58 articles on property maintenance, written by the team that manages 700+ rental units across the Columbus metro. Page 1 of 3.
Move-out is the point in a tenancy where Ohio law gets specific and expensive. Here is the sequence that keeps a Columbus landlord out of a deposit dispute. TL;DR An Ohio tenant move-out runs on one hard deadline: under ORC 5321.16(B), the itemized deduction list and any money owed are due within 30
Read the article →The tenant is gone. The couch, the boxes, and half a closet of clothes are not. Before anything goes in a dumpster, it’s worth knowing that Ohio law says less about this situation than most landlords assume, and that the gap is where owners get sued. TL;DR Ohio has no statute spelling out how landlo
Read the article →A slow leak under a bathroom sink costs a few dollars to fix in March. Left alone until December, it can cost $3,000 in subfloor and drywall repairs. The difference between those two outcomes is usually one thing: whether anyone looked. TL;DR A quarterly rental property inspection checks safety equi
Read the article →A refrigerator dies at the worst possible time, mid-lease, on a Friday. Here’s the rule RLPM’s maintenance team uses to decide whether a failing appliance gets fixed or replaced, before it becomes an emergency. TL;DR Replace an appliance once it’s past roughly 75% of its expected lifespan and the re
Read the article →A burst pipe doesn’t wait for a convenient month. Before buying a first rental or refinancing a fifth, Columbus owners need a real number for how much cash should sit on the sidelines, not a guess. TL;DR RLPM recommends six months’ rent in reserve for a Central Ohio rental property, covering mainten
Read the article →Central Ohio’s first heat advisory of the season landed in late June, with heat index values pushing past 100 degrees, and a round of severe storms already swept the region earlier in the month. Here’s what Columbus landlords should have locked down before the next heat wave or downburst hits. TL;DR
Read the article →Maintenance is where property management costs either make sense or quietly spiral. Before signing with any Columbus PM company, here is what the numbers actually look like. TL;DR Columbus property management companies handle maintenance through three main models: in-house hourly rates, vendor marku
Read the article →Central Ohio winters leave fingerprints on a rental property. The damage is rarely dramatic, but it’s almost always cheaper to find in May than to repair in August. TL;DR Spring maintenance on a Columbus rental property comes down to two passes: an exterior walk-through to catch what winter damaged
Read the article →Allowing pets can increase demand and reduce vacancy, but only when risk is controlled. A strong pet policy combines clear rules, consistent screening, and financial protection. RL Property Management’s Pet Protection Program now covers up to $4,000 in pet-related damage beyond the security deposit,
Read the article →Disclaimer: This article is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws and local codes can change, and their application may vary based on specific circumstances. Property owners should consult a qualified attorney or local code profes
Read the article →After Columbus’s recent Level 3 snow emergency, one thing became very clear: winter here isn’t just inconvenient, it can get expensive fast, especially for rental property owners. Heavy snow, prolonged freezing temperatures, ice, and sudden cold snaps put serious strain on homes across Central Ohio
Read the article →Look for Recurring Repair Patterns If the same maintenance issue keeps showing up in your logs, it’s no longer a repair; it’s a replacement waiting to happen. Property investors often delay upgrades because a fix “seems cheaper” in the moment, but recurring costs add up quickly. For example, if your
Read the article →Every week your property sits vacant, you’re losing income and momentum. Yet many landlords, especially accidental or first-time investors, underestimate what it truly takes to make a property “rent-ready.” In Columbus, Ohio, particularly in desirable A and B neighborhoods, today’s tenants expect mo
Read the article →Why Summer Maintenance Isn’t Optional for Smart Investors Columbus summers are no joke. High humidity, sudden rainstorms, and relentless heat can put serious stress on your rental property. If you’ve already tackled some summer prep, great. But staying proactive mid-season can be the difference betw
Read the article →Make Your Property Stand Out This Leasing Season June is peak leasing season in Columbus, and competition for quality tenants is fierce. With more options on the market, renters are being choosy. That means your property needs to do more than just check the boxes… it needs to stand out. Thoughtful r
Read the article →For self-managing and out-of-state landlords, keeping tabs on a property’s condition is tough. Tenants may not report minor issues until they escalate, local code violations slip through the cracks, and wear-and-tear adds up. What’s more, properties often sit vacant between or before leases, waiting
Read the article →Real estate investing in a growing city like Lewis Center, Ohio, holds exciting prospects, but to truly maximize returns, investors need a well-planned strategy and continuous management. That’s where property management services in Lewis Center prove to be invaluable. Whether you are a new investor
Read the article →When it comes to increasing the value of your rental property, not all upgrades offer the same return on investment (ROI). Strategic capital improvements can enhance both market value and rentability, but the key is knowing which improvements offer the most impact. Investing wisely requires an under
Read the article →A well-drafted lease agreement protects your interests as a landlord as well as your tenants’. If it’s been some time since you’ve reviewed your lease agreement or if you’re drafting one for the first time, read on for some important clauses to include. 5 Essential Terms to Include in Your Rental Le
Read the article →Real estate is among the strongest-performing asset classes for investors, and its performance generally only goes up the longer you hold on to the property. That means even if you do nothing (other than maintain the property), its value will increase and you will generate monthly rental income so l
Read the article →Part of what makes investing in real estate so intriguing for newbie investors (and seasoned veterans alike) is its dynamic nature. Property values are not stagnant, and in the case of multi-family rental properties, owners have the power to exert direct control over improving their property’s valua
Read the article →Repairs and maintenance make up the largest category of any property owner’s budget. There’s just no getting around it, it takes money to maintain and operate a rental unit. While some of these costs and responsibilities can be handed off to your tenants (if you spell them out in your lease), you a
Read the article →The tenant-landlord relationship is adversarial in its design. The landlord is the person collecting rent, they have control over the residence, and in terms of winning over praise, there’s basically no hope, at least categorically. This inherent power imbalance can lend itself to conflict, or if n
Read the article →You’ve done all the right things to secure a high-quality tenant. You have a great resident in your property who pays their rent on time, is not disruptive and follows the rules. Now, the question is, how do you keep them? Ways to Retain a Resident at Renewal While surprising to some, studies sugges
Read the article →A free, data-backed rent evaluation using our own portfolio numbers and current market comps.
