Listen On:
So, the lease is signed, the confetti’s basically falling, and then… what? If you’ve ever found yourself scrambling three days before move-in trying to remember whether you actually collected the security deposit, this episode is for you. Kevin and I are walking you through exactly what to do after a tenant signs their lease, starting with the money you need in hand before you ever hand over a key, and the one rule we refuse to break, no matter how much we like a new tenant.
We’re also getting into our pre-move-in walkthrough process, including a California law that changed how many photos we now take of every single unit, and why it’s actually in our best interest, even though it felt like a hassle at first.
Plus, I’m sharing what’s actually inside our welcome email and our tenant unit binder, the small welcome gift we leave for every new tenant, and a story about a garbage disposal habit that cut our repair calls almost to nothing.
And toward the end, we give an honest, unsponsored rundown of the landlord software platforms people ask us about most, so you can decide what’s actually worth paying for.
Hit play, because by the end of this episode, you’ll have a repeatable process for everything that happens between signing day and move-in day.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- The exact order of operations for funds, documentation, and rent setup after a lease is signed
- The one rule we never break, no matter how much we like a new tenant
- Why California now requires landlords to photograph every unit before, during, and after a tenancy
- What’s actually inside our welcome email and tenant unit binder
- The simple habit that’s cut our garbage disposal repair calls to almost nothing
- An honest, unsponsored comparison of Innago, TurboTenant, DoorLoop, and RentRedi
Links & References Mentioned in This Episode
Episode 8: Our Best Tips for a Smooth Tenant Move-In
Episode 26: Welcome Gifts — Why They’re Important for Your Rental Property Business
Episode 67: Renters Insurance — What Every Landlord Needs to Know
Episode 123: Landlord Systems — The Unit Binder
FREE Move-In / Move-Out Inspection Form
BLOG: 10 Things Tenants Need to Know at Move-In
BLOG: The What and Why of Move-In and Move-Out Inspections
Innago: Completely FREE landlord management software
TurboTenant: Great landlord management software for newer landlords
RentRedi: Management software that syncs with QuickBooks Online
DoorLoop: The best landlord management software for larger portfolios
Connect with Us:
🌎 Visit our website
📧 Subscribe to our newsletter.
👆Click this LINK to select from our FREE Landlord Forms and Doc’s
🤳Text Us SMS text to 650-489-4447. We love questions and love letters, hate mail not so much!
📩Email us at: [email protected], [email protected]
✔️Course Waitlist: From Marketing to Move In, Place Your Ideal Tenant
📱 Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & join our private Facebook group
🎧 Listen & Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app
*This post contains affiliate links. We may earn a very small commission (at no additional cost to you) if you purchase from here. These small commissions are to benefit our business so thank you for your support.
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes