For a landlord, the math on a turnover is simple: every day a unit sits empty is rent you're not collecting. The goal is to get it rent-ready and back on the market without dragging it out — and without lining up five different contractors. Here's the make-ready punch list Jim works through so nothing gets missed.
Walls and paint
Patch nail holes and dings, touch up or repaint scuffed walls, and knock down any drywall cracks. Fresh, clean walls do more for showings than almost anything else.
Fixtures and hardware
Swap dead bulbs, fix wobbly outlets and switch plates, and repair or replace tired cabinet and door hardware. Small stuff, but tenants notice it on a walkthrough.
Plumbing checks
Test every faucet, toilet, and drain. Fix the running toilet and the dripping faucet now — they're cheap to handle between tenants and a hassle once someone's moved in.
Doors, locks, and safety
Re-key or change locks, make sure every door and window latches, and check smoke and CO detectors. Safety items first, always.
Final walkthrough
A punch-list walkthrough catches the things that are easy to miss — a loose toilet seat, a missing outlet cover, a sticky drawer — before the next tenant finds them for you.
Keep one number on call
The landlords who turn units fastest aren't doing it alone — they keep one reliable person on call for turnovers and recurring maintenance. One call, one trip, unit back on the market.
Got a unit turning over? Send Jim the list and he'll handle the make-ready end to end.