There are a number of questions that you need to ask yourself when you are deciding whether or not you should rent out your property. Short term? Long term? How do you feel about being a landlord, maybe for the first time? A little bit of pre-planning and preparation will get you and your rental property in the shape you need to enter the rental landscape.

It's All In The Setup!

Long term or short term, there are some definite tasks at hand that need to be taken care of in order to ensure the safety and happiness of your renters:

• Entry: is your system for entering the home, either by traditional key or remotely via the many available apps all set up and operating smoothly?
• Are your washer and dryer, dishwasher, fridge and all appliances down to the toaster in optimum working condition? Think like your tenant. When you rent a vrbo or Airbnb on vacation, you want everything to work.
• Cleanliness is key, and a major factor in short term rentals, in determining repeat business and recommendations.
  
  If you plan to set up your rental as short term, take these steps to ensure maximum satisfaction for your tenants:

• Pictures  - they say a thousand words and will go a long way in affecting your vacancy rate.
• An inventory of what is on hand in your home. Provide an entire list on your site so that renters don't have to wonder.
• Nearby recreational amenities and your favourite spots to eat and shop!

Determining Your Rate:

You will first need to understand how much rent to charge to make sure you are covering your costs — mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities. You will also want to ensure you have a fund set aside for maintenance and general upkeep to keep your rental in top condition. Will you be hiring someone to take care of cleaning services or tackling this on your own? You will need to determine that rate and ensure it is also covered. Be real with your time. It might seem like an area to save money but do you have time to clean your rental every time someone goes in and out?

A simple way to ensure your rates are competitive are to check online on other rental sites. For a longterm rental situation, Craigslist and Kijiji will work, or Airbnb for short term rentals. You may also consider a property management company, but keep in mind that there is a cost involved for this convenience.

Caution: ensure that you have all of the necessary insurance in line for both short and long term rental situations. You may also want to consult with a lawyer to understand your legal liability.

Being a Landlord:

There are key personality traits of a really great and successful landlord, be it one who is managing short or long term rentals. Good communication skills, efficiency with time, reliability, being resposible, acting with honesty and integrity, being well-organized with keen attention to detail. Keep in mind that a good landlord will have good tenants. The care and attention that you put into your renters will be reflected in the quality of tenants you will have, as well as the care that will be shown for your home by your tenants. Acting with the above qualities will go along way to ensuring a successful landlord-tenant relationship for you both.

Short Term vs. Long Term Renting:

There are countless reasons why we may come to a time in our lives when it will just make sense to downsize from the homes that we raised our families in, to a more financially and physically manageable space. Whether it is from acreage to a condo, to a townhouse to a condo, there are many variations on what your new happy space can look like. The task can definitely seem daunting, but there are steps that you can take that will have you breathing a sigh of relief rather than of discontentment. Here are just a few simple ways that will get you heading in this new and exciting direction!

2. Start Small.

If you have raised 3 kids under your roof, you are bound to have what feels like a million sets of sheets, and an unnecessarily high amount of towels. Will you need all of this in your new space or can your new linen closet get away with being only 1/3 the size of your current one?
Speaking of linen closets - this is a perfect place to start. Start in the rooms where there are items that you will have the least amount of emotional attachment to, or rooms that have large items that require selling, and that you won't want to be moving on your own such as the garage.

3. No garage? No office? No problem

Revel in the fact that you might not need your lawnmower any longer - perhaps you have purchased a condo and strata will now take care of outside maintenance. Sell that lawnmower, tools and everything else that you used to need to keep the outside of your home looking perfectly groomed. 
Essentially you are looking to sell, gift, or donate any items that occupy rooms that you do not have in your new space. If you no longer have an office, where will you put office supplies? Think about the space that you now have not the spaces that you had.

4. One isn't the loneliest number.

3 flippers? 5 saucepans? 6 cookie sheets?  It's time for the clutter to take a hike.  Beautiful dishes and serving platters might be better off finding a happy home at a home that entertains often. Really take the time to consider what you will truly need in your day to day life in your new space.

5. Only make 'Yes' or 'No' piles — no Maybe's.

Be objective and absolute in your resolve to downsize your belongings. Do I use this daily? KEEP. Weekly? KEEP Monthly, or occasionally? BYE-BYE! Black and white is the only way to think in this case. If you start to think maybe, you will end up with a pile of goods that you will never use, and will be occupying valuable space in your bright new home. 

6. Don’t be afraid to sell things yourself.

From Poshmark to Craigslist, Ebay, Kijiji, as well as numerous Facebook groups to traditional yard sales and consignment shops, selling your valuables has never been easier. Be sure to weight out your time cost compared to how much money you are making by selling these items. Donations go along way with those that are in need!If you have a number of antiques or valuable items, it is a good idea to get in touch with a company that is familiar with auctioning these types of items. These pieces, after all, have been an investment over the years.

7. Enjoy the walk down memory lane!

You've held onto so much for so long. Every stuffed animal, elementary school drawing, and take me home from the hospital outfit holds so many memories. Enjoy the memories. This is why you held onto these items all of these years — to spark joy and memories of the best times in life!These items represent a life well-lived, and families well raised. You may no longer need to hold onto all of them, but take a moment, even take some pictures and take the time to remember great days your family spent together making these precious times.

The next step? Enjoy the knowledge that you are taking your next step with a clear mind and many less moving boxes than before you started the downsizing process!