A "well-polished" house appeals to more prospective renters and will rent faster than competing properties. Additionally, renters feel more comfortable leasing a well-cared for home because if what they can see is well maintained, they assume that what they can't see has probably also been well maintained. In readying your house to rent, consider:

• exterior and curb appeal
• interior appeal

Before putting your house on the market, maximize its exterior and interior appeal.

Maximizing Exterior and Curb Appeal
When preparing to put your home up for rent, your first concern is the home's exterior. If the outside, or "curb appeal" looks good, people will more than likely want to see what's on the inside.

Here are some tips to enhance your home’s exterior and curb appeal to renters:

• Keep the lawn edged, cut and watered.  
• Regularly trim hedges and weed lawns and flowerbeds. 
• Be sure your front door area has a "Welcome" feeling. 
• Paint the front door. 
• In spring and summer, add a couple of pots of showy annuals near your front entrance. 
• In snowy areas, keep walks neatly cleared of snow and ice. 
• Check foundation, steps, walkways, walls and patios for cracks and deterioration, and fix any problem areas. 
• Remove and repaint any peeling paint on doors and windows. 
• Clean and align gutters. 
• Repair and replace loose or damaged roof shingles. 
• Repair and repaint loose siding and caulking. 
• Reseal old asphalt. 
• Keep the garage door closed.

Maximizing Interior Appeal
You want your home to look as spacious, bright and clean as possible. Also the home should look neutral – without a lot of personal and sentimental objects - so renters can begin to imagine living there.

Here are some tips to enhance your home’s interior appeal to renters:

• Give every room in the house a thorough cleaning and remove all clutter. This alone will make your house appear bigger and brighter. 
• Remove the less frequently used, and even daily-used items from kitchen counters, closets, basement and attic to make these areas more inviting. 
• Make sure that table tops, dressers and closets are free of clutter. 
• Pay special attention to the kitchen and bathrooms: they should look as modern, bright and fresh as possible. It is essential for them to be clean and odor free. 
• Repair dripping faucets and showerheads. 
• Spruce up a kitchen in need of more major remodeling by installing new curtains and cabinet knobs, or applying a fresh coat of neutral paint. 
• Clean walls and doors of smudges and scuff marks. 
• If necessary, repaint dingy, soiled or strongly-colored walls with a neutral shade of paint, such as off-white or beige. The same neutral scheme can be applied to carpets and linoleum. 
• Check for cracks, leaks and signs of dampness in the attic and basement, and fix any problem areas. 
• Seal basement walls if there are any signs of dampness or leakage. 
• Repair cracks, holes or damage to plaster, wallboard, wallpaper, paint and tiles. 
• Replace broken or cracked windowpanes, moldings and other woodwork. 
• Inspect and repair the plumbing, heating, cooling and alarm systems.

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