How Important is Rental Property Curb Appeal?

Want to make sure your property gets leased? Focus on its “curb appeal.”

From a rental perspective, the importance of how well a property’s exterior is maintained cannot be overstated.  

Put Yourself in the Tenant’s Shoes

What will prospective tenants think about when they first see your single family home rental? Will they just keep on driving or will they be compelled to peak in side?

Remember, good first impressions are extremely important, especially where renting your property is concerned.  Without a good first impression, there’s not much hope of them wanting to see more.

Details to Consider Before Putting Out the “For Rent” Sign

While you may have some budget or spending restrictions to consider, the following are some cost-effective considerations when evaluating the curb appeal of your property:

• Exterior paint – No one wants to rent a home with cracking, fading, or peeling paint on the exterior.  Applying a fresh coat of paint can do wonders for a rental property’s aesthetic appeal.  Otherwise, prospective tenants won’t even bother to look inside the home.
• Front Lawn – Lawns that aren’t manicured and weedy are an eyesore, especially when every other lawn in the neighborhood is well-maintained.  If you have a property management company working for you, ask them if they can include this in their services.  Otherwise, you’ll have to deal with lawn care yourself.
• Overgrown bushes, shrubs, and trees – Overgrown bushes, shrubs, and trees eventually become costly maintenance problems such growth into the eaves, patio, or roof of the home.

When you have the time to do so, drive by your properties and ask yourself if you would want to live there. 

If you answer NO, then obviously it is time to consider addressing any issues that detract from the home’s curb appeal.  

Having SMART as your property management partner will alleviate the need for you to get your hands dirty since they have contractors and maintenance crews at their disposal to handle these issues. And that will leave you with ample time to focus on other aspects of your business.