Decorating Your Rental Home!

1. Ask before you paint.

Make sure to follow your lease with us by getting any paint jobs approved. You may be in violation of your lease if you do not – even if you use a professional contractor and provide receipts. The colors need to be approved, as does the work, so that we as your property management company know that A. The work will be easy to reverse, or B. It will not decrease the rental value of the home. If you feel like painting that bright blue focal point wall, I’d say go for it! Just run it by us first.

2. Hang some pictures!

Pictures in nice frames can really spruce up walls, and make it feel more like your own home! Wear and tear normally includes small nail holes in walls, as long as they are smaller than a dime. If you want to mount a TV, be prepared to cover the small cost of drywall to cover that hole. Another way to really brighten up a home are string lights. The popularity in decorating with string lights has gone through the roof, and you can find cheap, safe string lights in any store. Hang them from a fireplace mantle, on your kitchen countertop, or around your bathroom mirrors! As long as the holes are smaller than the size of a dime, you are within your normal wear and tear guidelines.

3. Can I Renovate?

Adding light fixtures, changing tile, countertops, or flooring, maybe even taking down a railing, or adding a backsplash. All of this, if you were to do without notifying us, would put you in violation of your lease, which could possibly lead to you getting notices or even eviction. Now, we don’t want that, so the best way to approach serious renovations like this would be to get in contact with us! Let us know what you’re wanting. That way, we can make the informed decision, let the homeowner know, and get it approved, so that you can stay in good faith on your lease.

4. What about outside?

If you’re lucky enough to have a yard in Colorado, you probably see the intense competition to have the best yard on the block. While we understand that you might want to add that gorgeous water feature, that is definitely something that you’ll want to get in touch with us about. When it comes to caring for your lawn, you can aerate and water to your hearts content – as keeping the landscaping in good condition is a part of your lease! But adding bushes, planting flowers, buying trees, starting an herb garden – it’s best to get permission from us before taking on the adventure that is the outdoors in Colorado. Even if you make the home more beautiful, the owner could come back and say that they didn’t want it that way, and you could be liable for charges. They key here? Just ask!