You may have heard that you can boost your rental rate for your Kalamazoo rental property if the landscaping includes a tree or two. There is actually some good evidence that supports that. But what is not often mentioned is that the type of tree you plant has as much to do with increasing your cash flows. Not all kinds of trees, however, are suitable for a rental situation.
The real question is actually if planting fruit trees on a rental property is a smart idea. Since different trees grow better in different climates, it is important to consider all aspects of fruit trees in question before you decide on which type of tree is best.
The Best Trees for Rental Properties
A profitable rental property has great curb appeal. And a huge part of that curb appeal is having a beautiful, shady tree in the yard. A simple criteria for the ideal trees for a rental property would be those that grow well in your climate, are visually appealing and shady, but are also easy to maintain. It may seem like a lot, but you don’t have to worry. Trees that fit the bill in many parts of the country include evergreen arborvitae, spruce, flowering dogwoods, and maple trees. Other good options for rental properties are oak and desert willow. These trees are easy to grow, offer shade after a relatively short time, and don’t need to be pruned yearly.
The Skinny on Fruit Trees
Some Kalamazoo property managers may talk you into planting a fruit tree as an appealing feature in your rental house. There are also some renters who like the idea of growing and harvesting fruit straight from the yard. But unless your tenant has some experience in caring for and maintaining fruit trees, and has the time to properly do the job, fruit trees can become a burden instead. For a lot of renters, the required work that comes with having fruit trees is enough reason for them not to apply for a rental that has one.
Seeing that the best trees for rental properties are low-maintenance, that would exclude fruit trees altogether. A probable big reason for not planting fruit trees at a rental property is the mess and maintenance that comes with them. Fruit trees usually take years of care before they produce fruit. Some trees also need special conditions when it comes to heat, cold, or watering amounts in order to thrive.
Fruit trees also need to be properly pruned and fumigated to produce edible fruit every year. Something most people don’t know much about. Fruit often attracts unwanted insects and rodents as well, which your tenant may not be happy dealing with. If you or your tenant are not willing to put in the time and effort to care for the fruit trees, it is probably best to avoid them.
Fruit Trees in the Lease Documents
If you are willing to take on the responsibility of having fruit trees on your rental property, you need to be very clear in your lease about your tenant’s obligations where those trees are concerned. It is not enough to merely assign landscaping maintenance to your tenant as they may not realize that this includes regular pruning and clean-up after fruit trees, which is a lot of extra work. If you don’t plan to take care of the trees yourself, make sure you explain in your lease documents that the tenants need to care for the trees or hire a professional to do it for them.
At Real Property Management Investment Solutions, we work with rental property owners like you to help create beautiful, low-maintenance landscaping your tenants won’t mind keeping up. Contact us today to learn more.
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