What is the worst mistake landlords make when choosing the paint colors for their rental property? They choose the colors that appeal to them personally, without considering what their future tenants would like.
What is wrong with doing that?
The reason not to do this is that the landlord is not the person who will eventually live in that rental home. So, the owner’s preferences should not take precedence when designing the house. What the prospective tenant will find attractive should be the primary consideration instead of what the landlord wants.
Property management companies say that as a landlord, even though the rental property belongs to you, you are not supposed to treat it as if it was your home. There is a vast difference between the home you live in and the home you use as a rental property. In your home, what makes you happy can guide your design choices. You cannot do this with a rental home.
How you paint the rental should depend on what you think the generality of your target market will like. That’s because you are preparing the rental to serve as another person’s home. Therefore, what that person will want to see in their home should be the topmost consideration when designing the house. Paint a rental home to impress your prospective renters.
Why is this important?
As a landlord, you hurt your business when you paint your rental home to suit your style. That is because you narrow the appeal of that home to only those people who share your style preferences. The rest of your potential renters who do not like the home’s design will not rent the property. You don’t want that.
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Always paint a rental home such that the majority of the people you want to lease it to would be comfortable with the design. How you paint a rental property is a vital part of your marketing. The colors can pull or repel potential renters. Based on this, what are the rules to follow when deciding the best way to paint a rental home?
Seven rules for choosing the right paint for your rental property
Following these seven rules will help you choose paint colors for your rental property that will work for you and not against your marketing efforts.
1. Avoid trendy colors
There is always the temptation to paint the rental in currently fashionable colors. That is a bad idea because trending colors are forever changing. The design of your rental could quickly go out of fashion. But more importantly, a lot of your potential tenants may not like those trendy colors.
2. Avoid bold colors
The rental property is not a platform for expressing your creativity. The goal is not to wow tenants but to get them to sign the lease. The problem with bold colors is people either love them or hate them. Also, people soon get tired of bold colors and want something less jarring on their senses.
3. Avoid colors associated with groups and stereotypes
People perceive some colors and patterns rightly or wrongly to belong to specific groups. If the color scheme resembles the colors of a political organization, street gang, ideology, religion, sports team, nationality, or stereotype, do not use them. Also, avoid colors that are considered feminine or masculine.
4. Choose neutral colors
Neutral colors are the best option to use in a rental property. Firstly, neutral colors will make a room feel larger, brighter, airier, and more welcoming. Secondly, they have the most widespread appeal among people, including your potential renters. That is because neutral colors are soothing; they have a calming effect on the mind.
5. Do not paint in all neutrals
Painting the home in all neutrals will make the space bland. The best option is to use neutrals as the prominent colors, then add accents of bold colors. It will help you get the best of both worlds. You receive all the benefits of a neutral color, and you can also add the character that comes with having bold colors in the room.
6. Avoid colors that easily get dirty
Choosing paint colors that hide dirt will save you a lot of money. Lighter shades of color that get stained easily will have your rental looking ugly in no time. That is not to say you should use very dark colors to make the home unattractive. Strive for the middle ground.
7. Use washable paint
The easy way to use lighter tones and still keep the walls in your rental from getting dirty is to use washable paint. This type of paint, called semi-gloss, will let you wipe the dirt off your walls with only water and a little soap. It will save you the work and cost of repainting the rental every time a tenant moves out.
