Tenant-Proofing Tips to Keep Your Rental Nicer, Longer

Tenants may be the lifeblood of your rental real estate business, but they can also ring the death knell. If you rent to the wrong ones and don’t take action to keep your property in tip-top shape, it can spell disaster. While most tenants fall into the “average” category, a few are excellent and others are downright terrible. Regardless, it’s up to you to keep your rental property in good shape for current and future renters, and one way to do this is to “tenant-proof” it. Yes, I said tenant-proof. You’ve got to keep your place protected from the very people who call it home. Here’s how:

• Make your flooring decisions wisely. Carpet is a good way to spend money you don’t have to, because it will inevitably become stained and gross and will need to be replaced. However, there are times when carpet makes the most sense. In these instances, choose a durable carpet that will repel and hide stains. Avoid installing in high-traffic areas, such as entryways, kitchens, and bathroom. If it’s just as affordable to use a different type of flooring, vinyl and tile are easy to clean and fairly durable. Hardwoods look great, but they can be scratched and damaged easily, so think carefully when considering this one.
• Landscape with care. Landscaping is one of those areas where it’s easy to go overboard, and you think you’re doing good by planting all those shrubs and flowers. But guess what? All that stuff needs to be maintained, and chances are, your tenant does not have a green thumb. Doing a bit of landscaping is a great idea because it improves your property’s value and curb appeal; just make sure you don’t go overboard. Pick items that are easy to care for and won’t require a ton of maintenance.
• Do not use flat paint. I repeat, do not use flat paint. It’s literally impossible to clean. Go for an eggshell or semi-gloss on the walls, and use high-gloss on any cabinetry. After your tenants move out and you see all the handprints and other junk on the walls, you’ll be glad for the washability of the glossier paint.
• Don’t go super cheap on stuff. It can certainly be tempting to opt for builder grade materials or choose whatever is cheapest, but remember - you get what you pay for. When you take the cheap-o route, you usually increase your chances of having whatever it is break or malfunction. Of course, then it’s up to you to pay for it to be fixed or replaced. In the end, it often just makes more financial sense to choose something that falls somewhere between cheap and average. One exception that I can think of here is window blinds. The cheap ones are often the best choice, because you will likely be replacing these between each tenant. At a cost of just a few bucks per window, it’s smarter to buy cheap blinds than more expensive ones.
• Pay attention to the small stuff. You may think that light fixture with the pull switch will be fine, but trust me, you want the wall switch. You may also think it will be okay to mount the towel rack right into the wall, rather than the stud. Trust me, find the stud. These are the little tidbits that you’ll learn over time, once you’ve replaced your fair share of light fixtures and towel racks.

Tenants. Can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em. What you can do, though, is tenant-proof your rental property to make your life a little easier. Or, you can go with a turnkey property where all of these considerations have already been made, and your property is already tenant-proofed.