•Investor Assist’s Peter Gianoli said to buy where people wanted to live. “There is no point buying a great property if the nearest shops, schools, public transport or petrol stations are too far away.”


•He said to buy and maintain a good-quality family home. “The better the home, the better the tenant it will attract. You will achieve a higher rental price for a well-maintained property.”

•“Be rent realistic, ” Mr Gianoli said. “Good tenants are a real asset when you find them, so look after them.”

•Acton’s Travis Coleman said to make the property and yard suitable for pets by having adequate fencing and a pet-friendly yard. “If you choose not to accept pets you will be closing yourself off to a large portion of the property market and you can always specify that pets are outdoors or only accept smaller pets.”

•“Don’t be influenced by your personal preferences. For example, while you might love a large elaborate garden, many tenants prefer low-maintenance properties, ” Mr Coleman said. “Gardens and their upkeep are often a bone of contention between landlords and tenants, so it is often better to look for simple, low-maintenance yards and gardens.”

•Air-conditioning and good insulation could be placed high on the wish list of potential tenants, Professional Real Estate Group’s Shane Kempton said.

•“Providing good security to the property for the occupant, their vehicles and possessions is important, ” he said.

•“Keep up to date with adjusting rental values, and offer the tenant an incentive to secure a long-term lease at a fair rental price, ” Mr Kempton said. In the current rental market this might mean a slight adjustment downwards in the short term but it was better to drop a couple of dollars on the weekly rent than to end up with several weeks of vacancy.

 

© The West Australian

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