When you are planning to purchase a buy-to-let property and decorate it yourself, there are some elements you need to keep in mind to ensure that your investment is successful and that you can attract the tenants you want. Here is a guide that will help you to get it right when you are purchasing and designing a property for rental and check that your new tenants are happy with their abode.
Think About Property Tax
Before you take any further steps, including creating a budget for your redecoration, you need to consider the cost of property tax each month and how this will affect your income from the investment. You will have to pay this tax at three stages, including when you buy and sell the property and rent it out. If you do not consider this property tax, you might find that you are out of pocket or have spent more than you can afford on your renovations. This means that you should search online for a guide to property tax. This can allow you to be confident when it comes to being a landlord. It can also give you the information you need to work out how much money you should set aside at each point in becoming a landlord.
Choose One That Requires Minimal Redecoration
Unless you have a lot of time, energy, and money to give to your investment, you should make sure that you choose a property that requires little renovation. This is particularly important if you need to rent out your property as soon as possible to afford it. You should visit several properties before you purchase one and take note of every element you will need to spruce up or replace if you will take it on. This will help you to work out whether you can afford the property in question and whether it will suit your needs as a landlord and an investor. You might also talk to a real estate agent and specify the level of work that you are happy to carry out on any potential properties.
Keep it Neutral
When designing a buy-to-let property, you should try to keep the colour scheme as neutral as possible. Otherwise, you might find that you put potential tenants off because the colour scheme is not their style or looks garish to them. Not only this, but keeping your colour scheme to whites, creams, and greys can allow your tenants to envision themselves living in the home and be easier to put their own mark on it. Additionally, you might find that neutrals can make the space in question look bigger and brighter, which can be appealing to potential renters, especially if they have a large family.
Think About Space
When designing a house to rent out, you should also take a moment to think about how you will play with space. You will want the home in question to look as spacious as possible. This means that you should consider placing furniture at diagonals and adding mirrors to your walls. You might also opt for minimalism when it comes to your furniture, and you should look around for tables and sofas that are in proportion with the room, rather than those that simply look good. This can attract tenants to your property and make sure that it is never empty for long.
Go Cheap
You might be tempted to splash out and allow your tenants to live the high life in your house or apartment. However, even if you are aiming for luxury in your investment property, you should try and do this on the cheap. For instance, you might wait for sales or deals to purchase certain products or get them second-hand. This can ensure that you do not go over budget on your redecoration and that your tenants do not accidentally end up damaging an incredibly expensive feature within the property in question. This will make your items easier to replace when you need to and can ensure that you do not have to worry if your tenants have children or pets.
Purchasing and decorating a buy-to-let property is a different process than a house that you will be living in yourself, and you are likely to want to put a smaller amount of time, effort, and money into this project. This means that you should always try and buy somewhere that does not need a lot of work and has minimal problems unless you are looking for a property to fix, and you should try to create décor that is appealing to as many people as possible.