San Mateo’s real estate market is a competitive place to invest, and if you’re renting out property as a landlord or a real estate investor, you need to understand the importance of helping your property to stand out in a crowded rental market. You also want to increase what you’re earning.
Leverage your landscaping to create some great curb appeal.
This is one way to enhance your curb appeal and attract well-qualified tenants who are willing to pay top rents to live in an appealing home. One of the most effective strategies to increase a property’s market value and attract potential tenants is the enhancement of curb appeal through thoughtful landscaping.
Here are practical tips to help you turn the heads of potential tenants with your San Mateo rental property.
Start with an Empty Canvas: Clean Out Any Old Weeds and Debris
Before you begin the work of adding new elements to your landscape or cleaning up your curb appeal, you want to ensure your property is neat and welcoming. Think of your outside space as an empty canvas, and strip away anything that won’t work in your new aesthetic.
- Trim overgrown bushes
- Mow the lawn
- Remove weeds from flower beds
- Clear any debris or clutter
Are there trash and recycling bins rolling around at the end of the driveway?
You don’t want that.
A clean and well-maintained exterior tells prospective tenants that the property you are renting out is well-cared for.
Invest in Drought-Tolerant Plants
As you know, San Mateo struggles with drought conditions from time to time. In fact, the scarcity of water in 2022 had a notable effect on the agricultural industries that our local economies rely on. In response to California’s climate and to reinforce your commitment to conserving water, we recommend that you focus on selecting drought-tolerant plants for your landscaping.
Not only is this environmentally responsible, but it also reduces maintenance costs.
Consider plants such as:
- Lavender
- Salvia
- California Fuchsia
These types of plants are not only pleasant to look at, they also tend to thrive in San Mateo’s climate. Let them add a splash of color to your outside space without requiring a lot of water.
Mulch is an Affordable and Attractive Bit of Polish for Your Landscaping
Mulch isn’t just for keeping weeds at bay; it’s also a great way to give your garden beds a polished look while helping to retain soil moisture. Choose a natural-colored mulch that complements your property and spread it evenly across your plant beds. Best practices say that about three inches of mulch should do the job; protecting your property from weeds and ensuring you don’t have to water as much. Consider inorganic mulch (such as rubber) if you don’t want to replace your mulch as frequently.
Seasonal Flowers and Mature Trees for Sustainable Landscaping
Seasonal flowers can brighten up any landscape and create a true sense of pleasant curb appeal. Be strategic and selective in what you plant, however, otherwise you’ll have dead flowers to welcome new tenants.
Plant flower beds with a mix of perennials and annuals to ensure blossoms throughout the year. For a harmonious look, stick to a color palette that matches your property’s exterior.
In addition to flowers, you’ll want to think about trees. Mature trees don’t just add aesthetic appeal; they can also increase property value. You’re providing a lot of curb appeal with your trees, and you’re also providing shade and improving air quality. Good trees in the right places can also lower energy costs by cooling your property.
When planting new trees, consider how they will grow over time and what that means for your property’s appearance and maintenance.
Moving from Exterior to Interior: Paths and Lights
Whether you’re renting out a single-family home or a multi-family building, your tenants and their guests will likely have to move from the street or the driveway to the home from time to time. Make sure this is safe, easy, and pleasant.
- Create an Inviting Pathway
The pathway to your front door should be inviting and clear. Use stepping stones, pavers, or decorative concrete to create a path that’s both functional and attractive. Make sure it’s well-lit to improve safety and visibility at night.
- Install Landscape Lighting
Strategically placed lighting can enhance the architectural features of your property and make your landscaping pop in the evening hours. Solar-powered lights are an eco-friendly option that can light pathways and highlight garden features.
- Focus on the Front Door
Your front door is the focal point of your property’s façade. Make it stand out by painting it with a bold color or accentuating it with potted plants or a decorative wreath. A stylish front door can make a significant difference in curb appeal.
Maintain Landscaping and Curb Appeal Regularly
A beautiful landscape is a frequently tended landscape, but as we’ll talk about next, tenants don’t want to spend a lot of time pruning bushes and mowing lawns. Set up a maintenance schedule that includes weeding, mowing, watering, and any other necessary upkeep. Consider working with a landscaping company so that your tenants don’t have to worry about it. Regular maintenance keeps your property looking its best and saves you from bigger headaches in the future. When you hire a service, you can be sure that the look and feel of your landscaping will remain up to your standards.
Consider plants and elements that will keep your landscape attractive in all seasons. Evergreens, ornamental grasses, and features like rock gardens or sculptures can provide interest even when flowers aren’t in bloom.
Low-Maintenance Landscaping in San Mateo Rental Properties
Keeping your rental property looking great doesn’t have to be a complicated battle. You need to keep the exterior looking great, especially when you’re attracting tenants, but you don’t want to scare those tenants away with an overly complicated landscaping set-up that may have them fearing that their weekends will be spent on yard work.
With the right landscaping plan in place, you can make maintaining the grounds of your property easy on you and enjoyable for your tenants. The goal of a good landscaping plan is to protect the condition and value of your property, provide a comfortable and attractive home for your tenants, and attract new residents through fabulous curb appeal when your rental is vacant.
Let’s look at some practical landscaping tips that will create a beautiful landscape and lots of curb appeal with minimal effort.
- Preserve Water with Smart Irrigation
We talked about the drought conditions and the importance of being mindful of your water usage. When you can, use irrigation that’s sensitive to our current climate concerns. If you do decide to invest in a lush and green lawn, however, you’ll want to make sure you can be responsible with your water usage. Not only is this better for the environment and your water bills, it also requires less maintenance.
The best irrigation systems are almost intuitive. You can set them to turn on and off so neither you nor your tenants have to worry about when and if the lawn is being watered.
According to what we’ve read and learned, three methods of irrigation are best when you’re being sensitive to water usage and trying to attract tenants who don’t want to spend hours watering their lawn:
- Sprinkler systems are the most common and designed to water larger areas. These are great for lawns without specific plant needs.
- Micro-irrigation delivers water directly to a plant’s root zone using drip or small spray heads. They use less water than sprinkler systems, but aren’t efficient for a large lawn.
- Soaker hoses are perforated hoses that soak the ground.
You can set your sprinklers and irrigation to automatic waterings, and your tenants won’t have to think about it.
Decide who is Responsible for Landscaping at Your Rental Property
We mentioned this earlier – it’s a good idea to hire a professional landscaping service to take care of maintaining the outdoor space at your rental property. You might find tenants who are interested in investing their time and energy into keeping up the lawn and landscaping. Sometimes, tenants in a single-family home, for example, are trying to enjoy the experience of owning a home without the actual cost and responsibility that comes with home ownership. Usually, however, you’ll find that tenants do not want to spend their time taking care of the mowing or the weeding or the mulching.
So, it’s best to hire a landscaping service. You can roll the cost of the service into the rental payment.
In San Mateo’s competitive real estate landscape, a property with fantastic curb appeal can be a game-changer for attracting tenants and increasing rents. Integrating these landscaping ideas can transform your property’s exterior into an excellent reason to rent your home instead of others.
We can help you make some smart choices whether you’re renting out a property for the first time or making some updates during a turnover period. Contact us at Sharevest Property Management, and we’ll provide some additional tips for curb appeal and landscaping.
