Move-Out Guide

We understand that moving can be stressful. That’s why we made this easy-to-follow guide. If you have any questions along the way, just give our offices a call at 214-257-0101.

Important: You are responsible for all rent, charges, utilities, and fees through the duration of your contracted lease, even if you move out before your lease term ends. DO NOT TURN OFF YOUR UTILITIES EARLY

When It’s Time to Move On, Please Follow the Guidelines to Ensure a Smooth Transition:

As you prepare to move out, please ensure you’ve entirely emptied the property and return the keys to our office by 12:00 p.m. (noon) on the specified date in your move-out notification. This will help prevent any scheduling issues or extra rent fees.

For a swift return of your security deposit, we recommend revisiting the security deposit section in the Residential Lease Agreement you signed upon move-in. This section outlines the refund process and potential additional fees.

For guidance on cleaning your unit and details on security deposit deductions, kindly refer to the following:

Give Notice

Log into your tenant portal and Give the Notice to move out.

Prepare

📫 Mail Forward: Forward your mail to your new address by filling out this form with the US Postal Service: https://www.usps.com/manage/forward.htm. Any mail left behind will be returned to sender. If you need us to collect any mail after moving out, call our office and we can swing by the home for a $75 trip fee.

📩 Forwarding Address: If you did not submit your notice with a forwarding address, let us know so we can mail your security deposit.

⚡ Terminate Utilities: Contact your utility companies to terminate utilities on the day your lease ends. Do not terminate early if you are moving out early. Utilities must stay on until the last day of your lease. Any reconnection fee will be charged to your security deposit.

🧹 Hire a move-out cleaner: For a stress-free move-out, simply hire our preferred vendor to perform the move-out cleaning. Make sure to select the Move Out option and complete the cleaning even if it exceeds the hourly estimate.

Cleaning Checklist

General Cleaning and Removal

• Remove everything. Do not leave any items, even those you think the next tenant might want.
• Ensure all trash is collected. No trash should be left in bins or on the street. ($75 trip fee to empty trash or move trash bins from the street).
• Remove all trash and personal items from both the home and yard.
• Remove all cobwebs and dust throughout the entire home.
• Remove any debris from walls and ceilings. Ensure no nail/screw holes are visible on walls.

Appliances and Kitchen

• Clean all appliances thoroughly. This includes inside and outside of:
  • Refrigerator
  • Dishwasher (ensure no hard water is visible)
  • Oven (include burners, drip pans, bottom drawer, and area behind)
  • Microwave (de-grease if installed over oven)
• De-grease and clean the fan and hood cover over the oven.
• Clean sinks, cabinets, and drawers in the kitchen.
• Wash and disinfect all kitchen surfaces, including countertops, sinks, disposal, cupboards.

Bathrooms

• Thoroughly wash and disinfect:
  • Showers
  • Bathtubs
  • Sinks
  • Toilets
  • Mirrors
  • Counters
  • Medicine cabinets

Walls, Windows, and Doors

• Wash and wipe all walls, ensuring there are no black marks or dirt. Pay special attention to areas around light switches, hallways, doors, and baseboards.
• Wash and wipe all window tracks, window sills, windows, blinds, and secure all screens.
• Remove cobwebs from inside and outside windows.
• Make needed repairs to screens and screen doors

Floors

• Sweep, mop, and scrub all vinyl, tile, and hard floors. Address any moldy tile spots.
• Clean any carpeting. If professional cleaning is required, Specialized Property Management will arrange it post-move-out and charge against your deposit, as per the lease agreement.
• Sweep out spaces like the garage, shed, porch (both front and back)

Lighting and Electrical Fixtures

• De-grease and clean all light covers and fixtures.
• Replace any burned-out or missing light bulbs.
• Check and replace any low batteries in smoke detectors

Outdoor Area

• Mow all grass/lawn, trim bushes/shrubbery, rake the lawn, and clean up the yard.
• Ensure all utilities are scheduled for disconnection on the last day of your lease.
• Arrange for trash pickup before discontinuing the service. Do not mix trash with recyclables to avoid fines.

Miscellaneous

• Check and change the A/C filter if dirty.
• Clean all fans, vents on ceilings, walls, and floors. Remove dirt and dead bugs.
• Repair or address any damages caused by you or your pets. (It may be less costly to handle your own damages).

Professional Carpet Cleaning

The carpet holds dirt, human oils, animal dander, and so much more. Vacuuming is not sufficient. The carpet was professionally cleaned before your arrival and must be professionally cleaned before your departure.

We will send out our carpet cleaner and deduct the cost from your security deposit. If you choose to pay for the carpet cleaning separately, please provide a receipt to your property manager

Move-Out Inspection

📋 Final Move-Out Evaluation: We will start the final move-out evaluation after you have vacated the property, notified our office, and completed the online Return Of Possession Form click here

Return the Keys

You must return your house keys by the last day of your lease. Every day your keys are not returned, you will be charged additional fees to your security deposit. That means preparing early to avoid additional fees.

🔑 Property Securing:Once you have vacated the property, please ensure that it is securely locked

🔑 You have 2 options options to return keys:

For tenants preparing to vacate their property, Real Property Management Engage offers two options for returning keys, including those for the house, garage door remotes, mailbox, and pool cards, as applicable:

1. Returning All Keys Except the Main Door Key:
   • Prior to vacating the property, please place all house keys, garage door remotes, mailbox keys, and pool cards in the kitchen cabinet drawers.
   • Once placed, send a picture of the location or the location description to [email protected] to confirm their return.
2. Returning the Main Door Key:
   • After ensuring the door is locked, you have two choices for returning the main door key:
     • Option A: Drop the key at our office.
       • Place the key inside an envelope.
       • Label the envelope with “Real Property Management Engage” and the property address.
     • Option B: Use a lockbox for convenience.
       • If you prefer, you can attach a lockbox to the door and leave the keys inside it for an easy move-out process.
       • We can assist in providing a lockbox. Please inform us at least 7 days before your move-out date if you choose this option.
       • Note: If you are not enrolled in our resident benefit package, there is a $50 fee for purchasing and sending the lockbox. Alternatively, you may purchase your own lockbox and provide us with the code. You can send the code via text to 214-257-0101 or email it to [email protected].

Please ensure you choose the option that best suits your needs and inform us accordingly. Your cooperation in following these guidelines helps ensure a smooth and efficient move-out process for all parties involved.

Notification: After you have dropped off or mailed the keys, please notify our office by sending a text message to 214-257-0101 or an email to [email protected]

💸 Security Deposit Reconciliation: Our security deposit reconciliation process starts once you have vacated the premises, returned possession to us in writing, handed back the keys, and given us your mail forwarding address. Following your move-out, our team conducts a thorough inspection of the property to identify any damages that exceed normal wear and tear. After completing this assessment, any remaining balance of your deposit will be processed and mailed to your provided forwarding address within 30 days of your move-out. Please note that the standard 30-day period for processing and returning your security deposit will not commence until our office has received all of the following: your mail forwarding address, written notice of possession return, and the house keys. It is essential that you email us at [email protected] to confirm that all these requirements have been met following your move-out. Failure to provide any of these items will delay the start of the 30-day window for your security deposit reconciliation.

Forwarding Address

It is crucial that you provide us with your new forwarding address. This will enable us to send you any remaining security deposit after the move-out inspection is completed and all necessary reconciliations are made. Please note, the security deposit refund will be processed within 30 days from your move-out date.

Self showing and Leasing

As per the lease agreement, we require your cooperation to provide access to the property for showing and leasing activities 30 days prior to your lease ends. Our office will reach out to you to discuss the details of this process, including setting up suitable times for potential tenant viewings through self-showings. We assure you that all visits will be conducted in accordance with the terms stipulated in your lease agreement and aim to cause minimal disruption to you.