9 Rental Friendly Upgrades That Benefit Both Landlords and Tenants

Property maintenance can get expensive and time consuming as a landlord. Plus, you don’t want to inconvenience your residents with renovations that take weeks or months to complete. You need to focus on small and simple adjustments. Here are X rental friendly upgrades that benefit both landlords and their tenants.

1. Energy-Efficient Appliances

The best rental friendly upgrades are energy-efficient appliances. They help landlords save money on utility costs and make the tenants’ lives easier. Start by looking for these specific appliances with Energy-Star certifications so you know you’re getting quality products:

• Thermostats
• Low-flow water fixtures
• Refrigerators
• Dishwashers
• Dehumidifiers

It’s hard to keep an apartment building comfortable and affordable at the same time, but these appliances make it much more feasible. You can stock all of your living units with them in just a few days and drastically improve your property’s appeal.

2. Washers and Dryers in Every Unit

Instead of making tenants use a communal laundry room, put washers and dryers in every unit to give them more independence. The installation costs might be expensive, but if you choose Energy-Star certified washers and dryers, they will save you hundreds of dollars in the long run and make laundry much more convenient for your residents.

3. Fresh Coat of Paint

A new paint job has one of the highest returns on investment of all rental friendly upgrades. Applying a coat of white, gray, beige or another neutral color is the best approach. It fits with just about everyone’s personal style, gives your apartment units continuity and makes the rooms look much newer. The younger an apartment looks, the better. 

4. Seasonal Landscaping

Instead of keeping the same landscaping set-up all year, try making seasonal adjustments to improve your property’s curb appeal. There are plenty of cold weather plants for the winter season that will keep your landscaping colorful and vibrant. This upgrade will also keep your tenants in high spirits and make them feel proud to live in such a beautiful apartment.

5. Exterior Pressure Wash

Another way to improve your property’s curb appeal is by pressure washing the exterior siding. It will annihilate stains and debris, making the building look much younger. It’s also safe for any surface, including wood and vinyl. Just make sure the water pressure isn’t too high, or else it will remove the paint and give you another project to do.

6. Ambient Lighting

Ambient lighting is a simple upgrade that will make your apartment more hospitable. It adds just the right amount of brightness and warmth to the room without spiking your electricity costs or overwhelming your tenants. Look for mood lights, recessed lighting and other subtle fixtures that don’t take up much space to keep your expenses low.

7. New Deadbolt Locks

This rental friendly upgrade covers another important aspect of property management: security. Putting new deadbolt locks on each unit’s door will reduce the chances of a break-in and give your tenants peace of mind. Deadbolts are the best locks available because intruders can’t force the bolts back into the door, hence the name.

8. Double-Pane Windows

Double-pane windows will also improve your property’s security, but that’s not the only benefit of this upgrade. They will increase each room’s privacy — which is crucial for apartments and multi-family properties — and reduce drafts and water leaks. Ditch your flimsy old windows and get some sturdy double-paned upgrades.

9. Weatherstrips

Weatherstripping each room’s doors and windows is another simple, cost-effective upgrade. They will help the double-pane windows in reducing drafts, which will improve your property’s air quality and living conditions. You don’t even have to buy weatherstrips, if you don’t want to. You can make alternative DIY weatherstrips and encourage your tenants to do the same.

Find Simple Ways to Improve Your Property

Huge renovations are nice to have, but they’re expensive and might interfere with your tenants’ everyday lives. Instead, you can find simple ways to improve your property. All of your small efforts will add up to huge improvements. These nine rental friendly upgrades are just the tip of the iceberg.