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Science is discovering the many benefits of plants.  Read about how they can change the way we feel – and make rental properties more appealing at the same time.

Heard of Biophilia? It Can Make Your Home More Rentable

Science is discovering the many benefits of plants. Read about how they can change the way we feel – and make rental properties more appealing at the same time.

If you are a homeowner who rents out their place, you want whoever lives there to be as happy and healthy as possible. After all, happy residents stay longer, and that means fewer vacancies to deal with.

Increasingly, research is showing the design of our homes – including the use of houseplants – has an actual impact on the way we feel. A lot of these insights are summed up in the word “biophilia” which is a fancy term that goes back to the ancient Greeks.  The underlying idea is based on the fact that when we are connected with nature – our well-being and quality of life are elevated.  They actually make us feel better and more connected to the world.

Here’s a useful article that explains the power of biophilia – and why being surrounded by plants and nature is so transformative.

We’ve all experienced the restorative power of nature; it exerts such an influence over our moods, and even our biology, that hospitals around the world are cultivating healing gardens.

The Scientific American writes that “hospital gardens help patients heal.”

There’s no shortage of ways that you can use plants to transform a home and make it not just more rentable, but more inspiring to live in. This article from one of our favorite magazines – it’s called Dwell  – has some amazing examples of green transformations. 

The good thing is that compared to expensive and time-consuming renovations, spending a small amount on plants like the popular fiddle leaf fern – which you’ve no doubt seen all over Instagram and on the cover of design magazines – makes a huge visual difference. The ever-trendy Monstera is also a plant that will elevate the experience in any home.

What’s more, your likely renters – Millennials – are deep into biophilia. Money Magazine declares “Millennials Aren’t Buying Homes, but They Are Spending Thousands on Houseplants.” Which means that by strategically placing a few houseplants around your home, you will connect with them emotionally – and encourage them to buy more plants, maintain your home beautifully, and become long-term residents.

In short, plants create a home that is easy to grow into.

Science is discovering the many benefits of plants. Read about how they can change the way we feel – and make rental properties more appealing at the same time.

Successful property management is as much about attitude as it is about knowledge. Here are 4 mindset hacks for landlords self-managing a rental home.

These 4 Mindset Hacks Will Make You a Better Property Manager

Successful property management is as much about attitude as it is about knowledge.

We’ve written a great deal about the technical and functional aspects of being a property manager. But knowing how to approach solving a problem is just as important as the solution itself. We know from lots of areas in life – diet and nutrition, money management – that how we approach a project has an enormous impact on how effectively it gets done.

It’s the difference between knowing the solution to a mathematical equation and the theory that helps you arrive at the solution: the theory you could argue is even more important, because it’s more broadly applicable. And as anyone who’s ever managed a property can tell you, there’s no predicting what kinds of problems will crop up over time.   

To put it another way: You need to be in the right frame of mind throughout the entirety of the task in order to be a successful property manager.  To help you get there, we’ve put together these helpful hints to “train your brain” to deal with the expected and impossible-to-avoid challenges of managing your own property. Not only will they improve your skills as a  property manager, but they’ll help reduce stress and give you time back for the other things in life that matter to you.

Stress is an endemic reality with property management. It can come from anywhere – from dealing with maintenance issues, or because of personality issues with your tenant.   

Add to the stress of being a property manager the exacerbating effects of Covid. It’s making our tempers flare, as we go from 0 to 60 on the anger meter in a heartbeat. And that’s for people who don’t even have to deal with the pressures that come with self-managing a property. Even in the best of times, there is no shortage of reasons why a property manager might fly off the handle. 

If you’re going to self-manage you need to get ahead of the stress by slowing your brain’s response patterns down. Which gives you time to recognize what’s happening, so you can do something about it before it’s too late and the anger genie is out of the bottle.

Here are some great “temper-taming tips” from the Mayo Clinic.

2. Learn to expect and accept disappointment

Property management involves managing plumbing and electricity, of course, but it also always involves a level of managing disappointment. The rent doesn't arrive on time. The sink that the plumber supposedly fixed starts leaking again. The three contractors who promised you a bid last week have fallen off the face of the earth.

No one likes to feel out of control, which is what happens when your well laid plans go awry, and frustrations pile up. The best way to deal with disappointment is to take control of the negative thoughts, instead of letting them dominate you. Learn to accept, develop back-up plans, and maintain the practice of positive thinking. These tips from Healthline will set you on the right path. Managing your negative thoughts will work wonders in helping you manage your property.

If you’re not someone who feels an urge to get things done perfectly, then you can skip this section. But if you are plagued by fears of the asymmetrical and less-than-ideal, and are you unhappy when you feel your personal standards aren’t met, by you or by others, then read on.

Perfectionism can be a recipe for stress and unhappiness, or even worse, depression, as this valuable article from Psychology Today reminds us. If you’re managing property, there will always – repeat always – be things that can be done better, or in a more timely fashion, or for less money. Obsessing over them will wear you down in a toxic way. Here’s a great blog we found on how to overcome the daily emotional wear-and-tear of perfectionism.

You have a home you are invested in, either financial, emotionally - or both. It's understandable to think you need to take all the responsibility yourself, maybe even save yourself some money. But the realities of self-managing a property can be intense, so if you feel burnout coming on, the best thing to do would be to let go of the day-to-day. Let Belong take it all off your hands so you can focus on what you do best, instead of figuring out how to do it all. With guaranteed rent and a concierge available 24/7 to both you and your tenants, disappointment will be a thing of the past. Learn more at belonghome.com/homeowners

The pandemic has made us all more appreciative of the pristine beauty of nature – the question is, how can you bring some of that beauty home?

Belong’s Guide to the Cost-Contained Backyard Beautiful

The pandemic made us fall in love with our backyards all over again. Trapped in our houses and plots of land, we dug, weeded, planted, communed – and of course – improved. We saw the phenomenon happen all across our Belong community.

“Backyard improvements make staycations more attractive” declared USA Today. And a survey done by OnePoll found that seven of our 10 people said that “adding to their home exterior spaces has become a new hobby.”

The same poll further bears out what we know intuitively – and likely experienced ourselves. It found we are spending 14 hours a week outside – three hours more than before the pandemic. What’s more, early three-quarters of respondents shared that their outside time was important to their mental well-being. 

At Belong, where we connect homeowners who have places that are ready to be loved – with people ready to love them – this powerful lure of our front and back yards could not be more welcome. After all, an aesthetically elevated outdoor setting makes a home even more ready to be embraced. 

We often think about memories made inside the home – and they indisputably are – but just as powerful and important are those made outside. Playing catch with the kids as the sun falls into the sky; entertaining friends and family on a perfect summer night; setting up the house for Halloween – these are irreplaceable. And of course, Instagrammable. 

We’re realistic and know that our residents aren’t like to be making expensive improvements in their outdoor space. But you don’t have to add a deck to add to your everyday enjoyment. There are wonderful things you can buy that aren’t that expensive that can add hours of simple joy to your experience - and that you can take with you, should you move.

Without going all the way to a fancy installed grass grill, there is no shortage of options to meet whatever level of grilling obsessive you might be. If you’re looking for some smart advice, head over to the BBQ Guys website. You can’t get better tips, and we love the way they break it down into smokers, Kamado grills, pellet grills, even electric grills. The expert reviews are truly “expert” – you can tell they were written by folks who have astronomic BBQ IQs.

Still staying with the joys of heat, you can quickly transform the look and feel of your backyard with a firepit. They don’t throw off much heat, but there’s nothing more romantic or relaxing than sitting outside, sipping some wine, and watching the light from the fire bounce off your glass.

Here’s a link to some of the best outdoor firepits – including fire bowls that sit on tables – at some surprisingly affordable prices.  We were particularly drawn to the JHY Design clean-burning portable unit – smokeless, odorless, and clean-burning. At just $29.99, it won’t burn a hole in your budget.

When it comes to your lawn and garden, we have some tips for every Belong resident, as well as our Belong homeowners who cover the maintenance. Instead is a new, lawn fertilizer made with natural ingredients like wheat flour meal and molasses, that is delivered at exactly the right seasonal moment. 

As for planting on a budget, there’s a lot of “green for the buck” that is achievable; a good place to start is here, and here, and here.  And these upcycled DIY planter ideas will inspire you to think differently – and creatively – about items you might otherwise just toss.

Lawn games are a wonderful diversion, and they have been experiencing a boom that has continued even as we are getting vaccinated. You certainly don’t need to spend nearly a grand on a Jaques croquet set, even though a company founded in 1795, and the oldest sports and games manufacturer in the world, deserves some attention. Here’s a link to some more affordable options, including a set that is handcrafted by the Amish, who are known to enjoy a game of croquet after they do their chores.

There’s lots more to occupy you on your lawn; The New York Times published a story back in May that covered everything from badminton to bocce, pétanque, and lawn bowling. They have their own histories, but as Brooks Butler Hays, author of “Balls on the Lawn – Games to Live By” charmingly puts it:

“Lawn games do have rules, but not too many, and they don’t demand a great amount of skill. “They aren’t athletic endeavors …  the stakes are low enough that even if people aren’t into the competition, they can still have fun.”

There is no shortage of memorable moments to be created in the back and front yards of homes that are part of the Belong community.  And if you are feeling spiritual, why not plant a tree (with the approval of your homeowner, of course.) As Nelson Henderson said, “The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.”

Created to connect homeowners who love their homes, with residents ready to move in and build their lives there, Belong is a tech-enabled platform that takes the bumps, frustrations, and uncertainties out of the experience –  to create delightful interactions from Day One to Day Forever.  Bringing the practices of leading hospitality companies to an industry that was marked by a lack of caring and manual processes – Belong reinvents every step of the journey, all the way through to Belong Pros who are talented, responsible, and prideful contractors.  Each component we touch is an opportunity to advanced our mission. No matter which side of the marketplace you are on, Belong honors your role and the communities we serve.

If you’re managing your own rental property, these space-saving hacks do just that and are guaranteed to make your home more desirable on the rental market.

We Picked 8 of the Best Space-Saving Ideas From Pinterest

Everyone’s looking for a little extra storage space. If you’re managing your own property, these space-saving hacks do just that, and are guaranteed to make your home more desirable on the rental market.  

What does one of America’s famous films and an $87.65 billion industry have in common? 

They are all related to the stuff we accumulate in our lives.

Citizen Kane starts with a series of shots that show the extent of Charles Foster Kane’s estate; but even with 49,000 acres, Kane doesn’t have enough room. The final shot shows a warehouse crammed with everything he can’t display, the priceless paintings and statutes and historical relics – and of course, “Rosebud.”

The related industry, you have probably gleaned by now, is self-storage. It’s so enormous that more than 30,000 owners operate roughly 55,000 self-storage facilities nationwide,

It’s a symptom of the modern condition: we have more things than space. Hence all the questions you’ll get (if you’re self-managing a rental property) about closet space, crawl spaces, attic spaces, and the like. 

Obviously, it’s great if your home comes equipped with these kinds of auxiliary spaces. If they do, there’s a lot that can be done to those spaces to make them useful to your potential residents. If your house is storage-lite, though, there are clever hacks to make the most of the space you do have.

A lofted bed is a classic space-creating technique

But the question is how can you make the most out of that newly freed space — and how can you aestheticize it, so it’s not only useful but beautiful? The use of shoji in the example above is not only a visual delight, but creates a sense of aesthetic unity, matching the walls of the room, and also the blonde-colored floorboards. It looks organic, like the product of an architect’s vision, rather than a way of getting around the fact that you don’t have a walk-in closet. Also, the way the stairs leading up to the loft space also acts as a bedside table is kind of genius. 

You don’t need to be Harry Potter to make the most of the space underneath a stairwell. Not only did these people manage to fit a desk into that space (a perfect solution from all those newly office-less WFHomers out there), but they fully exploited all the available vertical space by adding those extra shelves. You can also turn that space into a built-in bookshelf.  Not only is it useful, but it’s more aesthetically pleasing than a plain white wall.  In fact there is so much potential for stairwell transformations that it’s arguably the best place to start when you’re trying to add some extra storage space to your rental property. 

 One place people always need more storage? The kitchen. Not only for food, but also for all the little cooking knick-knacks and doo-dads you buy thinking you’re going to use them a thousand times, but then only end up using once or twice (like 90% of the Dutch ovens in existence). 

This simple hack – adding vertical partitions to your kitchen cabinets – not only allows your residents to store more stuff and make full use of the available space, but it also makes their stuff more accessible. And like all of the best storage hacks, it’s so simple and elegant you’ll be asking yourself why you never thought of doing that before. (For more great kitchen storage tricks check out the Apartment Therapy piece this Pinterest post was sourced from.)

Another trick to help your residents store things vertically? Magazine holders: not only are they cheap, but they’re incredibly easy to install.  It’s actually a trick used often on boats – a great source of inspiration when it comes to space-saving storage hacks.

Ah, the ceiling — the last frontier for space savers. It’s a little more complicated to build storage devices into the ceiling, but it could make all the difference in the world. It’s especially useful in garages and attics, spaces you’re already using for storage, where aesthetics aren’t necessarily at a premium. But there are ways to add ceiling – or ceiling adjacent – storage to any room in a way that’s both highly functional and aesthetically pleasing. For example, at about the height where you’d find picture molding in a pre-war building you can place a row of shelves – perfect for your residents’ books and knickknacks. 

The bathroom presents a unique challenge to the storage hackers of the world; not only does it tend to be one of the smaller (if not the smallest) rooms in the house, but despite that distinction, it’s one of the rooms that requires the largest amount of stuff – from towels to toothpaste to toilet paper to hairdryers – to be fully functional. That’s why we love hacks like the one pictured above, in which baskets are cleverly attached to the wall in order to create extra storage space – in this case for towels.  Really though you can use this idea to store pretty much anything – extra rolls of toilet paper, pill cases, moisturizers, shampoo bottles, you name it!

Of course you can let your residents just throw a bunch of stuff they never use into the attic, but it doesn’t take much expertise or time to add some built-in shelving along the lines featured in the image above. It’s the ideal place for out of season clothes!

Most of these ideas you can do on your own. But if you need to add a lot more storage — and you have to hire a contractor for the work — it’s maybe time to think about joining Belong. Belong connects you instantly to a professional vendor network of over 10,000 contractors and will let you spread the costs of repairs and renovations over the term of your lease. 

Belong is simplifying the rental experience and helping more homeowners reach their financial goals through real estate. Visit our homeowner's page to find out more about how our services are helping people to ditch property management in Seattle, Redmond, Oakland, San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Miami and many more.

Adam Hanft

Adam is a futurist - co-author of "Dictionary of the Future" - brand strategist, public-company board member, former comedy-writer (but he hasn't stopped being vaguely amusing), and an investor in Belong.

Brett Jaffe

Jordan Newsom

Lauren Slagter

Natalie McNeal

Flora Fiorillo

Brett Jaffe

Jordan Newsom

Lauren Slagter

Natalie McNeal

Flora Fiorillo