Why Does the Age of Your Branchburg Rental’s Exterior Matter?

On the issue of owning rental homes in Branchburg, you need to keep track of the condition of each of the home’s exterior elements, and this is just as important as identifying the best time to replace the carpet or repaint the walls. It doesn’t matter if you’re renting out a property you just recently built or one that you’ve owned for many years, knowing the age of each item and how long it can be reasonably expected to last is an important part of successful rental property management.

A good landlord or property manager understands the healthy lifespan of common exterior elements of your rental property in Branchburg. A product’s lifespan is the number of years it gets when used under standard conditions before it needs to be replaced. For instance, a quality cement patio lasts upwards of 50 years because of the remarkably durable nature of cement.  At the other end, wooden decks go for approximately ten years since they are very sensitive to natural elements.

For reference, we’ve listed a few common exterior items and their average lifespan:

• Garage Door: 15 years
• Automatic Garage Door Opener: 5-10 years
• Wood Fence: 10 years
• Stucco Exterior: 20-50+ years
• Vinyl Siding: 25 years

The concept of a lifespan is important especially when there is damage dealt by your tenant to your property; and even more so if you can use it to establish that the damage goes beyond normal wear and tear. For instance, if your vinyl siding is damaged, but it is more than 25 years old, the tenant shouldn’t be held responsible for the cost of repairs. If the vinyl siding is fewer than 25 years old, the tenant would likely be responsible to pay some or all of the cost of repairs.

A smarter thing to do than waste time and money on a trivial lawsuit is to stay ahead of property damage. With the proper information and a proactive approach to property management, you can keep all elements – both inside and out – of a rental home in great condition. Regular replacement of items beyond their useful lives is one way to avoid bearing the full cost of repairs caused by tenant negligence. Another option is to have regular property evaluations done so that every part of the rental home can be tracked.

Real Property Management NJ Elite has offerings such as the comprehensive property management program. It includes preparing for the future with maintenance plans, property evaluations, and much more. We have the means and knowledge to make sure your Branchburg real estate investments remain profitable for many years to come. Would you like to know more? Don’t hesitate to contact us online or give us a ring at 908-955-7487.