5 Options to Improve the Look of Single-family Rental Homes

The market demand for single-family homes and apartments continues to grow. According to the New York Times, more and more families are opting for single-family homes, even at the expense of building enough equity for homeownership.

The statistic means two things. First, you’re catering to one of the largest real estate niches by offering single-family rental properties. Second, other property owners recognize the potential gains from the market, meaning that you need your single-family rental units to stand out.

This is where making rental unit improvements comes in. Improving the appearance and functionality of your single-family rental homes and apartments will entice more prospective clients to rent your property. Beautify your rental properties, and their occupancy won’t be far off.

Of course, there’s more to improving your single-family rental property’s curb appeal than applying a fresh coat of paint. By following these five tips, your rental properties will be the best for your potential tenants on the block.

1. Go Minimalist on the Furniture

Over-furnishing is an easy mistake to commit when improving curb appeal. It’s a good idea to add furniture to a single-family unit or house. However, it’s essential to consider that not everyone will take to the property’s furniture. Some tenants want to add or change some pieces during their property occupancy.

When furnishing a single-family rental property, keep the selections minimalistic. Have no more than the basics, like a small couch, a few chairs, and a coffee table in the living area. Also, opt for removable mounted shelves rather than full cupboards. With the removable shelves, your tenants will have the option to take them down if they prefer.

Leaving some rooms in your single-family units unfurnished is also a good idea. Doing this confers two benefits:

1. It makes your single-family rental unit seem more spacious than it is
2. Unfurnished rooms allow occupants more freedom to decide what to do with them — they can be play areas for children, additional storage, or a guest room.

The point is that by keeping furniture to the bare essentials, you’re giving your tenants more freedom to add personal touches to the single-family rental unit.

2. Select Low-maintenance Materials

Few tenants look forward to cleaning countertops and walls every two weeks, and even fewer are willing to do so weekly. With this in mind, choose materials that require little to no cleaning or maintenance.

When you schedule your unit make-readys, plan to have low-maintenance materials in strategic parts of the single-family unit. These places will need low-maintenance materials, including parts of the unit that experience the most moisture. Right away, this means the kitchen and bathroom. For these areas of your single-family property, use materials like laminate. Laminate is a scratch-proof material that also holds up against sunlight.

Ceramic tiles are the best choice for bathroom and kitchen tiles. However, if re-tiling isn’t in the schedule or budget, you can always choose tile decals.

Tile decals come in a variety of styles and patterns. All you need to do is select the ones that match the rooms or areas of your unit. Also, decals are easy to install and are removable if your tenants prefer other designs. You can add vinyl flooring for added scratch resistance.

Low-maintenance materials for your single-family apartments and homes will make life easier for your tenants. Most importantly, it will make property maintenance easier for you if it’s one of the services you offer your tenants.

3. Add Rugs

Rugs will protect whatever flooring your single-family homes or apartments already have. Rugs are also practical and cost-effective since you don’t need to re-tile or re-floor your units.

Of course, you might disagree about rugs making your single-family property low-maintenance. After all, carpets and rugs are dust collectors, making daily dusting inconvenient for you and your tenants.

Luckily, there are low-maintenance and hypoallergenic rugs and carpets on the market. They are often nylon, wool, or a combination of both. If you want maximum longevity from a rug, choose nylon. Nylon is scratch-resistant, durable, and does not accumulate as much dust and dirt as wool.

Polyester is another low-maintenance rug option. It doesn’t accumulate much dust and dries quickly. It’s also one of the softest rug materials, so it’s a joy to walk on for your tenants and their kids.

For lesser bulk, you cannot go wrong with carpet tiles. Carpet tiles will add visual warmth to your unit without adding to the list of things to clean.

4. Decorate Conservatively

Beautifying a single-family unit or home is all about increasing curb appeal with the least possible changes. This principle applies to how you decorate your single-family rental property on a budget.

When selecting decor, choose removable items like paintings and curtains. You can also add plants if your single-family unit is spacious enough.

Besides art and flora, wallpaper is another way to style up your rental property. When selecting wallpaper, go for easy-to-remove options. Also, choose colors or tones that are muted or neutral.

Don’t go overboard — while you may appreciate the decor, your new tenants may not. Only implement changes that can be undone or are sure to wow anyone.

5. Use Lighting to Your Advantage

Lighting is the easiest way to change the ambiance of your rental property. During the day, you can use lighting to your advantage by choosing lightweight curtains for the windows.

For adequate lighting at night, install corner lights. A cost-effective option would be floor lights. These lights will add an ambient mood to a room without making the space too bright.

The right lighting won’t just illuminate rooms in your unit. Lighting will also work with your interior decor to create a cozy environment that’s sure to attract prospective tenants.

Beautify Your Single-Family Property and Manage It with ExactEstate

Once you’ve made rental unit improvements to your single-family rental apartment, it will be ready for occupancy. Occupancy is the period in which you will perform the bulk of your property management duties. To make life easier for yourself, choose a property management platform that understands your needs.

ExactEstate is your one-stop shop for all your property management processes. Using our platform, you can get on top of your daily tasks, such as:

• Property management
• Tenant communications
• Accounting and online billing
• Reporting

Our platform takes the guesswork out of your property management. Learn more about what ExactEstate can do for your business by scheduling a demo today.