List of Top Ten Amenities Tenants seeks in rental property

Knowing what tenants are seeking in a rental property offers landlords clues in deciding how their spruce-up dollars are best spent, and how to effectively advertise properties to attract the best applicants.

HomeRun Homes (www.Lease2Buy.com), a rent-to-own classifieds powerhouse, collects data from thousands of renters who are looking for long-term rentals, and follows trends to determine what tenants are looking for.

Here are the ten top amenities that qualified, long-term tenants were seeking over the past 60 days, in order of importance:

1. Double Garage/2 Car Garage
2. Some Land/Acreage
3. Must Allow Pets
4. Pool
5. School District
6. Basement – Nice Size & Finished Basement
7. Proximity to transportation (Bus/Subway, etc)
8. Backyard Would Be Nice. A Three Bedroom Would Also Work.
9. Fireplace.
10. Washer/Dryer Hook Up

HomeRun Homes is a highly-ranked online classifieds service exclusively for rent-to-own properties, and offers real estate investors information on rent-to-own transactions through its website and blog, a newsletter, and an e-book entitled, Secrets of Rent-to-Own.

See more on Rent To Own Transactions Move Into Mainstream.

American Apartment Owners Association offers discounts on products and services for landlords related to your commercial housing investment, including rental forms, tenant debt collection, tenant background checks, insurance and financing. Find out more at www.joinaaoa.org.

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brassservices

additional considerations:

dish washer
garden space (especially in tough times)
utility costs included and, if not, average cost
safety for children: cabinet locks, gas or electric stove
low energy appliances to keep utility bills down (energy saver bulbs too)
good plumbing
apartment gardening: allergen producing plants and flowers?
melanie Raymond

If you allow tenants to have dogs on your property and the dog bites someone either in the home or on the property, then that’s a law suit waiting to happen. I don’t allow my tenants to have dogs and it’s in all of my leases. In most cases insurance will not cover dog bite liability.
Lisa Everingham

Often just a very clean place, freshly painted will impress. If a place has a 2 car gargage a pool and a backyard but is dirty, it won’t rent.
Karylann72*

With 12+ yrs. experience as a landlord, I’ve learned that tenants who want such special amenities as utilities included in the rent, garden space, garage included, etc., etc., are unwilling to pay the rent a landlord has to require in order to offer and maintain those amenities. Everyone wants to “get the most for the least price,” but renters should realize the landlord’s expense to offer “the most.” The better the property, the higher the real estate taxes, insurance, etc. the landlord must pay. Landlords also need to realize that good tenants will not rent sub-standard properties. Our policy is to never offer a place (apartment or house) that we ourselves would not live in or pay the amount of rent being charged. That policy has worked very, very well for us.
Tom Larsen

A pool at a smaller rental property (1-4 family) is a HUGE no-no and wouldn’t pass an insurance companies underwriting. For a large apartment complex, with a life guard and fence, it is fine. Landlords with singles and doubles should not allow it – it will be you being sued!