Toilet Seats & 5 Other Fast Rental Property Improvements

Whether you purchased a new rental property or you are simply looking to upgrade an existing one as old tenants move out, it is often tricky to know what upgrades are worth investing in and which ones are a waste of time and money. Sometimes a few fast and affordable upgrades can make a huge difference in attracting more applicants to your property. Check out these fast rental property improvements and consider investing in a few for your rental unit.

Toilet Seats

While a toilet seat might not be the first property improvement that comes to mind, it is actually a super fast, affordable upgrade you can make to improve the appearance of a dated bathroom. Often the toilet itself is in fine condition and spending hundreds of dollars on replacing it would be a waste of money. However, old toilets can be a huge deterrent to renters. For less than $20 you can simply replace the toilet seat, giving the toilet a fresh appearance and a cleaner feeling for your bathroom.

Light Fixtures

Older homes often come equipped with less than modern looking light fixtures. Updating light fixtures can help improve the appearance of a room and the installation is quick and easy. Make sure you opt for light fixtures that are simple for your tenants to remove when they need to change a light bulb. Choosing a simple design can also keep the fixtures from looking dated in a few years.

Faucets

Similar to the toilet seat upgrade, changing out old faucets for new ones can save you from an entire sink upgrade. Often just implementing a new faucet will make the entire sink set-up look new. For kitchens, opt for a stainless steel, sleek faucet to spruce up the sink. Faucets not only are a worthwhile upgrade because of appearances, they also are a worthwhile maintenance upgrade. A new faucet can save you from dozens of leaky faucet calls.

Cabinet Handles

Swap out old cabinet and drawer handles for new ones to help upgrade your rental property. Pair new hardware with a fresh coat of paint, and viola, your outdated cabinetry can get a quick face-lift. In the before and after below, you can see how much of a difference these items can make. In the picture below the appliances were also upgraded, but you could perform the quick improvements without changing the appliances.

Light Switches

Nothing gives off a creepier vibe than old light switches that look outdated and don’t work well. If you want to avoid a horror movie looking rental, upgrade your light switches. Keep in mind that if you are installing anything electrical, some states require the work is performed by a licensed electrician. Check with your local laws.

Fresh Paint

Sprucing up a rental with fresh paint can go a long way in the amount of interest you garner during a showing. Choose an affordable option that will be easy to touch-up in the future. White is a classic rental property paint choice as it is simple to match later. However, adding some accent walls or trim can help your property look more appealing to renters. Not only will fresh paint make the property look better, it will also help reduce any lingering odors from previous residents.

What easy upgrades have you had the most success with for your rental properties?