Preparing to rent out your home

Izelle du Pisanie Izelle du Pisanie
AMOREIRAS HOUSE, Catarina Batista Studio Catarina Batista Studio Living room
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Renting or selling a home can be a lengthy process. However, there are things we can do to speed up the process. There are many people who think that if a house is up for sale or lease you can just remove your personal items and leave it as is. But that cannot be done.

The house may have walls in disrepair, broken appliances and cleaning to do. So, it would be best to resolve these issues before putting it on the market. A house is an investment on your part, and you can accelerate the renting process by making your space more appealing, attracting the attention of more people who will eventually visit and then make offers for rent. In this manner you will quickly recover your investment and even profit from it.

Take a look at these six suggestions on how to prepare your apartment for rent, and think carefully about whether you can’t do something better.

Repairing defects on walls

When we visit a house up for rent, we notice, of course, the state it is in. Walls with cracks in, with too much moisture and with the paint cracking is not an option. An ill-treated floor isn’t an option either. Torn wallpaper? Hmm, we don’t think so. Because we seek comfort and we do not, as a rule, much like having to do work which, as we know, always brings about a headache, we have to find some effective and easy strategies.

Therefore, we know it is a good idea to put ourselves in the place of interested parties and take care of our house before we announce it’s up for rental. There are some easy interventions that can add value to your space. If you invest in some repairs, you can increase the rental price, and will always win in a market which is very competitive. Remember there is always a market for quality and people with economic power to pay for it.

In the case of walls and to solve its problems, choose a neutral colour for painting. White, for example, is a very basic and easily changeable base, should the future tenant want a more vibrant hue.

Repair or replace damaged appliances

A lot of tenants are looking for apartments or houses that are at least partly furnished. This means having the basic furnishings with the most common appliances such as a stove, oven, fridge and washing machine. If you have a dishwasher, so much the better, but we would say it is not the main priority. In any case, inquire if all devices are running smoothly and repair or replace it where necessary.

Your future tenant will not be very impressed if one of the stove plates do not work, if the washer causes flooding, if the lamps have burned out, or if the oven doesn’t heat up.  Trust us. There are small things that can make someone “take it or leave it”. In addition to the appliances, pass the comb through the taps, plugs, switches, latches and locks on windows and door.

Neutral furniture

A red sofa or a sculptural piece may delight you, but it may not be the same for everyone. In principle, before taking a decision, you will have to show the house to several people with distinct aesthetic conceptions. Preferably stick to a moderate colour palette and choose neutral furniture that will appeal to the majority. 

Objects or colours that are too fancy will eventually become the centre of attention, possibly for the worst reasons. Remember, the intention is that the potential future renter see the space as a whole and not focus on this or that ostentatious element. Furthermore, on a white background, there are many decorative routes you can take which will be an asset when it comes to deciding whether or not to rent a space. The same cannot be said of vibrant colours.

Take note of this living room’s proposed design by Germano de Castro Pinheiro, which has all the furniture needed for a good quality of life in simple, elegant tones.

Clean up

This goes without saying. Not here and there, but at the core of things. Turn about the furniture and clean them on the inside, vacuum the baseboards and corners of the ceiling, use a detergent with a fresh, pleasant smell and, of course, don’t forget to spray fresheners into the air of the house to provide a sense of purity and hygiene.

It isn’t rare to see a house up for rent in the papers, and when we go to the place it seems completely different from what we thought. Sometimes this is because the owners have little style when it comes to preparing the house for visitors. Leaving the bed unmade, the dishes unwashed or all of the floors dusty will not make a good impression and reduce the odds of getting someone to rent your home. An untidy home can prevent tenants to see the home’s possible full potential.

Make the space less personal

You’re handing over your house to a third party, so avoid leaving personal belongings behind. You know what we’re talking about, that picture with the birthdate of the prodigal son around the house, the photos of those family holidays, and the stencil of Hello Kitty in the nursery. These are the things you have to remove.

Take away everything that has a particular character. Remove all of these things from the furniture and the walls. Thus, when you are receiving visits from interested parties, they will find it easier to see the house as a blank slate that can later be filled with their own memories.

Accessories

Yes it’s true. We told you to get rid of all personal belongings because the house will no longer be yours. However, do not have to strip all the details and end up with a cold space, unattractive and unappealing.

You can, for example, spread the scent of candles here and there, buy fresh flowers to place strategically in the house on the day it will be visited, light lamps that illuminate points of interest in the house and leave mirrors or picture for some scenery. Thus, although the house will be neutral and ready for someone to move in, it can still be cosy with a nice atmosphere that arouses the desire to dwell.

If you're considering renting out your property, you may also be interested to learn: How To Be A Great AirBnB Host.

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