Clean & Presentable

Rob B. and Rob D., founders of the investor forum and advice website, The Property Hub, share decorating choices that every landlord needs to know on housebeautiful.com.

Although the larger housebeautiful.com website tells us that matte black is the latest color choice for home decorating, Rob B. and Rob D. recommend that decorating a rental property should not be about personal expression but about appealing to “everyone and anyone,” durability, and cost effectiveness.

No Dog Shower

A rental is not a flip. Keep it simple is the rule. There is no need to go overboard buying the latest luxury fixtures or fittings. You also don’t need to gut the kitchen if it is functional. That means the dog shower in the laundry room that they are talking about over on the sweetwaterliving.com blog is not on your shopping list for the rental property even if you want to put one in your own mudroom. In case you are wondering where that came from

, a dog shower is one of the other latest interior design trends we can expect to see in 2019. However, your goal for the rental is to make the property clean and presentable. You might not even allow dogs.

No White Carpet

Decorating a rental is very straight forward. For the floor, opt for laminate in the kitchens, bathrooms, and hallways because it is easy to clean and if you get decent quality laminate, it should not rip or tear. Laminate is easier to clean than carpet and it will not look dirty or worn as quickly as a light-colored carpet would. Rob and Rob advise that if you must put down carpet, put down dark colors with a good underlay.

For the walls, choose white and light grey throughout and opt for water resistant eggshell or acrylic paint in the kitchen and bathroom. If you own many rentals, use the same color in all of them so you have some around for touchups.

For the bathroom, install a shower over a bathtub rather than a shower over a shower tray and try to put in at least a second toilet, if not a second complete bathroom, so if something breaks it is not such an emergency.

For the kitchen (here is where it is most tempting to overdo it), try to update only the work surfaces and cupboard doors first. That might be enough.

No Furniture

Furnishing is something Rob and Rob recommend we avoid. It costs a lot and renters who bring their own furniture are more likely to stay for the long term.

Simple, clean, & durable, that is what it takes. That is what is likely to please most everyone.

If you are thinking of investing in rental property and need funds for the purchase or the remodeling project, send me an e-mail.

Pat St. Cin

Patrick@InvestorsLendingSource.com

512-213-2271

Austin, Texas

References:

https://www.housebeautiful.com/uk/renovate/refurbish/a23424169/landlords-decorating-rental-property/

https://www.thepropertyhub.net/