Blog Post

Best Landscaping Tips For Your Long Beach Rental

Dustin Edwards • February 19, 2021

The Right Landscaping Enhances Value and Keeps Tenants Happy

Landscaping for Your Long Beach Rental
Landscaping isn’t often one of the aspects about a rental property that is given a large amount of thought. After all when people think of value (whether that be for purchase, sale, or rental) generally the focus is on key aspects such as location, number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms and the square footage but we all know there is more to a property than just those aspects.

To keep tenants happy and attract the next tenant to your rental property in Long Beach we invite you to consider making landscaping a key consideration. A well designed landscaping plan for your rental property can help you to earn top rental rates and keep tenants happy because they can see you truly care about providing a well-rounded environment to live. To help you have the best landscaping for your Long Beach rental consider the following tips.

Online Landscape Design
If you are looking at the front and rear yard of your property and aren’t quite sure where to start...never fear the internet can help you with ideas. Instead of looking endlessly at pictures or just buying plants and hoping it works, consider getting a design plan that is customized to your property from Shrubhub. Shrubhub can create a landscaping design plan for less than $100 giving you what you need to create a winning layout for your rental that is sure to please for years to come.

Water Wise Landscape for Your Rental
With a dominantly medeterranean climate type in Southern California we don’t have the natural rainfall that supports lush landscaping. While it is certainly an option to put in a robust sprinkler system (think of a combination of drip system and traditional sprinklers) you might want to consider a more water friendly landscaping plan for your Long Beach rental. Remember part of attracting and maintaining tenants is ensuring they can have an enjoyable place to live without passing on costs where they don’t get the full enjoyment. A landscaping plan that requires too much water could result in the following:
  • Tenants having too high of a water bill and looking for a new place to rent
  • Tenants not watering appropriately resulting in poor plant health and wasting the investment in the landscaping
As you develop your landscape design for your rental take into consideration plants and features that provide a striking appearance yet use minimal water to create a balanced approach that tenants will enjoy.

Consider Artificial Turf
Artificial turf has become more popular to install in properties due to prices falling over the years, technology of turf improving, and the benefit from not needing water. For many yards this certainly can be a match as it can have a lifespan of 10-15 years providing you and your tenant with a feature that they can enjoy for a long period of time.

Now, before you rush out and have it installed at your property there are some negatives to having artificial turf. One of the biggest drawbacks is it can get quite hot in the sun. In Long Beach heat isn’t as big of a challenge, when compared with locations such as the Valley, but this is an item to make sure tenants are aware of as the heat could pose a challenge. Another drawback is in regards to pets. When pets use the bathroom on the artificial turf it can take a bit more cleaning to keep the smell away. If you allow pets in your rental this may not be the best match.

Lighting Features to Create the Best Landscape Design
The plant selections may get to be the true heroes of your landscaping; however, well placed lighting can create that curb appeal even when the sun goes down. With just a few online searches, or a visit to Home Depot you will quickly discover a number of solar LED light choices that you could install at your rental to highlight elements of your landscape design. With solar you won’t have to worry about a power source and your tenant won’t be impacted by even a low voltage system allowing them to enjoy the design without increasing their costs.

Finding the right balance of landscaping design to attract the best possible tenants can be a challenge. If you’d like guidance on how much landscaping to do for your Long Beach rental call us today at (562) 888-0247 as we’d be happy to help. When you want a quick check to see how much your property could fetch in rent we invite you to fill out our Free Rental Analysis where we perform a comprehensive comparison to share your rental stacks up to the competition.

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By Dustin Edwards January 24, 2025
Maintaining high tenant occupancy rates in today’s competitive rental market can be challenging for some landlords, especially those just starting their portfolios. With a large number of options available, attracting and retaining high-quality tenants requires more than the traditional methods. In order to stand out, landlords need to get out of their comfort zones and adopt innovative strategies tailored to modern tenants and their priorities. Below are three such tactics to boost tenant occupancy and reduce vacancies. Highlight Eco-Friendly Features Prospective tenants are increasingly being drawn to sustainable living, this makes eco-friendly features a key incentive for many landlords. Tenants have been prioritizing homes that align with their eco-friendly values. Consider using energy-efficient appliances such as washers, refrigerators, and HVAC systems. This Is a great area to begin though it can be expanded upon with solar panels, and EV charging stations. Being eco-friendly is more than electronics, water conservation measures can be equally important in attracting tenants. Installing water-saving fixtures in bathrooms and kitchens reduces water consumption while potentially saving you or your tenants on the water bill. Furthermore, usingdrought-resistantt and native plants also help conserve water while maintaining curb appeal. Eco-friendly upgrades will oftentimes cater to the growing demand of sustainable living, and create a competitive advantage to attract environmentally conscious tenants looking for long-term occupancy. Adopt Digital Strategies An effective online presence is essential for attracting prospective tenants in today’s digital age. Most potential tenants starting their search online, landlords need to be able to capitalize on digital marketing platforms and social media to showcase their properties and stand out in the market. Posting listings on popular rental platforms like Zillow, Apartments.com or Rent.com to name a few can further improve visibility. These platforms help landlords and property managers to highlight unique features in the property such as the aforementioned eco-friendly upgrade and other amenities you may have on your rental property. Social media sites can also be used as a powerful tool for showcasing rentals and engaging prospective tenants . This is also a great place to share professional photos, virtual tours, and even tenant testimonials. This can help to build trust and interest from potential renters. You can also use social media to maintain healthy communication with established tenants which is a great way to demonstrate approachability and professionalism. This can be a great way to reach a broader audience and improve your rental property’s visibility. Tenant Retention Although not necessarily a new tactic, screening potential tenants is a timeless yet continually evolving strategy for maintaining high occupancy rates. Retaining reliable tenants reduces turnover rates and minimizes costs. To achieve this, landlords need to first prioritize finding the right tenant. Careful tenant screening is vital for long-term success. This typically includes credit and background checks, as well as contacting previous landlords to help you identify financially stable tenants who are likely to care for the property. Another method for retaining tenants is by offering move-in incentives . This can be small perks such as gift cards or something more enticing such as a month of free rent. These gestures can help make a prospective tenant feel more valued, reinforcing their decision to stay in your rental long-term. Even a little kindness can leave a lasting impression. It's crucial to stay ahead of the market to boost occupancy, adopting innovative strategies can help meet modern renter’s appeals. Adapting quickly ensures your rental properties stand out against the competition while attracting tenants in a competitive landscape. If you need help filling in vacancies or if you need help managing Beach City rental property, we invite you to call us today at (562) 888-0247 or complete our Owner Application online .
By Dustin Edwards January 17, 2025
A new year is a new chance to start new ideas to bring in prospects to your property. Consider the following 5 ideas to engage prospects and get new tenants.
By Dustin Edwards January 10, 2025
Having clear communication with your tenant is essential for maintaining a healthy landlord-tenant relationship. By being transparent in all relevant interactions, landlords can prevent misunderstandings while resolving repairs and disputes efficiently while improving tenant satisfaction. Having good communication with your tenant is beneficial for landlords too. Effective communication also protects your investment property. Remember that while your tenant is living in the property, landlords need to take care of the repairs. Below are the three best things to do during tenant communications. Prompt Responses Addressing tenant concerns quickly is essential for building trust and maintaining a positive relationship. Tenants feel valued when landlords respond quickly, knowing that their needs are being prioritized. Building this trust not only enhances your tenant’s satisfaction it lowers the possibility of conflicts or misunderstandings to arise. This ultimately creates a healthy and successful rental experience for you and your tenant. Some of the most common inquiries will oftentimes include repair requests, among others. As an example; if your tenant reports a leak under their faucet and the repair is delayed, this can be damaging to your landlord-tenant relationship, as well as your property. If left ignored, that leak can result in hundreds of dollars in water damage and a vacancy . Which can further affect our bottom line negatively. For landlords with multiple properties, this can become difficult to keep track of. A property manager can help with scheduling repairs and communicating with your tenant on your behalf. Document Everything Keeping a detailed record of all interactions with your tenant is an important element when managing a property. There are many choices for documentation including email, text, or written notices. Although many property management companies and landlords have opted to use apps or dedicated tenant portals to log communications. A great example, for instance, a tenant may claim they’d reported a repair issue that was never addressed, if everything is to be documented, both you and the tenant would have a copy of the request. Maintaining transparency with tenants. Having thorough documentation ensures agreements and requests between all parties are clearly tracked. Documenting communications with your tenant provides landlords with a foundation for addressing misunderstandings, or disputes if and when they arise. Provide Regular Updates Regular updates show tenants that their landlord is organized and has an attentive approach to managing their property. Giving tenants ample time for maintenance, inspections or policy changes is a simple way to build trust with your tenants while showing your professionalism. Giving tenants advanced notices reassures them that you’re aware of how changes can affect them and you understand that time might be needed in order to adjust. Surprises are best kept for birthday parties. Proactively notifying tenants of changes helps clear the communication channels and minimizes disruptions which helps tenants feel valued and satisfied. These small yet consistent efforts can contribute to a positive tenant stay, which can encourage lease renewals and long-term tenancy. Additionally, having a good relationship with your tenants can give you a great reputation which can provide you with leads when looking to fill a vacancy . It cannot be understated the importance of communication for a healthy landlord-tenant relationship. Even if your tenant may not agree with some of the decisions a landlord needs to make, by giving your tenants ample time to process the change tenants generally are more accepting of said change. If you’re having trouble communicating with your tenants or if you need help managing Beach City rental property, we invite you to call us today at (562) 888-0247 or complete our Owner Application online .
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