The purchase of property for rental income and projected capital gains growth has become a popular choice. Used to be reserved for the wealthy elite of society, but due to government incentives and rising wealth levels has become common for many regular citizens in many countries, especially in Australia, where around 10% of the population owns an investment property. Unfortunately, many first-time investors entering the market can experience less than the ideal return on investment due to inexperience and lack of knowledge in the many aspects of purchasing and managing an investment property.
One of the significant features of an investment property is its fittings and furnishings, specifically its carpet and upholstery assets. Carpet is a prevalent floor covering for properties as it is relatively cheap to buy and replace compared to tiles and floorboards, and it provides character and warmth for the house, especially in winter. Some investment properties are also furnished and rented for a higher amount, sometimes for short-term rentals. As such, property owners will also need to buy appropriate sofas for the building. Purchasing the wrong type of carpet or upholstery assets means that they will need replacing much quicker than they should, be more easily damaged, and not respond as well to carpet cleaning or upholstery cleaning. All of these factors result in increased maintenance costs for the investment property and hence decreased return on investment.
The best type of carpet for rental property will depend on the position of that property in the market. For lower-end rentals, the ideal kind of carpet to get is Polypropylene, a durable, tough synthetic with deficient moisture absorbency giving it increased stain resistance as the carpet naturally resists absorbing in stains and dyes. It is quite cheap to buy and replace and will last anywhere from 5-10 years, depending on how it is maintained. Carpet Cleaning Adelaide recommends that Polypropylene carpets are cleaned every 6-12 months depending on usage to prevent the build-up of soiling as the polypropylene pile is quite thin, meaning there is not much carpet fibre there to absorb soils.
For higher-end investment properties, the choices are between Solution-Dyed Nylon, Triexta, and Wool. The best option is Triexta (also known as SmartStrand), which is a relatively new type of carpet that naturally resists liquids and frequently comes with a built-in protective layer that enhances its inherent resisting ability even further. It is plush and soft with a thick full carpet pile on top, giving it a very luxurious feeling when walking on it barefoot, perfect for higher-end properties that command higher rents but also expect a higher degree of luxury. Best of all, it can be found in some combinations with a lifetime stain resistance warranty, which some manufacturers also extend to rental properties. The recommended carpet cleaning schedule for Triexta is every 12 months.
When it comes to other luxury furniture, like Sofa and Chair for rental properties, there’s only one excellent choice, and that’s as close to 100% polyester as possible. Fabrics advertised as macro-suede, micro-suede are suitable, as are many others advertised under different names, enquire before purchasing about the actual fabric content to make sure. Polyester has super low moisture absorbency so provides the best natural stain resistance, and only requires upholstery cleaning and fabric protection every 24 months. A polyester sofa, if maintained correctly, should last ten years easily, if not more.
The combination of Polypropylene or Triexta carpets together with polyester fabric or micro-suede upholstery sofas is the ideal set of carpet and upholstery fittings and furnishings for the vast majority of rental investment properties. This combination provides the maximum value and life from these durable property assets while minimizing the maintenance expenses required for their upkeep via carpet cleaning and upholstery cleaning, resulting in increased return on investment for the investor.
