Setting Up Your First Property

Getting Started with Your First Property

Adding your first property to Varden takes just a few minutes, but setting it up correctly will save you hours down the road. This guide walks you through the process step by step.

Step 1: Add Your Property

From your dashboard, click "Add Property" and enter your property details:

• **Property address**: This will be used for all communications and legal documents
• **Property type**: Single-family, multi-family, condo, etc.
• **Number of units**: Even single-family homes are considered one unit
• **Year built**: Helpful for maintenance planning
• **Square footage**: Used for comparable rent analysis

Step 2: Add Unit Details

For each unit in your property, you'll want to specify:

• **Unit identifier**: Apartment number, "Main House," "ADU," etc.
• **Bedrooms and bathrooms**: Essential for listing and screening
• **Monthly rent**: Your target rent amount
• **Amenities**: Parking, laundry, pets allowed, etc.

If you have a single-family home, you'll just have one unit to configure.

Step 3: Upload Property Photos

Good photos make a difference when listing your property. Upload:

• Exterior front and back
• Living areas
• Kitchen
• Bedrooms
• Bathrooms
• Any special features (yard, garage, views)

You can always add more photos later, but having them ready makes listing easier.

Step 4: Set Your Preferences

Configure how you want Varden to help manage your property:

• **Late fee policy**: Amount and grace period
• **Payment methods accepted**: ACH, cards, or both
• **Maintenance request handling**: Automatic notifications to contractors
• **Communication preferences**: Email, text, or both

These settings can be adjusted anytime from your property settings page.

Next Steps

Once your property is set up, you're ready to:

1. Invite your existing tenant (if you have one) to start paying rent online 2. Create a listing to find new tenants 3. Set up your payment account to receive rent deposits

Congratulations—you've taken the first step toward professional property management!