Our Favorite Landlord Products*
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Every 5 years we replace our smoke detectors. Yes, they are rated for 10 years but lately, we rarely have one last over 5.
Our favorite smoke detectors are the ones that are interconnected. Meaning, when one goes off in one part of the home, it will trigger adjacent units nearby to sound as well.
It not only has a high pitched beeping sound, but it speaks to tenants as well. This unit has the option to choose from 11 locations, letting tenants know where the fire is located. This is especially important with heavy smoke, as you don’t want them to attempt to exit in the direction of the fire.
Check out the wireless, battery-operated ones (smoke only) we use in our single family home rental.
Let’s Talk Fire Safety
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When you think of fire safety, does your first thought go to smoke detectors or fire extinguishers? Yea, us tooโฆ
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If you own a rental unit with living space on the second level or higher, please consider including a portable escape ladder in each bedroom of that unit.
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Some cities or states have ordinances which ๐น๐ฌ๐ธ๐ผ๐ฐ๐น๐ฌ some form of ladder, so know your landlord laws and make sure you are in compliance.
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There are portable ladders that come in 2 sizes to serve up to 3 story escapes and are less than $50. Thatโs a small price to pay to save a personโs life in the event a fire blocks their entrance. If itโs required and you havenโt provided an escape, youโll be paying much more in damages.
Emergency Gas Shutoff Wrench
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This is a must have on any property but especially your rental units where a plumbers wrench may not be handy.
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In the event of a house/unit fire, flood, wildfire evacuation, or earthquake, the gas meter will need to be shut off to avoid a potential explosion. ๐ฅ
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You can hang this $5 tool from the gas meter so itโs right where itโs hopefully never needed.
Include instructions when you do your tenant move in walk through.
We realize there are lots of remedies for cleaning stainless but having these wipes saved us quite a bit of time during a quick spruce up before showing our unit.
Often if a tenant returns our unit fairly clean, we will just go in and finish off the few items that need a little more love. Never fails that the stainless appliances we provide have grease, finger prints, swirl marks, or water stains on them.
These wipes are so easy to use: just wipe on the appliance (like wax on a car) and use the soft cloth to buff it out. The transformation is truly amazing!
Each tub comes with 30 wipes so these will last you a while. Available in spray as well.
Master Lock 5420D Set Your Own Combination Portable Lock Box with Adjustable Shackle, 6 Key Capacity
This is the exact unit we use on all of our rental properties. As we have been doing renovations, we have had contractors coming and going for measurements and installation. This lockbox has allowed us to continue being landlords and not having to drop everything to run and unlock the door for someone. Once the work is completed, we will change the code and keep the box there for future use.
Features:
Adjustable shackle cinches lock box tightly and securely to most lever, ball, biscuit, and tulip door knob styles
Set your own 4 digit combination lock box for easy combination recall, set and reset your combination allowing thousands of personalized combination code options
For indoor and outdoor use, vinyl coated shackle and molded bumper prevent scratching, metal body construction for durability, weather cover protects combination dials from outdoor elements
2-7/8 inches wide lock body, 3/8 inches diameter shackle with 1-3/4 inches MAX length, 3/4 inches minimum length, 1-13/32 inches width, internal dimensions: 4-3/16 inches height, 2-3/8 inches width, 1 inches depth.
Not many know what this tool is for nor that it even exists!
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If you guessed itโs to use when the garbage disposal gets something stuck in it, youโre smarter than I am!
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This tool usually comes in the box with new garbage disposals. We leave it taped to the inside of the kitchen cabinet under the sink for tenants to use.
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We put together a quick โhow toโ video so we could text it to the tenant should they call in for maintenance on their disposal. Watch it on YouTube.โ
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Always better to try the quick fix before calling in a pro or taking your own time to check it out.
3M CLAW Drywall Picture Hanger with Temporary Spot Marker, Holds 15 lbs, 6 Hangers, 6 Markers/Pack
We discovered these several months ago and now include 2 with every welcome basket left for our new tenants.
The 3M Dry Wall Picture Hangers are perfect for hanging heavy artwork or mirrors. In a variety of hanging strengths, these hangers have a steel claw lock to secure on drywall, and comes with a spot marker to mark exactly the right spot on your rental property wall.
๐ชThe engineered hardened steel claw locks securely into drywall.
โIncludes a spot marker to mark where the mirror or art piece will hang.
๐คMakes 3 small holes that are easily repaired.
๐ซNo tools required to find a stud.
ย ๐๐จ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ช๐ ๐จ๐ฅ๐ค๐ฃ๐๐, ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฃ!
Most of our units have white enameled sinks. Our bathrooms have fiberglass shower inserts.
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Where they look sparkly and pretty upon install, they really are not the best option for rentals.
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When a tenant moves in, we give a welcome gift that includes a blue kitchen sponge along with other items like TP and some snacks and waters to enjoy on move in day.
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The blue sponge sparks a conversation where we are able to explain how that sponge works just as well as the green on the kitchen sink and stovetop but is less abrasive, keeping scratches and dullness at bay.
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Most of the time, tenants are unaware, appreciate the information, and are willing to comply.
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Itโs a $1.00 cost and 30 second conversation that keeps your kitchen clean and looking new longer.