What Flooring Do Perth Tenants Prefer?
Floors are an important part of your property strategy and should be one of your initial renovation decisions. The expanse of a floor is crucial to first impressions, and updating your Perth investment property with comfortable, clean and good-looking floors can achieve beautiful, transformative results that attract ‘five-star’ Perth tenants, and deliver you higher yields on your investment.
Renovating a property is an substantial investment so it’s important to really know what exactly tenants want and what you need to do to keep your property competitive in the market. To help you, HERE Property took the time to ask 300 our 5-star tenants what they really wanted and preferred when it came to flooring in rental properties.
Both options were tied as most-preferred with 37% each. Only 16% of Perth tenants looked favourably upon carpet in their new rental home and even less for laminate flooring – only 8% liked laminate which should rule out this option for most landlords.
Considerations
Rental property carpets take lots of abuse.
Unfortunately for property owners, the floor is one of the most abused surfaces in the house. Tough, easily cleaned and hard-wearing floor surfaces are needed in most homes, let alone a rental property! Even with the best tenants, the floor in your rental property still gets used and abused – it still gets stomped on, spilt on, mud and dirt tracked over it. Chair legs are scraped over it and accidents happen.
Flooring needs to be both stylish and durable.
Although putting down white carpet is not an option, fight the temptation to cover the floors in hardy vinyl or tiles as tenants may find hard floors throughout a property uninviting and echoey – generally we’ve found that tenants respond well to a mix of soft and hard flooring; warm and welcoming, but practical where necessary.
Flooring Options for Rental Properties
Carpet packs a big punch and has the ability to make really major positive impression to a prospective tenant.
The soft textures of carpet appeals to many tenants. as it is cosy and inviting, as well as a great insulator. It is particularly beneficial in apartments as it reduces noise and provides safety for children and the elderly who may be prone to falling.Unfortunately carpet is high maintenance and keeping it clean is hard for even the most respectful tenant. Being a highly sensitive material, carpet is high maintenance and is prone to damage and staining. In areas of high foot traffic irreversible marks can easily happen.
In an investment property setting, tiles are the most practical option you can choose for flooring.
There is a wide range of styles to choose from and they range in price with a flexible option to suit any budget. They are fairly bullet-proof, and unlike carpet, are unforgiving of dropped plates or stumbling toddlers. Being moisture-resistant making them perfect for bathrooms and laundries.Tenants may consider tiles to be cold and uninviting, they do not insulate well which means tenants spend more money on electricity to heat and cool the house.
Timber flooring is a wonderful hard flooring surface that looks good, is tough and has visual warmth. Floorboards are often sought after by tenants, as its low maintenance as regular sweeping and damp mopping may be all that is required to keep it clean. It is expensive to purchase and lay, so proper care needs to be taken to ensure it lasts for a long time. However, its vulnerability exposes it to risks when care is not shown by the tenant of your rental property. The hardwood variety can be refinished up to four times across their lifetime helping to remove any scratches, staining and fading that may have occurred.
Laminate flooring combines the visual effects of wood visuals with easy maintenance, creating a budget-friendly alternative to timber flooring. It’s worth noting that this option is far less durable than hardwood floors though – you might spend less in the beginning, however in the long term you’ll need to replace the flooring much sooner and most likely more often. It is a great option for busy households with families and kids as it’s easy to clean and has a which is covered with a protective layer that resists fading, abrasions, and stains – you can lay it in most areas of the home although it is not recommended for wet areas such as bathrooms. It’s also an easily removable flooring solution which won’t damage the existing floors in your home.
What costs to expect
Putting aside required maintenance and upkeep, you should only ever renovate rentals to increase equity, increase returns or both. By opting for the best flooring for your rental property you can add value to your property and increase its tenant appeal and achievable rent.
Like all renovations, it is almost never best to go really cheap and you need to get the preparation right – choose the wrong products for floors, or go for impractical short-term fixes – you’ll suffer financially in the long run with repair and maintenance costs. Budget flooring options will save you money in the short term but when their more durable counterparts outlast them by 20 or 30 odd years then it’s important to consider replacement in your budgeting.
Five star tenants are critical to long-term success
Turning your home into a profitable revenue stream is clearly appealing and owning a successful investment property portfolio is often a long-term dream of property owners.
Finding and keeping a great tenant can be just as important as finding the perfect location for your investment property. More often than not a good tenant is the difference between a high and a low-performing investment. A consistent and reliable tenant will look after your property and help you generate the best returns from your valuable investment.
When you attract a high-quality tenant, you can rest easy knowing that your investment is in good hands. Aside from higher values and returns, good tenants will also appreciate a renovated property and are more likely to stay longer and treat the property better.
