On the issue of owning rental homes in Mineola, 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 Mineola. A product’s lifespan is how long it should last when used under standard conditions. As an illustration, think of patios. A quality cement patio lasts upwards of 50 years thanks to the durable nature of cement. Wooden decks, however, only last for a comparatively short ten years since they have proven to be very sensitive to the 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 is crucial, especially when your tenant deals property damage that exceeds normal wear and tear. For instance, if your vinyl siding is 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.
Instead of spending so much time and money on a useless lawsuit, it would be better to beat property damage instead. With the proper information and a proactive approach to property management, you can keep all elements – both inside and out – of a rental home in great condition. 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 Landmark 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 information and the expertise to see to it that your Mineola real estate investments remain profitable for a long time to come. Would you want to know more? Don’t hesitate to contact us online or give us a ring at 516-522-2859.
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.
