When listing an apartment, it is important to spruce it up for potential renters or buyers. When your apartment is fixed up, it will be more appealing and quickly find new tenants. But how do you prepare for the listing, especially if you are low on funds? The simple solution is to focus on quick and easy DIY projects. By taking a little time to complete a project yourself, you can spend less and present your apartment in the best light possible!

Remove Personal Items

Let’s start with photography. Before taking photos of your unit for listing purposes, it is recommended that you remove all personal elements. Items such as family photos can be distracting to potential tenants or buyers. When you remove these photos, any walk-thru or virtual tour viewer will see the important aspects of your apartment, without being distracted by anything else.

Replace family photos with a few, cheap photographs of landscapes or items that are neutral but add to the décor. You can walk around your neighborhood and take photos, printing them from your home printer in black and white to add as décor. You could also purchase some stock frame inserts for this purpose online.

Art Hanging/Framing

Just like photography, artwork adds to the appeal of a space. Consider ordering affordable Metal prints to add to the empty walls of the apartment. This type of artwork looks great in a living room or bedroom. Instead of a traditional photograph, a metal print allows you to use a photo you have and create an aluminum sheet piece. The photo is then finished with clear or white gloss, creating a lovely look and feel.

Use the same idea as with photography and take a landscape photo or pictures of buildings in your neighborhood and create custom, yet inexpensive artwork you can add to the home.

Add Unique Lighting

Another great option is to add unique lighting. When touring your apartment, interested individuals will notice a unique light fixture. Take time to add stunning pieces to the living room or dining room area that can show off space. Look for discounted deals at big box stores to save on the piece. For installation, try the DIY approach or have a handy friend help with putting the light fixture in place.

Painting

If you have lived in your apartment for a long time or have rented it to tenants, chances are, you have not painted the space in a while. Over time, paint on the walls can chip and dull, creating a less than appealing look. Take time to paint the rooms of your apartment to create a fresh space.

When painting, choose neutral tones. Don’t go for bold or bright colors. When you choose odd color choices, you are closing off the apartment to particular buyers or tenants. Placing images of your apartment online is a major way to drive traffic to space. If your paint colors aren’t appealing, potential tenants will not give your property a second glance. Choose neutrals like whites, grays or blue colors for mass appeal.

Refurbishing Furniture

Another great way to prepare your space is to refurbish old furniture. Do you have any furniture pieces you will be getting rid of when you move? Or perhaps you found a cool piece on the side of the road or at a garage sale and have been planning a refresh? Whatever the case may be, use an old piece of furniture and create something interesting as staging furniture.

Examples could be old crates turned into a coffee table or an old door turned into a coffee table. The options are really endless as long as you use your imagination!

These are just a few ways to update your apartment before listing it. Be sure to think about how your space looks with fresh eyes to see how you can make changes to find a quick buyer or tenant!

About the Author:

Corey Tyner is the owner of Arizona land buyers, Phoenix fast sell home buyers, and Austin Home Buyers. He is one of the top real estate investors in Arizona with over a decade of experience. His work has been featured on Bigger Pockets, Real Estate Agent Magazine, and several other real estate investor publications.