How To Make Your Rental Property Feel Like Home

Living in a rental property, sometimes it can be challenging to make the house feel more like a home. Many landlords have rules against painting or putting nails in the walls, which leaves you wondering what you can do to make your rental property feel more like yours. 

Let’s take a look at 4 design ideas to brighten up your rental property and make it more inviting.

Create An Entryway

Entryways are a great way to welcome guests and set the tone for the rest of your home. If you have space, set up a table with a lamp and decorative flowers. This is a great way to add color and your personal touches that guests will notice as soon as they walk in.

Brighten Up With Color

Many rental properties often have neutral wall colors and flooring. Just because you can’t paint the walls doesn’t mean you can’t add color! Try adding bold curtains or bright-colored pillows to add some personality. A new rug is another great way to add color and would be a great addition to warm up your living room. 

Let There Be Light

Lamps and lighting can help you see your rental property in a new light. If your landlord will allow it, try switching out the dining room or kitchen lighting with a new modern lighting fixture. If not, adding lamps to fit your style will help brighten things up. Natural lighting is also a game changer, so try replacing the original blinds and curtains with sheer white curtains to lighten up the home.

Removable Wallpaper & Contact Paper

If you don’t want to put in the time to do an entire room, remember that a little can go a long way. Try adding an accent wall in your kitchen or living room or updating your countertops with contact paper. If you don’t like it, it can easily be removed, and you can try a new design!

There are various ways to spruce up your rental, but incorporating these four ideas will make a world of difference! If you have any questions or need recommendations, reach out to us! We are always here to help.

Pros and Cons of Month-to-Month Tenants

Regarding leasing agreements, the two most popular agreements are month-to-month and year-long. Most landlords prefer the traditional year-long agreements because they lock tenants into a rental property for an entire year, but let’s dive into the pros and cons of month-to-month leases and see how they could be beneficial to you and your Round Rock rental properties. 

Pros of Month-To-Month Tenants

Flexibility

Month-to-month agreements allow landlords to control whether they want to keep the tenants in the rental. All landlords have to do is give adequate notice per state requirements that the agreement will not be renewed and the tenant would have to move out. Texas and most states require a 30-day notice, but be sure to verify with your state.

Rent Raises and Policy Changes

With month-to-month agreements, it’s easier to implement rent raises and policy changes when your rental properties are vacant. You also won’t have to worry about losing any tenants during this time, so you can see what works and what doesn’t. 

Keep Great Tenants

If you have tenants who pay their rent on time and aren’t ready to sign a fixed lease, being able to offer them a month-to-month lease is a great option. It will keep them there longer, not cause you any problems, and will save you from having a vacant property. 

 

Cons of Month-To-Month Tenants

Lack of Stability

One of the biggest cons of month-to-month agreements for landlords is the lack of stability. It’s challenging to figure out how profitable you will be in a year with the unknown of how many tenants you will have and how much rent you will collect. 

Flexibility = Uncertainty

The flexibility of controlling tenants and end dates can also mean uncertainty. Not knowing how long a tenant will be in a rental property means you don’t know how much money you will make or when you will need to find new tenants. 

Short Notice

While landlords can provide notice to tenants to move out, tenants can also give a 30-day notice to landlords at any time. This means short notice for landlords to find new tenants, which could lead to further issues if landlords rush and don’t conduct a proper screening.

 

Overall, there are a lot of benefits to month-to-month leasing agreements, but it is important to compare them to yearly agreements and decide what is best for you as a landlord. If you have any questions or need recommendations, reach out to us! We are always here to help.