First impressions are everything in life.
In order to make new friends, get hired for a new position, and yes, even to land a new tenant in your Elkridge rental property, first impressions are important.
As a landlord, you may not be too keen on the idea of investing your hard earned money into landscaping your rental property, if you are not going to be the one that enjoys it.
However, it is a widely accepted fact that curb appeal (how attractive the exterior of your property looks, including both your front and back yards), makes all the difference to prospective tenants.
That’s why today we are going to take a look at some easy ways you can make your Elkridge rental property landscaping stand out to potential tenants, without adding a great deal of hassle to your life.
How to Easily Manage Your Rental Property Landscaping
Whether you decide to tend to your rental property’s landscaping yourself, outsource to a reliable landscaping company, or enlist your tenants to lend a hand, having a solid foundation is the key to great looking yards that last all year long.
1. Fake It
We are not talking about faking the fact that you are investing time and money into your landscaping efforts.
What we mean is that if you really want an easy-to-manage solution to having green grass in your rental property’s yard that lasts year round, consider installing synthetic (fake) grass.
While the debate behind whether synthetic grass is a good idea or not still stands, the truth is, fake grass is easy to manage and comes with plenty of advantages.
In fact, according to HouseLogic, there are some key reasons synthetic grass is gaining popularity:
- The upfront cost is recovered quickly after installment
- It saves water which is not only eco-friendly, it helps save your tenants money
- There is no maintenance when it comes to mowing, watering, seeding, edging, and fertilizing
- The weather will not kill it (though you should take care if your property is in a hot region)
In addition, synthetic grass simply looks good.
Your rental property’s yards, especially the backyard, should be an oasis escape for your tenants to enjoy all the time. Fake grass has the ability to look and feel very much like real grass, which can be very inviting.
2. Go Native
Plants that are native to Maryland are going to be the easiest to manage throughout the year, regardless of who is in charge of that task.
Here are some of the most popular Maryland native plants that will suit all of your landscaping needs:
- Groundcover. Pussytoes and Golden Groundsel are great for covering large sections of yard with an easy to manage plant. Plus, they work well to keep weeds at bay.
- Ferns. For a lush, green look, add Sensitive and Christmas Ferns to your yard.
- Grasses, Sedges, and Rushes. If you decide to forgo the synthetic grass for your rental’s landscaping, use Blue Sedge, Wool Grass, Little Bluestem, or Yellow Indiangrass instead.
- Wildflowers. There is nothing more beautiful than flowers in an array of colors spanning your property’s backyard. Use Cardinal Flowers, Foxglove Beardtongues, Butterfly Weeds, or New York Ironweeds to add pops of color to your garden.
- Shrubs. For the places in your yard that need a little extra coverage, consider Rose Mallow or Hillside Blueberry shrubs.
- Trees. Maintaining trees can be a major hassle if you use non-native ones. That’s why Blackgun and White Oaks are going to be your best bet.
This is just a sampling of the types of native plants that will fare well in Maryland.
They are naturally occurring in the region (which is why they can withstand the elements), and are easy to take care of no matter your skill level.
3. Add Patio Space
If you are really looking to decrease the amount of time needed to maintain your Elkridge rental property’s landscaping, try adding a sizeable patio section to the backyard.
An excellent selling point when it comes to placing a new tenant in your rental, large patio spaces can serve multiple functions.
This area makes hosting family and friends a cinch for tenants that like to have get togethers. Patios are also great places to store equipment for the different seasons (such as your ski gear for winter, and your boating accessories for summer).
Lastly, there is little to no maintenance required when it comes to well-designed patios, save for a little sweep or watering down every now and again.
And, if you are really looking to impress prospective tenants, consider investing in some outdoor patio furniture, lighting, and even a BBQ with a food prep station so your tenants can get the most out your property’s backyard area.
Just don’t forget to add storage space for your tenants to store things like patio cushions during the rainy season or during times of non-use. This way the furniture textiles you have invested in do not become ruined (because replacing these things often will become costly).
4. Consider Water Use
While adding native Maryland plants is a great idea, and they typically do not require a lot of water, it is still crucial you think of overall water use when you design your rental’s outdoor space.
Maintaining a fully functioning sprinkler system opens you up to regular maintenance and repairs, especially when winter arrives and pipes have a tendency to freeze.
And, if you choose to water your yard by hand (or require your tenant to do so), the easy to maintain yard quickly becomes a hassle that is not easy to manage.
By using lots of groundcovers, as mentioned above, you reduce the amount of watering that your yard needs. In addition, these groundcovers will help keep other plants from overgrowing, will protect the soil from the elements (such as extreme hot or cold), and will only require an occasional rake here and there.
In fact, a region such as Elkridge experiences a lot of annual rain, even during the “dry season,” which means there is very little watering you will need to do with a large groundcover such as Golden Groundsel.
In Closing
When it comes to your rental property landscaping, there are a few factors to consider before jumping in and designing a tropical jungle.
You must consider what role each party will play in the maintenance of your property’s yards, how much work you want those tasked with landscaping to do, and how much money you want invested in the overall project.
If you are looking for an excellent property manager in Elkridge to help with tasks such as maintaining landscaping, lease drafting, rent collection, and seasonal inspections, contact Bay Management Group today.
Not only can we advise you on how to maximize the outdoor space your investment property has, we can assure you that your tenants fully understand their responsibilities when it comes to the maintenance of your yards, no matter how easy it is.
Our goal is to garner you high quality tenants that will care for and appreciate your rental’s landscaping, while collecting the highest rent rates possible as a reward for all your hard work in creating the perfect outdoor space.
