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If you're planning to let your property this summer, make sure you follow these six ways to prepare your home for tenant viewings.
Your prospective tenants will have started forming an opinion of your property by the time they step through the front door, so ensure the front garden is tidy, weed-free and in good order. Repair cracks, holes or blemishes in the driveway or walls and give the window frames and door a lick of paint if they need it. Remember to keep bins and rubbish out of sight too.
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Once inside, first and foremost of course is the presentation; a well-decorated and tidy property internally will hold greater appeal for good-quality tenants. Create more space by moving some furniture into storage and tidy away unnecessary objects, books and ornaments. Fix minor issues such as leaky taps, wall cracks and broken tiles and replace old light bulbs. Keep personal touches to a minimum – tenants need to be able to imagine themselves living there and too many personal photos and children’s artwork plastered over the walls can get in the way of this.
A good clean throughout, paying particular attention to bathrooms and kitchens, is a definite must. These rooms often have the strongest impact on potential tenants, so make sure they are presented in the best way possible. Store your toiletries out of sight, make sure your washing up is out of the way and everything is in its place; bowls stacked on the surfaces could hint at a lack of storage cupboards in these rooms. Make sure there is no mould and eradicate unpleasant odours such as pet smells and cigarette smoke.
It can be difficult to appeal to all demographics, so it is worth bearing in mind who you are trying to attract. A group of students will not necessarily be impressed by the same features as a retirement couple, so spend some time narrowing down your demographic and decorate accordingly. This will not only help attract the right tenants but will also save you a lot of time and money trying to please everyone.
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Natural light is one of the most important criteria when it comes to choosing rental properties. Make sure you capitalise on any light your property does receive by ensuring all curtains and blinds are fully open during viewings and if it’s a particularly gloomy day, add occasional lamps to create a cosy atmosphere. Whites and other neutral tones create a feeling of light and space so consider repainting rooms if they feature particular bold or dark colours. Even if you feel a feature wall adds character and warmth to a room, it might not necessary be to everyone’s taste and could potentially put people off if they can’t imagine their belongings in that room.
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Allow your first viewing to be conducted by the agent. Tenants sometimes feel a little uncomfortable having a really good look around if the landlord is present. If you need to be present for the viewing, it is worth leaving the majority of the talking to the agent – the intricate details of the renovations and repairs that have been carried out in the last few years will not be of interest to the viewer!
For more advice and information about letting your property, please do not hesitate to contact your local Stags office.
