Quick answer
An apartment turnover is the whole process between tenants, from notice and move-out through the point the unit is ready to re-lease: coordination, inspection, scope, the work itself, and handoff. Make-ready is the physical work inside that process that gets the vacant unit ready for the next tenant, such as repairs, painting, and cleaning. In practice, many landlords and vendors use the two terms interchangeably.
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Empire Turnover is a New York City property turnover company that helps landlords and property managers prepare apartments and commercial spaces between tenants. Owners, managers, and vendors use "turnover" and "make-ready" loosely, which can cause confusion over what a quote covers. This short guide sorts out the terms.
Turnover and make-ready side by side
| Apartment turnover | Make-ready | |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | The full process between one lease and the next | The physical work on the vacant unit |
| Starts | Notice to vacate or move-out | Once the unit is empty and the scope is approved |
| Ends | Unit handed off ready to show or lease | Work complete and checked |
| Who uses the term | Owners, property managers, leasing teams | Property managers, maintenance teams, vendors |
| Includes | Inspection, scope, scheduling, access, work, final check, handoff | Debris removal, repairs, patch and paint, cleaning |
| Typical deliverable | A rent-ready unit and a record of what was done | A completed punch list |
What is an apartment turnover?
An apartment turnover is everything that happens between one tenant leaving and the unit being ready for the next one, including the planning and coordination around the physical work.
In a NYC building, that includes the move-out inspection, deciding the scope, getting keys or a lockbox code from the super, confirming building work hours and any COI the managing agent requires, sequencing trades, and a final check before handoff to leasing. The complete guide to apartment turnover in NYC walks through the full process, and our apartment turnover services cover coordination along with the work.
What is make-ready?
Make-ready is the hands-on work that prepares a vacant unit for a new tenant: clearing debris, basic repairs, patching and painting, and a top-to-bottom clean.
The term is common in property management and maintenance, where a "make-ready" is often a work order or a line on a schedule. The order matters: debris, repairs, patch, paint, then clean, so the final clean happens once. See apartment make-ready services for what that work includes, and the guides to cleaning between tenants and painting between tenants for detail.
Why does the distinction matter?
Mostly for quotes and expectations. If one party means coordination plus work and the other means only the work, someone will be surprised about who handles access, inspection, or the final check.
When you request a quote, ask for the scope in writing rather than relying on the label. Empire Turnover sends a written quote listing the work included and a proposed schedule, and nothing starts until it is approved. Timing depends on availability, access, and project scope. More definitions are in the NYC apartment turnover and make-ready glossary.
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Written by Empire Turnover
Empire Turnover is a New York City property turnover company that helps landlords and property managers prepare apartments and commercial spaces between tenants. We serve Manhattan and Brooklyn. How we write and update these guides