Landlord's Guide: Start Here

Leasing your home goes smoother when you know what's coming. It comes down to 8 steps, done in order. Here's what each one involves and where to learn more.

See how I help you lease your home →

Plan

1. Evaluate your home and goals. Decide whether renting or selling fits your plans, and check your taxes, insurance, mortgage and HOA rules before you commit. Coming Nov 2: Should You Rent or Sell Your Home in Texas?

2. Price your rent. I'll prepare a rent analysis using recent leases nearby and the homes you'll compete with. Pricing right helps you avoid weeks of vacancy. Coming Nov 9: How to Price Your Rental Home

Prepare

3. Get rent-ready. Make repairs, deep-clean and check the locks, security devices and smoke alarms Texas law requires. Coming Nov 16: Rent-Ready Checklist for Texas Landlords

Market

4. List and market. Professional photos, the MLS and the major rental sites put your home in front of qualified applicants. Your ads describe the home, never the tenant. Coming Nov 23: Marketing Your Rental Home (and Fair Housing Basics)

5. Showings. Keep a vacant home looking cared for, or set showing windows that work for your current tenant. Coming Nov 30: Showing Your Rental

Lease

6. Applications and screening. Share written selection criteria, and review every applicant by the same standards. Coming Dec 7: Tenant Screening in Texas

7. Sign the lease. The lease covers rent, deposit, term, repairs, pets and the required disclosures. The tenant pays the deposit and first month's rent before move-in. Coming Dec 14: What Your Texas Lease Should Cover

8. Move-in day. The tenant completes a move-in condition form, and you keep dated photos. Those records protect you both when it's time to return the deposit. Coming Dec 21: Move-In, Security Deposits and Move-Out

Ready to lease your home?

Every home and every lease is different. Call or text me at (512) 629-9050, and I'll help you plan your lease from pricing to move-in.