Spring is a popular time for tenants to start looking for a new home – the weather is warmer, new life is in the air and moving is typically easier. So how can landlords spruce up their properties for the spring rental market?
With Easter just around the corner, now could not be a better time for landlords to start prepping for the spring rush of new tenants. If you’re looking for new tenants over the next couple of months, there are steps that you can take now to attract reliable renters.
Although April 2017 might be bringing some tough tax changes for landlords, it is the beginning of a brighter rental sector. Follow these steps to market your properties in the best light:
Finish odd jobs
The exterior of your property may have taken a battering over the winter, what with Storm Doris showing her destructive face! To show your tenants that you take pride in your property and are housing them in a safe, secure home, start by finishing the odd jobs that you’ve been putting off over the winter. This may be securing a loose roof tile or repairing broken fence panels. Tidying up these few issues will create a more polished look overall.
Add a lick of paint
If your property looks tired and rundown, you may find that the only tenants willing to move in are those that won’t look after your property and aren’t reliable with their rent payments, warns award-winning Landlord Insurance provider Just Landlords. Simply choosing a clean, fresh colour to update your paintwork (think doors, windows, fences, even the shed!) will smarten the whole property up, attracting renters that will take care of their home.
Declutter
As many households in the UK now have to rent from private landlords, you’ll find that lots of tenants have their own furniture and personal items that they like to help make a property more homely. Look around the interior of your property – are you providing them with a blank canvas that they can customise and make their own? If you supply your tenants with outdated or highly stylised pieces, consider removing them and scaling back on clutter.
Start gardening
You or your previous tenants may have allowed the garden to become overgrown and unkempt during the winter – you don’t want any prospective renters to see the garden in such a mess. Making sure that any fallen branches, wild bushes and overgrown lawns are cut back is an easy way to neaten the place up and show tenants the property’s potential. Adding some outdoor furniture and colourful flowerbeds are bonuses. The smarter the home is, the more your tenants will be encouraged to look after it.
Make sure it’s clean
Having a really thorough spring clean before your tenants come round for viewings is a simple way of helping them envisage themselves living in the property and will draw the right renters. Cleaning the place through, including windows and carpets, will show your property off in the best light and help it appear more sophisticated and modern on marketing photographs.
Bring in fresh scents
Although giving the place a good clean should ensure that it smells fresh, there may be hidden odours that you cannot detect, but will instantly put prospective tenants off. Before viewings, make sure that all windows are opened for an hour or so to get some crisp spring air into each room. You may also like to light a sweet-scented candle for evening viewings or bring in some fresh flowers – daffodils are a winner – to create a bright, cheery atmosphere.
Start preparing your property for new spring tenants now and you will reap the rewards when the Easter bunny arrives!
