You finally moved into your new, rented home! You are so excited to put you own personal stamp on the home to truly make it yours when you realize, technically, it isn’t yours. What’s a renter to do? Here are a few guidelines – specifically for renters – that will allow you to add style and character to your home without breaking the lease.
1. First of all, any remodeling project you embark on must be reversible. In other words, you must be able to restore the home to its original condition, should the landlord want it left in the exact condition as when you moved in.
2. Any improvements you make should be relatively inexpensive; since you’re not the owner of the home, you won’t benefit from a return on your investment.
3. Adding crown molding, ceiling medallions or wall trim offers a quick and affordable way to update the home’s style. However, these are often hard to remove should you need or want to take them with you when moving out.
4. If you want to create more space in your rental home, consider lofted beds and dividers. Curtains offer a great, decorative way to add privacy, too.
5. Changing out hardware is another great way to add your own personal touch to a home. Look for stylish doorknobs, cabinet knobs and pulls, and curtain rods and pull-backs. Be sure to save the original fixtures should they need to be restored when you move out.
Above all else, make sure to stay in the confines of your lease and make sure all improvements are removable.
Source: Yahoo! Real Estate
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