You may be wondering if including some trees in your Moorhead rental property’s landscaping can help boost your rental rate. And there is, indeed, some good evidence to support that claim. What you should note, though, is that the type of tree you plant has an impact on your cash flows. Not all kinds of trees, however, are suitable for a rental situation.
The real question is actually if it is a good idea to plant fruit trees on a rental property. While there are no hard and fast rules about which type of tree is best, it is important to consider all aspects of fruit trees in question before you finalize your decision, especially since different trees grow better in different climates.
The Best Trees for Rental Properties
A profitable rental property has great curb appeal. And having one or more shady trees in the yard adds to that curb appeal. What are the best trees for a rental property? You should be looking for one that grows well in your climate, offers shade & visual appeal, and is easy to maintain. It may seem like a tall order but it is actually not that hard to find. Trees that fit the bill in many parts of the country include evergreen arborvitae, spruce, flowering dogwoods, and maple trees. You can also go for oak and desert willow for your rental properties. These kinds of trees grow well, offer good shade after a short period of time, and don’t need a lot of pruning from year to year.
The Skinny on Fruit Trees
Some Moorhead property managers might suggest planting a fruit tree as a feature in your rental house. Some renters do like the idea of being able to eat 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.
If the ideal trees for rental properties are low-maintenance, that leaves fruit trees out of the list. A probable big reason for not planting fruit trees at a rental property is the mess and maintenance that comes with them. Typically, fruit trees require years of care and growth before they bear fruit. Some are also very sensitive to heat, cold, watering amounts, and other conditions.
Fruit trees also need proper pruning and fumigation in order to produce fruit every year. Most people do not know much about this, either. Your tenant might also not enjoy dealing with the unwanted insects and rodents that fruits often attract. Unless you or your tenant are willing and able to dedicate time and effort to caring for 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 assign landscaping maintenance to your tenant; they may not realize that this includes regular pruning and clean-up after fruit trees, which is a lot of extra work. If you will not be taking care of the trees yourself, be sure that your lease documents stipulate that the tenants need to care for the trees or hire a professional to do it for them.
At Real Property Management Optimum, 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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