In a market full of properties available for rent, how do you make yours stand out and seem more attractive than the others?
Presentation
Remember that people will be looking to make your rental property their own home, so look at it from their point of view.
Pay attention to the following areas before showing your property to prospective tenants.
Front yard
This is the first impression of a home and will set the tone of how the tenant will view the rest of the property. The gardens should be free of weeds, the lawn mowed, bushes trimmed, and edges neat.
Front door
Make sure the door is not stuck or hard to open, as this is a sign of a lack of maintenance around the property.
Paint
This is the most inexpensive thing you can do to give the entire property a “facelift.” A coat of paint will immediately freshen the property, making it brighter and cleaner, and the rooms will even appear larger.
Carpet
No one wants dirty, stained carpet. So get rid of it, and replace it with new carpet, vinyl, tile, or wood.
Kitchen
Vacuum and mop the floors. Wipe down the kitchen countertops, cupboards, and cooktop.
Bathroom
Ensure the bathtub and shower are free of soap scum, polish up the fixtures, and scrub the toilet. Replace the toilet seat if it appears worn and used, as well as the toilet flush handle.
Blinds
Blinds are very inexpensive and make a world of difference in giving a property a fresh look.
Lighting
Check that all your bulbs are working so you can turn on the lights for showings. Open all the curtains and let in the natural light—the lighter and brighter a room is, the bigger it feels.
Property management companies use professional cleaners to do this work for a reason—it can take hours of cleaning to get a property up to the standard that it needs to be in for a showing. For this reason, it’s highly recommend you hire a professional cleaner, too.