The Garden City Realty Difference: Maintenance Edition.
Typically when you think of maintenance staff, you think about a reactive team. A problem comes in and maintenance is sent out to fix it. Although our maintenance staff takes pride in problem-solving for guests and homeowners, a large portion of their time is also spent being proactive to maintain each property before a small fix becomes a huge problem.
During the off-season, our Garden City Realty Maintenance Staff is busy preparing for the next season ahead. Given the opportunity to use this time, our maintenance technicians proactively go to our properties and complete a property inspection for our homeowners. Our Property Inspections allow our maintenance staff to learn the property, spend time looking around, and finding the unique characteristics of each individual property. We enjoy working with our homeowners to get their property in a condition that guests can fully enjoy their vacations.
So what does our maintenance staff do at these property inspections? While each property may differ, we have listed some of the things our Property Inspections include and the information we relay to our homeowners.
- Expired Smoke Detectors – Did you know that smoke detectors expire after 10 years? It is always a great practice to check the smoke detectors while changing the batteries every 6 months to make sure that the sensors and everything is functioning properly. This can help our homeowners’ put their minds at ease knowing that this is one way Garden City Realty is helping to protect our homeowners and guests.
- Cosmetic Issues – our technicians take pride in obtaining before and after pictures of cosmetic issues within a property that are repaired. We are able to send these pictures to homeowners to show the work that has been completed at their property.
- Air Filters – while routinely checked, air filter sizes are updated and maintained throughout the year and noted on the property inspection report.
- Light Bulbs – The maintenance department has changed our light bulbs to the more efficient LED bulb. While the cost of each bulb is a little different than previous years, this will help our homeowners with electric bills and also expand the life of the bulb.
- Batteries – we check all of the remotes for corroded batteries in the property.
- Maintaining Locks – We inventory the keys at the Vacation Rentals Department and re-key properties when needed. Did you know that Garden City Realty offers our homeowners the opportunity to have Point Central Keyless Locks on their properties? These are becoming a major benefit for security and ease at a property. Guests are assigned individual codes that have a timeframe of use before they expire on their check out day. This limits the chances of someone coming back to the property and using a key to enter. As of April 2020, we have over 76 properties that have Point Central Locks and we encourage each homeowner to consider installing one on their home. Interested in how these keyless locks are able to protect your rental property? Contact our Owner Services or Maintenance Department for further details.
- Window Screens – This is one of the most overlooked items that can really help the outside of a property. Many guests come to enjoy the sound of the ocean or to feel the ocean breeze in the mornings, evenings, night, without the bothersome “noseeums” or gnats/insects getting into a property. Our inspection report covers screens at properties and we notify homeowners if they are torn or need to be replaced. Many times we are able to replace the screen and spline in our office and have the screen returned in a timely fashion.
- Flappers, Drains, Faucets and Sprayers, Garbage Disposals – During our inspection we are testing these items to make sure they are fully functional and there are no obstructions for guests or homeowners.
During a property inspection, our technician may spend anywhere from two to four hours in the property reviewing any maintenance related issues that need attention prior to the rental season. We work hard to provide proactive support to our homeowners to encourage a great rental season that will make guests want to come back and stay at the same property year after year. If you would like more information on the Garden City Realty Difference within our Maintenance Department, please feel free to reach out to us at 843-652-4250.
– By Sara-Lauren Dozier, Property Services Admin Coordinator Garden City Realty
