Curb appeal counts. It’s the first impression your property makes on potential renters. If you want to find highly qualified tenants quickly and if you want to rent your property out for the most money possible, you need to invest in some impressive curb appeal.
We are sharing 5 specific things you can do to improve the curb appeal of your investment property. Many of these can be easily implemented right now.
1. Update the Entry
Most tenants are going to enter through the front door. So, it’s a logical place to start when you’re looking for ways to improve the look of your rental home.
Would you rather walk through a clean, freshly painted front door or a door that’s covered in cobwebs and insects? This is not a difficult question to answer.
Sometimes, a simple coat of paint is all you need to make the door pop. A freshly painted front door will not only increase your curb appeal – it will provide an entirely new look and feel to your property. Updated paint is also a good idea every few years because it increases the durability and the lifespan of that door. The most extreme weather hits your front door, whether it’s sun or wind or snow.
When the door seems to need more than paint, install a new one. Deteriorating doors are unappealing and they also allow too much hot and cold air into the property. So, when your door begins to deteriorate, it’s better to replace it with a new door that’s already primed, painted, and ready to be installed.
2. Curb Appeal and Lighting
Lighting is actually part of your curb appeal, even though tenants will mostly see your property in the daylight hours. They might drive by after dark to get an idea of how the neighborhood feels and what the house looks like at different times of day.
For curb appeal purposes as well as security purposes, you’ll want to deliver a well-lit home that’s secure and comforting.
The right lighting will create a welcoming and inviting ambience. Creating a warm glow is ideal; look for a porch light that shows off your new door. Put some solar lights in a path that leads to the front door or along the driveway.
Good lighting also leads to residents feeling safe. Tenants feel more secure when there’s adequate lighting outside, and statistics have proven that homes with outside lighting are less likely to be burglarized or trespassed upon than those that remain dark.
You can install a motion light on the side of the house or on the garage or any outbuildings. This will add to security and provide additional illumination for tenants who may be walking dogs outside or walking from car to home.
Bright lights serve a functional purpose at your rental property and also an aesthetic one. Use them to create the right curb appeal.
3. Clean and Sweep Away Debris and Dirt
As a prospective tenant drives or walks up to your property, what do they see happening outside? Are there angry dogs tied to a tree? Cars parked across the lawn? Trash bins on their sides, rolling around in the wind?
You don’t want any of that at your rental property. Take some time to do a bit of cleaning.
Clear away any debris from the front of the house, the driveway, and the walkway. Even the sidewalk in front of your home needs some attention. Prospective tenants won’t want to see trash gathering in corners of the yard or lawn debris pushing up against the garage. Make sure the property is as clean outside as it is inside.
4. Exterior Paint Condition
When was the last time you turned a hose on your home? It might be time for a good pressure washing. A thorough washing of the outside of your home will give it a new, fresh look. It will remove all those cobwebs and spider webs. It will eliminate any leaves, sticks, debris, dirt, and dust.
Power washers are inexpensive to rent if you don’t already have one. This is an easy way to freshen up your property and improve its curb appeal without much effort or expense. Get the entire property as well as the roof, patios, driveways, and walkways. You’ll be surprised at how fresh and clean the entire property looks.
Once you have completed the power washing, inspect the condition of your paint. If it has been more than a decade since the paint was redone and it’s looking worn and chipped, consider repainting. You’ll get a lot more attention on the rental market when you’re offering a home with fresh exterior paint.
5. Invest in Better Landscaping
Your landscaping does not have to be extreme. Tenants will be intimidated if they come to your property and see complicated arrangements. Keep it simple.
That doesn’t mean you should ignore it. Landscaping at a rental home should be attractive, neat, and easy to maintain. To prepare for showings and marketing photos, make sure the lawn is mowed and the weeds on bushes and flower beds are pulled up. Branches should be trimmed back from trees and shrubs. You want an outdoor space that looks like a fun place to hang out when the weather is nice. Tenants will respond to that.
The outdoor space at your investment property must be welcoming, healthy, and inviting. Set up recurring lawn services so it will continue to look great during the leasing period and throughout the tenancy. This will keep your curb appeal looking good.
We have these general suggestions, but we’d also be happy to take a look at your own rental property and make some recommendations that are specific to you. If you’re looking for ways to make your property stand out, start with curb appeal. We can help.
Please contact us at Innovate Realty. We work with investors of all experience levels in the greater Philadelphia metro area as well as surrounding suburban areas in Bucks, Camden, Montgomery, Chester, Burlington, and Delaware County, to the Delaware River.
