How do I make my house attractive for renters?

abbie1705: How do I make my house attractive for renters?
We live in an area where there are always several houses up for rent. It’s a new community so the houses are pretty similar to each other in size and features. What can I do to make my house stand out against the competition?

Answers and Views:

Answer by Imagine
bright yellow flowers on the porch entrance

Answer by Mark C
Sell your talents as a good landlord, make sure the property is clean. We will use color to accent one or two walls. Put out a welcome mat.

Answer by Aug.T
Landscape/garden give your yard a extra touch, because the yard is the first thing a renter see before they step foot in your home. The nice is yard get the most attention all the time.

Answer by Paul in San Diego
Lots of lighting in front (Malibu lights, porch lights, lights on either side of the garage, etc.). This gives a feeling of security, especially at night.

Low-maintenance plants. Some people are gardeners, while others couldn’t care less and seriously don’t want to bother with it. But, most people do like the look of some kind of plants in their yard. If there is a lawn or fairly high-maintenance plants (like rose bushes), consider hiring a gardener. And make sure that fact is in the ad and on the sign.

New (or fairly new) paint, particularly on the outside. If someone sees that you’ve spent the effort to keep the outside looking good, they can figure that the inside looks good as well. This will be more inviting for them to enter the house.

Offer to pay the water and sewer bill. This is generally fairly inexpensive (as opposed to paying the gas and electric) and you can incorporate a nominal rate into the rent.

Include appliances, like the refrigerator and laundry. Some people have their own, but most “career renters” do not.

Consider allowing small pets on approval. Many people with a cat or small dogs are actually very consciencious about their pets not doing damage or having “accidents”. They will also gladly pay a pet deposit, even one that isn’t refundable. And, the property that allows pets – even small ones – will be looked at by a much bigger renting demographic.

Get a property management company to manage your property. They usually charge something like 8 to 10% of the rent and have some minimum term of 90 days. They market your property, they show it to prospective renters, and they screen the applicants. If the tenants work out well after the first 90 days, get rid of the management company.

Answer by mel
offer a free utility, such as water, cable, etc.