When you’re seeking renters for condominiums, apartment complexes, or other multifamily units, it’s important to put your best foot forward. An attractive exterior sends a clear message to responsible renters that the property is being well maintained and cared for. It’s easier to bring in lessees when your property looks beautiful and safe.
Fortunately, there are many practical ways to keep your multifamily rental property’s exterior areas and landscaping looking and performing at its best. Siding and Windows Group is Chicago’s leading provider of commercial and multifamily siding and windows. We provide expert products and services to ensure your condominiums, apartment complexes, townhomes or duplexes create a strong, appealing first impression. We help you enjoy exterior property features that are easy to care for and long-lasting.
As you consider what upgrades and improvements you may wish your multifamily contractor to make, be sure to review this list of practical, attractive, useful exterior upgrades that enhance curb appeal.
1. Install New Door Handles or Hinges
When units feature entry doors that have nicks and dents, as well as chipped paint, this worn-down appearance can cause renters to look elsewhere. But a newly installed door can have the opposite effect, drawing people in. Even if the door looks great, functionality matters too. If it is hard to open, makes a creaking noise, or has broken hinges or door knobs, it’s time to make upgrades that appeal to renters.
2. Update the Parking Lot
Parking lots can create a positive first impression, if they are maintained well. Prospective renters and current tenants alike appreciate when parking areas are smooth, not filled with potholes and large cracks. In the long run, a properly paved driveway and parking lot lowers the cost of damaged vehicles and lost renters. A freshly paved, neatly marked parking lot could be the difference between full occupancy and vacancies.
3. Improve Walkways
Shared spaces such as sidewalks and walkways can have the same visual impact on potential tenants as driveways and parking areas. If walking areas are crumbling and cracking, prospective renters may feel uncomfortable moving about the property. In addition, bright and working lighting can signal that walking from the parking lot to the unit at night is safe and simple.
4. Do a Landscaping Makeover
A multifamily housing unit doesn’t have to win home and garden awards to attract potential renters, but fresh flowers and tidy lawns do make a difference. Low maintenance perennial flowers and shrubs that don’t require constant trimming are excellent additions that boost curb appeal and create a welcoming feel to any property.
5. Replace Aging Windows
New windows subtly tell renters and potential tenants that you care about them and the property they live in. Hiring a multifamily contractor to replace drafty, leaky windows with beautiful, energy-efficient windows saves money, creates energy efficiency, and improves the air quality inside the units. Tenants enjoy a comfortable, healthy living space, which encourages them to move in. Energy efficient replacement windows in Chicago-area properties cut down on utility bills and give the location a whole new look.
6. Install New Siding
Siding on a multifamily property can either be an eyesore or an eye-catching positive representation of what it’s like to live in the neighborhood. Keeping siding in good shape adds curb appeal and protects the property from damaging weather elements. Over time, wood-based siding rots, fades, cracks, and is susceptible to termites, while vinyl can be easily damaged and fades in color. James Hardie® fiber cement siding is the perfect alternative to wood or vinyl, as it lasts longer, is much stronger, and looks great for years with little need for maintenance. It’s also non-combustible and resists rotting, warping, cracking, pests, hail, cold weather, and high winds. Having your siding replaced by a reputable and capable James Hardie Elite Preferred Contractor in Chicago can make all the difference in the world to raising the value and curb appeal of your property.
7. Provide Outdoor Recreational Space
Having a place to play and relax outdoors is an important feature for renters. Installing grills, benches, and tables for picnics is a nice way to add value to the property, as well as providing added benefits for both current and prospective tenants. When families feel they can comfortably spend time outside on the property, they are more likely to renew their leases and even recommend the property to friends and family.
8. Add Lighting
The way a property is lit makes it safer and more inviting. People who are looking to make a new home feel secure and welcome when your property is well lit, especially in the evening or on days that are cloudy and overcast. Good lighting in parking lots, on porches, at entrances, and along walkways makes outdoor space stand out. And if you’re energy conscious, solar lighting is an affordable option.
Up Your Game This Year with Strong Rental Property Curb Appeal
Keeping up your multifamily property’s exterior appearance and maintenance is easy when you work with the right contractors. It’s a superb way to ensure your property stays full, with happy and responsible tenants you can trust — so you get the most value out of your investment.
When you’re ready to make property upgrades and repairs, you deserve a skilled, detail-oriented multifamily contractor with strong experience in caring for condominiums, town homes, apartments, duplexes and similar rental properties in the Chicago area. Siding and Windows Group provides excellent customer service, smooth and safe project management, and top-notch products that maximize your return on investment. We stand behind our work, and you can count on us to do the job right, so your property can be enjoyed.
Contact us today to schedule a no-obligation, no pressure quote on exterior upgrades that beautify and protect your multifamily units for years to come.
