Keeping costs down, and more money in your pocket, is the prime goal of any individual who owns rental property. But how do you entice renters to choose your property to sign a lease on, when there are so many others to choose from? 

Anyone moving into a new place wants to make it feel like their own. They want a fresh start in their new home. If you own a Branson apartment or rent out an apartment in the Hollister, MO area, this is often even a new city for your tenants as they relocate to the area. 

Read on to find out more ideas about a few easy landlord upgrades for your rental apartment that will leave your competition in the dust, as your tenants enjoy their fresh start, living in the rental property that you own.

Update Light Fixtures

Often apartments that are rented out for long lengths of time, or have been in the rental market for years and years, end up having fixtures that are extremely outdated. Having these older light fixtures in the unit will many times make it the whole space feel outdated and unwelcoming. Installing new fixtures doesn't have to be a huge undertaking or extremely costly. 

Thanks to the big box stores and warehouses, modern and updated fixtures are easy to find and can be very affordable. Check your local stores to see what suits your tastes and budget.

Upgrade Cabinet Hardware

If you do not want to go through the major undertaking of a kitchen renovation, but want to refresh your tired and old kitchen cabinets, consider buying new door hardware to give the cupboards a facelift. Adding new door knobs and pull handles to the drawers is a quick way to add a little personal style or modern upgrade to your basic cabinets.

Another idea to upgrade your cabinet doors and drawers is to replace the standard hinges with soft close hinges. While this isn’t a visual upgrade, your new tenants will appreciate the added function and convenience of this feature. As an extra bonus to you, the property owner, the soft-close hinges help reduce wear and tear on your cabinets by avoiding the situation where the cabinets take an extra beating every time the tenant slams the cabinet door shut.

Your neighborhood home improvement stores sell a large selection of knobs and hinges for convenient pickup. Or if you don’t see a design and style you like at your store, you can find an even larger selection on Amazon and have them shipped right to your door. 

Install New Blinds

Another easy landlord upgrade for your rental apartment is to install new blinds on the windows. Take a look at what is currently blocking the sunlight while also offering privacy to your tenant. If the current blinds or window treatments are faded, broken or dingy looking, consider opting to do an upgrade. 

While vinyl mini blinds do the trick, 2” faux wood blinds are very popular nowadays. The larger slats on these blinds allow more light to filter in, are easier to clean, and they also give the space a more modern feel. 

Take precise measurements to your local hardware store and have them cut to fit. Or if you’d prefer to leave the measuring and installation to the professionals, contact a blind company or ask at the store. Many local hardware stores now offer these design and installation services for a reasonable fee to their customers.

Paint, Paint, Paint

Nothing gives a rental property a cleaner upgrade than a fresh coat of paint. Paint not only visually updates the space, but it also helps to cover any lingering odors that are left in the apartment from the previous tenant. Choose paint shades from a neutral color palette that will be easy for your next tenant to match in with their personal furnishings. 

Replace The Shower Head

An easy landlord upgrade for your rental property that is often overlooked is the shower head in the bathrooms. Everyone enjoys a nice shower and having a quality shower head installed will give your tenant an even better experience. 

Luxury waterfall showerheads are readily available in an assortment of finishes, sizes and price points, and they are easy to install.

Updating your property in order to make it more attractive to potential tenants may be easier than you think, and more budget-friendly. With a little bit of research and price shopping you can find the necessary resources to get the job done. 


Thousand Hills Realty is the premier property management company in the Branson, MO and Hollister, MO areas. If you are looking for a property manager to oversee the day-to-day management of your rental property, call us today at (417) 337-8081.