Making repairs on your own home and making repairs on a rental property definitely are two different things. One thing that must be considered is your budget. Your intent for your investment property is to make a profit, so keeping costs to a minimum is essential. However, cutting too many corners will leave your property unattractive to potential tenants and you will find it difficult to get high quality tenants on a property in need of repair. There are plenty of repairs that can be made on a careful budget that will help your property maintain its quality and remain safe and attractive to renters.

One of the first things you can do to improve the look of a rental property is to replace any old, worn or outdated-looking switch plates. This is a very inexpensive update, basic switch plates generally cost less than $1 each. Even the cheap switch plates look better new than the old, dirty and worn ones.

Doors are another thing that potential tenants will notice. Make sure that your doors all close and latch properly, and that if there are locks on the bathroom and bedroom doors then check to be sure these locks are in working order. Putting in a new door, or planing a new one so that it shuts properly can make a huge difference. Door handles should be secure and not be jiggly or loose, replacing old and poorly working ones is an easy and inexpensive repair that makes a huge difference.

Take a look at the trim work in your rental unit. Any areas that are worn and cracked should be sanded or painted, or replaced, if necessary. This is something that makes any room look clean and fresh, and can help you make a terrific first impression when showing the place to potential tenants.

Make note of what you see when you first walk in to the unit. Remember that an entry way or hallway is the first thing that a potential tenant will see—if they are turned off before they even get into the unit, then you could lose a quality tenant. Hallways should be clean, freshly painted, have sturdy handrails on the stairs, and non-skid mats. For multi-tenant units, it can be beneficial to enlist the help of one of your tenants—for a few bucks break on the rent you can have someone take charge of keeping the hall mopped or swept and looking neat.

Kitchens are a huge selling feature when it comes to rental units. Although it is not always practical to replace kitchen cabinets, sometimes merely a deep cleaning or even a coat of semi-gloss paint, or perhaps new cabinet knobs, can freshen things up and make the kitchen bright and attractive. A rental unit that is great in every way except the kitchen will draw a low rent.

For assistance with any property management issues, contact a Michigan property management company.