How to Attract High-Quality Tenants to Your Rental Property

In the rental market, it isn’t always easy to find a high-quality tenant.  However, there are many ways you can invest in your property to attract the best of the best.  Below are just a few tips on refreshing your property to attract better tenants.

Clean Your Property before the Showing

We can’t emphasize this enough—a clean property can make the difference between a prospective tenant taking a thorough walkthrough or turning right back around and walking away.  If you have a new house or you are in between tenants, you have a prime opportunity to present your rental at its best.  Cleaning is all about the details.  It’s more than just sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, and dusting.  You also have to get into all of the cracks and corners.  You will have to scrub the baseboards, remove any marks on the wall, repaint any chips, and a whole host of other cleaning activities.  For this instance, you may want to consider hiring a cleaner to take care of this for you.  A tried and true method for real estate agents is to bake chocolate chip cookies or burn a vanilla candle to create a warm and inviting scent.

However, not every landlord has the luxury to clean so thoroughly before a showing.  If you still have tenants living in your property while you show it to prospective renters, you may have a more difficult time controlling the cleanliness of the property.  While you may not be able to demand that the current tenants make their property spic and span, you can offer to hire a maid to clean the space before others visit the property.

Add Accents to the Living Space

Again, this may not apply to those who have tenants already living in their property, but if you have the opportunity to spruce up your apartment, you should do so.  If you rent your property furnished, be sure to accentuate the space with pillows, wall hangings, and fixtures that will make the property feel lively and warm.  In some cases, this may mean adding features, and in others, it may mean taking some decorations out.  If you currently live in the property but plan to rent it out, you should reevaluate the decorations you currently have around your home.  For example, your collection of Russian dolls in the glass cabinet may look appealing to you, but it can take away from valuable space that a prospective tenant needs to see so they can visualize their own space.  Of course, if you already have tenants in the property, this isn’t always feasible, but it is a huge asset if you can make this happen.

Upgrade from Faulty or Old Amenities

The increased number of apartment-dwellers has spawned new space- and energy-efficient technologies that have made apartment-living more accessible.  Gone are the days of apartments that lacked dishwashers and the like.  Today, landlords compete to have the most cutting edge technologies in their property, including washers and dryers, environmentally friendly technology, and even space-saving kitchen appliances.  Check out the properties in your area to see what they offer so that you can remain competitive in the local market.

Create a Neat and Tidy Yard

If you have just a little bit of space for some gardening, consider upping the ante on your landscaping.  Whether you have front yard space for an expansive lawn, or your property features a small backyard, landscapers have an eye that can devise how to optimize what space you have based on your budget.  The latest trend right now is in water-conscious gardening.  The idea is that your garden reflects the climate the property is in, such as forests or desert regions.  Introducing native growth is not only good for conserving resources, but it is also beneficial for local wildlife, such as bees.

When it comes to a yard, don’t forget about the patio or porch.  If possible, sweep the porch and patio clean and get rid of any dirt, debris, and cobwebs.  You may also clean any porch light features to make everything look clean and new.  Again, if you have tenants, offer to pay for a gardener to help clean up the property.

If you want to attract high-quality tenants to your property, you will need to make a few investments.  Making efforts to improve your property and following best practice landlord tips can help you land an amazing, long-term tenant that makes your investment profitable.