How to Stage a House for Rent

We’ve all heard of staging a home to promote its appeal to buyers. What of tenants? Different, but just as crucial when you want your pick of the tenant ‘pool’ at the best rental price. Prospective tenants aren’t buying the title to the property, sure. However, they are still ‘buying’ the opportunity to live in the space you provide! The appeal of your Brisbane rental property needs to be strong. The best quality tenants desire a welcoming place to live and make their home. So, in order to secure your ideal tenant, it’s important to know how to stage a house for rent.

Lets look at 7 critical points to help attract the perfect tenant to call your property home. We’ll consider right from a good first impression of the property’s management, to the quality of the investment itself. At Position One Property, our focus is on perfecting and finessing the process of tenancy for mutual long term benefit.

1) Your Selection of Brisbane Property Manager

Believe it or not, your choice of a Brisbane property manager for your investment property can have a significant impact on the tenancy. Just for a moment put yourself in the prospective tenants’ shoes. The prospective tenants need to feel they will be dealt with respect and fairness. They also wish for their time and effort to be appreciated. Finding a place to rent and call home is stressful enough on its own. Can you imagine? For most, leaving work mid-morning or mid-afternoon to be on time for a ten minute window of a property viewing only adds to the stress. Putting in the application with every piece of required documentation can be harrowing for some. Parting with a good sum of money for bond and the advance rent, a feat for many.

So, first and foremost, a professional and sincere approach from the property manager is essential. This is where your choice of Position One Property ticks the first box in the list of how to stage a house for rent. We have been managing property in Brisbane for over 20 years. Our policy of treating both owners and tenants with utmost respect, consideration and appreciation has held us in good stead.

2) Obvious Care and Proper Maintenance

The next step in knowing how to stage a house for rent is to pay attention to the initial viewing of the property. From first sight we want it to be love! The first impression should be one of obvious care and proper maintenance. Does each and every photo in the current listing match what visitors will see onsite? Advertised photos should be consistent to a ‘T’ with onsite photos. Tidy, well-kept gardens with easy-to-care for plants are the most attractive. The exterior of the building must be clean and in good condition. Any communal areas need to be fully functional, neat and tidy. For safety and peace of mind of tenants, evidence that the gardens and grounds are well lit for night security is critical. Great first impressions will only heighten the experience of the prospective tenants’ viewing. Quality tenants care about quality properties and attention to detail.

3) Stepping Across the Threshold

Upon walking through the front door, there should be a feeling of ease in envisioning your property as their comfortable new home. The benefit in knowing how to stage a house for rent is conjuring up a feeling to entice your ideal tenant further along to putting in that application. Freshly cleaned floors, walls, paint, carpets and blinds stand out. Bright, well-maintained interiors, particularly the bathroom and (fully functioning) kitchen should seal the deal. These features, along with fairly easy-to-continue maintenance, will not escape the notice of quality tenants.

4) Safer Tenants are Happier Tenants

A winning factor for many prospective tenants is to clearly see that their personal security has been considered. So, how to stage a house for rent is to include making sure the security features of the property are evident. Security, in terms of gated and/or lockable entries and exits to the entire property, including relevant windows, are a given. Single, and particularly female tenants, expect to feel safe once and at any time they are home alone. Increasingly, mature women are living singly, and often these individuals make the best tenants. Established, working door bells and intercoms are also helpful and very welcomed.

5) Have the Cooling and/or Heating on Show

Air-conditioning is highly rated and sought after by tenants. The best rental properties have adequate cooling and often heating as well. So, naturally tenants come to expect properties will have these modern creature comforts. How to stage a house to rent with regards to temperature control is to have these features clearly listed and visible. In addition, they should be up to date and maintained. In-window, noisy old box aircons just aren’t going to cut-the-mustard with the best tenants. With solar energy in Queensland fast becoming ubiquitous, it is a no-brainer for landlords to offer – or at least work towards offering. Tenants do get to know the range of what is available and if your property lags behind in offerings, it won’t be a contender for the astute tenant. Affordable temperature control – or lack of it – it has become quite the deal breaker.

6) Consider White Goods in Your Planning for How to Stage a House to Rent

This option isn’t essential and in fact some property managers may actively discourage it. The tendency for landlords to not include whitegoods largely stems from historical facts. Typically, the arrangement is that if an item is provided, and it fails, the onus is on the landlord to have it repaired or replaced. As landlords can tend to have to watch their pennies closely, this was generally avoided by not providing whitegoods. Apart from the essential kitchen stove and hot water system, of course!

However, have you noticed the price of whitegoods lately? Often, lower priced goods like washing machines and dryers will last just as long as their expensive counterparts. So, quality whitegoods can be affordable. Consider those tenants who may not be so financially well off, but desire a quality property that they can call home for an extended period. This won’t work for every property, but consider offering or providing a washer and dryer for those tenants who fall into the ‘perfect long term tenant’ category.