Pleasant Hill, California, is known for its many unique amenities including its schools, like John F. Kennedy University and Diablo Valley College. It’s also known for being wine country, with breathtaking nature views in almost every direction. The robust parks and recreation options in Pleasant Hill might just be an outdoor enthusiast’s dream come true, as well.
But as a rental investor with a Pleasant Hill property, you know that in addition to amazing community amenities, there are also a few common issues that arise with your business. Today, we’ll highlight a few of the most common problems you might be facing, along with suggestions to help you navigate through them.
High Maintenance Costs
Almost every rental property owner will face certain challenges when it comes to controlling maintenance costs. You can’t predict major repairs or mechanical failures all the time. There are two fronts on which you can fight the never-ending need for a maintenance budget. First, address those costs from a property condition standpoint by keeping up with routine and seasonal maintenance efforts. Servicing an HVAC unit twice each year will keep you from facing a surprise AC failure and an emergency, high-cost Sunday evening call to repair. The second method for controlling costs involves building relationships with your contractors. Ongoing and long-term relationships can also present opportunities to negotiate the costs of those service calls.
The Pet Predicament
This issue comes up a lot, and not just with renters in Pleasant Hill. Landlords with a policy of no pets routinely face tenants trying to sneak in a critter or two. It’s a common problem, and the excuses usually include, “I’m just watching my brother’s dog” or “I’m trying to find a home for Felix.” It’s not a secret that pets, whether allowed or not, can do more damage to a property than most would like. To combat some of these excuses and added costs, consider adding a clause or conversation during your lease signing that addresses your policy for handling “your brother’s dog” or rehoming a pet. Even if you already allow pets, requiring the tenant to reach out and add a temporary pet addition (and deposit) to the lease can help reduce these occurrences.
Qualifying the Right Tenants
Another common problem for Pleasant Hill rental property owners is finding the right tenants. You know all too well how costly it can be to have a vacancy. But you also know that renting to the wrong tenants can be just as expensive. To avoid these common renter pitfalls, it’s important to have a thorough and strict pre-screening process. No matter how reliable the renters seem or how desperate you might be to fill a vacancy, take the time to call the references, verify the employment, and do the background check. Those extra steps may take time. But in the end, they can save you time and money in avoiding a bad tenant.
Late Rent Is a Common Problem
There isn’t a rental property owner in Pleasant Hill or anywhere who doesn’t occasionally face the late rent dilemma. Most of the time, there’s not much you can do to prevent it. But you can lay in certain protections and respond to late-payers in a way that keeps these occurrences to a minimum. Especially in today’s economic climate, consider offering flexible ways for renters to catch up on payments. If the tenants are notorious for excuses, don’t hesitate to move forward with your eviction process.
To help you handle the various common problems with your Pleasant Hill rental property, contact PMI Contra Costa CONTRA COSTA. We can help you navigate the routine and not-so-routine challenges and make sure you’re able to reduce your risks and continue to grow your bottom line.
Free Image by Steve DiMatteo from Pixabay
