What is expected in a rental property?

[Chris Shuptar]

I'm curious to know from either a landlord or tenant perspective. What things are necessities in a rental property for you to even consider it "rentable"? Example; window treatments, furniture, lamps, etc. I have a friend that mildly stages his rentals to make them more marketable. Is that really necessary? Do renters expect that?

[Ned Carey]

This goes to knowing your market. What tenants expect in my market, could be very different then your market.

Generally I would guess staging is a waste of money for a rental, but if you have a  more affluent tenant it may be worth while. What your tenant expect will depend on the class of property and your prospective class of tenant. Also is quality a mater of getting higher rent, or getting it rented at all?

In Baltimore City, market tenants are happy with clean and sound in poorer areas. Section 8 tenants want very nicely renovated homes. Why not, the government is paying. It is backwards from what you would expect, the section 8 tenants are pickier. 

You need to know your market, which means going to look at other rentals, network  with other landlords and look at their properties.

Sorry no easy answers from me  today.