19 July 2021
By Roger Jones
roger@TheCork.ie
Cork is a great city to live in, allowing people to enjoy city life as well as many of the benefits of the countryside on its doorstep. If you’re renting a property in the locale, then here are some tips to ensure your garden is in the best possible shape.
Are you preparing to rent out your property that has a garden?
If you are planning on renting out property that has a garden, whether you are a first-time landlord or have some experience at it, you will need to focus on the outdoor space. A well-maintained outdoor space is always a good way to impress potential clients, especially those looking for large properties or family homes. If you want to maximize the rental income on that property, you should consider a well-maintained garden at the viewings. You will stand a better chance of getting tenants quickly if the space is appealing.
The tips below will help you to ensure that your garden is in the best condition by the time you put it up to let among the properties to rent in Cork.
Photo: A well-kept garden can improve the value of a house
- Know Your Target Tenants
It is advisable to know the kind of tenants you want for the property before you start renting it out. For instance, if you have a four-bedroomed detached property out of the city, then you will most likely be getting customers that are families with children. You should consider getting a patio where they can spend their summers outside enjoying the sun, or you can ensure there is a large lawn for children and pets to play on.
If the property is in an area frequented by college students and you want the property to have these as tenants, a large house with a lawn is not the ideal space. You should not have too many plants that require a lot of time to take care of them, as students will probably not have enough time for gardening. Keeping the space simple and low-maintenance will be the best way to appeal to a target market of mostly students.
- Ensure You Do Some Basic Maintenance
Just because the home is large and might be rented out to a family does not mean that they will have time for a high-maintenance garden. Whoever the target market is, you need to ensure that the garden is relatively easy to maintain. That requires you to do some basic maintenance. If you do not have the time, you can enlist the services of a professional gardener.
Basic maintenance is such as mowing the lawn regularly to improve the appearance of the outdoor area. You should also trim any overgrown bushes, clear any branches, and deal with general garden debris. It is best to keep the property in good condition when you have listed the house, as it ensures the place looks neat.
- Ensure You Keep On Top Of Things
If you rent the property out to a tenant, direct them to do some maintenance on the garden. If this is not possible, you can hire a gardener to do it. Regular maintenance of your garden is what will ensure that it stays in top shape. Leaving a garden to become unkempt will cause it to get out of control, and restoring it will be heavy work.
- Ensure The Garden is Safe
A garden does not only need to look great, it also needs to be safe. That means installing gates and fences to keep the boundaries. Keep these in good condition to ensure the potential clients feel safe and secure when in the home. Perform regular inspections to check for damaged fence panels or damaged locks. If you notice any necessary repairs, cover the costs of repairs. A secure property is a big deal for potential clients.
- Avoid Installing Expensive Features
As a property owner, you may think that adding expensive features may increase the rent, but sometimes that is not the case. A cheap BBQ or some low-cost furniture is fine, but other more expensive features aren’t necessary. Tenants will mostly pay for things that they feel are essential. If they decide not to rent because of the higher premium, you may end up waiting for a long time for tenants. The features may also be hard to maintain for the tenants.
Flowers can be a cheap and natural way to improve any garden