Owning a long-term rental in San Fernando Valley can be a profitable and delightful experience. Yet, to keep the property profitable, you’ll need to start planning various property improvements and renovations from day one. Wanting to keep your property in good condition means periodically updating the kitchen, bathrooms, floors, and exterior. How often should you renovate?
The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in any house, rental, or otherwise. Most kitchens see constant use, whether tenants are simply cooking a meal or using it as a gathering space for friends and family. If you have taken steps to do regular maintenance on your kitchen cabinets, floors, countertops, and appliances, the chances are that your rental property’s kitchen will stay in good condition anywhere between 10 and 15 years.
Still, each situation is unique, and you might need to complete upgrades more frequently than that. Appliances are typically built to last about seven years, while cabinets and countertops might hold up a little longer. Simply replacing each element as it starts to look old or broken is one approach, or you could lay out a timeline for upgrades to better control the extra cost.
In any case, it’s important to consider how your future tenants may respond to current trends in style and décor. A kitchen with a trendy look may attract tenants in the short term, but that attractiveness may soon lessen. As an option, experts recommend choosing colors and durable materials that feel both up-to-date and ageless.
Bathrooms are another heavily used area in your rental house that will require regular updates. A few of methods of constructing a sturdy, appealing kitchen can be applied to a bathroom as well. Good quality, mid-grade fixtures, and materials will hold up better in a rental home than trendy, more costly features. Things like faucets and showerheads will need to be replaced every few years, while a high-quality toilet can last several decades or more. If your rental’s bathrooms still do not have durable, easy-to-clean tile or solid surfaces in and around the bathtub, shower, and so on, consider planning to upgrade to prevent mold and water damage and to keep the bathroom in good condition.
Flooring is another aspect of a rental house that must be replaced constantly. Laminate or vinyl flooring in kitchens, bathrooms, and other areas will typically last anywhere between 15 and 30 years, but heavy wear will significantly impact that time. On the other hand, the carpet in a rental home has a useful life of about five years. While the carpet in your rental may last longer than that, it is also possible that it will need to be replaced even more frequently. Still, five years is a good rule of thumb to commence with and afterward adjust as needed.
At last, many houses will need the exteriors updated regularly as well. When your rental property has stucco or painted wood exterior, you will need to check the condition of the paint every so often to evaluate if it is ready to be fixed. All quality paint jobs on both wood and stucco will last around seven to 10 years, even though the frequency varies depending on your climate. Vinyl siding and stone will last much longer with regular cleaning, and probably not need to be changed for at least 25 years or more as long as there is no serious damage.
Updating your rental home is a vital component of owning a profitable property. If you spend the effort to plan and budget for different upgrades every few years, you can keep your cash flows steady and your investment increasing in value.
Whether you own a newly renovated rental property or need some guidance on how to update it, the San Fernando Valley property managers at Real Property Management West San Fernando Valley have your solution. You can contact us online or call us at 818-727-0100 for more details.
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