Record what is there
The checklist captures the starting condition with notes and photos.
Renters Choice Homes
An anonymized RCH management example
Move-in day is more than a key handoff.
Inside a real RCH walkthrough: the questions, condition photos, everyday responsibilities and follow-through that help a tenant get settled.
FROM THE FIELDA real RCH move-in
A HOME. A NEW RESIDENT. A CLEAR START.
The keys were only
the beginning.
On a Thursday move-in, Brandon met a new tenant at the house. There were keys to sort out, garage remotes to hand over and questions about making the space feel like home. But the most useful part of the visit was the conversation that followed.
Together, they worked through how to record the home’s condition, where to ask for help and what needed another look before the tenant settled in.
01 / AT THE FRONT DOOR
A handoff with answers.
The preparation had started before move-in: locks had been replaced, the yard had received new turf, and pricing had been adjusted during marketing. At the visit, Brandon reviewed house keys and garage remotes. Mailbox keys arrived during the walkthrough, so that loose end could be addressed too.
The tenant asked about a keypad lock, cameras and hanging things on the walls. Brandon explained retaining management access and restoring altered areas at move-out. Existing alarm equipment was also discussed, including that monitoring was not an included service.
What this coveredAccess, everyday questions and expectations for changes to the home.
02 / A RECORD OF DAY ONE
“Those forms protect you.”
The tenant had used a paper condition sheet before. This time, Brandon opened the digital checklist with them and walked through its 16 sections: mark what is in good condition, explain exceptions, attach photos and mark items that do not apply.
He explained the five-day completion window for this move-in. The purpose was practical: document existing conditions while they are fresh, so there is a clearer record to refer to later.
Review each areaGood condition, an exception or not applicable
Document exceptionsNotes and supporting photographs
Keep the reportDownload the completed PDF
Send a copyAttach the saved PDF to the email
During this walkthrough, Brandon specifically explained that the PDF needed to be attached manually to the email on the tenant’s phone.
Explore the condition checklist
03 / LIVING IN THE HOME
The small routines matter.
Out in the yard, the conversation moved from the new turf to ongoing care. Brandon reviewed the responsibilities in this tenant’s lease: front and back landscaping, routine pest care, monthly air-filter changes and annual professional carpet cleaning with a receipt.
He also pointed the tenant back to the lease in the portal and offered vendor contacts for routine care. Utility arrangements came up during the handoff, too.
What was reviewed at this move-in?
- Yard upkeep and routine pest care
- Monthly air-conditioning filter changes
- Annual professional carpet cleaning and a receipt
- The lease and payment information in the tenant portal
- Utility arrangements and questions about existing equipment
These were the responsibilities discussed for this home. Each tenant should follow their own signed lease and property-specific instructions.
04 / WHEN SOMETHING NEEDS ATTENTION
A condition note is not a repair request.
Before leaving, Brandon made one distinction especially clear: a photo in the move-in checklist records a condition; it does not send a maintenance request. If the tenant discovered something that needed service, the next step was a separate request through the portal.
Ask for service
The tenant portal starts a separate maintenance request for follow-up.
He also explained the difference between routine requests and urgent concerns. For an emergency, the tenant was instructed to submit the request and contact him immediately afterward. For routine work, the portal would be the starting point for coordinating the appropriate trade.
See current maintenance instructions05 / ONE MORE LOOK AT THE YARD
The walkthrough changed the to-do list.
The yard had been cleaned earlier in the preparation process. By move-in day, it needed another pass. Brandon noticed it, told the tenant that the initial cleanup would not be their responsibility, and committed to arranging another visit.
“You shouldn’t be moving in with it like that.”Brandon, during the move-in walkthrough
That was an important part of the handoff: acknowledge the condition in front of you and make the next step clear.
Follow-up identified at move-in: another yard cleanup.
The recording documents the commitment to arrange cleanup, not a completed landscaping visit.
WHAT THE OWNER GETS FROM A THOUGHTFUL HANDOFF
A tenant who knows
where to begin.
Access reviewed. Condition reporting explained. Care responsibilities discussed. A repair-request process clarified. And an outstanding issue acknowledged with a next step.
This is what property management looks like in an ordinary conversation at the front door.
Talk about your rentalBased on RCH’s October 22, 2026 move-in recording. Conversation condensed for clarity; tenant and identifying property details omitted. Photography is illustrative. This story describes this visit, not a guarantee of results or a substitute for a tenant’s lease.
Talk with our team
Call or text RCH
Choose the quickest way to reach us.
Call the office480-626-0166Send a text480-479-7404Contact us onlineSend a secure message