Many years ago, my husband and I rented in Hoboken and Jersey City. And like many of you who are currently renting, we did not know or care much about home improvement. More often than not, I swept minor issues under the rug, since contacting the building’s superintendent would mean taking time off work, and $20-50 in tips. I was also nervous that once he was in the apartment, he would find me guilty of breaking something or causing damage, which would be deducted from my security deposit.
A decade later, with some DIY experience under my belt and over $200,000 in supervised renovations as a homeowner, a condo board member, and Realtor, I realize some easy and inexpensive repairs and improvements to my rented apartment would have vastly improved my quality of life as a renter without making a dent in either my wallet or my landlord’s. In retrospect, I would have either called my super, or even undertaken them myself.
Chipped plaster, old paint or wall imperfectionsApartments often come with flat white paint that gets dirty and stained easily, and most landlords balk at the thought of repainting every few years. Many buildings and landlords actually deduct from the security deposit for holes in walls left from hanging pictures, shelves or curtains. So all the art I had collected from traveling in India stayed in the packing box. I now know that imperfections can be fixed with a $5 tub of spackle (sold not only at Home Depot, but even Target or larger drugstores), some fine-grit sandpaper, primer and paint. Crayon works of art or ghee stains on the wall can be washed with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, or some toothpaste on a wet sponge. If that doesn’t work, I now know paint stores are able to match the color using a chip of paint from the wall, so there is no need to repaint the whole room.
Peeling, dirty caulkSeveral bathrooms in rental units are caulked with cheaper varieties of caulk that crack or get black mildew. As a result, it is common to see flaking, unsightly and fould smelling caulk in bathrooms. As a tenant, I cleaned and scrubbed with harsh chemicals, with limited success. As a homeowner, when caulk starts peeling and discoloring, I remove with my $10 caulk removal knife and put on a fresh line of mildew resistant, silicone caulk that costs $8-10 a tube, and leave it alone for a day or two to dry. It is less laborious and expensive that repeatedly attempts at cleaning.
Dirty CarpetA light color, like beige or off-white is often the standard color for carpet at rental apartments. Over normal use, even with vacuuming, carpet gets dirty. And then there is that spilled tea or wine. It is often difficult to get landlords to change carpeting, but many charge up to $150 to steam clean the carpet during move out. In restrospect, I would have spent $100 to steam clean or dry clean the carpet myself at least 3-4 months before I moved out, so I could enjoy the clean carpet and the landlord would also be happy. In fact, tenants can also rent a carpet cleaning machine from Home Depot ($25 a day), pay $10-15 for a cleaning solution, and do the cleaning themselves.
Dripping faucet or noisy toiletSince incessant dripping of a leaky faucet or randomly flushing toilets are a small nuisance, tenants often procrastinate to get them repaired. Since water is often included in rent, there is no financial motivation either. As a homeowner, I discovered that a leaky faucet could be fixed by $2-$3 of supplies and a wrench, and toilet flush issues can be troubleshooted easily at the home improvement store. The replacement parts themselves cost $8-25. Unless you are sure of what you are doing, it is best to call the landlord or super though, since a broken faucet could damage expensive cabinets or floors, which could take a toll on your security deposit.
Sticking closet doorsMy apartment had two problematic closet doors. One was too tight, either it would not close, or if I forced it, it would take two people to pull it open. Another was crooked and got stuck at the bottom, often scratching the floor. Years later, a handyman told me fixing problem doors was like filing nails—they could be sanded down. He used a special brown permanent marker to fix my floor’s scratches. A handyman typically charges $25-50 for this kind of work since it takes only take 30 minutes to repair. This was another item that would have been worth tipping the superintendent to fix.
First time buyer articles (please email dalia.tole@kw.com for copies)
How Much Cash Reserve Should a Condo Association Have?
Financial Planning for the What Ifs in Home Ownership
Financial Planning as a First Time Home Buyer
Understanding the True Ownership Cost of a Condo
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