Cleaning up is not something that any of us want to do but if you want to maintain the value of your rental properties, keep the property in good condition, and meet Bellevue city ordinances, you have to handle it. Bellevue has relatively strict requirements for the appearance of your property, but, for the most part, you should already know most of it. As summer sets in, hot weather, rain, and faster vegetation growth should all be considered. The following tips and for Bellevue landlords can help you get started.
Lawn and Garden
The main goal for maintaining your lawns and gardens should include watering, regular trimming and mowing, and cleaning up after larger shrubs and trees. For this, you should usually hire a gardener.
The City of Bellevue recommends cutting grass to 2 to 2 1/2 inches and then mowing it once per week through the first half of summer. Afterwards, you can mow every two weeks, when growth slows down. Use fixed sprinklers and water your lawns for 10 minutes, or use oscillating sprinklers for 30 minutes. Depending on your soil you’ll want to water every other day or every three to four days.
You’ll also want to keep trees and shrubs trimmed so that they stay out of the way, off of paths, and several inches away from sidewalks.
Air Conditioning
It goes without saying that you should inspect the air conditioning unit, change the filters if applicable, and inspect the ventilation or duct system if applicable. Hiring an inspection team once yearly or every 6 months can allow you to solve problems before they turn into an emergency maintenance call, which can cost significantly more. It also allows you to take better care of your tenants. If the unit is empty, make sure that you clean out fans, clean out dryer vents, and double check all of your vents to remove built up dust, hair, or other pollutants. If you have current tenants, consider printing up a flyer asking them to do these things in order to reduce the chances of a summer fire.
Clean
If it is your responsibility to keep the exterior of a building clean, make sure that you do it. With more rain, more people out in the sunshine, and more greenery, a lot can happen in the summer. Consider hiring someone to wash windows and the exterior of the building on a monthly basis. If you have a lobby, yard, or other area, you will want to make sure that it is cleaned on a weekly basis in the summer.
Maintenance, lawn care, and preparation might not be something you have time for, and if not, that’s okay. You can get a Bellevue property management company handle all of the details for you, so that all you have to worry about is your next investment. Plus, you won’t have to spend time finding qualified, reliable maintenance at the price you want, because your property manager will handle it for you.