A Property Manager’s Guide To Sparkling Parking Lots
“Never judge a book by its cover” is a phrase I’m sure we’re all well-acquainted with and, quite frankly, tired of hearing. Why is it that the English language is chalked full of phrases, comparisons and “advice” that is entirely false and, at times, even unhelpful? If you’re a property manager, you are aware of just how wrong that age-old quip about judging based on appearances is. When it comes to property management, decent first impressions and split-second judgements can be the difference between renting a unit or not. Keeping up on appearances also lets tenants know you’re taking care of their current home as if it was your own, making them feel cared for and off the rental websites.
However, it can be incredibly overwhelming to look at your property from a bird’s-eye view and try to decide where to begin when it comes to maintaining or increasing curb appeal. Instead, start with the first area potential and current tenants encounter when entering your property, the parking lots. Parking lots and connected curbs and walkways are a crucial aspect to curb appeal that are often overlooked until they’re in poor shape. In order to avoid experiencing the negative effects of an unkept parking lot, it’s a good idea to have the lots swept and deep cleaned roughly twice a year.
Show You Care
This scheduling may seem like overkill but trust me when I say it isn’t. I once lived in an apartment complex that decided to throw their parking lot maintenance out the window shortly after I moved in, to the chagrin of their current tenants. Late one night – a few months into my lease – I was heading back to my unit when I narrowly avoided a shattered jar of nacho cheese sauce strewed across the pavement. The vibrant yellow spread had proceeded to encompass the middle of a parking spot – spots that were already very limited and coveted in the complex. The next night, the sticky dip was still there, beginning to putrefy and attract insects, all while keeping vehicles out. After a week, my roommate and I started taking bets on when someone, anyone, was going to clean up the now green, brown mess of glass and rot. Roughly nine months later, someone had picked up the scattered glass but the fuzzy (and probably breathing) stain was still there. When my contract ended, my roommate and I packed up and left the premises before that unlucky late-night snack did.
Why It Matters
Now I’d be lying, if I said the only reason I ran from my previous apartment was due to a nacho cheese stain, but it was reflective of the bigger issue at hand: poor property management. In fact, besides giving your tenants a poor impression of your management skills and a reason to complain, a dirty parking lot can lead to many other issues:
- Pests: trash and debris littered across your lot can attract rodents and pests like rats and cockroaches.
- Hazards: oil stains and moss growth can result in slick patches that tenants could easily slip and fall on whenever entering or leaving their apartment. Dirty parking lots also produce polluted runoff, that could contaminate city water and land you with some hefty fines.
- Damages: Parking lots see a lot of use on the daily and while general wear and tear is unavoidable, allowing debris and corrosive chemicals to remain on your parking lot’s asphalt or concrete encourages quicker erosion. This means more repairs to the lot and a full repaving every three to five years.
- More Mess: studies show that individuals are more likely to litter in areas that are already dirty, and spotted with trash, so keeping your parking lots clean ultimately means less work in the future.
Call The Professionals
Your property’s parking lot is the first experience a potential tenant has when entering the premises – make it a positive one by ensuring your lot is spotless. If you don’t have the time or manpower to spare to properly clean your lot, it’s time to call in the pros. At Snugs, our team has been cleaning parking lots and garages for many years. We have specialized equipment and tools to make sure your parking lot is getting the deepest clean possible. As a property manager, you can relax knowing that the job will be done correctly and quickly, and at little inconvenience as possible for your residents. So to increase your property’s curb appeal, appease your tenants and save money in the long run, don’t forget to add parking lot or garage cleaning to your maintenance schedule this summer!
Snugs Pro Wash, Inc, dba SNUGS Services, has been providing high quality Pressure Washing Services in Portland, OR since 1995. Started as a residential pressure washing and roof cleaning service, SNUGS is now one of the leading exterior cleaning companies in the Northwest. From our humble beginnings as a man with a truck and a trailer we have grown to become a multi-million dollar company serving corporate customers, name brands, and mom and pop companies alike.