importance-of-curb-appeal-in-rental-properties

Importance of Curb Appeal in Rental Properties

Rental properties may generate consistent cash flow for an investor. However, whether renting a single-family home or several apartment units, an owner should ensure that the exterior property areas are adequately maintained.

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As a property owner, you're constantly looking for ways to raise the rental property's value and entice the best tenants. Unfortunately, while many concentrate on the inside of the house, they often disregard the exterior beauty of rental homes.

The term "curb appeal" describes the total aesthetic appeal of a building as seen from the street, including its exterior paint, landscaping, and other characteristics. You must understand that curb appeal is critical for recruiting long-term tenants. In this article, we'll look at the importance of curb appeal for rental properties and other important details.

What is Curb Appeal?

When someone approaches a property from the street, the first thing that catches their attention is its curb appeal. When all of the property's visual elements, such as the house, the yard, the landscaping, the driveway, etc., are viewed at once, an instant impression of it comes to life.

Renters will assume that if the home's exterior appears neat, lovely, and well-maintained, the interior will also be in good condition. When renting out a home, prospective tenants will first notice the exterior. First impressions are everything. If it appears run-down or unkempt, your property may turn off tenants before they enter. On the other hand, a house that is well-kept and has great curb appeal can make a good impression and excite potential tenants about seeing the inside of the property.

Your home has more curb appeal if the outside is more appealing. This extends beyond the house's architectural design to include any capital upgrades you may have done while residing there, such as landscaping, including how your lawn, trees, and plants look, and lighting design.

It's crucial to consider beyond renovations and expansions when coming up with a concise answer to the question, "What is curb appeal?" Your home's exterior appeal, or lack thereof, depends just as much on how well you maintain it and the quality of the materials you employ as on the specific improvements you make. This is why it's crucial to devote resources to and care for your home's exterior.

3 Low-Maintenance Tips for an Attractive Curb Appeal

1. Lighting Up Your Property

What does the neighborhood look like at night? It's crucial to have warm, efficient lighting. You never know when a realtor will bring a potential homebuyer to check out a listing.

In addition to making a community feel more welcoming, adequate lighting helps prevent crime and keeps the area safer for locals. Your property can look more appealing and accentuate its architectural characteristics if you add lights to the exterior. You should hire a competent property manager to assist with maintenance duties.

Think of the most recent lighting trends, such as string lights or Edison bulbs. You can also install soft lighting along the main entrances and walkways to prevent visitors from tripping around the property. In addition, outdoor lights can assist in illuminating walkways and steps and serve as aesthetic elements.

Installing solar-powered outdoor lighting can be a better choice if you are searching for something more environmentally friendly. Solar-powered lights use far less energy than conventional electrical lights and are considerably cheaper.

2. Landscaping

Make sure the grass is cut frequently for any rental properties you own. In addition, you should apply fertilizer according to the season. One of the first things a prospective tenant observes is a neatly maintained yard.

If you carefully approach some outside elements, your property could appear more appealing than surrounding rental properties. For example, you could plant small trees or bushes to enhance the appeal of a rental home. Another way to raise a rental property's curb appeal is by planting bright flowers or adding a flower box to particular outside spaces.

3. Downspouts and Gutters

Water will be directed away from your home's foundation by adequately installed gutters and downspouts. In addition, clearing leaves and other debris from rental property gutters will maximize the effectiveness of a constant water flow.

Renters frequently think gutters and downspouts that protrude from a building could be more appealing. However, you may also enhance the outside appeal of your rental property by ensuring the gutters and downspouts are securely attached to it.

How to Plan for Maintenance

1. Outdoor Maintenance

A great and effective way to plan for curb appeal maintenance is to first tend to the outdoors. Any plant, shrub, or flowerbed you grow outside should go through constant trimming, weeding, raking, and mulching. Your lawn isn't an exception. Ensure you keep it mowed and edged against sidewalks and walkways. If your grass appears sick, fertilize and reseed any weak or lifeless parts to restore it to its greenness.

Inspect the driveway, brickwork, and sidewalks for cracks too. Compared to a complete resurfacing project, patching is more cost-effective. In addition, these repairs will ease any maintenance you have planned for your curb.

2. Painting

Painting always goes in style when it comes to preparing for maintenance. It serves as a reasonable way to alter a home's exterior quickly. It's also a great way to emphasize your home's qualities and keep or restore the exterior's original appearance—this way, you know which parts to incorporate into your maintenance plans.

3. Lighting

When planning for maintenance, it's essential to visualize your curb appeal at different times of the day. The night isn't an exception. With the help of outdoor lights, you can discover how this helpful security element provides your property with a striking and lovely appearance. Hence, during maintenance, you can tackle the parts you may not see during the day.

Conclusion

Generally, buildings with appealing exteriors tend to receive more inquiries from prospective tenants. Many tenants look for ways to save money when paying rent for a place to live. You might persuade tenants to rent your properties longer with minor exterior upgrades. In addition, exterior upgrades could raise your rental properties' curb appeal and vacancy rates.

About the Author Laura Bennett

Hello, I’m Laura Bennett. I love nature especially when it comes to flowers and different kinds of plants. I started a very small garden behind my house and I named it Humid Garden. So, I created this blog to provide aspiring and inspiring thoughts about gardening for gardeners and anyone who has the intention of keeping a garden.

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