More and more people are starting to rent these days. Why is that? Well, it’s for various reasons. Some people are renting properties because that’s what their job will pay for with relocations and some people rental properties because they’re not financially ready for the responsibilities that come with buying a home… everyone’s situation is different but nonetheless, the need for rental properties is definitely in demand.

With rental properties, the process of getting a rental loan is so easy… much easier than the process of buying a home… But do you know the one similarity that remains the same whether you’re buying a home or renting one? The expectations; the expectations remain the same. The way you would prepare a rental property is the same way you would prepare a house up for sale… renters and homeowners have the same expectations.

So What are These Expectations

The expectations among renters are not unreasonable at all actually. A lot of their expectations should come standard with the rental property in most cases but there are some properties that just simply don’t meet the expectations of the renters, leaving them to look elsewhere. If you’re someone who’s in the market for a rental property but aren’t sure what to expect or what features should come standard, take a look at this rental property checklist of what you should expect in a rental property.

Expectation 1: The Renter Should Be Able to Picture Themselves in the Rental Property

Renters are exactly that… they’re renting a property, meaning it’s not theirs but that doesn’t mean that the rental property can’t feel like home to them. Most people who rent houses typically rent them for a few years so when they come and do a tour of a rental property, they need to be able to see themselves and their furniture in the rental.

In order for the renters to be able to see themselves and their belongings in a rental, that means that the rental needs to be clean… which is the topic of the next expectation.

Expectation 2: The Rental Property Should Be Clean

As mentioned above, in order for renters to picture themselves and their belongings in the rental property, the rental property needs to be clean. A rental property can be cleaned in two ways. You can either clean it yourself with good old fashioned elbow grease, or, you can hire a professional cleaning company to clean the property for you. Whichever route you decide to take, the good news is that a deep cleaning will only need to be done twice. Your rental property will need to be deep cleaned before renters move in and after they move out.

Expectation 3: Storage Space

Renters expect to see plenty of storage space when looking at rental properties. They need all the space in the world because their goal is to not need to rent a storage unit. Storage in a rental property can come in many forms. Cabinets, a pantry, drawers, closets, attic, and a garage are all things that renters look for in a rental property for storage. If a rental property doesn’t have too much storage space, it has the potential to send renters to look elsewhere.

Expectation 4: Proximity to Local Amenities

As they say in the world of real estate… “location, location, location.” One THE biggest determining factors in whether a renter will go with a particular rental property over the next is its proximity to all the local amenities. Some renters want a location that’s in the suburbs while others prefer a rental property that’s located in the city. Whether they want to be in the city or the suburbs, the most important factor in their mind is how close they are to the local amenities.

They want to be close to local amenities like the hospital, schools, grocery stores, banks, restaurants, and family entertainment, etc. This plays a huge role in where they choose to live.

Expectation 5: Natural Light

You may not realize it but natural light is something that lots of people look for in rental properties. People don’t want to live in a house that’s dark nor do they want to constantly have to turn the lights on in their home so making sure your rental has plenty of natural light is very important. According to healthline.com, natural light improves your health in many ways. It boosts your moods, helps you sleep better, and helps prevent depression. Ideally, you want a window in every room of your house if at all possible; that’s not always an option for some houses but it is something that renters look at.

Expectation 6: Open Floor Plan

These days people don’t want to be boxed in the common living areas. You see on these home renovation shows how people now want open floor plans. An open floor plan is typically where the living room and kitchen are essentially one big room. This concept came about because the kitchen and living room are the two locations where people gather the most. Because people gather in those locations the most, people don’t want walls to separate the two rooms.

Meeting the Expectations

All in all, it can be virtually impossible to meet every expectation of renters but if you’re able to meet a lot of the expectations that they have on their lists, then you’ll be able meet their needs.