Used appliances or new ones?

[David Simard]

Hello,

My wife and I just purchased our first single family to rent and we were wondering if we should by used appliances or new ones?

[Bill B.]

It’s hard to beat new, I don’t even go with scratch and dent any more. If you give someone a place to live with a dented appliance you’re setting a tone. This place has been beat on and I expect it to continue to be beat on. Anything short of a fridge can be bought new in stainless for $400. Go to a place like rc wiley that charges $60 for delivery for the year. When you’re buying 4-6 appliances a year it’s $10-$15 each. If the new one lasts only twice as long you have to get used ones for less than $200 with free delivery and setup or you’re paying more for used than new. 

Maybe if you’re doing low end/entry level sub $1000/mo people expect used/dented appliances, maybe. But then maybe yours will rent faster and people will stay longer because you spend an extra $200.