Whether you’re renting out a house, apartment, or condo, tenants have come to expect certain amenities that may have been optional in the past. While you don’t need to go too far to please your renters, tenant satisfaction will greatly increase when you provide more than just basic amenities. Ultimately, satisfied tenants tend to renew their lease and become long-term tenants, so it benefits you financially.

When it comes to modern kitchen amenities, functionality and aesthetics often go hand in hand. Renters increasingly look for appliances that not only serve their purpose but also blend seamlessly with the overall decor. For instance, if you’re outfitting your rental property, you might consider suggesting tenants buy a dishwasher online that will suit your decor style, combining practicality with visual harmony. Offering guidance on such details can elevate the appeal of your property.

When your goal is to increase profitability and get those high-quality, reliable tenants, consider offering some of the following amenities with your rentals.

 Smart home technology

Smart home tech is really in demand by today’s tenants. For example, there are smart thermostats, coffee makers, refrigerators, speakers, personal assistants, locks, lights, and even video security.

If the thought of managing smart technology feels like a chore, consider hiring a professional to handle your properties. A company like Green Residential, a Houston property management company, for example, offers full-service property management to Texas landlords who have their hands full. 

What smart tech should you install? A Nest? A Canary? At the very least, consider smart thermostats so your renters can remotely control the temperature in their house. While it’s also a great way to help people reduce their heating and cooling costs, smart thermostats also make it possible to keep a house warm while you’re away in the winter months without worry. 

You can turn it on and off with an app. If you rent property in cold areas, this is a must for making sure your pipes don’t freeze if your renters happen to be away. Granted, you’ll need to talk with your renters to make sure they follow through, but that shouldn’t be hard.  

Next up are smart coffee makers and locks. Most people will love being able to brew coffee before they get out of bed, but you might get some pushback about smart locks from the older generation. However, much of the younger crowd – specifically Millennials – prefer smart locks for convenience. Since Millennials dominate the rental market, this would be a wise move. Many people have said that the existence of smart tech would greatly influence their choice in renting a property.

 A pet-friendly policy

While not your traditional amenity, having a pet-friendly policy will go a long way to get you a long-term, reliable tenant. It’s not common for small pets to do serious damage. There are exceptions, but pets tend to be a reflection of their owners. If you find someone with reliable income, good credit, and stable income, they’re more likely to be responsible overall, which means they will take care of their pets. They’ll pick up after them outside and they won’t let them potty all over the carpet or tear up the rug. Most responsible people don’t have destructive pets, anyway. 

Opening up your home to people with pets will get you more applicants and you can always collect a higher security deposit than usual to cover the cost of any damage. For example, if you normally require a security deposit in the amount of one month’s rent, ask for a deposit equal to two months’ rent if it’s legal in your area. It’s fully refundable, so good tenants shouldn’t have an issue paying a higher deposit.

Air conditioning

While heating is required, air conditioning is still considered an amenity, with the exception of a few states. However, extreme heat can be just as uncomfortable as extreme cold. It can also make people sick with heatstroke and be life-threatening. If you rent a property in an area that gets hot, air conditioning is a must.

A washer and dryer in the unit

Most people don’t like going to the laundromat to wash their clothes because it’s inconvenient. When you offer a washer and dryer inside your rental unit, people will feel more at ease because they can just toss something in the wash if it gets dirty anytime they want. If they need to wash a blanket or shirt for work the next day, they can.

 A dishwasher

Even though dishwashers have been around for a long time, they aren’t always standard in rental units. Today, it’s tough to rent a property without a dishwasher and it’s a deal-breaker for many people. Some people prefer washing dishes by hand, but nothing beats the convenience of being able to wash everything at once after a party or holiday. 

Tenants will appreciate your thoughtfulness 

By providing the most desirable amenities to your tenants, you’ll attract more applicants to choose from and you’ll have happier renters. You’ll be more likely to get lease renewals and keep your units occupied with limited vacancies.

The post The Top 5 Amenities and Features Renters Expect appeared first on Green Prophet.

Administrative Law Judge Clive Morrick ruled that Nigel Warren’s three day rental to the Russian woman arranged through AirBnB’s website violated the city’s illegal hotel law, which stipulates rentals under 29 days function like transient housing or informal hotels.

Morrick wrote in his ruling that unit owners are bound by law to “restrict their use to permanent occupation,” CNET reports.

The original $7,000 fine passed down to Warren was reduced to $2,400 since Morrick decided not to hold him accountable for other land use code violations.

AirBnB stepped in to help Warren, arguing that eighty-seven percent of New Yorkers who use their service are renting rooms in their own homes in order to make ends meet. After all, New York City property prices are notoriously exorbitant.

In a statement to CNET, AirBnB expressed regret about the ruling. Here is an excerpt from that statement:

“…There is universal agreement that occasional hosts like Nigel Warren were not the target of the 2010 law, but that agreement provides little comfort to the handful of people, like Nigel, who find themselves targeted by overzealous enforcement officials. It is time to fix this law and protect hosts who occasionally rent out their own homes…”

Meanwhile, in the Middle East, AirBnB is probably abused more – much in the same way that Egyptian couchsurfers violate the spirit of Couchsurfing by trying to get it on with western girls.

A cursory search pulls up a slew of informal hotel rooms in dense urban environments across the region and in remote countryside locations and they almost assuredly circumvent city and national zoning laws.

But they are unlikely to be regulated.

The post AirBnB Rental Ruled Illegal – What it Means for the Middle East appeared first on Green Prophet.