Decorating Tips for Landlords

Let’s face it, tenants don’t care for their rental properties in the same way they do about their own home. While you don’t want to spend thousands of dollars decorating a place that may be ruined by tenants, you also need to provide a good living space that will attract tenants to your property. If you are a first-time landlord or you just want some new decorating tips to make your properties stand out, read on.

Tackling Mold

Mold is a big problem in many rental properties, so getting this under control from the start is the best way to deal with the situation before it becomes too big of a problem. Mold can cause many health issues and your tenants are liable to sue if the mold becomes detrimental to their health. Never paint over mold, as this will not solve the issue. For more information on preventing and getting rid of mold in your property, follow this guide.

Decorate for Your Audience

When decorating the property, consider your target audience and who will live in the area you have invested in. From this, you can determine what kind of fixtures and decorations may look best. As a general rule of thumb, being as neutral as possible opens up a wider range of audiences to live in your home. If you need some inspiration, check out rental properties in your area online to see what properties are doing well and who their target audiences are. Use your monthly rental fee as a guide to your decorating budget. The price will determine a tenant’s expectations of a place.

Opt for Tile

Using tile is the most durable option to prevent mold and to avoid more maintenance. Tile is also immune to infestations and can look great in the right colors. Try to stick to dark tile colors; dark tile with light or white grouting can become very grubby looking, especially if your tenants don’t clean the bathroom regularly.

Avoid Light Colors

Light walls and light carpets are a big no-no in rental properties if you want to avoid having to redecorate between every tenant. Unfortunately, tenants won’t look after your place the same as their own home, meaning light walls often get hand marks, splashes from food, and other stains that can be hard to get off and may require repainting. While light colors may look nicer, they don’t stay clean for long. The best neutral colors include grays and mid-tone browns.

Fill Those Gaps

When decorating, be sure to fill in any gaps that are around sinks, windows, stoves, and bathrooms. These gaps can manifest over time into bigger problems that are harder to fix and unfortunately, most tenants won’t let you know there’s a gap until it becomes a larger problem, such as an infestation of insects. You can buy a gap filler from any home store and it is simple and easy to use. Despite filling gaps, unexpected problems arise. If you don’t live close to your property or you’re on vacation, it may be that you want to entrust a company to handle your property. Many landlords benefit from property management companies. If you think this would be the best route to take, Bay Management Group is a great example of some of the property management companies in Washington DC that can help you with upkeeping your rental properties.

Always Get Warranties

While you may roll your eyes at extended warranties, when renting out a property, paying the extra cash for warranties on the important items could save you a lot of money in the future. Any major appliance in your rented property, whether this be a washing machine, cooker or refrigerator should have an extended warranty. Keep all your receipts in a folder for easy access in case your tenants call in the middle of the night to say the refrigerator has broken.

Spend Extra on Bathroom Fittings

One place you should never scrimp on decorating is your bathroom. It is better to spend the extra money on bathroom fittings, such as faucets that are durable and will last for years. Cutting costs here could lead you to have a flooded bathroom and faucet fittings that break far too easily. A sturdy, more expensive faucet can last a lifetime and can be refitted to most baths/sinks.

When decorating your rented property, the primary focus should be durability and livability. Following these tips can aid you when decorating your rental properties.

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