No matter how “hot” the market is, the competitive is always stiff when it comes to attracting and retaining good tenants, meaning tenants who will pay their rent on time and care for your property as if it were their own. That’s why it’s important for landlords to think through what amenities to advertise to tenants. Amenities are a great way to attract potential renters through marketing your property; however, keep in mind whatever you offer, you’ll have to maintain going forward (unless you specifically say that you won’t be). For example, tenants will expect the basic appliances, such as a stove and a refrigerator. Additional kitchen appliances can be very attractive to renters, such as a built in microwave, dishwasher, and disposal. Also attractive to tenants is an in-unit washer and dryer. At the very least, offering your tenants a a hookup for a full washer and dryer is necessary. No one wants to go to the laundromat unless absolutely necessary.

In Texas, an amenity that cannot be understated is air conditioning. The difficulty for landlords is that adding air conditioning to a property that was built without AC is that it can be expensive. However, you may find it difficult to rent a property (at least at market rates) without offering air conditioning so it’s worth weighing the cost to install with the unit with the amount of additional rent you would receive.

Fortunately there several options to cool a home without built-in ductwork. The classic is buying a window unit from a big box store. Window units are not particularly expensive, starting at a few hundred dollars. The catch is that you have to install one in every room and they take up a window, which will darken the room. These units are unfortunately crazy energy inefficient. Plus, the open window tends to leak air no matter how much you try to seal the connection. This is something else to consider if you as a landlord are providing utilities. There are several additional types of air conditioning devices on the market that can be advertised more or less as central air conditioning. They lack ducts like traditional central air systems, but they are much more efficient and provide more seamless comfort for your tenants. These units are more expensive than window units often starting around $3,000. However, tenants may be willing to pay a little more for the added comfort and improved air quality.

Another amenity that can be very attractive to tenants is whether your property is pet friendly. Americans are more and more considering pets to be family so it may be very important for some tenants that pets are included. One recent study found that 48 percent of renters say pet friendly is a requirement for their next rental. More than just something people want, a study by the American Veterinary Medical Association found that 85 percent of dog-owners and 76 percent of cat-owners say they consider their pets as “family.” The upside of allowing pets in your rental property is it exposes your unit larger pool of potential tenants. Plus, tenants with pets are 1.6 times more likely to renew their lease because it can be difficult to find another property that will allow pets, according to the Zillow Consumer Trends Report.

Parking is another amenity attractive to tenants. It’s crucial landlords are clear in in leases about what parking is included and where. In a single-family unit with a garage, specify in the lease which spots the tenant can use and if an opener in provided. In multi-family units, it’s more important to specify precisely which spaces belong to which tenant. This can be a potential source of conflict between tenants. Another potential issue is guest parking. Be sure to specify where guests are allowed to park and outline specific towing procedures for those who break the rules.