When it comes to renovations that will add value to a rental property, one of the most common questions that we’ve been asked by owners over the years is if they should paint the interior and exterior of their rental properties?

Painting the interior and exterior of a rental property is important because most owners often paint the interior, but they neglect painting the exterior of their rental properties.

Painting the exterior of a rental property is important because the look of your rental property will influence prospective tenants decision to tour your property or not.

Although some states have dry weather for most of the year, in Washington the weather is typically wet and cool, except for July and August when it’s typically the driest. 

For best results with painting, especially in Washington, wait until the summer to paint the exterior of your property, but you can paint the interior anytime during the year.

During the process of choosing paint, it’s important to make sure that you choose the right paint type because you wouldn’t want to choose a flat white paint for high traffic areas, or an exterior paint that is not weather resistant.

When it comes to choosing paint colors, stick with choosing neutral colors. This is important because you want prospective tenants to envision themselves living in your rental property and not be distracted by your paint color choices. 

Preparation is the key to success when painting and if you want to add value to your property, you should take your time with prep work to ensure that the rental property is ready to be painted.

Your prep work should include sanding (where needed), removing wallpaper, applying plastic to the floors, and protecting anything in the property that you do not want to have painted like wall sockets or light switches. 

For more tips that you can use to add value to your rental property, or to speak with us about our property management services, contact us today by calling (425) 256-2200 or click here to connect with us online.