Letting your property can come with unexpected tasks and costs, making it a stressful event. Often, people can be daunted with a long to-do list, but it pays to make sure your property is looking the best it can for viewings.
There are a few ways that you can increase your probability of attracting a tenant, through tasks as simple as clearing the guttering, to decluttering the garden. People will often disregard a property if it looks scruffy and unkempt.
So here are a few top tips to make sure you can increase the probability of letting your property:
1. Declutter
Decluttering really helps in allowing tenants to see the space that they may be calling home, so get rid of the excess stuff you have let accumulate. Think about removing some of the bulky furniture, and clutter. Keep in mind, you don’t want to go too far! A prospective tenant doesn’t want to see a hotel room with no character, they want to see a house that is lived in and loved. So, keep your pictures on the wall, just get rid of the rubbish
2. Unfinished DIY Tasks
Nobody wants to lease a property that is ‘unfinished’, so if you started painting your skirting boards last year, you best finish them! A potential tenant could walk into your property and think that letting it would involve decorating it themselves. Most people want to live in a house that is finished, so up your chances and get the paintbrush out.
3. Bad smells
Before a potential tenant comes to view the property, making sure the place is tidy is not enough. Make sure the house is clean. Wipe down all surfaces, use a carpet shampoo if necessary, and make sure that all the bins are empty. Nowadays, smoking inside is deemed quite unsavoury, but if indoor smoking has occurred the last you can do is get rid of lingering odours. When people view a property, it is a multi-sensory experience.
4. Dirty Bathroom
Everything needs to sparkle. If a potential tenant sees that the bathroom is dingy and unclean, they will not want to live there. If the limescale in the showerhead is too stubborn, replace the showerhead. If the toilet seat is a bit wonky, replace it. Making sure the toilet is clean is a definite must, so lots of bleach and lots of scrubbing.
5. Garden
A mowed lawn could genuinely increase the potential desirability of your house. As stated previously, not many people want to let a project that is halfway done. It doesn’t seem like a massive task, but to the eyes of a tenant, it makes a difference. Some well-organised flower arrangements can give the place a facelift and hanging a birdfeeder wouldn’t go amiss.
6. Kerb Appeal
The front of your house might need a little help. A power washer can take years of dirt and grime off in a few hours. You’d be surprised at the difference a little upkeep can make on a property. If the front door is looking tatty, think about replacing that too, it could add a good deal of appeal to your property. Hanging baskets, clear house number signage, and maybe outdoor lights can really change the feel of a property.
7. Dingy Kitchen
Even if your kitchen is cramped, there are a few ways to make it look much better. Consider giving the cabinets a fresh lick of paint, replace the handles with something a little more modern. Changing the appliances can also make the place look more up-to-date, even though a potential tenant may not use them all. Have a look at the light fixture and extractor fan too as they can become greasy.
8. Light
To make a house feel bigger and more spacious, allow as much light as you can into the property. A dark room can seem cramped and unwelcoming. So, swing open the curtains, get a lamp on if necessary. Light a candle or two. Mirrors are a great way to make a room feel bigger and to allow light to bounce around the room.
9. Feed the senses
Not only does everything need to be clean and tidy, but things also need to smell and look attractive. Making sure that your property looks contemporary is a good start, but making a place feel like a home to somebody is a difficult task. Have some nice smelling flowers or a plug-in air freshener. Often people bake bread or brew coffee to make the house smell homely. When a tenant is viewing, a radio playing softly in the background really helps. A house is going to become somebody’s home. Making them comfortable is key.
10. Anti-Social Neighbours
This may be subject to change but keeping a good rapport with the neighbours will really help in increasing the value of the property. While having a conversation with a tenant, saying “John and Linda next door are lovely” could be a deal-breaker. If you are conducting a house viewing and the neighbours are playing heavy metal and screaming at each other, your tenant may not be inclined to live there.
Tenants are understanding, and if you can be as honest as possible with them while ensuring they can have the best experience possible, they will want to live there. If your property does not meet these 10 basic standards, a tenant may not want to live there.
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