After a decade of doing renovations for my own and other peoples properties, another decade or so of being a tenant myself and obtaining the opinions of a few property managers on this topic, these are my top 9 things that tenants look for when choosing what property they want to rent………….
Floor plan
• Open spaces and light filled rooms. No long narrow winding hallways!
• Room to put their furniture in (queen size beds in all bedrooms; fridge spaces that will accommodate most fridge heights and widths!)
Fresh neutral décor
• Paint, tiling. Remember that simplicity is the key here! Whilst paint is fairly easy to redo again, not everyone will want a red feature wall as their furniture won’t go with it (no matter how trendy it is). Tiles can and do become dated very quickly, so keep with basic colours and styles.
• Sparkling clean – particularly kitchens and bathrooms
• Remember, gloss surfaces reflect light and this will make the place look brighter, lighter and appear bigger. Use some or all of the following items in gloss finishes; cabinetry (kitchen, vanity units and storage units), benchtops, tiles, painted woodwork, polished porcelain tiles, mirrors
Storage – including built in robes
• We can never have enough storage!
• Make sure there are built in robes in all bedrooms
• Adequate storage space (including pantry) in kitchens
• If you can, include storage units in living areas
• Think about where/how people can store their bicycle (eg; hooks in garage or car-port; lock on the balcony for this purpose; access to communal storage area; caged storage area next to car park space
Internal laundry facilities
• If your property doesn’t have internal laundry facilities, find a way to add these either in the bathroom, kitchen or converting an existing space to a “euro style” laundry.
• You may need to wait until the kitchen is being replaced so you can re-design the area to include these facilities. You may only have space to include a combined washing machine/dryer under the kitchen bench top. If this is the case, include the washer/dryer as part of the rental as most tenants don’t have this type of unit.
• Remember that you will need to be able to get plumbing to this area for the washing machine taps and a waste pipe to remove the water from the washing machine. Also consider whether you need to include a fan to reduce condensation and moisture as the result of a dryer. If you have ducted heating – have a vent in the laundry area so this can be used as a “drying area/cupboard”.
Blinds
• Well fitted blinds are the preferred option for tenants. These can be Holland/roller blinds (either block out or sunscreen or both), Roman blinds (fabric blinds that lift up in panels) venetian blinds, PVC slatted blinds or plantation shutters.
• If you have vertical blinds – remove them now. These are not trendy and are not effective!
• Think about the following things though – make sure cords are not a safety issue; make sure they do block out sufficient light for each room type (eg: bedrooms need to dark when the blinds are shut!!!); colour – keep it neutral and tone with paint colour
• Ensure that they do fit well – no gaps on either side or at the top and bottom which will let light in (particularly bedrooms).
Appliances that work and are appropriate for the property type
• Dishwashers a must. Whilst some of us remember drying the dishes every day before dishwashers were common practice, the people most likely to be renting your property have grown up with dishwashers being a standard piece of equipment. So you do need to include them.
• Gas cooking/cook tops where gas is connected.
• Obviously if the gas isn’t connected, you will need to have an electric one. Consider getting an electric one which has a flush surface – these are easier to clean and can function as additional bench space when not in use. Do have a separate “on/off” switch for the cook top – you don’t want to have something on top and then accidently turn an element on (this is also good to prevent children from turning it on and burning them selves)
• Appliances such as these do need to be appropriate for the property type. What does this mean you ask? Well, if your property is designed to attract families, make sure you have cook tops and dishwashers that can cope with family loads (eg: 4 burner cooktop; 8 setting dishwasher). Similarly, if it is a 1 bedroom inner city apartment you may only need 2 burners and a small dishwasher.
• Also ensure that the quality of appliance you choose is appropriate (eg: if the property is in a “blue-chip” area – have appliances that appeal to “blue-chip” people – not the cheapest bottom of the range items that don’t function! I know, I’ve lived in a family house (still am) which has a dishwasher that doesn’t wash dishes well and a fridge suitable for a couple). If you don’t know what is expected in your area – go and look!
Heating and cooling
• As we all become more energy and cost conscious, it is important to ensure that your property will be comfortable, from a temperature and energy efficient viewpoint, for your tenants. The importance of this will only escalate over the next few years as we move towards disclosure of the energy efficiency of existing properties when they are for sale.
• Think about what is appropriate for your area – do you need to install split system heating, or just (delete) air-conditioning or will ceiling fans and window tinting work best?
Tenant friendly light fittings
• Light fittings are cheap and can really add pizzazz to a property.
• Before you buy or change any light fitting, check how easy (or not) it is to install new light bulbs. If it isn’t easy, don’t get it, no matter how great it looks. Think about the cost of getting an electrician out to change a bulb every time a new one is required.
• Make the light fitting relatively easy to access for cleaning and changing bulbs – if you have an oyster light fitting on a 3m high ceiling, chances are the tenant won’t have a ladder big enough to get to the oyster fitting
• Remember to install energy efficient light globes
Floorboards in living areas; carpet in bedrooms
• There are mixed feelings about floor coverings. Carpet is generally the cheapest style of floor covering and has the advantage of noise reduction. It is also “soft”. Carpets are also great from a depreciation viewpoint.
• Consider floating floors or floorboards in living areas. Remember to insulate under the floating floor in order to reduce the sound, particularly if there is an apartment below or adjoining yours. Having boards (whether solid or floating) in living areas will mean that they are far easier to clean and wine spills won’t show if they have been cleaned up!
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Rosalie Griffiths, is founder of www.urbansensations.com.au and creator of "The Property Rejuvenation Guide" ... the guaranteed step-by- step checklist that will take the hassles out of your renovation, save you thousands of dollars and free up your time by providing a thorough project checklist and keeping tabs on your materials and costs to help you complete your renovation on time, on budget, and eliminate nasty surprises.
