Updating Your Rental Property on a Budget

Each time you handle tenant turnover, it's a good idea to make a few updates to the property. Especially if the decor is becoming a bit dated. Of course, you don't always have a huge budget for major changes like new flooring or large appliances. Fortunately, you don't have to go all-out to make changes your new tenants will love. Here are six ideas that will spruce up a rental home without breaking the bank:

1) Fresh Coat of Paint

A fresh coat of paint between tenants is just good form. It deals with scuffs, scratches, and tiny nail holes with a smooth one-brush-fits-all solution. New paint makes a home look fresh and new, while also giving you an opportunity to update the internal color scheme of your rental property.

2) New Plumbing Fixtures

The faucets, shower heads, and handles of your plumbing fixtures can often be used to date a house. Old, blocky, or scratched-up fixtures make a rental home look shabby while new trendy-sleek fixtures make it look snazzy and ready for modern tenants. Just by replacing the surface-level fixtures, you can transform the bathroom and kitchen.

3) New Handles for Doors & Cabinets

Handles on your doors and cabinets can have a similarly powerful effect. Especially if you pair them with a little repainting to reinvent the color scheme of the rental property.

4) Smart Light Bulbs

Smart lights are the single most useful and energy-efficient aspect of the smart home trend. You don't need to invest in smart home hubs and other gadgets to start with. Smart lights in the sockets will give your tenants the option to integrate their own smart home technology and fully control the lights through voice or mobile app.

5) USB Power Outlets

Today, every mobile device we use and a good deal of the stationary devices charge through USB cables. This means that USB power ports are now increasingly important. But did you know it's incredibly easy to install USB ports in the walls of a rental home? All it takes is a quick switch of the outlet hardware, and new plug-and-USB outlets are surprisingly affordable.

6) Decorative Light Switch Covers

Finally, never forget the power of little plastic light switch covers. Simple white covers turn yellow over time. You can significantly improve the apparent age and quality of a home just by replacing these covers every few years. Consider something subtly decorative to add a hint of class to the integral decor.

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Updating your rental property on a budget is easier than you think. For more property management insights, contact us today!