inventory of the property, to ensure the right amount is deposited. This is an important aspect of working with a letting agent, and it might even be the only service you use such an expert for. 
  
  
• Collecting rent – if you wish to, the letting agent can be tasked with rent collection for you. It is a service that they sometimes add to the tenant find. Apart from collecting and protecting the deposit, the letting agent can also address the rent each month. They will chase after the tenants, serve notices on those that are late, and advise you over what steps should be taken if the tenants don’t pay their rent. Many agents may offer insurance, to protect your income in the case of rent arrears. 
  
  
• Vetting tenants – finding tenants for the property sure is important, but it is just as important to find the right ones. This means working with tenants who stay long-term, cause no problem and pay their rent on time. There is no doubt that every landlord wishes to have such tenants. A letting agent can do some checks for you, before you sign with a tenant. The expert will minimise the risk of running into tenants that aren’t serious and cause trouble. 
  
  
• Prepare the property for a new tenant – many things must be done, when a tenant vacates the property. For starters, there might be a need for repairs and maintenance work, to prepare the place for the next tenant. Additionally, there is cleaning. All of these are tasks that a letting agent can arrange for you. That way you can welcome new tenants with as little disruption and downtime as possible. 
  
  
• Property inspection – this is another important aspect you can delegate to your letting agent. When inspections happen and how they are performed can be a matter you don’t concern yourself with. The letting agent will serve the notice and arrange all matters of the question. 
  
  
• Communication with the tenant – it can be the letting agent that answers phone calls and emails from tenants. They can get queries and questions, and deal with the matters promptly. Communication with tenants is an important aspect, which you may dread, but it is not a problem for a letting agent. 
  
  

These are most of the typical services that a letting agent can do for you. Make sure to ask more about their work and arrange a service package that best works for you. 

© Onyx Property Team

If you have decided to rent out your property, you need to consider all of the little details. It can get somewhat overwhelming, especially if you have not done this before. It is important to make a checklist of things to do before you rent, to ensure success with this endeavour. Here is what you have to consider in regards to getting your house ready for rent: 

• Start the work early on – if you are planning on starting the tenancy soon, you will have to prepare the property well in advance. If your property looks like a building site, then it is very unlikely that any tenant will be interested in it. If you are late with the renovations, you might expect awkward viewings. Give it about 8 weeks before you think of listing the property. That time should be enough to allow you to make the necessary changes to the property. 
  
  
  • Give the property a makeover – those 8 weeks mentioned earlier should go towards making the property look more desirable to tenants. The walls should receive a fresh lick of paint, and the furnishings should be new. If the place looks like it has been well-taken care of over the years, tenants will be more likely to say yes to the offer of staying there. Make sure that you invest in furniture and appliances that are built to last. 
  
  
  Design it with your tenants in mind – always consider the type of tenants the property will have. Whenever possible, go for neutral furnishings and colour, simply because they appeal to a larger audience. Sometimes, different people will occupy the property and it is not possible to match all of their requirements. That is why sticking to more general designs are more profitable over the long run.
  
  
• Make some repairs – the property needs to be safe and functional. In fact, this should be your main priority. And while it is true that repairs plus renovations are mostly part and parcel of the job, you have to ensure that you carry them out regularly. The house has to be risk-free after you have carried out the necessary repairs if you are renting it out. Replace broken furniture, repair the fixtures and fittings that call for it and test your appliances for functionality. Bear in mind that you can go with designs that are easy to replace. For example, instead of hardwood floors, maybe carpet tiles are better. Dark colours look cool, but they show stains and are harder to maintain. It is seemingly small things like that, which make a big difference in the long run. 
  
  
• Sort out your appliances and utilities – apart from conducting the necessary repairs, you also need to be 100% sure that all appliances and utilities operate in line with the safety regulations and guidelines. For example, gas appliances like boilers, radiators and ovens should be tested by an approved company. Ain addition, you should also test things like electrical outlets and lights. Install safety measures – smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. You need to acquire an Energy Performance Certificate, as well as a gas Safety Certificate. 
  
  
• Keep it clean – lastly, it bears mention that the property needs to be 100% clean and ready to welcome tenants. If you want to ensure that it is hygienic, fresh and clean, you can hire a professional company to do that for you. 
  
  

Knowing how to get your property ready for rent is essential for finding tenants quickly and getting them there. Make sure to follow all of the listed advice. 

© Onyx Property Team

While hunting for the house of their dreams many people prefer tackling the task on their own. Surely you can achieve a lot by yourself, but finding a brand-new home may require some help from the pros. No matter if you need a tiny downtown apartment or a huge house with a lawn, your real estate agent would be right next to you each step of the way. Why should you invest in expert service, when you can simply search alone? Here are the most essential reasons why hiring an agent is the right call:

• Your demands are fully met – when you start looking for a new place to invest in, chances are you already have a concrete idea on the way that wonderful home should look like. From a cosy fireplace that would keep you warm all winter long to a lovely picket fence surrounding your lawn, most home hunters have a unique requirement they wouldn’t give up on. To find exactly what you’ve been looking for, share the image with your real estate agent. He or she knows how to meet your customised demands, thus saving you a lot of time wasted in the search.

• Stress is minimised – have no doubts – buying a new home is a rewarding undertaking. Even so, throughout the entire process, you would be faced with many stressful moments only an expert could save you from. Hesitation and fear are typical emotions home buyers often experience, that’s why relying on a proven real estate agent to rid you from your doubts is a great asset. With their help, you are less likely to feel overwhelmed with the great number of decisions you have to make because your realtor would guide you through the selection process. A proven agent is well-familiar with the specifications of the property you are interested in and that’s how they can let you discover important details that simplify your choice.

• You get more options – going online indeed provides an opportunity for you to take a look at many properties available on the market. However, bear in mind that not all places for sale are enlisted in websites and some homeowners prefer putting their places on the market privately. In such cases, only real estate agents are granted exclusive rights to sell the property and unless you rely on a professional service, you wouldn’t find out that many fantastic places are available. Don’t miss your chance to purchase the house of dreams because of limited access. Instead, hire a proven realtor who has an endless list of contacts.

• Possible price reduction – depending on the type of property you are aiming at, you can easily miss a hidden issue you would otherwise negotiate. Whether you would skip checking the ceiling for cracks or a leaky tap wouldn’t drag your attention, property flaws can be used to get a price reduction. While you don’t have the skills to detect flaws in a house, your real estate agent can inspect a property in a flash. Unless your future home is in outstanding shape, with the help of an expert you get a real shot at having the issues fixed by the owner or getting the price lowered.

• No paperwork troubles – you can get lucky and find the desirable home by yourself, but what’s next? Let’s face it, once the fun part is over and a property has been chosen, paperwork comes into play. For many buyers collecting paperwork is frustrating, that’s why hiring a realtor is the best option to rely on. For your experienced real estate agent it is no trouble to collect and double-check the required documents, thus ensuring that finalising the deal wouldn’t be burdened by anything.

Let your house hunting go free from worries with the help of a proven real estate agent. Working with a realtor allows you to experience all the positive emotions the process involves since you can fully confide in your agent’s professional knowledge. 

© Onyx Property Team