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Category: Useful

Landlord approved hacks for renters

Posted on by Villager

There are definitely some benefits when renting, for example being able to pack it all up and move for lifestyle or work without a big mortgage to think about.

Renting also comes with challenges – like not being able to alter the house or renovate.

Believe it or not, most renters have the best insights for the properties considering they are living in them! I bet as I said that, you thought of a specific thing you would change huh?

The good news is that we’re here to help you creatively “modify” your rental space with 5 of the best styling hacks that are landlord approved – Thanks Courtney!

Mood lighting

Lighting can change the entire mood of the house. This is one of my favourite tips because it has the power to turn an over-lit room into a beautiful ambient space where you can actually enjoy your time. Choose some low-lit lamps on the floor, wall or table for that intimate space feeling.

Smart storage

If you are renting a place without built-in wardrobes or a linen cupboard, I feel your pain! But this is a great opportunity to get creative.  Sometimes its fun to solve a storage problem by turning it into a bit of a feature. You can pick-up some inexpensive baskets from K’mart or Target and fill them with some neatly rolled towels or take a clothes rail and display your best bed threads in the laundry.

Sweep it under the rug

You might find the perfect home, perfect street, great kitchen and then you look down and it has an old case of the: ‘Ew! What is this flooring situation’. A solution that is way less expensive than ripping it up and replacing it yourself – is to find some rugs and start layering it up. This look works really well on floorboards and old tiles too.

Hello Green

I love my leafy friends, the more the better in some spaces, but even just a touch of greenery leafery can elevate the vibe, bring a pop of green colour and give a natural organic element to your whole place. Whether you have a backyard, balcony or not, you will be surprised at how the addition of some indoor plants will have you home feeling more livable and tranquil than ever.

Mirror mirror (leaning) on the wall

Nice big mirrors are so on-trend right now. They are the heaviest of the must-have homewares and guess what – they look so good when they’re just leant against a wall or on a mantle, so you won’t have to worry about damage caused or trying to get it straight.

 

 

We hope our list helps! If you have any other questions about what you can do to prepare your property for lease, contact Courtney today.

 

Sharable

Renting is where many people start to develop their own personal style. Get creative – A functional and beautiful living space in a house that isn’t yours is a challenge, but it is still possible. Lean in and get personal. If you’re at a loss, start with neutrals and work from there.

Start before you’re ready

Posted on by Villager

I have a closet bursting at the seams and because of this, things quickly become an unwieldy mess of clothes, shoes and accessories.

Some suggests it’s ‘self sabotage’ which I can see could be true, and in a nutshell that means I am putting off the inevitable (also true).

I’d be taking a wild guess here, but I’d say you thought of something specific on your to-do list while reading that last thing I wrote, right?

When it comes to selling, It’s most likely that we want our house to look perfect. We decide we need to do all the tasks that we have been putting off for the last however long.

But why do we live with them for so long and only fix them when we are no longer going to be there? One of the mysteries of selling I suppose?

But if there is one thing I wish I could tell last-year-Lisa – it would be: You can start any of those tasks before you’re ready to ‘mentally’ deal with them.

Read that again.

But what does that actually mean? It simply means, get out of your head and start moving forward. Because the longer you put it off, the longer you will think about it which often means ‘I’ll do it later’.

And let’s face it, later is when it becomes absolutely crucial = more stressy time for you.

We get a little glimpse into the lives of Sellers every day. Some might plant some trees a few months before they are selling, some might fix the leaky shower, some might lay a strip of grass over that weird spot where nothing grows properly.  But if you really want your home to look the best it can. My advice is to start before you’re ready to sell – I’m talking give your trees time to grow, give your paint time for you to change your mind again and give your mind some time to be still. 

So what’s the secret? Start before you’re ready and believe in the power of preparation!

If you’re like me and you need a push in the right direction, here are some steps I put together to help you get started to prepare to sell your home.

 

  1. Get out of your own head. You have everything you need to begin. 
  2. Set an intention for your task.
  3. Take action. Now is the time to physically start.
  4. Enjoy the process. Put some music on and enjoy the time you are taking to complete it. 
  5. Now that you have some momentum – Set your next task!

A nugget of truth:

We all start in the same place when selling a home – With fears, and personal challenges. But let me assure you, what you have right now is enough to begin your selling journey. The difference between being prepared and unprepared – is your choice to start anyway.

 

What do tenants notice first?

Posted on by Villager

Like walking into any home, there are certain things that we pick up on before anything else. So to help out with getting the best out of your investment property, we thought we‘d put together a list of the things tenants notice first.

  1. Good advertising goes far

It seems a little obvious but professional photos and description of your property are extremely important when leasing your property. This helps to give your potential tenants the best first impression through an accurate representation of your property.  

  1. Friendly and Informative agent

Your Property Manager’s customer service levels matter. Tenants like anyone of us like to feel respected. How they are treated upon the first phone call enquiry or at the inspection will leave an impression if they really want to rent through a particular agency or not.

  1. Cleanliness & well maintained

How a property is presented at inspections will set a standard to how a property is expected to be maintained throughout a tenancy. Having the property professionally cleaned and all visible maintenance items repaired prior to inspections is highly recommended.

  1. Smells

There’s nothing more off-putting than living in a house with a funny smell. If your investment property is in need of a fresh scent or if you’re not sure. Here are some tips:

  1. Ask a trusted friend for their honest opinion.
  2. Place some freshly ground coffee in the space for a few days. This can help to lift some unpleasant smells. 
  3. Find the source of the smell and eliminate the cause.
  1. Quality of property

Finding a great tenant starts with the condition of the property.  It’s as simple as the laws of attraction. 

An average tenant will be looking for something average. A great tenant will be looking for something great that matches their standard of living. This is key to remember when preparing your property for leasing. 

 

We hope our list helps! If you have any other questions about what you can do to prepare your property for lease, contact Courtney today.