Cheaper Home Improvement Alternatives to Make Your Rental Stand Out!

Just like how ironing a shirt can make it look much better, a little upgrade on your rental can make it stand out. Think leather seats on a used car. Not only does it add to the value, but it also adds to the PERCEIVED value since it’s undeniable that leather looks sophisticated. With short-term rentals, that perceived value is key.

Airbnb and all of its other competitors rely on listing images and details to give a great first impression on potential guests. If guests think you’ve got a decent “price to aesthetic” ratio, you’re bound to rack in those bookings in no time. In addition, the likelihood of them giving a five-star review is higher since you gave them a great experience. Why are reviews critical again? It’s different for each platform, but essentially, the more five-star reviews you get, the more the platform and their respective users think you’re hot stuff.

Therefore, it’s always a good investment to make some improvements to your short-term rental unit/s. And don’t worry if you’re short on cash, because you can get a lot done on the cheap! Below are some affordable options for you. Feel free to find one that suits your budget.

Simple “Cover-Ups”

It’s human nature to cover up for your flaws and mistakes. We see this in our everyday lives. People in the office are sometimes compelled to go on overtime because they were slacking off earlier in the shift. We become extra sweet to our partners when we forget anniversaries. You pay for dinner when you’re late to a meetup. All these things, whether they’re morally right or not, are natural to us. Your rental could benefit from the same idea.

Got a bad paint job? Maybe just painting it over with a simple tone would do the trick. Got horrendous kitchen tiles? Replace them with cheap, simple tiles! (BONUS: Colored grout can bring a little character.) What if you don’t have the time to remove tiles? You can slap them up with “peel and stick” tiles!

And it doesn’t end with walls. You can do the same to bad flooring by getting some vinyl tiles (wood ones look great in our opinion) and even to refrigerators and cabinetry with contact paper. If you’re not feeling your kitchen countertops, laminate them with something that fits your taste. You could get a marble one without the “marble-y” price!

 

Photo by Marcin Galusz on Unsplash

 

Switching Things Around

When the idea of “replacing” comes to mind, we may tend to think of “expensive”. But as mentioned earlier, a little upgrade can make a huge difference. When you see the upgrade suggestions below, imagine how different your rental would be when you get them!

The smallest thing we have here are cabinet knobs or handles. Try to tie in the design or color to the rest of the rental. (Cabinets with NO HANDLES are in style, but you might have to spend a little more for it.) Speaking of knobs, beautiful door handles are also a smart investment, but you need to make sure the replacements fit the existing holes and that you know how to take the old one out.

 

Photo by Nicola Bushuven on Unsplash

Speaking of things in style, you can replace your faucets and showerheads with something more elegant. Imagine how much attention your listings would get when you have these on your units!

 

Photo by Watermark Designs on Unsplash

 

Little Add-Ons

Lastly, we have a few things that could instantly upgrade the overall atmosphere in your rental. Pick and choose accordingly based on the vibe you’re trying to give to your guests.

First on the list is a plant with a good-looking planter. It doesn’t even have to be real! Even if you’re not going for earth tones, a little pop of green from a plant literally freshens up the look of your unit. Take note that we did include a “good-looking” planter, as that’s essential to fit in with your unit. A bland one can mess up your entire setup.

If you’re not going with carpets, rugs are a pretty worthwhile investment for your rental. Putting different ones in various rooms could give each room a unique flavor that guests would appreciate, even if they don’t notice it. If you think they’re expensive, remember that you could get rugs for cheap on thrift stores and sites like eBay! (Just make sure they’re clean, though.)

Electrical equipment gets some love too. Light switches, power outlets, and even extension cables are fine as they are, but if you buy better-looking ones, they can turn something “okay” into a “whoa, that’s nice”! Of course, you’re either going to need to replace sockets and switches yourself (YouTube’s always got you) or get someone to do it for you.

 

Lighting also can’t go unnoticed and actually should have been listed higher on this list. (It’s already mentioned too much in other articles anyway.) Kitchen LED light strips are a good touch, so are lamps and neon signs. When you do decide to purchase them, it may be good to have an idea first of what they’d look like in person. “Warm white” is easy on the eyes, but it’s a subjective thing.

 

Photo by THE 9TH Coworking on Unsplash

 

We hope these tips helped you make your next decision on what to get for your rental. And hey, even if you’re just trying to improve your own home, these tips can be used too!

 

Are you thinking of doubling down on your short-term rental cash flow? You can try things out with Shorefront Investments! We’re Florida-based real estate investors looking to buy and sell properties fast. You could be one of our buyers by joining our buyers’ list! Are you thinking of doing things the other way around? Trying to sell your property instead? You can also give us a call at (850) 713-4866, send us an email, or fill a form on our front page!