Small landlords & PMs hub · By James Grokman, CEO, TapeAndFloat · Published October 25, 2026 · Updated October 25, 2026

Tracking make-ready and days vacant for small landlords

Make-ready is the work that gets a vacant rental back to rent-ready: repairs, paint, cleaning and a final walk. Tracking days vacant means counting from move-out to the next move-in, split into days waiting on work and days ready but unrented, so you see what each turn costs.

1. What counts as make-ready

Make-ready (also called a unit turn) starts the day the old tenant returns the keys and ends when the unit is clean, repaired, photographed and listed. It covers the move-out inspection, repairs, paint, flooring, appliance fixes, cleaning, a final walk-through and the listing. The step-by-step task list is in the unit turnover checklist; this guide is about the clock and the cost.

2. Count days vacant in two parts

For each turn, log three dates: move-out (keys returned), rent-ready (final walk passed, unit could be shown), and move-in (new lease starts). Then:

• Waiting on work = rent-ready date minus move-out date.
• Ready but unrented = move-in date minus rent-ready date.
• Total days vacant = move-in date minus move-out date.

The split tells you where to push. Long waiting-on-work days point to vendors, materials or scheduling. Long ready-but-unrented days point to listing, pricing, photos or showings.

3. Put a number on it: lost rent

The simple formula is:

Daily rent  = monthly rent x 12 / 365
Lost rent   = days vacant x daily rent

Example (illustrative numbers only): a unit renting for $1,200 a month has a daily rent of about $39.45 ($1,200 x 12 / 365). If it sits vacant 20 days, 12 waiting on work and 8 ready but unrented, lost rent is about $789: about $473 from the work side and about $316 from the leasing side. Use your own rent and dates; the point is to see which part of the turn costs more.

4. A simple make-ready schedule

1. Inspect the unit the day keys come back; photograph every room and note repairs.
2. Order materials the same day (paint, blinds, filters, parts) so nothing waits on a delivery.
3. Schedule trades in order: repairs and anything behind walls first, then paint, then flooring, then appliances and fixtures.
4. Clean after the last trade leaves.
5. Final walk against the inspection list; anything open goes back to the vendor with a date.
6. Photos of the finished unit.
7. Listing goes live the day the final walk passes, or earlier with a known ready date.

Give each step a target date when you inspect, and log the actual date when it is done. A step past its target date is a stalled turn.

5. Common delays and what to do

• Vendor no-shows: confirm the day before, and log each no-show so you know who to call first next time.
• Backordered materials: order at inspection, ask for a ship date, and pick a stocked alternative if the date slips.
• Keys and access: log who has keys or the lockbox code each day; a trade standing at a locked door is a lost day.
• Work found late: problems discovered after paint or flooring push everything; inspect closely before the first trade starts.

Repairs work best as tracked work orders; see managing maintenance requests and vendor work orders and the free maintenance request & work order tracker (Excel).

6. What to log for every turn

• Unit, old tenant, move-out date, monthly rent.
• Inspection date, photos link, repair list.
• Each vendor, scheduled date, actual date, invoice amount.
• Materials ordered, order date, delivery date.
• Rent-ready date, listing date, move-in date.
• Days waiting on work, days ready but unrented, lost rent.
• Move-out deductions and the deposit return date: see tracking security deposits and move-out deductions for the deadline and itemizing steps.

After a few turns, compare them: which vendors and which steps keep adding days.

Where an assistant helps

Turn updates arrive as texts, photos and invoices from several vendors. TapeAndFloat reads what you forward, keeps each turn's dates in your own Google Sheet, flags turns that stall and drafts reminders to vendors; you approve before anything goes out. During the pilot a real person reviews everything.

Free 60-day pilot: forward your job emails to the assistant, keep working in your own Sheet, and we flag what is slipping. During the pilot we set it up one piece at a time and a real person reviews everything. No new app, no card. Request a pilot spot.

More guides

• Managing maintenance requests and vendor work orders for small landlords
• Tenant communication for small landlords: templates that cut the follow-up calls
• Unit turnover checklist for small property managers
• Collecting and tracking vendor COIs and invoices for small landlords
• AppFolio and Buildium alternatives for small landlords
• How small landlords track security deposits and move-out deductions
• How small landlords track rent collection and late fees
• Lease renewal and expiration tracking for small landlords
• Software for small landlords in 2027: a checklist
• Owner statements for small property managers
• Preventive maintenance calendar for small landlords
• Rental bookkeeping per unit for small landlords
• Rental inquiries and showings: reply the same day
• W-9s and 1099s for landlords who pay vendors
• Move-in and move-out inspections with dated photos
• Insurance, property tax and HOA due dates for landlords
• After-hours maintenance requests: emergency or next day
• Utility transfers at move-in and move-out for landlords
• Lease violation and notice log for small landlords

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate days vacant?

Count from the move-out date (keys returned) to the next move-in date. Split it at the rent-ready date: days before are waiting on work, days after are ready but unrented.

How do I calculate lost rent from a vacancy?

Daily rent is monthly rent x 12 / 365. Lost rent is days vacant x daily rent. Do the same for each part of the turn to see whether the work side or the leasing side cost more.

What is a make-ready schedule?

A short list of turn steps with target dates: inspect, order materials, trades in order, clean, final walk, photos, listing. Logging the actual date for each step shows where a turn stalled.

Do I need property management software to track unit turns?

No. A spreadsheet with one row per turn and the dates above works if someone keeps it current; keeping it current and chasing vendors is what TapeAndFloat automates.