Worried about your property being damaged by your tenants? Here are some some ideas to help keep your property tenant proof while maintaining enough appeal to attract good quality tenants.
Having a tenant proof property means having a property that can withstand the wear and tear of having tenants live in it. Certain features simply cost less to maintain that others, while some are just not required to rent out a property so are an unnecessary expense. A balance needs to be made as to also having a property that will attract tenants.
Examples of areas to tenant-proof would be the yard, the exterior, and the flooring.
The Yard
In general, the less yard at the investment property, the better. Yards come with associated costs for the mowing and upkeep. If the type of tenant you want probably prefers a yard, then be sure to insist in the tenancy agreement that they take care of the upkeep and associated costs.
The Exterior
While initially brick maybe more expensive, there is serious savings in the upkeep. Painting the house is an ongoing cost and shows wear and tear a lot faster. If you are painting, be sure to use neutral colours.
The Flooring
As with the exterior, some things cost more to upkeep than others. In the case of flooring, carpet is more expensive because it can wear so fast. Wooden and tiles floors look better for much longer. If the property does have carpet, getting it cleaned can make a big difference to how presentable it looks. Landlords can insist as part of the tenancy agreement that the tenant has the carpet cleaned at the end of their tenure. That way each new tenant will have nice looking carpet.
This are just a few examples of ways to tenant-proof your investment property. The more you think through features such as this, the more profitable the rental property can be.
If you found this information useful, check out my site where I give Property Investment Tips and advice, including information about how to Manage Rental Property.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=M_A_Williams