The interior of your rental property may look pleasing, but to gain more interest, you’ll need to focus some effort on the exterior as well.
Most landlords ignore the positive impact that a charming curb appeal can have, since it comes with additional costs. But fixing up the outside of your property doesn’t have to break the bank. Just investing some time and effort can easily bring more prospective renters to your doorstep.
Tips to Enhance Your Property's Curb Appeal
New Paint
Though repainting can be timely and costly, it really goes a long way for your rental’s curb appeal. Dull-looking homes won’t usually be very interesting to potential renters, but an interesting color pallet will easily draw them in.
You’ll want to invest in a quality painter to get the job done if you don’t have the proper experience. Signs of a bad paint job, like streaks, patchiness or chipping, can quickly deter renters from your property, so if you’re committed to doing it yourself, following the correct steps to paint your rental’s exterior are crucial.
Lively Colors
If painting the entire property seems too daunting, it’s not your only option for making the outside of your property more exciting. Painting smaller things like the furniture outside the property or mailbox can also be effective.
This can make your rental place stand out from the others, especially if you’ve been using the same palette as the other homes in your neighborhood.
You don’t have to choose anything flashy, either. While a neon yellow would certainly catch more eyes, it likely wouldn’t push potential tenants to sign a lease with you. The changes may seem small, but they can improve the appearance immensely.
More Greenery
While indoor renovations and outdoor painting are incredibly important, the area surrounding the home sometimes gets overlooked. Adding more greenery to the surrounding yard of your rental can do a lot for making it look more inviting.
Revive plants, take out the weeds, and plant new grass. Schedule regular lawn mowing. You can also hire a landscaper to improve your curb appeal.
Note that green spaces may be pleasing but not all renters have the extra time to maintain the plants. Go for simple easy-to-maintain ones. You don’t want to spend a lot of effort and end up with neglected foliage, which can defeat the purpose of creating a striking curb appeal.
Nice Lighting
You might think that curb appeal won’t matter at night time, but you can still create an attractive ambiance by adding nice lighting at night. With the plethora of lighting choices in the market, you have plenty of options at different price points.
Lights can also help to fortify the security of your property, and festive lights during the holiday season can create a festive atmosphere and collect positive attention from passersby.
Landscaping
Maintaining the outdoor landscaping should be consistent. You want the outdoors to display healthy plants and not showcase a field of weeds. Hiring landscaping or gardening services while your house is on the market is a wise choice to keep it looking presentable.
Additionally, landscaping can even act as an extra security measure. Consistent upkeep makes sure that everyone, whether they be a potential renter or intruder, knows that the place is being watched over.
Front Door
Any potential residents will be looking at their front door a lot. If it’s looking worn, it can deter potential renters, even if the rest of the property looks brand new.
You can apply a new layer of paint to your door if it has some simple scratches, but if it appears damaged or the lock needs to be fixed, you should look into upgrading it with better material.
As the main access point of the property, the front door should be solid and secure. Potential residents will want to know that they will be safe in your property.
Consistent Cleaning
To attract new tenants and keep the existing ones loyal, incorporate regular cleaning time to your property maintenance. Keeping the whole place clean creates a great impression and reassures prospective residents that you’re on top of things.
During property tours, potential renters observe the state of your rental home closely. You want to avoid unpleasant meetings with cobwebs and clutter both in and outside the home.
Many tenants will tell you that the state of the property while it’s vacant can reflect on its owner. Renting out a pristine property will start you off on the right foot with your new residents.
Roof Checks
It pays to invest in a good roof. Hiring a professional roofer keeps your property free from water damage and contributes to an excellent curb appeal, all while avoiding tenant complaints and keeping maintenance costs down in the long run.
Bottom Line
On top of updating your property’s interior and writing a good listing, having good curb appeal is just one important step in marketing your rental space. It can keep existing renters happy and help them decide to stay over the long term. If the unit is empty, it’s an effective strategy for drawing in more interest from potential occupants.
Upgrading your curb appeal doesn’t have to be expensive. You just need to evaluate what’s needed and start incorporating changes. If you’re too busy, you can always partner with a reliable property manager.
Contact JTS Property Management today! Apart from helping to market a vacant rental space, we also maintain the unit in excellent form, collect the rent promptly, and provide outstanding property solutions.