10 Tricks to Make Your Rental Property More Appealing
You’re in between tenants, so now's a good time to update your rental property. What should you do? From really big changes to minor tweaks, there is a pretty wide spread of tricks and property hacks that could make a big difference. Look through these tips to find some ideas for what will make your rental property more appealing to prospective tenants.
1. See it from a new perspective
Put yourself in a different mindset and take a look at the property. If you’ve been around it too much, get someone’s help and ask what they think. A friend, a relative, or a stranger - any of them can take a look at the property and tell you what they think. A new perspective will bring out all sorts of changes you could make to make it even more appealing.
2. Start from the curb
What are prospective tenants going to see first? What are residents going to see coming home every day? They’ll see it from the outside, so make sure that it looks good coming in. “Curb appeal” is a common term for a reason. Making sure that it looks good from the curb is a great way to improve its appeal greatly.
3. Maintain the lawn
The lawn is one of the things most easily seen from the curb, so make sure that it looks good. Update the walkway, clean out any weeds or junk that has accumulated, or plant some flowers. Anything to make the lawn look like the envy of the neighborhood.
4. Spruce up your windows
The windows also make a strong impact on the look of the house. While you might not want to make them too extravagant, having front windows be too plain isn’t very appealing.
5. Emphasize what makes your property better than your neighbors'
Walk down the street, looking at your property and the ones around it. What makes yours better than the others? If there’s something lacking (like the above windows and yard, or anything else you notice), then you’ll want to make up for that. Is there something you have that’s better than the other houses in the neighborhood? Make sure to emphasize that, both in upgrading the property and in your marketing later on.
6. Strengthen the entryway
Of course, the appeal doesn’t stop at the front door. What are tenants going to think when they decide to tour? The first thing they’re going to see is the front entryway, so make sure that makes a good first impression. Clean it up and update anything old that residents will see right when they walk in. First impressions make a big impact on people, after all.
7. Give it some fresh color
Painting makes a huge difference in how your rental property looks. If the walls are faded or the color no longer feels right in a room, giving it a better coat of paint can go a long way towards making it look newer and more appealing.
8. Focus on the little details
Do you think much about light switches? What about the overhead light the bathroom? It’s easy to not think about this type of thing at all, but if they look old or worn, it makes a big negative impact. Replace anything small that’s starting to get worn out or look bad. It’s a hassle, but cheap and can make a big difference in how well the property is received.
9. Clean and polish the bathroom and kitchen
The bathrooms and kitchen are really important. You may not spend the most time in there, but residents love when they look clean and new. Sure, some upgrades are really expensive, but a good clean and polish, along with replacing cheap but worn appliances (like a microwave) can make a big difference in how it looks.
10. Fix what needs fixing
This should be obvious, but it’s easy to overlook. Is anything broken? Are there holes in the wall that need to be filled in? Are patches in the carpet torn and need to be replaced? You can try to hide some of these things, but that won’t go over well when it’s discovered. You’re best off fixing things right away.
Have any other tips for how to quickly make your rental property more appealing? Let us know in the comments!
