As the renter demographic in the U.S. starts to actually skew younger, the demand for eco-friendly living continues to rise. This trend grants rental property owners and property managers a wonderful opportunity to embrace sustainable practices that can benefit the environment – and your bottom line. Tapering off the environmental impact of your rental property magnetizes and attracts more than just conscientious renters. It can likewise reduce operating costs, augment property values, and improve sustainability. Let’s take a closer look at the key sustainable practices every property manager and owner should know to bring about greener, more profitable and efficient properties that residents will take delight in.
Energy Efficiency Upgrades
One of the most straightforward ways to incorporate green living into your rental property is to improve your energy efficiency. A more efficient property typically creates lower utility bills and a smaller carbon footprint. A few common examples of simple energy-efficient upgrades you should seriously consider include LED lighting, smart thermostats, and energy-efficient appliances. If you like to go even bigger, think about complying with a home energy assessment that conventionally pinpoints other areas for refinement, such as leaky windows and doors or inadequate insulation in walls and ceilings. It does not matter which upgrades you run with, you can use these to strongly attract your next environmentally friendly resident.
Realistic Water Conservation Techniques
A lot of people hear “water conservation” and promptly tune out. Nevertheless, for rental property managers and owners, conserving water is a substantial part of going green. To cite an instance, look into installing low-flow fixtures, replacing old or leaking ones, using water-efficient irrigation in the yard, and investing in drought-resistant landscaping. Landscaping, exactly, is an area where most rental houses can make many principal conservation upgrades. Simply deciding to use native plants well adapted to your area, to cite an instance, can help reduce your water needs, minimize maintenance, and lead to a sustainable, eco-conscious property your tenants will always love living in.
Waste Reduction and Recycling Programs
Another terrific option to attract environmentally friendly renters is to promote and enlist in recycling and other waste management programs. As a sample, inquire into recycling programs in your area and then provide bins and information to your residents. By making recycling and waste reduction manageable for them, you can help reduce your disposal costs while appealing to renters deeply interested in reducing their carbon footprint.
Green Building Materials and Practices
Very simply, property managers and owners can partake in sustainable practices by making more deliberate and environmentally friendly choices particularly when repairing or updating their rental property. For example, choose to use sustainable building and finishing materials, for instance, bamboo, recycled wood or steel, and low-VOC (volatile organic compound) paints, if that is possible. Besides that, you can clearly highlight these practices in your marketing materials and plainly show how they improve indoor air quality and promote a healthy living environment. Innumerable renters will appreciate your obvious concern for their health and your eco-friendly practices.
The Benefits and Challenges of Sustainability
Carefully incorporating sustainable practices into your property management system can happily lead to tangible benefits for the environment and a healthier cash flow. From energy-efficient upgrades and water conservation tactics to propagating recycling and using eco-friendly materials, green living strategies can improve your property’s value and appeal to current and future residents while greatly reducing long-term costs.
However, it’s true that. undertaking these and other sustainable practices takes time, and clearly knowing where to start can be very challenging indeed. As such, at Real Property Management Sterling, we’re here to help you apply these proven strategies and successfully develop greener, more efficient properties in Burlington and nearby. Contact us today or call 802-861-6468 to hear how we can help you smoothly adopt sustainable practices that will benefit your properties, residents, and the planet in a huge way.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.