How to Increase the Curb Appeal of Your Rental Property
As a landlord trying to rent out your place, it’s important to increase the curb appeal of your rental property. A rental property with curb appeal will be more likely to rent out since it will be attractive to potential renters. Think about it: do you think a potential tenant would want to live in a place with a well-manicured lawn or a messy lawn with dry, brown grass? In this article, we will discuss how to increase your rental property’s curb appeal and make it more appealing to potential tenants.
Add greenery
Green space is a big part of curb appeal because it brings life and vibrancy into your property. One of the easiest ways to do this is to keep a well-maintained lawn of grass (yes, it should be cut often!). Additionally, you can add some potted plants or flowers, planters (even a hanging one), or a window box. Bonus points if you include colorful flowers! You can put them in strategic places to accentuate the property. For example, framing the door of the entryway to the property. Including more greenery will definitely increase the curb appeal of your rental property, and will make it more attractive to potential renters.
Maintain the lawn
As I mentioned before, the lawn should be well maintained. Renters will not be attracted to a property with an overgrown, messy, unwatered lawn. To prevent this, keep a schedule for lawn maintenance. First, you can install water sprinklers and set them on a timer to water the lawn periodically without you worrying about it. This way, the lawn will not be full of dead grass. Second, set a schedule for mowing the lawn to ensure it is mowed often and does not overgrow. Third, set aside time to simply clean up the lawn. For example, rake away any dead leaves and pull out any weeds. Once you have a lawn care schedule down, your lawn will be well maintained and attractive to potential renters.
Redecorate the entryway
Aside from the lawn, the actual entryway of the property is an important place you can use to increase the curb appeal. If the front door is dirty, consider repainting it. If you want to be adventurous, you can even repaint it in a different color that accentuates the entryway while not clashing with the other colors of the property. Repainting the front door is inexpensive, not very time consuming, and you can do it yourself. You can also consider adding furniture to the entryway. For example, you can add a small bench, a lantern, or a planter to the porch of the rental property. These extra pieces will further accentuate the entryway. Redecorating the entryway is a good way to increase the curb appeal of your rental property.
Brighten up the property
Tenants want to feel safe in their rented home. One way you can make your tenants feel safe and increase the curb appeal of your rental property is to brighten it up. In other words, add more lights! This is especially true for the entryway. Make sure the light by the door is bright, and the same for any lights on the sides of the property and behind it, and anywhere else you think is important. Adding the lights will give the tenant a sense of security (especially as they are doing things like taking out the trash), and will increase the curb appeal of your rental property.
Update the extras
There are many extras that come with the curb appeal of a property. For example, a mailbox, gutters, and house numbers. Outdated or dirty “extras” will turn tenants away from your property. Instead, invest some money in updating the extras. Replace the mailbox with a new, cleaner one, replace the gutters, and replace the numbers on the house. Make it new and fresh, while still matching the “vibe” of the house. If you can’t replace them, at least have them deep cleaned. These are great ways to freshen up the house and increase the curb appeal of your rental property.
Create a clear path
A big part of a property’s curb appeal is the path to the front door. A path makes the property look much better. If your property does not have a clear path to the front door, create one! Even without a concrete walkway, you can use lighting and other visual cues to designate a pathway. A clear pathway will increase the curb appeal of your property. (As I mentioned before, the pathway will be a good place to add lights to!)
Curb appeal is a big part of a house. When your rental property has curb appeal, it will attract more potential tenants and could increase the value of the property. If you follow the tips in this post, you will increase the curb appeal of your rental property.