Today, I’m excited to share my latest experience: preparing our rental condo for the next tenant. After years of managing this process, I’ve discovered styling and setting up tips that have enhanced our property’s value and strengthened our leverage in the market.

Those of you who might have been around since 6-7 years ago probably remember our first purchased property in Canada. When I first laid my eyes on that sophisticated condo, I knew instantly that this would be our first home that would eventually make for an intelligent investment rental property. Less than three years after living there, just before Covid hit, we were presented with another opportunity and moved to our current home.

We have had a few executive tenants for five years and have navigated challenges and changes that I am happy to share with you. Here are some budget tips and tricks that helped me elevate our condo’s value and make it look attractive on the market:

• Pillows are the underdog of any decor and staging project. You can’t have enough of them. I typically use them to chromatically connect furniture to art and create a cohesive decor frame. Instead of purchasing two nightstands in the guest bedroom, I used a basket of pillows to counterbalance the side bookcase.

• Moving things around and repurposing them. Our last tenant made some changes to the whole setup. As you can see from the photos, I had to move the Kallax bookshelf back to its initial purpose, hang the artwork, and finish the vignette with a greenery vase. Anchoring is crucial to connecting a floor element like a bookcase to a wall element like artwork, mirrors, or lighting.

• Greenery and plants are often overlooked in rental properties. However, they can significantly improve a space’s overall appearance, making it more homey and inviting. I used both natural branches that would dry out nicely and faux plants that looked as natural as possible but would not require care.

• Equipping the kitchen with all the essentials your new tenant needs for a smooth move-in is crucial. If you aim to attack executive tenants, they will often move to the city temporarily for work, which means they won’t have the time or desire to purchase plates and cutlery. I even go above and beyond and add house slippers and towels as little “we care” details.

• Aroma is often forgotten but makes the last impression. After cleaning the space, I always spray my favourite room fragrance.

 

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