Bring back that lovin’ feelin’
Whether you’re a landlord looking to sell, or a first-time buyer snapping up an ex-rental, you probably want to get rid of that unloved feel, writes
You can always tell the long-term ex-rental properties when they come on the market. They have an unloved air, the kitchens and bathrooms are pretty basic and the carpet has clearly been bought for its hardiness, rather than its attractive features.
Also, often various maintenance jobs have not been done as would have been in an owner-occupied home.
Property investors are always sifting through their portfolios, seeing if it’s time to cash up and, with the real estatemarket so hot at the moment, plus the recently-announced changes to tax rules and the bright-line test, some are letting go of properties.
Independent economist Tony Alexander says he’s had emails from investors who are selling, they say, due to changes in the Residential Tenancies Act, or they are just getting rid of highmaintenance properties.
A good opportunity for first-home buyers
These tired properties can be a good opportunity for a first-home buyer, or someone with a certain budget and there aremany tricks of the trade that can help transform a home.
Tamsin Davidson, an agent with One Agency inwellington, recommends a new carpet to uplift a former rental, as well as a good deep-clean and a fresh coat of paint, inside and out.
She’s seen her stager add texture and plants to homes that have been tenanted for years.
‘‘It makes all the difference, adding a bit of life to the home,’’ she says. Davidson finds some house hunters can’t see past the plainness of some of these former rentals. She has to do ‘‘a little bit of educating’’ with those who want their first home to be the perfect house.
Transforming a rental before sale
Harcourts agent Vinay Kumar is selling a former rental property in Kelburn’s popular Rimu Rd, which has been updated in the past few years and, freshly painted, is very nicely presented to owner occupiers.
The vendor has made some improvements for buyers – Kumar asked him to put down some artificial turf, which helps the home’s indoor outdoor flow.
The agent alsowent through the propertywith a handyman, working on little things that might be annoying to buyers.
The current owner was happy to invest in staging to take away any remaining rental feel, says Kumar.
Improvement tips from a home stager
Wellington-based Set2sell stager Paula Crombie has renovated a number of former rentals over the years to sell, and has many suggestions for new ownerswho have bought one.
The most important thing is to look at the space and see what is possible, she says. Don’t accept big heavy furniture from wellmeaning relatives, rather try to go formore modular furniture that’s the right size, she says.
If the space isn’t logically laid out, some built-in furniture can help the space be used smartly, or talk to a builder about bringing down a wall between a dining room and kitchen to open it up. When painting, go for light, bright colours, add soft furnishings and don’t be afraid to use artwork for a splash of colour, says Crombie.
Window coverings, meanwhile can make an enormous difference. New blinds are very reasonable and work well. In a small space, curtains can be very cluttering, says Crombie.
Lighting is another relatively inexpensive feature that can really improve a home, she says. ‘‘It doesn’t have to be expensive, you can have nice lamps in strategic positions.’’
What if your ex-rental has two kitchens?
If you’ve bought a rental with kitchens on both floors, don’t dive in and take out the second kitchen, says Crombie. That’s a good opportunity to have an income, while you’re renovating the rest of the home. When the time comes and you do want to take the extra kitchen out, she suggests using a designer to help with ideas for another use of the space.
If you want to make a kitchen look better onabudget, meanwhile, Crombie says changing the cupboard doors and benchtop can be a good start. ‘‘Cupboard fronts and a new laminate bench are very inexpensive nowadays,’’ she says.
Storage is always a good thing to add, which will help keep the home tidy and contemporary. Flooring is another change people make.
‘‘Themain thing with flooring is to make sure you put down the best underlay. That makes an enormous difference to the feel and insulation – and there are some fantastic looks in vinyl and wood,’’ says the Set2sell stager.
And if you have room in your budget, windows are expensive to replace, but they can make a huge difference. Crombie has just taken out three small windows and replaced them with one large picture window at her home and the improvement has been transformational, she says.
But before you start anything major, Crombie advises not to do anything too big immediately. Live in the place for awhile and figure outwhere the sun is and where the windwhistles around.
She advises setting up a picture board or pegboard of favourite ideas and using them as inspiration.