Does your rental sit for far too long between occupancies? Do prospective tenants walk out of a showing shaking their heads and rolling their eyes?
If this is the case, your property is probably in need of a little makeover. We’re not talking about a major overhaul; just some minor adjustments to make the rental more desirable.
Here are three big things that’ll make prospective tenants say, “I’ll take it.”
First impressions are lasting impressions. If the exterior of your rental is not up to par, a prospective tenant may not even want to step foot inside. Here are some cheap ways to increase your property’s curb appeal:
- Remove weeds, trash, and debris.
- Make sure the lawn and shrubbery are well-manicured.
- If you have a porch or outdoor area, add a few flowers and plants to create an inviting, lived-in feeling. Make sure to keep them alive because dead plants are worse than no plants.
- Remove chipped paint, repair broken banisters, and replace torn window screens.
- Make sure the mailbox, light fixtures, and house number decals and plaques are in good condition.
Brush Up With Paint
A can of quality paint only costs about $25 — and it has the ability to revive tired walls, brighten hallways, and freshen bathrooms.
But what type of paint should you choose?
In a rental, your best option is to go with a satin or semi-gloss paint. With this type of paint, crayon marks, scuff marks, and even grease can easily be wiped off, as opposed to flat paint, which requires additional applications to remove stains.
While you may be partial to pink or spunky lime green, the majority of people won’t like these colors on the walls. You want your property to appeal to the masses. Stick to neutral paint colors, such as beige, grey, and cream. You can always offer the tenant the option to paint the rental to their taste upon move in as long as they paint it back to a neutral color when they move out.
The neutral theme should also extend to tiles, hardwood floors, carpeting, light fixtures, and cabinets.
Tenants Appreciate Nice Kitchens and Bathrooms
The first way to attack either of these rooms is to CLEAN! Mop the floors, polish all appliances, and deep clean cabinets (inside and out), bathtubs/showers, toilets, and all hardware; also, make sure the grout gets a good scrubbing. Mirrors and reflective surfaces should be free from film and fingerprints.
Remove dust, cobwebs, and grease from fans and light fixtures. Also, be sure the fixtures have working light bulbs. You will want to highlight the amount of light the property receives; leaving light fixtures with partially working light bulbs is a no-no.
Purchasing new knobs and handles for cabinets is also an inexpensive way to makeover your room.
If not cost prohibitive, equipping the kitchen with matching appliances is desirable. A cheaper option is to purchase an appliance cover (e.g., stainless steel cover), which can go right over the front of your existing appliance. You can also purchase touch-up paint to fix scratches on non-stainless appliances.
Conclusion
