Do not limit your Houston rental
homes search to classified ads or referrals from friends and
acquaintances. Select rental homes where you would like to
live and contact a Houston Real Estate Agent or Property
Manager to see if anything is available.
Remember that signing a lease on a rental home probably
obligates you to make all monthly payments for the term of the
agreement.
Vancouver
Apartment Condos
Turning
A Houston Rental House Into A Home
By Mark Stone
Home renters never imagine staying
in one place forever and usually don't but that doesn't mean they have
to live with the basic, boring walls, carpets, windows and general style
that rental houses come with.
HOUSTON
HOME RENTAL TIPS
Tip!
A rule of thumb is the lower the house appraisal value, the higher
percentage of rent-to-value you can expect to get, and vice versa.
Another consideration is what similar home rentals in your area
are going for.
There are several simple, easy
steps one can take that can turn that
Houston house for rent into a home.
*Furniture: When buying furniture
stay away from matched sets, instead look for one of a kind pieces
that will bring character and charm to a room. If you're considering
a lamp then look for a lampshade this is unique, when searching for
a bed, look for a funky headboard. Enhance your living room couch
with a end table that has intricately carved legs or is made from
wrought iron. These added pieces will bring a level of style and
sophistication to your home helping rid the place of the blahs
rentals suffer from.
Tip!
Mobile home rental dealers take their commissions from homeowners.
Some mobile home owners do not live in their mobile homes, and so
they put them up for rent.
*Carpet: Although you probably
won't be able to replace the carpet a great first step is to steam
clean it. From there a cool area rug can liven any dull carpet.
Don't be afraid to use color and patterns here, especially if you're
dealing with the traditional brown or beige carpet scheme.
*Windows: The standard-issue blinds
that come in most houses for rent don't have to be a sore spot, try
topping them with a valance. Simply place a rod (try to keep it
decorative here) over the window and then take some unique fabric
(again with the decorative here) and drape it over the rod. There
are plenty of photos with examples of this technique online, do a
Google image search for valance and you'll understand the idea.
*Wall: It's not uncommon for a
landlord to allow a tenant to paint walls, providing they repaint
them before leaving and if your landlord is of such an attitude then
this is one area you can make a dramatic difference in transforming
your rental house into a home that reflects your personality. If
your landlord is not of such ilk there are alternatives including;
covering the wall with fabric, again keeping color in mind, or using
a folding screen or even an old funky door against the wall. These
last two won't change the color but can certainly bring personality
into the room. Using bookshelves and stocking them with not only
books but unique pottery, glassware and knick knacks (don't go crazy
here) is another alternative to dressing up a white wall.
Whether it's a rental house or a
Houston Rental Home you are buying, taking the time to find pieces, colors and
using some or all of the techniques above will turn your house for
rent into your home to live in, no matter how long that is.
Mark Stone writes for
FindHomeRentals.com a website that lists
houses for
rent throughout the United States. |
