5 ways to create a tenant friendly garden
We all love our outdoor spaces, and if your investment property has a garden, it can play a major part in attracting and retaining tenants, as well as significantly boosting your property’s rental value.
But while many tenants like to have the outdoor space, they may not have a green thumb, or indeed the time to spend gardening.
Here are five ways for landlords to create attractive gardens, but at the same time make them appealing to tenants.
- Low-maintenance
This is probably the most critical factor for investment property gardens. Look for easy-care plants, shrubs and trees or consider putting in attractive, maintenance-free paving.
Mulching is a quick, easy and effective way of filling gaps, keeping down the weeds and keeping the garden presentable and tidy.
- Reduce the water consumption
Tenants also want to keep running costs low. Consider planting succulents and other drought-tolerant plants and shrubs that can take the heat. Choose native Australian plants instead of exotics.
Having a low water usage garden is also easier to maintain for tenants in terms of time spent watering, and while sprinkler systems can be installed, they will need maintaining.
- Keep the edging simple
Edging can be tricky for even the best of gardeners, so consider edging garden beds with bricks, pavers, steel or tough PVC edging material.
Once again, this keeps the garden presentable, as well as reducing maintenance.
- Enhance privacy
None of us like prying eyes in the back yard, so consider creating natural screens, such as hedges. Most tenants can manage trimming them two or three times a year, or budget a hedge-trimmer into your maintenance costs.
- Make it pet and child-friendly
Is your property likely to attract families or will you consider pet owners? If so, make sure the garden is safe, as well as enjoyable for them. Consider installing secure fencing, and creating open spaces for play. Ensure there are no toxic plants and look to install durable garden features to withstand the wear and tear that comes with kids and pets.
As well as enhancing your property’s value and desirability, by carrying out these strategies, your outdoor space will appeal to a broader tenant base. A tenant-friendly garden is a win-win, offering tenants a delightful outdoor area to enjoy while ensuring you maximize your rental return.
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