This checklist is built for buying a property you plan to renovate and rent, but it works for any strategy. Delete what does not apply, add what does, and keep it in the property’s folder.
Around Indianapolis, electric is typically AES Indiana, and gas, water, and sewer are typically Citizens Energy Group. Confirm providers for your address.
Take at least two angles of every room. Then shoot one continuous video: start outside, walk in, go floor by floor, and keep rolling as you exit. Save everything in a folder named Before Photos. You will want it for insurance, your appraiser, and your own marketing.
Capture these once per unit and you will never have to drive over to answer a contractor’s question again: name on deed, bedrooms, bathrooms, square feet, heat and A/C source, water heater and furnace location, electrical panel location, main water shutoff, flooring by room, washer and dryer hookups, appliances included, and roof type and age.
Does this checklist only work for rehab projects?
No — it is built with a renovate-and-rent purchase in mind, but every section applies to a straightforward buy-and-hold. Just skip the rehab kickoff section if there is no work planned.
Why take a full walkthrough video on closing day?
A continuous video from the moment you own the property protects you with insurance, gives your appraiser a clean record, and doubles as before-and-after marketing once the work is done.