Best Exterior Features to Attract Tenants to Your Rental Properties

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In a competitive rental market, rental property owners need to have their property exteriors on point. First impressions are very important to prospective tenants; in fact, their overall impression of your property could be made before they even make it through the front door. Rental properties with high curb appeal tend to have higher occupancy rates, reduced vacancy periods, and higher property values.

For all of these reasons, upgrading the exterior features of your property can be one of the best pathways to ongoing profitability. Let’s take a closer look at some of the best exterior features for attracting tenants to a rental property.

Update Landscaping

One of the easiest ways to improve the curb appeal of any property is to have an attractive and well-maintained front yard. Simply having regular landscape maintenance can make a big difference. Trimming trees and bushes, mowing the lawn, and removing weeds are all a great place to start.

Another smart move is to take a look at the landscaping of the nicer homes and properties near yours. Landscaping does not need to be elaborate or expensive to make a good impression, but you should try to adjust your landscaping to be as similar to the nice properties around it as possible.

Adding some colorful flowers along a walkway, some solar landscaping lights, or power washing the driveway and walkways are all small, inexpensive ways to give your rental property’s landscaping lots of visual appeal.

Upgrade Exterior Doors

Another relatively small upgrade with high returns in curb appeal are upgraded exterior doors. An old, worn out, or damaged front door or garage door is an eyesore and can make the entire exterior of your property look run down. On the other hand, a new door can actually increase your property values and will certainly improve your property’s curb appeal, as well as your tenant’s security.

New exterior doors can range in cost from budget-friendly to very expensive, so aim for something that is good quality but affordable. Doors with pretty details, like a small window or a unique style that matches the property or neighborhood are a great choice. If replacing the door isn’t an option, you could also consider giving it a new coat of paint. Sometimes that is all it takes to upgrade the exterior of a property.

Add Exterior Lighting

Like doors, exterior lighting is one of those upgrades that can make a big impact. Updating your entryway light fixture and other exterior fixtures can give the entire feel of the property a lift. Plus, if you opt for LED lights and those with motion sensors, you can enhance both safety and energy efficiency at the same time.

For an even bigger upgrade, consider adding some pathway or landscape lighting to add visual appeal after sunset and provide added security. Lights are a great way to deter vandalism and to ensure that your tenants have secure footing on exterior walkways after dark.

Add Outdoor Living Spaces

One trend that remains very popular is the outdoor living space. Tenants and homeowners alike are attracted to homes that have patios, decks, and outdoor conversation seating. If your property already has one or more of these features, you can give it an instant upgrade by simply cleaning and maintaining the space.

Alternatively, consider adding an outdoor space to your rental. Even something as simple as a swing, a cement patio, an outdoor grill, or a little added shade can make an outdoor space more appealing. If your budget and preferences allow, consider providing some outdoor furniture to make an outdoor space feel instantly like home.

Integrate Eco-Friendly Features

Finally, it’s important to remember that today’s renters are much more environmentally conscious than previous renter demographics. For this reason, another great way to add exterior appeal to a rental property is to incorporate eco-friendly features.

For example, adding solar panels, a rainwater harvesting system, and using native plants in your landscaping are all great ways to make your property more eco-friendly and appeal to renters who are as well.

Other eco-friendly upgrades that would also appeal to the tech-savvy renter include adding a smart thermostat and a smart sprinkler control box, installing a video doorbell or keyless door locks, and upgrading appliances, HVAC systems, and water heaters to energy-efficient models.

While these upgrades will range in price, each offers not only savings on utility bills but also may appeal strongly to today’s largest renter demographic.

Get Expert Advice

While there are many options when it comes to improving the appeal of your rental property’s exteriors, one of the best places to start is to assess your property with a critical eye. It’s also a good idea to ask for feedback from tenants and applicants to get a more specific idea about what changes may appeal to them most. These can sometimes be subjective, but helpful in a general sense.

Source: Think Realty