- When should I start preparing an apartment for rent?
- How to complete an apartment for long-term and short-term rent?
- We buy furniture and household appliances
- We buy lights, textiles and accessories
- We buy dishes, bed linen and small things
- General principles of apartment design for rent
- Good Internet
- Light shades and versatile design
- Practicality, not high cost
- New technology. Achieving energy savings
- Necessary and sufficient. Removing redundancy and personal items
- Attention to detail. We think through everything to the smallest detail
- Uncompromising hospitality. Putting our soul
- Beautiful feed
Will the apartment be easy to rent out and bring a good rent, or will it stand idle for months and leave with a discount? Of course, first of all, it depends on external factors and location. The principle of location, location and location again has not been canceled. But all other things being equal, real estate with a well-chosen environment and attractive photos for advertising has a better chance of success.
When should I start preparing an apartment for rent?
If we are talking about a new building, then, as a rule, buyers start furnishing and equipping the apartment with everything they need immediately after receiving the keys. In some markets, for example, in Turkey, you can start to deal with the situation shortly before the final delivery of the house, provided that the developer provides access to the premises to the owner or his representative.
It should be noted that in foreign housing markets, apartments are usually rented in a fully finished form with plumbing, kitchen furniture, built-in wardrobes.
In Spain, France, Italy and other countries where a rental license is required, you can first apply, and use the time while it is being considered to put the property in order.
How to complete an apartment for long-term and short-term rent?
The approach to equipping an apartment is somewhat different in both cases. For long-term rental, it is not necessary to have a complete set of furniture and household items. As a rule, tenants already have some things that they carry with them, or by agreement, something is purchased for their specific request.
There are also regional peculiarities in this issue. For example, in the resort centers of Italy, most of the rented real estate has gone into the daily format, as it is more profitable. There are very few offers left for long-term rental, and they fly apart in any condition, even completely unfurnished.
As for tourist apartments for rent for several days or weeks, they need to be equipped from and to. And it's not just about cabinets and electronics. People come on vacation, and they definitely won't want to rush around the city in search of shampoo, napkins or a corkscrew. All this should be provided according to the principle "like in a good hotel" and even better"!
Resort apartments that are rented for the season should also be fully equipped. Europeans from Scandinavian countries often come to Spain, Turkey or Greece for the winter, renting accommodation for 2-3 months. This is an intermediate option between long-term and short-term rentals.
A special category of tenants are the so-called digital nomads, people who work remotely from anywhere in the world, as well as those who practice workcation (work+vocation), that is, prolong their vacation, combining it with work. It is not difficult to guess that for such tenants, the key will be the availability of high-quality Internet.
The rental manager of a Spanish company EStyle Properties Natalia Nahum said that she recently selected suitable accommodation in Punta Prima for a young man from the Netherlands. The main thing for him was the presence of a powerful signal, everything else - proximity to the sea, the view from the window, the characteristics of the room - was unimportant. At the request of the client, Natalia clarified information about the Internet capacity in the apartments offered for rent. To do this, we had to look into the contracts that each household enters into with the provider (copies are kept by the agency). Thus, it was possible to choose the leader of the race according to this criterion. Fortunately, the location of this property did not disappoint either.
We buy furniture and household appliances
As a rule, real estate abroad is rented with a built-in kitchen and other cabinets.
The minimum of furniture items that must be purchased includes: beds and bedside tables for bedrooms, a sofa and a coffee table in the living room, a table and chairs in the kitchen or living room (combined kitchen-living room), tables and chairs on the balcony, terrace.
Some part of the equipment may be provided for by the contract or go as a compliment from the developer. We buy the rest ourselves.
Air conditioning is an absolute necessity for resort apartments. You can't do without it not only in summer, but also in winter. There is no central heating in the southern regions, but in the winter months it can be quite cool indoors, and a split system comes to the rescue. Some complexes have general air conditioning. If it is not available, the property owner buys ordinary wall-mounted air conditioners. Preferably in every room.
Minimum of large equipment:
- Air conditioning/air conditioners
- Refrigerator
- Stove-oven-extractor hood
- Washing machine
- Boiler (if there is no general water heating)
It is advisable to purchase a dishwasher as well. Many people are used to this "helper" in the household and will appreciate if such an aggregate is in a rented apartment.
Minimum of small electrical equipment and household appliances:
- Vacuum cleaner
- Electric kettle
- Microwave oven
- Iron
- Hair dryer
- Ironing board
- Clothes dryer
Additionally, you can buy an electric fireplace, a coffee machine (it is often requested), a toaster, a juicer. It is easy to do without these devices, but if there is an intention to add a zest to the dwelling, and, perhaps, to expand the circle of tenants somewhat, then it is advisable to think in this direction.
We buy lights, textiles and accessories
It is no secret that these elements create the overall impression of the interior. On the recommendation of the designer or according to your taste, we choose:
- Chandeliers and spots
- Curtains/blinds
- Bedspreads
- Paintings/panels/decorative plates on the walls
A popular design technique is accent pillows on the sofa, of different sizes and textures, plain or with a pattern. They will help to balance the color solutions of the room, to enliven the static environment.
We buy dishes, bed linen and small things
To rent an apartment for daily rent, designed for 4 tourists, you will need:
- Wine glasses - 6 pcs. (plus stock)
- Water glasses - 6 pcs. (plus stock)
- Cups and saucers for tea - 6 pcs. (plus stock)
- Large plates – 6 pcs., medium plates – 6 pcs., small plates – 6 pcs.
- Tablespoons – 6 pcs., teaspoons – 6 pcs., forks – 6 pcs., knives – 6 pcs. (plus stock)
- Cutting knives – 2 pcs.
- Salad bowl – 1 pc.
- Water carafe – 1 pc.
- Salt and pepper shaker – 1 pc.
- Ladle – 1 pc.
- Wooden spatulas - 2 pcs.
- Corkscrew – 1 pc.
- Large saucepan – 1 pc., medium saucepan – 1 pc., small saucepan – 1 pc.
- Cutting boards – 2 pcs.
- Frying pan – 1 pc.
- Colander – 1 pc.
- Bed linen – 2 sets for each bed (plus stock)
- All-season blanket - 1 for each tenant (plus 1 in stock)
- Pillows – 4 pcs.
- Towels – 2 sets (for body, face, hands) per person (plus stock)
- Toilet brush
- Silicone bath mat
- Trash bucket
- Cleaning kit
- Clothespins
- Hangers
- Umbrella
If the area of the apartment allows you to receive guests with children, you should get some furniture and appliances:
- Baby cot
- High chair for feeding
- Stool-stand
- Child toilet seat
- Pot
If the apartment is pets friendly, that is, you receive guests with pets, take care of the little things that tenants may forget in a hurry:
- A bowl for water and food
- Tray with filler
For an apartment by the sea:
- Beach towels
- Clothes dryer (required)
- Clothespins!
General principles of apartment design for rent
Good Internet
What is the most important thing in an apartment besides walls, and perhaps more important than walls? Of course, the network! Since the pandemic, the Internet has been a job, a study, a hobby, communication, and a help desk.
We make sure that everything is in order with the connection. If necessary, we change the provider.
Morethe total number of complaints from residents comes precisely on the quality of the Internet!
Light shades and versatile design
It's great if the apartment faces south and is well lit. As a rule, such real estate is somewhat more expensive both for purchase and for rent. (By the way, it is also more economical, since it is warmer, and it practically does not have to be heated in winter).
In any case, an apartment with light walls and furniture looks more attractive, spacious and elegant. Although sometimes thoughtful contrasting solutions are interesting and appropriate.
The general approach to the design of real estate for rent in the mass segment is versatility and simplicity. It is better to leave original techniques, catchy combinations, stylizations for your own home.
Of course, we are not talking about any exclusive offers right now. For example, apartments in old houses can be pretentiously furnished and have an appropriate entourage, and this will resonate with a client who wants to immerse himself in the historical era.
Practicality, not high cost
Again, if we are not talking about luxury real estate, the cost of furniture and appliances in an apartment for rent does not matter. A comfortable sofa is more important than an expensive sofa. An ergonomic modern table will be much more appropriate than, say, a bulky oak table that cannot be moved from its place.
New technology. Achieving energy savings
New houses are being built according to modern standards in terms of resource consumption. But buyers of old housing need to think about this aspect. It is necessary to find out what the energy efficiency coefficient of an apartment or house is (in Europe, all real estate objects should have energy certificate).
As a rule, apartments with a low index (E-G) are cheaper, but also require additional investments in repairs.
New owners should at least replace old appliances that consume a lot of energy, for example, air conditioners. This will help to save on utility bills, and as a result, the purchase of new appliances will pay off fairly quickly.
Necessary and sufficient. Removing redundancy and personal items
An apartment for rent, on the one hand, should not look empty and uninhabited, and, on the other, should not be too crowded with furniture and things. Both are repulsive," notes Elena Dvurechinskaya, director of the companyITALCASA.It is necessary to equip the room with everything necessary, but in no case overload. It is worth approaching the decor delicately. It is also important to remove all personal belongings of the owners.
An exception to this rule, perhaps, is the piece offers on the market. For example, a spacious apartment in an old house in the center of a European city, where a married couple, a musician and an artist, once lived, and there was a grand piano, paintings, photographs, souvenirs, and a library in it. There will certainly be a demand for such a "house museum". Is it worth specially forming such an entourage? Perhaps not. In general, it is better not to leave valuables in the apartment for rent. It's not hard to guess why.
Attention to detail. We think through everything to the smallest detail
Sometimes the apartment is expensively furnished, good dishes and snow-white bedding are bought, but there is no, for example, a brush in the toilet, and this spoils the overall impression. «The devil is in the details» it's about daily rent!
In addition to the brush, owners often forget about clothespins, scissors or do not replenish household chemicals, napkins, toilet paper in time.
Another nuance familiar to experienced landlords. It is necessary to leave spare dishes, towels and bed linen sets. Let's say the property is designed to be rented to four persons (a license has been obtained for the corresponding number of people). Often in such an apartment there will be exactly four cups, saucers, forks and so on. But this is inconvenient, because tourists who are relaxed on vacation may not wash the dishes immediately after breakfast or lunch. In addition, if, for example, a cup breaks, your guests will have to take turns drinking tea.
Additional bedding should also be provided. Sometimes there is practically no gap between the departure of some tenants and the arrival of others, and the duvet covers do not have time to dry.
Uncompromising hospitality. Putting our soul
Perhaps this is the second most important point after the Internet! If the apartment is prepared with care for future guests, they will certainly feel it. It is useful to remember those hotels and houses where you stayed. Which of these places did you like and why? Another life hack for inspiration is to imagine that you are preparing an apartment for your good friends.
It is taken for granted to buy and put in the buffet coffee, several varieties of tea, salt, sugar, cooking oil, a set of spices, a pack of cookies.
«You can expand this list and offer, for example, «a breakfast basket»: yoghurts, bread, butter, cheese, fruit. This is especially true if guests check in late at night," says Gulmira Omarova, the company's after-sales service and rental manager Liga Real Estate (Turkey).
In Spain, the owners often welcome new arrivals with a small gift – regalo. In this capacity, a bottle of wine and fruit can act.
Often in tourist apartments there is a booklet with a map of the region, a guidebook.
The efforts of the owners will definitely not go unnoticed and will leave a mark not only in the hearts of the guests, but also in the reviews of the apartment on aggregator sites.
Beautiful feed
The final touch before placing the "candy" on the rental property search site is the preparation of photos. The competition on these portals is very great, and there is plenty of monotony on them. Randomly made frames will not be sold. As in any advertisement, you need an idea, brightness, the right accents. As a guide, it is worth looking at the pictures taken by professional interior photographers.
In recent years, before shooting, home-staging has been done – filling the apartment with small, mood-giving details. The simplest techniques to enliven the interior in this way are to add a vase with fruits or flowers, a stack of books and, say, a couple of cups of coffee on the coffee table in the living room, a neat stack of towels and terry bathrobes in the bathroom, set the table in the kitchen or in the dining room. The main goal is to create the illusion of human presence in the rooms, and the photos do not look like from a furniture catalog.
You don't need too many photos to display an apartment on the website. The main thing is that they should be attractive, a little "advertising", with an emphasis on winning moments. And remember about lighting - dull, dim shots are contraindicated.
Well-furnished and equipped with everything necessary real estate will definitely find its tenants.
Thank you for your help in preparing the article:
Natalia Naum, rental manager of the company EStyle Properties (Spain)
Elena Dvurechinskaya, Director of the companyITALCASA (Italy)
Ksenia Baldzhi, Executive Director, and Gulmira Omarova, After-sales service and Rental Manager of the company Liga Real Estate (Turkey).
