Customer perceptions about a rental property are formed in the first few seconds of viewing a property. Increasingly, today’s customer looks online before committing to drive to a location and view a model suite.
Everyone has walked into an apartment with an old looking front door, entry flooring that testifies to the thousands of footsteps that have worn a path into the finish. The old white appliances, are just yuck.
The savvy property owner will make investments that show the potential tenant they are maintaining their property, and keeping the property up to date.
That means making surgical investments in keeping a property up to date. That doesn’t have to mean spending a ton of money. Some of the most visible items are not expensive to replace and update.
Curb appeal can be improved by simple things that draw the attention. I like shiny stainless steel mailboxes. They’re a bit more expensive than the plastic composite mailboxes. But wow, they really stand out. They last for decades and they look amazing.
Kitchen counters can be replaced every few years for a few hundred dollars. If you use natural stone, granite has come down dramatically in price in recent years. You can routinely buy granite for $25 per square foot, about 1/3 of what it cost less than a decade ago. These small investments go a long way toward creating a desirable product.
