Upgrades to Make Your Palm Desert Rental Property Stand Out

Well-qualified tenants in Palm Desert have a lot of options when they’re looking for a rental home. What can you do to ensure they’re attracted to your property? 

We recommend making some upgrades and updates that are sure to help your rental property stand out. If you’re wondering how to accomplish this without spending too much money, we have some ideas and suggestions for you.

Study the Palm Desert Rental Market and Learn the Tenant Trends

Updates and upgrades are a great way to increase your rental value and ensure your rental property stands out on the market. That doesn’t mean you should over-spend or over-renovate. Before you invest in a lot of expensive and complicated improvements, take some time to investigate what tenants are really looking for when it comes to cosmetics and aesthetics in a Palm Desert rental property. Bamboo flooring and marble bathtubs may be necessities in a high-end rental home, but there’s likely not going to be a huge market for it in many Palm Desert rental neighborhoods.  

Take a look at competing properties. As long as you’re offering something that’s more attention-grabbing than what they have to offer, your rental property is in a strong position.

Hard Surface Flooring is a Huge Tenant Benefit

When your rental home is completely carpeted, we have an easy suggestion for where to start. 

Tear out that carpet and invest in hard surface floors throughout your property. If you don’t want to do the entire home, leave fresh, durable carpet in the bedrooms. Kitchens, bathrooms, and even living rooms and common areas will look better with hard surface floors. 

This will provide you with a great return on your investment. 

As you may have noticed, rental property carpets can get old and tired really quickly. Most landlords will make it a point to steam clean those carpets during tenant turnovers, but most rental property carpeting will have to be replaced every five or six years. Eventually, cleaning them won’t be enough.  

Hardwood floors are attractive, and they’re also pricy. If you shop around, you can find something that’s a little closer to your own budget. Look for a high-quality laminate. Flooring upgrades provide cosmetic benefits and several other perks:

1. Hard surface flooring looks more modern and less worn. Tenants will prefer walking into a home with hard floors when they come to see your property during the marketing and showing period.
2. Hard floors are better for prospective tenants who have allergies or pets. There aren’t any fibers to trap dog hair and dust. Those allergens won’t get caught in carpet fibers when you have hard flooring, and it’s much easier to remove odors.
3. Hard floors are easier for tenants to clean and maintain.
4. You’ll get a longer lifespan out of hard surface flooring than you will from carpet, so your replacement costs go down per unit.

Better flooring brings in better rents and attracts better tenants. This should be your first upgrade if it’s in your budget when you’re trying to get the attention of good tenants.

Put Fresh Paint on the Walls

Maybe you think that your rental property’s walls really only need a touch-up here and there where paint has faded or nail holes are obvious. 

Don’t do touch-ups. Paint the whole wall, instead. 

Fresh paint is not only a good way to update your rental property, it’s also an expectation that many tenants have when they’re moving into a new home.  

We typically see shades of white when we look at rental properties. That’s a good idea; you want to keep neutral shades on the walls. It doesn’t always have to be the same version of white, however. 

Consider something like gray or taupe instead. This will still match any décor and furniture that your tenant may have, and it also looks better in your photographs when your rental property is listed online. 

Make Sure the Light is Bright

Upgrade your indoor and outdoor lighting when you want your property to stand out. 

Outdoor lighting is critical for safety purposes, and inside tenants will want light fixtures that match the hardware you have in each room. This type of attention to detail will help you earn more on your investment property, and it will also help you attract tenants when you’re marketing and showing your home.

Invest in Kitchen Upgrades

There’s a lot you can do in the kitchen when it comes to making updates and upgrades. 

Start with clean and modern appliances. You don’t necessarily have to go all in with stainless steel (although that’s really going to stand out), but you do at least want your appliances to match. You want them to be energy efficient and attractive. 

Consider installing tile or ceramic backsplashes and new faucets. Replace drawer pulls and cabinet hardware. Even lighting will make a big impact if you can install some good hanging lights instead of that industrial overhead lighting.

Curb Appeal for Palm Desert Rental Homes

Finally, don’t forget to incorporate some updates and upgrades outside. 

Tenants will want the outside of their home to look good. 

You can create a welcoming and inviting atmosphere at your rental property with some great landscaping, good lighting, and some eye-catching plants and flowers. Have the front door painted. Power-wash the property. Mow the lawn and trim the trees and weed the flower beds.