Guest Blog – How to make your home attractive to potential tenants
If you are thinking about renting out your property, you need to make it as appealing as possible to potential tenants. There are certain things that renters look for when viewing a property and a savvy landlord will make sure some of these aspects are included in their property. Ultimately, high demand for your house means a better choice of tenant and a higher achievable rent.
Below you will find a list of things you can try to make your home stand out from the crowd and look attractive to potential renters:
Clean
For a lot of tenants, a first impressions are crucial. A dirty property filled with lingering smells, dusty surfaces, old curtains and poorly-kept furniture indicates that the owner has not spent time caring for the property, which could mean hidden problems. Perceptions are everything.
A good once over with a duster, mop and kitchen cleaner can do the world of good and help your prospective tenant imagine themselves in the property.
Declutter
Tenants like to see a property as a blank canvas. They won’t want to see all your personal items taking up space on the walls and in display cases. Even if you are renting your property as furnished, just furnish it with the essentials e.g.: sofa, washing machine, fridge etc. Perhaps avoid pictures with your great grandmother and hundreds of pictures of your children!
Smells
It is hard to know what your home smells like, as you quickly get used to it. Buying diffusers or plug-in air fresheners is an inexpensive way to make sure you present a fresh home and this will be especially important if you have had pets living in the property.
Decorations
The property should look ready to live in. If you can spare the time, you should re-decorate to neutral colours so that it looks clean, spacious and ready for occupation. It is amazing what a lick of paint can do. Neutral colours will really brighten up your property and make it a lot more appealing to potential renters.
Dress to impress
This will apply to the interior and exterior of the property. Inside you could put a vase full of fresh flowers and a bowl of fruit in the kitchen. Little touches can bring your property to life.
Planting flowers outside and cleaning up the garden will really impress potential renters. Keep paths weed-free and watch out for those over grown shrubs.
Security
Tenants will want to feel safe, so installing a motion detector outdoor light and a functioning alarm system will do the job. Check all the locks as well, a set of patio doors with a lock which barely holds them closed will give the wrong impression of your diligence as a landlord.
When you have ticked these points off of your list, you should go around and check that all the appliances are clean and are all working. Just check and check again. You need to give a good first impression and first impressions count for everything – so don’t miss the opportunity to present your property at its very best.
