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Decorating
for Renters PART 2
How to Decorate Rentals for More Tenants and Rent
If
you own or manage rental properties, decorating for renters is a proven
way to maximise rental income and slash vacancy rates. Find out
what are the most cost effective ways of decorating rental property and
furnishing its interior in this Part
2 of our Decorate Rental Guide.
Do you know
how does the location, neighbourhood and exterior of a rental home
matter to a
tenant? If No, Click
here for Part 1
of this Guide for Curb Appeal Ideas.
When
decorating for renters, we have to put ourselves in the shoes of a
renter. What are the
things inside a rental property that will appeal to tenants?
4.
The Furnishings and Appliances inside Your Rental Property
Washer
and dryer hookups are often essential to most long term tenants. We had
some tenants that turned down a rental property just because it lacks
this convenience. When decorating for renters, this is the first thing
you should install if your rental property doesn't already
come with one.
While decorating rental property with carpets and curtains can greatly
boost its
appeal, they are often a hassle to clean and
maintain. Most tenants won't bother to take good care of the carpets so
you have to be prepared to fork out money for cleaning fees from your
own pockets or deduct it from their security deposits.
Now let's take a closer look at the kitchen when it comes to decorating
for renters. Recent
surveys have shown that tenants who are willing to provide their own
stoves and fridges tend to be more stable ones. Even if that is the
case, you should still supply these kitchen appliances if it is common
practice for landlords in your area to do so.
Home
services such as cable TV, internet connection and even telephone lines
will depend heavily on your tenant's needs. You should find out if your
tenant requires them before activating these services for your rental
home.
If you have
any doubts on decorating rental property, the general rule of thumb is
look at other similar types of
rental in your area and compare. Tenants living in different
property types in different areas will have their own expectations for
the furniture and appliances.
5.
The Home Design and General Layout of Your Rental Property
As
you will expect, a parking space is highly valued by tenants in most
areas. If your rental property lacks one, your number of potential
renters and asking rent will plummet. In terms of value for money, a
sheltered parking area is consistently rated as one of the most
effective ways to boost the asking rent of a rental property.
On
top of that, the parking space should be as close to the front door as
possible because most people will naturally want quick and easy access
to their vehicles. If you do not already provide a parking space, you
should consider converting the front lawn into one.
When
decorating for renters, the quickest way to find out how much storage
space you should provide is to take a look at your type of tenants.
Strangely
enough, middle class tenants will often require the most storage
while low and upper class renters never seem to need much
storage.
If
your rental property appeals to middle class tenants, then investing in
a storage shed can give you good returns for your money.
Unless
you own a larger rental property such as multiplex with at least 4
rental units, a laundry room is likely to be excessive and you are
better saving the space and money for other uses.
If you are
renting to elderly or disabled tenants, it's not feasible to fix up
handicap-friendly equipment just for them unless they are staying for a
long time. However if your tenants offers to install and pay for these
facilities, it's recommended that you allow them to do so as long as
these fixtures are not obstructive or can be easily removed.
Do you want to learn MORE practical must-know facts on
finding new tenants?
Return from
this Decorating for Renters page to our Finding Tenants guide
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