Owning and managing rental properties is a challenging business. With constant stresses like dealing with troublesome tenants and keeping vacancies to a minimum, landlords and property managers need every advantage they can get to “one-up” the competition. In the following text, five tips for keeping a rental property attractive are revealed.

1. Curb Appeal – The first thing a prospective tenant sees when they approach a property is the building’s exterior. Keeping the lawn mowed, bushes trimmed, the porch clean, and paint from chipping and pealing is a great start to keeping a rental property attractive.

2. Bright Lighting (both internal and external) – Keeping the external of a property well lit gives the tenant a feeling of added security knowing that they are in a visible atmosphere. Keeping the interior of a property well lit makes it look cleaner and more trendy (this is assuming that the property is not a slum).

3. A Clean Bathroom - Ensuring that the bathroom is spotless (for a vacant property) really boosts the overall cleanliness of the property’s interior. The bathroom is where people bath and spend a lot of time grooming, so naturally they want it as clean, if not cleaner, than them.

4. Spotless carpet – Once in the front door, the first thing a person will notice is often the carpet. Clean carpet is a must if one wants to rent their property quick while receiving top dollar. If possible, avoid installing white carpet, instead installing darker shades.

5. Fix the Small Problems – Leaky faucets, burnt out light bulbs, screen doors that don’t quite shut all the way, and many other small problems can cause big trouble. By fixing all of these small troubles before placing a rental vacancy on the market, one can save a lot of time from wasted showings of the property. If people spot various small problems, they are going to think the property manager or landlord doesn’t take care of their people.

By taking at least a couple of the above tips into consideration, landlords and property managers alike can improve their chances of having a waiting list for their properties.