On the issue of owning rental homes in Azalea Park, you need to keep track of the condition of each of the home’s exterior elements, and this is just as important as identifying the best time to replace the carpet or repaint the walls. It doesn’t matter if the property you’re renting out is old or new, knowing the age of each item and how long it can be reasonably expected to last is an important part of successful rental property management.
A good landlord or property manager understands the healthy lifespan of common exterior elements of your rental property in Azalea Park. A product’s lifespan is how long it should last when used under standard conditions. As a case in point, consider patios. A quality cement patio lasts upwards of 50 years owing to the very durable nature of cement. On the other hand, wooden decks last a relatively short ten years because of how sensitive they are against natural elements.
For reference, we’ve listed a few common exterior items and their average lifespan:
- Garage Door: 15 years
- Automatic Garage Door Opener: 5-10 years
- Wood Fence: 10 years
- Stucco Exterior: 20-50+ years
- Vinyl Siding: 25 years
The concept of a lifespan becomes relevant when you have a tenant that has caused property damage that goes beyond normal wear and tears. As an illustration, let’s say your vinyl siding gets damaged, but it is more than 25 years old, the tenant shouldn’t be held responsible for the cost of repairs. If the vinyl siding is fewer than 25 years old, the tenant would likely be responsible to pay some or all of the cost of repairs.
Rather than spending too much time and money on a lawsuit that would drag on, the smart thing to do would be to stay ahead of property damage. With the relevant information and a proactive approach to property management, keeping every element of a rental home is indeed possible. Regular replacement of items beyond their useful lives is one way to avoid bearing the full cost of repairs caused by tenant negligence. Another option is to have regular property evaluations done so that every part of the rental home can be tracked.
Real Property Management Freedom prepares you for the future with maintenance plans, property evaluations, and much more. This is all part of their comprehensive property management program. We have the skills and information to keep your Azalea Park real estate investments profitable for several years to come. Would you want more information? Feel free to contact us online or by phone at 813-867-2667.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
