Attracting a Tenant

When it comes to attracting a tenant for letting your property, it is down to you to present your house as one that appeals to prospective tenants. There are several small measures you can take to ensure the snapshot of your home that is seen by tenants is one which entices them towards your property. Cardwells Estate Agents has put together a rundown list with some helpful pointers towards a successful viewing:

Repairs and Maintenance

In order to let your property for the best price possible, it is advisable that the house is presented as unblemished as possible.

Repair/Maintenance tips include:

  • Finish off small DIY jobs. For example, touch-up chipped woodwork and replace washers on dripping taps.
  • A well-kept garden, pathway and fence are immediately appealing.
  • Check your roof and guttering and replace broken tiles. It’s worth casting an eye over the drains too. A drain cleared before a blockage occurs is easier on the nose and the wallet!
  • A regular lick of paint will keep a property looking good and keep deterioration at bay. A newly-painted front door with shiny fittings always creates a good impression.
  • Ensure your property is easy to identify, maybe with clear numbering. If viewers struggle to recognise your property, you may have lost the chance to make that good first impression.
  • Cutting the lawn can be a last-minute pick-me-up. Feeding it a couple of weeks beforehand will brighten it up and make it look healthy.
  • If your fitted kitchen units look tired, simply replace, paint or varnish the doors. This will be much cheaper than buying a new kitchen. If the units are in fairly good condition and only look dated, perhaps just replace the doorknobs, handles and taps.
  • Tenants often look at the electrics. A modern consumer unit (fuse box) is always more popular than the older style.

Look and feel

The potential tenant wants to envisage them and their family living in the property, so create a warm and positive atmosphere to your home to help them along with the process.
Several tips for this include:

  • Paint walls – a pale, plain shade maximises the feeling of light and space and enables tenants to imagine their possessions in the property. Research shows that most tenants prefer natural, earthy colours to bright, bold shades. Although there’s a wide range of paint colours available, magnolia is still the top-selling colour.
  • De-personalise your rooms. Tenants should be looking at the property, not the owner’s possessions. Removing clutter makes it easier for buyers to imagine their own belongings in a room.
  • Flowers and a bowl of fruit will brighten up a room and provide a pleasant smell.
  • Organise rooms. A property will be more appealing if rooms have a specific purpose and this allows buyers to see the full potential of the building.
  • Revitalise a bathroom with a green leafy plant, new taps, a shower curtain, cleaning any discoloured grout and resealing the bath.
  • Restoring fireplaces, ceiling roses, cornices, and skirting boards etc can really drive attention to the period features of your home.

Other additional hints when Letting your property:

  • Avoid strong food odours – don’t cook food such as fish or curry before a viewing as the smell can linger. The smell of freshly baked bread or fresh coffee is said to provide a welcoming feel to a home.
  • Ask friends or family to look after any pets during viewings.
  • Try and make viewers feel comfortable. Offer them a coffee and ask them if they need any further information about bills or local amenities.

We have offices in Bolton and Bury, with our areas of buying and selling covering much of Lancashire. We have property for sale and property to buy and rent around the North West, including Manchester. We will be more than happy to help you with any aspect of the marketing experience, whether it’s simply just a bit of advice, or you’ve decided it’s time for a change and want to know how to make your home that little more appealing. Call one of our branches (we also cover Walkden and Worsley) or pay us a visit to see exactly what we can do for you.