What Type of Flooring Would You Recommend for Long-term Wear for Rentals?
Dustin Edwards • July 10, 2021
Attractive Flooring that Lasts Helps You and Your Tenant

Buying flooring for your Long Beach rental can be a daunting process. You want to make the right decision while also remaining within your price range.
There are a variety of factors to consider. Your rental flooring should be aesthetically pleasing, easy to clean, and built to last. It should provide your tenants with both convenience, a touch of style, and even help to attract the best tenants
for your property.
Furthermore, buying flooring for your rental is not the same as buying for your primary residence. This is a mistake that many new landlords make. It is one that, after it has been made once, is not repeated. We encourage you to discover flooring options below that are ideal for your Long Beach rental.
Luxury Vinyl Tile
Gone are the days of wall-to-wall carpet. Not only is it a burden to clean, but it also retains hideous stains and is not durable. Additionally, dogs and cats can easily shred and rip up carpet. Though tenants with pets would obviously have to pay for any damages, you would still be responsible for all the work of buying new carpet and hiring an installation service.
While wood flooring is easier to clean, much like carpet, it is not durable. Wood flooring is prone to scuffs, scratches, and spills. These damages are sometimes permanent. Even if they are fixable, repairs can be expensive. Also, wood flooring is not ideal for humid environments. This poses an issue for rentals in Long Beach.
All the potential hassles of a rental fitted with carpet or wood flooring can be eliminated by replacing it with much stronger alternatives, such as Luxury Vinyl Tile.
Luxury Vinyl Tile (or LVT for short) is a type of flooring that resembles wood or stone. It consists of three layers - a backing layer to add stability, a photographic layer that displays the design, and a protective layer to promote longevity. LVT’s strong protective layer shields against scratches and water. Whether the bathtub overflows, appliances leak, or your tenant spills a drink, the flooring will remain safe. Moreover, LVT is humidity resistant and preserves heat to keep your tenants’ feet warm, unlike wood flooring which (without proper insulation) is usually cool underfoot.
Many people are partial to the coziness of waking up and stepping on warm, fluffy carpet. As such, tenants may have an adverse reaction to bedrooms lacking carpet. However, you can put LVT in your rental’s bedrooms and still keep your tenants happy. To help with creating a “warm” environment consider putting down area rugs to offset the usage of the LVT as those can be replaced for each tenant easily and very cost effectively.
Another positive of LVT is its noise reduction. Although footsteps on wood flooring can commonly be heard around your rental, footsteps on LVT are relatively silent. This makes your rental a quieter place.
Best of all, LVT is a relatively inexpensive option. According to ImproveNet, material costs run at about $2 to $7 per square foot, and installation costs range between $1 to $4 per square foot. Despite its low price, LVT is visually stunning and rivals the look of wood flooring. For more information surrounding LVT pricing, visit your local flooring retailer.
Taking all these points into consideration, LVT is arguably the best option for your Long Beach rental. Hiring a property management company can make finding and installing LVT easier. If you would like assistance with flooring or other additions to your rental, we invite you to call us today at (562) 888-0247, or you can check out our Free Rental Analysis online.
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With the real estate market as competitive as it is, many landlords are looking into building an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) or Jr. ADU to improve their bottom line with additional monthly income. While this is a great way to earn more, you need to be sure you’re investing in the right upgrade to your property. Below are some of the key differences between ADUs and Jr. ADUs; this way, you can make the right decision for your property. Differences between Junior ADUs and ADUs On the surface, the primary difference between an ADU and a Jr. ADU is the square footage. However, there are many considerations for each type of ADU , significant differences include costs and build limitations. ADUs are generally seen as a larger and more versatile build when compared to a Jr. ADU. They can be built detached from the main home, converting an existing structure, most commonly the garage. In Long Beach, an ADU can be up to 800 square feet or 50% of the gross floor area of the primary dwelling, whichever is smaller. For reference, an 800 sqft living space can be arranged as a 2-bedroom 1-bath home, though with creative use of the space, many investors have been able to fit 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms comfortably. If listing the ADU for rent is the goal, this can produce a higher yield, though at the cost of a higher initial investment. Jr. ADU, on the other hand, can only be a maximum of 500 sqft and must be built attached to the existing single-family home. While you can build an entire new addition to accommodate the Jr. ADU, it's not uncommon for homeowners whose homes are bigger than they need to convert a bedroom into a Jr. ADU in order to have additional income . A Jr. ADU does still require an efficient kitchen. Bathrooms can be shared with the main house, though this can deter some prospective tenants. Additionally, the utilities are oftentimes shared with the main house, which can simplify installation, though it can complicate utility costs with your tenant. When an ADU is Right Being able to build a full ADU provides an entirely separate and private living space, which is more desirable to prospecting tenants. This is the preferred choice for most investors, especially those who have unused space in their property. By being built apart from the main house, an ADU may cause less disturbance to those living in the main house, whether that be yourself or another tenant. In Long Beach, CA. ADUs can’t be listed as short-term rentals on apps like Airbnb; that being said, an ADU can command more in rent because of the aforementioned features. If you’re looking for a long-term investment, ADUs increase your property’s value while generating a consistent cash flow. Finally, if you ever plan on selling your rental property, the additional ADU can improve the appeal of your property to future buyers. When a Jr. ADU is Right While a Jr. ADU doesn’t have the same potential as a full-sized ADU, Jr. ADUs are far more budget-friendly. These are a great option for investors who have limited funds. Since Jr. ADUs generally require less work to be done in less time, allowing you to begin making a return sooner. Finally, if your property doesn’t qualify for a full-sized ADU permit due to the size of the property lot, a Jr. ADU can be built primarily through interior work, which may only require reconfiguring existing interior space. Whether you choose a full-sized ADU or a Jr. ADU, the decision depends on more than just the size of the structure, you’ll have to manage filling the vacancy and managing the new tenant. If you need help choosing which ADU is right for you or you need help managing your Beach City rental property, we invite you to call us today at (562) 888-0247 or complete our Owner Application online .

Summer is a great time of year where people enjoy a number of outdoor activities. Though for landlords, summer brings with it a list of maintenance items and preventative care for their properties. Below, we’ve gathered three of the most important maintenance items to do before summer starts. Service your HVAC System Southern California summers are getting hotter and hotter, if you want to maintain tenant satisfaction you’ll need to have the HVAC or any A/C or cooling system properly serviced . Filters should be cleaned or replaced, and the ductwork should be inspected. For rentals with window units or mini-split systems should also be thoroughly inspected as well for optimal cooling. Doing proactive maintenance can reduce the risk of the cooling system breaking down during peak usage while also improving the system’s efficiency. This can lower utility costs for your tenants while extending the lifespan of your cooling system, saving you money in the long run. Additionally, consider inspecting your window and door seals for leaks. If the seals are broken, it allows hot air into the living space, this increases the cost associated with cooling while adding more load to the HVAC or cooling system. While not directly a part of the HVAC system, ensuring there aren’t any breaks in the seals helps extend the lifespan of your cooling system which is beneficial to your bottom line. Inspect your Roof The condition of a roof is oftentimes ignored since they tend to last over twenty years, and some property owners may not even be sure when the roof was last replaced . A poorly conditioned roof is one of the primary ways for a rental property to drive up the costs of repairs and tenant complaints. A damaged roof can inefficiently insulate a home, making it harder to keep it cool. It can also lead to water leaks during rainfall, which can lead to water damage, stains, and mold growth. While summers tend to be dry, the coastal cities such as Long Beach may see unexpected shifts in weather, which can bring sudden rainstorms or increased humidity. Fixing a small roof leak is relatively inexpensive, however, leaving said leak to grow can result in an emergency repair can cost thousands especially if a tenant has already moved in. A thorough roof inspection is a great maintenance item to do during a vacancy period especially as this can result in a positive experience with new tenants. This can lead to a long term stay with many lease renewals. Check for Signs of Pests Pest infestations are one of the fastest ways to ruin a tenant’s stay while also damaging a landlord’s reputation. Pests such as ants, cockroaches, other bugs, and rodents are common in many beach cities, especially during the warmer seasons. Being in a city, you’ll likely never truly be rid of pests, though, even a single complaint about an excess of bugs or rodent droppings can lead to bad reviews online, service calls, and in severe cases, lease termination. These pests not only create an unwelcome environment for your tenants, but they can also cause real damage to your investment property. Cockroaches are known to damage small wiring in appliances, ants can ruin food and get in everything, while rodents can chew through walls, plumbing, and even electrical wiring. Landlords should schedule regular ppest inspectionsto check for early signs of pest activity before the hotter season begins. Much like everything in this article, preventative maintenance is significantly cheaper than an emergency call, in this case to an exterminator. If you want to keep your tenants happy and your property well taken care of, preventative maintenance is a must. If you’re unsure about the signs to look for when doing routine inspections or you need help managing your Beach City rental property, we invite you to call us today at (562) 888-0247 or complete our Owner Application online .