Many tenants have less invested in their homes than homeowners do. At simplest level, it is the difference between a thousand dollar security deposit and down payment. However, it goes deeper than that. Majority of tenants plan to move away for a year or two, while some homeowners buckle down for long haul. Homeowners are both financially and emotionally invested.
So, how can a landlord protect his hard-earned asset against an inbound natural disaster? Even though you hire property managers, this type of prevention and advance planning is beyond their service level.
Below are some of the ways to make an indestructible rent:
- Avoid Carpets
Carpets aren’t a landlord’s friend. They easily stain, hold odors, and lifespan is short because they discolor rapidly as well as show wear and tear. If your tenants have pets, pet dander and fur is hard to remove from any kind of carpeting. It could be the allergen nightmare for the next renters.
- Use Hardwood Substitute and Not Real McCoy
Hardwood flooring always looks good and there is no doubt about it. It can be also delicate and expensive. Unless you purchase expensive planks that are made of woods, hardwood floors would scratch. You can also consider either high-end laminate wood or bamboo. These are less expensive, more mold-resistant, and more resilient compared to hardwood. Also, they look beautiful.
- If You Use Carpets, Follow Some Rules
First and foremost, use the darkest possible color carpeting you may get for your rental unit. This differs by unit. Other units handle darker carpeting better compared to others based on the room size, wall colors, lighting, and so on.
The reason why you should choose darker carpets hide stains much. These work better than light colored carpets. The idea is making your carpets last as many tenants as possible without the need to be replaced between each single tenant. For low-end units, you can consider combining high-end padding with a low grade quality carpeting. Thick padding may create an illusion of plush and thick carpets, yet it does not need to be replaced just for the reason that tenants tracked mud across the carpet or spilled some red wine during a party.
- Plexiglass Solution
Have a storm door or screen door? How frequent have your tenant’s pets or children put their faces, hands or baseballs through these? If your rental unit has pets or kids, consider replacing screens or glass of storm doors with plexiglass. It is much easier to install, cheap, flexible, and strong. It can also handle no matter what your tenants throw at your door. However, there is an exception and this includes scratches. That is the flaw with the plexiglass. It scratches easily compared to the glass. Luckily, you may swap for a new piece if you want to.
Those are just some of the ways to make your rental indestructible. You can follow any of those tips. Just make sure to consult professionals if you cannot do it on your own.