If you're like most people that are putting a rental home on the market, you likely want to do what you can to increase your property value and attract tenants fast so the place doesn't sit empty long. You can implement the following tips and tricks to get the job done.

Landscape with New Trees

You can expect to increase your rental's overall property value by up to 20 percent when landscaping with a few new trees. Planting trees in the yard will also increase curb appeal and improve the rental home's energy efficiency, which is something your tenants will appreciate while they live there.

Consider planting deciduous trees, as they tend to be full of leaves in the summer and can naturally shade your rental home from the sun's heat. In the winter months, deciduous trees lose their leaves, so the sun can warm things up, and that will reduce wear and tear on your HVAC system overall.

After planting your new trees, it is important to have a certified arborist inspect them once a year or so to ensure that they're healthy and safe. If your trees aren't well cared for, they can become a liability. Your arborist can remove dead or ill trees, prune branches that hang over the house, and provide emergency tree care when you can't get to the property to do things yourself. Have the arborist inspect your trees any time new tenants are scheduled to move in to ensure that the trees are in good condition and that the yard is safe for kids and pets.

Create a Pet-Friendly Space

Another great way to make your rental home more attractive to potential tenants is to adopt a pet-friendly policy. Most people who are responsible pet owners tend to take good care of the places they live in, and you can charge more money for rent when allowing cats or dogs to live there. And by allowing tenants to move in with pets, you'll avoid the possibility that they'll try to sneak them in without your knowledge.

Section off a part of the yard and fence it in to create a dedicated pet yard where dogs can run and play without the risk of getting loose into the neighborhood or being hit by a car. Consider using vinyl fencing as it's easy to maintain, and it holds up well to extreme weather elements. It's also strong enough that dogs can't chew through it. When planting your new trees in the yard, plant a couple around the perimeter of the fenced yard to provide tenant dogs with some shade while they're outside. The trees should be placed on the outside of the fenced area so that the arborist can inspect them without having to worry about being bitten or annoyed by dogs.

Create a Vegetable and Herb Garden

A great way to enhance the look of your property and complement the trees that you plant is to create a veggie and herb garden somewhere in the yard. A new garden will improve curb appeal and increase your property value, and tenants will enjoy the opportunity to pick fresh food for free throughout the year. If you want to put your garden into the ground, start by digging a space of about four by eight feet in size and two feet deep.

Fill the space with fill dirt, plant your herbs and veggies, and then spread top soil and fertilizer over the area. If you prefer to keep the garden out of the ground, simply place a series of large pots together in one area in the yard and fill them with soil, veggies, and herbs. Tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, basil, thyme, and rosemary are all excellent options to start with because they're easy to care for and don't require a lot of attention. Locate your garden near a tree or two to provide it with some natural shade throughout the day.

These tips and tricks should make it easy to improve your rental home's overall appeal and quickly attract new tenants. Talk to a company like R. L. Elliott Enterprises, Inc. to get tree services set up.