As a Rehoboth Beach rental property owner, one of the best methods to keep your properties profitable is to make them as low-maintenance as possible. Lowering your maintenance costs can help you achieve healthier cash flows and save more money to invest in the future. The good news is that there are many low-cost and effective ways to create a low-maintenance rental property. If you are spending too much time and money on property maintenance, these schemes may help.
Choose Quality
The first step to making your rental property more low-maintenance is to choose the right materials for repairs and improvements. Low maintenance is not the same as low quality. Many quality materials are much more sustainable and are easier to keep clean than the cheaper, low-grade kind. Flooring is one area where this is particularly true. Savvy property owners frequently choose tile or vinyl for low-maintenance floors that will keep their appeal for many years. Tile and vinyl work well in kitchens, bathrooms, hallways, and other high-traffic areas. And both are easy to keep clean.
Opt for Scrubbable Surfaces
Another simple but effective strategy to minimize maintenance in your rental’s interiors is to choose a paint finish, bathtub surround, or backsplash that is easy to clean. For example, consider painting your rental’s walls with a high-quality semi-gloss paint. In contrast with flat paint, which might be hard to clean and may stain easily, semi-gloss or even gloss paint tends to hold up better to heavy wear. Consider using glossy paint in the kitchen to make those walls stain-resistant. If you’ve got tile in the bathrooms, consider installing a fiberglass surround right over the top. These products are relatively budget-friendly and stay looking nice longer than grout lines. You could even consider adding a backsplash in the kitchen behind appliances and counters. A backsplash is easier to clean than a painted wall and reduces the amount of re-painting you’ll need to do between tenants.
No-Fuss Landscaping
Your rental property’s yard is as crucial as the interior, so keeping your landscaping looking neat and appealing is important. Guarantee that landscaping is also low-maintenance, go for a landscaping design that will require minimal trimming and mowing to remain nice. For example, consider adding some raised flower beds around the edges rather than covering the entire yard in grass. When filled with a rich wood mulch, this can immediately upgrade the look of any yard while keeping it easy to maintain. Additionally, choose plants native to your climate and easy to care for. This can help keep your trees, shrubs, and flowers healthy and reduce the burden of landscaping care for your Rehoboth Beach property manager and tenants.
Low-Maintenance Lighting
While planning renovations, be sure to include some low-maintenance lighting and charging options. Pendant lights and chandeliers may seem pretty, but when they collect dust and bugs over time and are easily damaged. To decrease maintenance, pick a good quality, functional lighting mounted securely against the ceiling. It is also a good idea to choose light fixtures that make it easy for tenants to change light bulbs when needed. Furthermore, consider upgrading your electrical outlets to include plug-ins for cell phones and other electronic devices for an added selling point. This will not only attract more tenants but can help prevent problems like blown fuses.
Perform Comprehensive Maintenance
Finally, one of the best ways to create and own a low-maintenance rental is to have a comprehensive maintenance plan. Your maintenance plan should include interior and exterior maintenance tasks and a schedule of when each task should be completed. Carrying out routine maintenance every month is essential to preventing expensive emergency repairs and keeping your rental as low-maintenance as possible.
Looking for assistance in making your rental investment more low-maintenance and profitable? Contact Real Property Management Diamond at 302-313-7700 to speak with a Rehoboth Beach property manager today.
Originally Published on December 18, 2020
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
