Renovating Your Kitchen? Here are Some Tips to Consider

Your kitchen is one of the focal points of your property. The area’s layout, its maintenance and design are some of the factors prospective renters will consider when deciding whether to rent. If you think the area needs a makeover, consult a premier interior renovation company with a track record of working on different types of interior remodeling projects. Before you hire professional interior renovation services, learn about some basics of kitchen remodeling. To help, the post lists some useful kitchen renovation tips you can take note of and later discuss with your contractor. Take a look.

1. Determine the Storage Area for Kitchen Items    

A substantial percentage of the time we spend in kitchen is invested in locating items we need. To save time, consider how and where you use kitchen items and store them accordingly. For example, store your breakfast bowls and and food items near the  breakfast table. Designate a corner near a work surface for storing wraps and plastic containers used for wrapping leftovers. For convenience and to expedite the process of unloading, store flatware and dishware near the dishwasher.

2. Direct Traffic

To avoid accidents and food spills, make sure the cook-top is away from the heavy traffic area, especially if you have kids. The refrigerator must be in a place easily accessible to both passer by and those working in the kitchen. Make sure the door swing does not impact the functionality of kitchen appliances. Consider installing sliding doors if you have doors that swing out too much.

3. Make Sure the Area is Properly Illuminated

To avoid accidents and uplift your kitchen’s appeal, opt for recessed lighting that make the area where they are installed look bigger. For more even light, consider installing surface-mount fixtures attached to the ceiling on a grid. Lend a dash of style by hanging larger than usual light fixtures above islands. Opt for under cabinet lighting.

Related read – 5 Common Myths Surrounding Multifamily Housing Renovations

4. Upgrade Your Stove

Your stove is the most used appliance in the kitchen. If your stove has outlived its useful life or is extremely stained, consider replacing it. Some popular options you can choose from are: vintage stoves, reproduction stoves and European cookers. If ventilation is a problem, opt for a hood that will also do wonders for the area’s aesthetic appeal. If budget is not a constraint, get a customized nickel or bronze hood, otherwise ask your contractor to build a  plaster or stucco frame around the hood.

Sum up

A fully functional, aesthetically appealing kitchen can do wonders for your home’s value and can be your ticket to demanding a high rent. When executing normal tasks, such as changing the lighting or changing the storage area of your kitchen items, you can take the DIY path. That said, for more complex activities such as designing the doorways, connecting electrical and plumbing and laying the flooring, you must contact a  premier multi-family renovation company.

4 Interior Design Trends to Increase Value and Occupancy of Multifamily Properties

Multifamily property investors, developers, and property managers have to take measures to maintain and at the same time increase its value in the neighbourhood. Renovating the multifamily building according to the latest interior and exterior design trends is one of the best steps to not only increase the value of the property but also increase its occupancy. The interior and exterior design trends change every year, which is why it is important that multifamily property owners are aware of the latest trends and discuss it with multifamily renovation contractors. Here are four interior design trends that can help augment the appeal of your multifamily building and increase rent-ability.

1. Micro Units

Micro units are hugely popular in mega-cities, such as Chicago, San Angelo, and Los Angeles and are quickly climbing the popularity charts in smaller cities such as Scottsdale and San Diego. These units are mostly 200 to 350 square feet in size and are an affordable housing solution for renters, especially bachelor’s, who can enjoy homely comfort without denting their monthly finance. Finding an affordable living option in the vicinity of their office is the priority of every professional.

Related read – 5 Modern Renovation Ideas to Improve the Rentability of Your Multifamily Property

2. Suburban Living

Surban is a term coined by Urban Land Institute (ULI). It comprises part urban and part suburban environment and lifestyle. Urban spaces offer a splendid lifestyle, but living there is quite expensive. Suburban settings, on the other hand, offer a more family-oriented environment. That is why many renters are looking for a place that offers urban-living with the right mix of walk-able amenities. Invest in a multifamily rehabilitation program promoting suburban living to attract potential renters.

3. Embracing Technology

We are surrounded by technology that is simplifying our lives, from chatbots such as Siri, Cortana, and Alexa to cloud computing. That’s not it, technology is also revolutionizing real estate and enhancing home comfort. Invest in cloud-based technology that allows renters to wirelessly control entryways, lighting, and air-conditioning. Provide Wi-Fi connectivity in the property premises and charging points in common areas.

Related read – 5 Focus Areas during Multifamily Housing Rehabilitation

4. Affordable Luxury

Everyone craves for luxurious living, however, it comes at a price. Interior designers, though, have found a way around with all-inclusive resort and uptown exclusivity. The space saved with micro units is exchanged for these luxuries. Renovate the apartments with upscale features such as outdoor kitchens floor-to-ceiling windows, rooftop fireplaces with seating areas, tiled flooring, and package lockers to give renters a feel of luxurious living at affordable price. It will work as a selling point for your multifamily property.

Wrap Up

The young generation is all for technology and elements that simplify their lives. They are adaptable and flexible with their demands, which is why keeping your property relevant and renovating your multifamily property these four interior design trends can boost its value and occupancy. Contact reputable local multifamily renovation contractors and learn about their multifamily rehabilitation program for affordable service.

Multifamily Construction Services: 4 Siding Materials You Can Use

In recent years, multifamily properties has evolved manifolds, to become one of the most sustainable investment opportunities that promise long term returns. Given the number of variables that go into multifamily construction, as potential investor, it is your responsibility to ensure that your renovation contractor is on the same page, when it comes to choosing appropriate construction materials, including sidings. Continuing the discussion, here are four materials that you can choose for remodelling and designing your multifamily building’s sidings. Let’s take a look.

1. Vinyl

Remodeling and design companies in areas such as Scottsdale also favor using vinyl as one of the materials when building multifamily property sidings. Now vinyl is not only durable material that resists external deterioration agents, it is also one of the most low maintenance requiring construction material. In addition, one is really spoilt for choices when it comes to choosing a particular color and design of vinyl siding, really such is the versatility of this construction material.

2. Wood

Wood has been a popular choice for siding, in areas such as Scottsdale, for many decades. Not only does wood have a versatile disposition, but it is also one of the most easily available siding material. You can ask your multifamily construction services provider to choose from clapboard, teak wood, and cedar shingles, among other wood types to create an effective siding profile.

3. Metal

Next up, we have metal, which can be used as an effective material for siding construction. Unlike wood, having metal siding can help you achieve fire resistance, along with improved sheen and longer lifespan. Most renovation contractors incorporate corrugated aluminium to create sidings, however, steel has also moved up places to feature as a popular choice in recent years.

4. Clapboard

Although clapboard is typically not a different class of material, it is probably one of the most widely used siding material in Scottsdale and surrounding areas. Clapboard siding is also known as bevel or lap siding, and incorporates wood planks as the core construction material. These plans of wood are installed overlapping with each other, in a horizontal fashion. This siding material is one of the best, when one has to incorporate highest quality of heat insulation the the multifamily building.

Wrapping Up

Multifamily construction properties in areas such as Scottsdale have recently emerged as one of the key investment propositions that promise sustainable returns. It goes without saying that whether you are going for remodelling or designing, the lifespan of a building hugely depends on the type of material that goes into its construction. As a multifamily investor, it is your responsibility to ensure that your contractor uses quality construction materials, especially for the sidings, as they are most vulnerable to daily wear and tear.

Reasons to Renovate Your Multifamily Property

Multifamily Property Renovation

Renovating a property may prove to be quite rewarding as it adds value to both property and the lifestyle of occupants. However, you need to look at various aspects before initiating a renovation project and plan accordingly keeping in mind the property’s long-term potential return on investment. Apart from setting a budget and getting underway with the renovation process, it is important to understand the primary reasons behind undertaking such a project.

To help you get some key insights, we have listed the following four reasons in this blog post.

Take a look.

1. Avoiding the relocation cost

Many people prefer selling their property and moving to a new place because they are not happy with the existing location. Although moving to a new place can be a good idea, renovation is surely a cheaper option. This may save you from paying a significant amount of money as legal fees, agent’s commission, stamp duty, and other expenses that could otherwise have been used to renovate the property instead.

2. Increasing the returns on investment

If you plan to let out your property for rent, renovation can enhance your return on investment in the long run. Consider the factors that are more appealing to the tenants so they do not find an issue in paying higher rent. Make changes that increases your property’s rental returns.

3. Making your property more eco-friendly

Resorting to green renovation can reduce your property’s eco-footprints. You can opt for the most suitable green modifications such as installing low-flow showerheads, faucet, and energy-efficient appliances that aim at a healthy lifestyle. Adopting eco-friendly methods for green rehabilitation of multifamily rental property may help you save the environment and also a great deal of money.

4. A higher sale value

Renovation can also result in higher appreciation of your property and fetch you better price regardless of the state of the housing market. Try to consider renovations that add value to your property, boost its overall market appeal, and attract prospective buyers. Make use of modern technology and equipment that enhance the curb appeal and efficiency of your multifamily property.

The Bottom Line

If you wish to renovate your property, you can consult professional multifamily rehabilitation consultants. These experts can guide you the best and help you achieve the desired return on your investments. Apart from the reasons to renovate your property, a consultant also provides tips on scaled renovations and remodeling to increase equity of your multifamily building. Along the way, keep the pointers mentioned in this post in mind to implement a meticulous housing rehabilitation program.

This might interest you: Renovation Ideas for Multifamily Housing Units

Features that Separate your Multifamily Property From the Clutter

Unstable economic conditions and inflated rents of single family homes have forced renters to choose affordable housing options, such as multi-family properties. In the last couple of decades, the market has witnessed an increase in demand of multifamily housing units making the business a lucrative opportunity for rental property investors. Where new multifamily property investors are not leaving a single stone unturned to attract target customers, old buildings owners are left with no choice but upgrade their existing property to maintain a competitive edge.

Investors need to ensure that their buildings are at par with contemporary upcoming multifamily housing buildings and offer something extra that separates their building from the similar others. While affordability remains a major factor to attract renters, there are other essential elements, which renters desire to have in the housing unit they choose, to which investors must pay heed and inculcate in their renovation project. There are numerous commercial renovation nationwide companies that can help you upgrade your building in line with the current market trend. Here are some simple ways that can add value to your renovation project and help you gain a competitive edge.

Curb Appeal- An ‘X’ Factor
Curb appeal is the ‘X’ factor fo your multifamily housing building, which plays a significant role in the decision making of renters. Talking about curb appeal, a stable outlook of the building makes it look attractive and well organized. A well-organized building is something renters would like to consider when making a choice. If your masonry is showing the signs of age, make sure your renovation project includes it repair. Same is with paint, don’t let the aging paint make your property look dull. A newly painted building is always an attractive feature of rental properties. A fresh touch up of paint to the walls after tenants vacate the unit is a good way to maintain its appeal.

Urban Lifestyle
Multifamily housing units are attracting all adult cohorts, but the vast proportion of their target customers are millennials and empty nesters. Most of this customer base desire for low-maintenance urban experience, which affordable buildings can offer them. Renovating your property to align with contemporary renter’s needs not only help investors attract more renters but also give them a competitive edge as against new upcoming multifamily housing projects. Updating your outdated kitchen and bathrooms is one way to boost your property sale and providing modern amenities another. Kitchen islands in kitchens equipped with modern appliances and advanced bathroom hardware are some attractive features that investors must consider adding to their property to make it desirable.

Accessibility
As baby boomers are aging, their share in multifamily housing units is increasing in a profound manner. Increased in longevity rate of old generation has increased the number of multifamily units occupied by senior citizens. Investors should harness the potential of this overlooked customer base and make provision to grant easy accessibility to old age people. In fact, adding differently abled people in your list will expand your customer base. Having ramps and railing in your property will help these people walk around comfortably.

Pet-Friendly Amenities
As we all know, pets are dear to many people, and according to several independent studies about 75% of renters have pets. Allowing pets in your rental unit can separate you from rest of the property owners that don’t allow them. Also, you can include pet-friendly amenities such as a yard, dog washing services, or simply dog walking services to attract potential renters.

Tenant’s Friendly Services
Convenience is what renters look for besides affordability when renting a home. Consider offering services like online transfer of rent, online lease signings and payments through credit cards. All these services not only make your tenants live much easier, but also help you transact business in a hassle-free manner.

Landscaping
Not only the building but its surrounding also matters to tenants, as no one wants to live in a shady landscape. A well-groomed lawn and beautiful plants can beautify the surrounding and enhance the curb appeal of your building’s exterior. Plant trees that will flourish in your specific climate and create landscape plans based on your yard’s configuration.

Epilogue
No doubt, affordability is one of the primary concerns of renters when hunting homes, they look for amenities and urban lifestyle when narrowing down their search for an appropriate home. Considering the urban lifestyle demands of the majority of renters, multifamily housing investors need to keep up with the current market trend and subsequently, upgrade their buildings design to make them tenant-friendly. Make sure you choose a credible commercial renovation nationwide service provider, who can add value to your renovation project.

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The 3 ‘P’s’ for Nationwide Rental Property Investors to Gain Maximum Returns

It is well known that ‘location’ has been the prime focus of investors who seek to harness the booming real estate rental market. Investors, however, need to think beyond the conventional and shift their focus from location-based decisions to the much talked about the three ‘P’s’ of real estate that drive profitability today — Preparation, Promotion, and Presentation.

1) Preparation – Getting started

All properties should be prepped before showing it to prospective renters. All building units should be cleaned and well organized. Multifamily housing units, for example, can emit a mildew odor or one from food stored in the refrigerator for extended periods when tenants are away. Failure to take care of this issue can be a huge let down for prospects who come to see the rental unit. If a property is in a good neighborhood and is equipped with all required amenities, it is usually an automatic lease. If the property is well-groomed, but the location is questionable, prospects may still find ways to rationalize the location. How your rental business fares on the market, therefore, depends on how well you get it organized.

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2) Promotion – Highlight features

Though preparation is the necessity, you need promotion to bring your property to the targeted market. It is important to highlight your property in order to separate it from the other options in the market today. Highlighting unique features in various marketing campaigns should be the first step in this direction. Pictures, videos, and descriptions should be added in a manner that instantly ignites prospects’ imagination, making them eager to see it. Location of the property may be deterrent to some, but the way you present it in your advertisement can make them curious to at least visit it.

3) Presentation – Build Relations

Once you have preparation and promotion plans in place, the next thing you need to do is to ensure appropriate presentation. When presenting the property, the agent should be ready to answer all questions concerning the property, such as amenities, footage, policies, prices, and more. No matter how well the property looks, if your agent cannot sell the idea of buying your property, you may end up losing the deal.

The Bottom Line

The traditional approach to real estate business is no longer workable in the current environment, and failure to take heed will only lead to losses and missed opportunities. Our renovation experts are here to help you with your renovations to ensure your property’s success.

Floor Soundproofing: An Essential Element of Multifamily Housing Renovations

According to the multifamily housing report released by National Association of Home Builders in 2015, the demand of 55+ multifamily housing units has increased even in the third quarter of 2015. The demand has jumped 10 points from 60 to 70 percent and the future demand is expected to increase by five points. To leverage the growing demand for rental units and stay ahead in the competition, investors are leaving no stone unturned to make their housing units attractive to renters, and therefore, often go for renovations. Surprisingly, not many owners think on the lines soundproofing the floor of their property.

Why is Floor Soundproofing Important?

The loud noises of objects hitting the floor, high TV volume and loud music are some of the examples of annoyances that infringe the privacy of renters. Therefore, if the floors of your multifamily housing units are not soundproof, it is time to hire a professional housing renovation expert to make them more renter-friendly. As privacy is one of the primary concerns of renters, soundproofing the units will definitely help you attract more prospects. Here is an overview of some insulation materials used for soundproofing floors.

Insulation Materials for the Floor

Floors coated with high NRC (noise reduction coefficient) rating material prevent annoying sound produced at upper level units from reaching the units at lower levels and tenants get to live in a noise free environment.  Below are high quality sound proof material, usually, preferred by multi-family housing units investors.

Carpet

Carpet with NRC rating up to .4 – .5 works as an efficient absorptive material. Add carpet to your flooring system with layers of pad in between the floors and it significantly reduces the noise produced inside the room. The thickness of the pad is directly proportional to the amount of sound absorbed, so the more sound you want to reduce, the more pad you need to use in between. Carpet is the cheapest option in the short run, but over time may become a cause of concern regarding durability, cleaning, and allergy aggravation.

Cork

Cork is another great choice for sound reduction inside multifamily housing units. It reduces and absorbs sound produced inside the unit and offers peace of mind to tenants in terms of avoidable noise. In addition, cork flooring adds warmth to the room and make the floor comfortable and easy to walk around. Most importantly, if somebody drops any breakable object on the floor by mistake, there is a good chance that the object will remain intact.

Vinyl

Vinyl is another commonly used flooring material backed with a foam and has a cushioned and flexible surface. It is a great choice for sound reduction and although, it may be costly but what you get in terms of noise reduction is worth paying for. Vinyl is easy to apply on existing floor and significantly absorbs multiple sound waves. Top quality vinyl provides a nearly noiseless surface to the housing unit.

Conclusion

There are many soundproof floor materials available in the market. So when employing a housing renovation company make sure that you talk to them about your soundproofing needs so that they use the best quality of flooring material for your property. It is suggested to always employ a reputed multifamily housing renovation company to get quality results and long term returns on your investment.

5 Trending Renovation Tips: Get the Most out of Your Multi Family Property

“Deluxe is the new standard.” The reason, more and more multifamily property owners are offering deluxe facilities in their properties to an extent that they have become a standard now. Those who are left behind in this offering are only going to find it difficult to beat the competition. In fact, clean, light and bright feel spaces is trending in the multifamily property business, and every builder wants to give the nicest living and roaming space to its customers. This article presents 5 trending tips that property investors looking for multifamily development company for renovations can use to get the most out of their investment.

Welcome Green
Delighting renters with the sight of green. That’s what most property owners are doing these days–adding more green spaces within their multifamily building spaces. You can lure more tenants by adding succulents in seating areas. To bring in more natural light to living spaces, use doors with window panes, and use a single pane to provide more pool view.

Try Tiles
Tiles are the ‘in’ thing in  business these days, as many multifamily property owners are using them owing primarily to their aesthetic offerings. Get any brilliant design from brick looks to herring bone, and large cement tiles from the market to make an impact among your audience. Forget not, that these updated classics–we mean tiles–are quite economical and durable as well.

Wood Finishes: Don’t Stick to One
Though using one wood throughout may look like an obvious option, it is not anymore. Get rid of this habit if you are still using it, as the trend is of mixing. According to many interior designers, mixing wood in interior designing has become the new status quo to get that high-end look. The trend is evolving and is expected to exist in the market for a while.

Add Large, Appealing Furniture
You must have noticed that most studios often have oversized and comfortable furniture. The good news is that these type of furntiures are no more limited to studios only. Many spaces within multifamily property buildings, especially lounge, and the entry areas have big and oversized tables, sofa sets, and more these days, fitted mainly with a purpose to give customers a warm and welcoming feeling. Try on with your property, and feel the difference.

Repurpose to Control Costs
Chances are, cost is a concern for you during renovation. To optimize your investment, without exceeding expenses, use small things that make big impact. Go with 100 percent paint. Rip out the old carpets and window treatments to redo and add other details. You may salvage the facility’s floor to keep it shining and looking new, without having to invest a hefty amount on reflooring it entirely.

Conclusion
Renovating your multifamily properties is a nice and economical way to create better living spaces, without enduring a costly project that starts from ground zero. To optimize your investment, however, you need to focus on the latest trends in your business that other multifamily property owners are experimenting, and residents are embracing. At the same time, it is imperative to find an experienced multifamily development company that provides renovations services.

Multifamily Housing: Market Trends you Need to Follow

There has been a surge in demand for multifamily housing properties in the U.S as majority of people especially millennials now prefer rental apartments over ownership. According to National Association of Home Builders, 351,000 multifamily units were started in 2014, i.e. 14% over 2013. However, today’s informed renters do not just rent any random housing unit, instead they go for units that are equipped with required amenities, facilities and are aesthetically appealing. This in turn has forced multifamily housing contractors to focus on interiors as well exteriors of properties to ensure that they are aligned with the demand and follow the market trends.

Here are the top trends that are propelling multifamily businesses.

Trend #1: Desire for Urban Lifestyle
Multifamily rental apartments are gaining popularity among millennials who prefer to live an independent life without having any limitations of living in owned houses. Having said that, they prefer multifamily units that offer them a taste of urban lifestyle. So if you are investing in multifamily housing, you need to make sure that your housing unit offers them urban lifestyle.

Trend#2: Affordability with Luxury
Many renters aspire to live close to main town, but the kind of lifestyle that they demand doesn’t come cheap there. Therefore, they often ignore the properties that cost them heavily on their pocket. So now the real challenge for you is to provide high-end properties that possess upgraded features and offer luxury at affordable rates. To tackle the affordability issue, opt for pre-construction action plan and look around for options where they can cut down on operating cost without compromising on the quality of the offerings.

Trend#3: Units Embedded with Modern Technology
The Holy Grail for existing or newly constructed multifamily business is to provide their tenants personalized services. Housing industry is empowering tenants by providing them with greater command over their environment starting from their entry door to HVAC units. There are many multi family unit providers in the U.S who have installed cloud-connected devices in apartment projects that enable tenants to monitor and regulate lightening, cooling and heating of their rental housing unit.

Final Word
Following market trend in multifamily business not only attract potential tenants but also increase the market value of your property. It is, however, suggested to take assistance of an experienced multi family renovation contractor to give your property an urban appeal in the most efficient and cost-effective manner.

Innovative Ideas to Make your Laundry Facility More Spacious

Multifamily property owners are leaving no stone unturned to get better returns on their investment. Some property owners have started providing a laundry facility in their property in an effort to include all the necessary facilities to the tenants. Laundry facilities in multifamily housing project also give an opportunity to create more cash flow for the property owner.

A safe, clean, well-lit laundry facility with coin-operated machines benefits the tenants who may not have washers or dryers in their units. Everybody needs to use the laundry room and we all know how packed it may get especially during the weekends. There are a few things you may implement in order to magnify the space, regardless of flooring space that you may allot to the laundry room. Here are some ideas that will help you save space and design an appealing laundry room for your tenants.

Overhead Counters: An Easy to Reach Place to Keep Laundry Items
This tip is especially useful for multifamily property owners who have space constraint. Instead of wasting the overhead space above the washing machines and dryers, you can simply add a countertop. It provides space to the residents to put their laundry baskets, soap, fold their clothes post-wash and such things.

Custom Cabins: Where Else will the Linen Go?
You can install custom cabins in your laundry room if you have space constraint with the help of a multifamily contractor. An expert multifamily housing contractor will construct custom-sized cabins, after taking the dimensions of the laundry room and the machines that will be installed. You can allot these cabins to the residents on temporary or permanent basis. This way, they’d have a convenient place to store their things to avoid any clutter. If you are on a budget, you can also add kitchen cabinets to the laundry room.

Wall Cubicles: What’s the Point of Wasting all that Wall Space?
Property owners often make the mistake of wasting wall space, not just in bedrooms and living rooms but also in laundry rooms. You can save a lot of space by installing wall cubicles in your laundry room. It just takes a few slabs to make this space count. The cubicles may be used to keep deterrents, clothes, baskets. You may also add hooks to individual cubicles for residents to hang their towels and clean linen.

Drop Down Ironing Boards; That Hide Away
Ironing boards are quite prominent fixtures of laundry rooms, the average dimension of a standalone ironing board are about 4 X 1.5 ft. When the ironing boards are not in use, they definitely get in the way of things, especially on a busy foot traffic day. The smarter way to go about it is to choose drop down ironing boards that roll back up into the wall. This also helps in hiding clutter and also gives enough room to store the iron.

Make It a Multipurpose Room
If you have a spacious laundry room, you may add a few tables and closets to store house cleaning supplies, sports equipment, craft things. The residents can use the room for crafts, as a mud room, and for storage.

While it’s possible to implement some of these measures post construction but at times may turn out to be a costly affair. It’s advisable to get in touch with a multifamily housing contractor who has expertise in constructing a multi-functional laundry room even if you have space constraint