What if your rentals took care of themselves? As a child, did you think that the future would involve talking robots who would do all of your chores for you? Unfortunately, that future isn’t here yet. However, having a low-maintenance rental can reduce that list of chores and make your rental property ownership much less stressful. Here are ways you can ensure your rental houses are low maintenance while satisfying to your tenants at the same time.

Seattle rentalsSimplify the Garden

When you want to simplify your rental property, start on the outside. Your place needs to look updated and clean, but the gardens don’t need to be fancy. What can you do to make landscaping easy?

  • Add gravel or mulch instead of grass, so you don’t need to mow.
  • Install xeriscaping, gardens that require very little water.
  • Reduce the number of garden structures such as arbors, since they require ongoing maintenance.
  • Garden with perennials rather than annuals, so that you don’t need to renew your plants every year.
  • Choose slow-growing plants rather than plants that need to be trimmed constantly.
  • Minimize cleanup. Add evergreen plants rather than plants that lose their leaves in the fall.
  • Choose a few plants that are beautiful and can be the focal point of the garden.

From the Ground Up

When you’re trying to simplify your rental, look to the floors. Choose flooring materials that are easy to repair or replace, such as laminate flooring. Avoid having flooring that is expensive or easy to damage. While tenants might enjoy having carpet in the bedrooms, adding a throw rug is easy on the feet and much easier to replace if damage occurs to the carpet.

Choose Basic Fixtures 

If you’re trying to make it easier to manage your rentals, you need to reduce the number of elements you have to manage. Whether your property has a swing set or a reverse osmosis system, these more luxurious add-ons become part of the property package. According to All Property Management, “if installed and functioning in a rental at the time tenants move in, your renters will expect you to maintain and repair them if they break, which can be costly.” So while certain add-ons and features may make your property more attractive, think of ongoing maintenance and upkeep before keeping or adding these items to your property.

Protect Your Property From Damage 

Everyday wear and tear takes its toll on your properties. Make sure that your properties are hard to hurt and easy to clean.

  • Add semi-gloss paint rather than matte. It’s easier to clean.
  • Make sure that doors have bumpers to prevent damage.
  • Purchase properties with transitional areas such as mudrooms, or install shelving for shoes and coats near the front entrance.

Choose the Right Tenants

Do you find yourself visiting the same properties again and again to fix minor problems? According to Proapod, “you might be surprised to discover that you can eliminate up to one-half of your maintenance, repair, cleaning, and wear-and-tear costs simply by selecting tenants who demonstrate personal responsibility.” When you’re finding tenants, make sure that you check their references.

Encourage tenants to report any issues when they are noticed. Your tenants are the ones who live in your properties every day, and by bringing in the right tenants and encouraging communication, you can simplify your maintenance.

Work With a Professional

When you’re trying to make your life as a property owner easier, look to others for help. This includes creating a roster of people such as plumbers and electricians who are responsible and able to help you fix problems. You can also work with a property management company to market your property, choose tenants, and work on repairs and maintenance to the property. Working with a management company means that they take care of the details leaving you more time to keep your focus on the big picture as you work to achieve success in property investing.

As a property owner, you need to make sure that your rentals are easy to manage. At Lori Gill and Associates, we make your life simpler. We take care of the details of your property management. Connect with us today.