Simple Landscaping Changes To Attract New Tenants

Being able to maintain a steady flow of new tenants to their rental property is every landlord’s dream. A vacant property means zero income and unpaid bills for the property owner. That is why landlords are usually open to new ideas about how they can attract tenants to their rental properties.

There are many ways to attract tenants to a rental property. Most of them begin with making an excellent first impression in the minds of prospective renters, explains HaasProperties.com. And one of the best ways to do this is by improving a home’s curb appeal with great landscaping.

What visitors see when they first approach a property prepares them for what to expect inside the home. If the exterior looks unkempt, they already assume that the interior will be the same way. It doesn’t matter if this is not the case because first impressions are tough to change.

Conversely, people adore homes with nicely-trimmed trees, expertly-crafted flower-beds and well-watered grass. A good landscaping creates a beautiful foreground to the house and makes it many times more attractive. It also tells tenants that the property owner pays attention to details.

Here are some simple ways you can improve the landscaping of your rental property to make the best first impression on would-be renters.

Upgrade the lighting

Good landscaping lighting serves the dual purpose of illuminating the landscape and improving its aesthetic appeal. It ensures that at sunset when natural light is no longer available, the landscape will still be as charming as it was in the day time. There are many options for illuminating a landscape to suit the unique design of your property’s exterior.

You have a choice of several color options and intensity levels. But one of the best ways to keep walkways well-lit, while also saving money is to use solar LED lights. Tenants love them because they don’t consume any electricity.

Excellent hardscaping

Good hardscaping uses a combination of decorative and functional structures to define spaces and give character to a home’s landscaping. These can stone retaining-walls that are used as boundaries for planting areas. Or winding gravel walkways used to create contrast with the adjoining green grass.

It may be a water feature or other hardscaping elements used to enhance the look of a property, while also extending the functionality of its exterior. Some of the most popular hardscaping ideas are; brick patios, stone walkways, stone landscape-steps, clay-pot or ceramic fountains, wooden fences and pergolas.

Plant sweet-smelling flowers

Fragrant flowers add a romantic feel to the rental’s front yard. Sweet-smelling flowers, brightly-colored blooms, plus, the birds and insects they attract, create a miniature paradise in the yard. People are instinctively attracted to such places. One way to get the most out of these aromatic plants is to select a variety of plants that bloom at different periods of the year. And flowers should also be arranged to complement each other’s colors.

Examples of fragrant flowers to use in your yard are; Honeysuckle, Peony, Rose, Dianthus, Crabapple. Sweet Alyssum, Phlox and Butterfly bush.

Redirect the lawn sprinkler

If a home has a lawn, there will almost certainly be a sprinkler system to water the grass. But despite the ubiquity of sprinklers, a lot of property owners do not know the proper way to use them. Most people aim their sprinklers to direct the water at the top of their lawn plants. This is not the right way to use sprinklers.

That method leads to a high rate of evaporation and damages plant leaves and blooms. It is best to aim for the roots of the trees. This ensures that the plants get enough water, and their growth is greener.

Plant native plants

Native plants are better because they are adapted to the soil and climate of a region and do not require as much care. They are hardy, resilient and better able to resist pests and diseases that are endemic to the area. Native plants don’t need fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides. And the area’s wildlife is adapted to them and so will naturally be drawn to the home.

Using native plants also saves money because the plants do not need extra watering. The sum effect of using plants that are original to an area is that you will have a yard that requires less care, yet the plants in it will be thriving and disease-free.

Create a berm

This is a rounded mound of earth that is distinct from the traditional flat flower beds found in most landscapes. Berms are raised to form a very distinct ridge, and they are used for a variety of purposes. They can add extra privacy, block-out street noise and improve soil drainage. A berm can also be the central focal point of the yard, especially if it is sown with ornamental grass and flowering plants. Examples of the type of plants to use on berms are; perennials, evergreens, ornamental grass, cacti, succulents and flowering bu