I’m 26 and have very little life, let alone real estate experience but I was able to buy my first single family home with my dad going in 25% in Southern California’s high desert.
My dad owns one other home up there and has told me we can have our tenants get their own fridge. This was pretty alarming to me as I’ve always rented from places that have fridges.
Is this normal? My instinct is to tell me dad no and just buy the cheapest aesthetically good looking fridge I can.
@Jacquelyn First, I've heard some landlords not provide refrigerators, washers, or dryers.
I understand not providing washers and dryers. Those are hard working appliances with many moving parts and seem to be more prone to breaking down.
I do not understand not providing a refrigerator. Sometimes a kitchen is only suited to a refrigerator of a certain size. Why would tenants want to own appliances and have to haul them around. Most homeowners buy the appliances with the home their purchase, why wouldn't a renter want to get a rental with appliances included.
As with most anything, I would first look at other rental listings in that area and determine was is "common" in your area. Then I would decide what aspects of my rental I want to be average/common and which areas I want to be BETTER!
I always want some areas where my rentals are better than comparable units. The house I'm rehabbing to rent now will have all appliances included (washer, dryer, refrigerator, stove, and microwave hood). The kitchen appliances will be brand new stainless steel. I expect to attract a good tenant who will hopefully want to stay a good while. If you don't provide a desirable product, why would a good tenant choose to stay?!? Vacancy costs are killers.
I've lived in the High Desert of CA for a good portion of my life and yes, I have come across some apartments that do not provide a refrigerator. This is a nuisance but they usually offer a rental fridge for a certain amount per month (not sure of the cost these days) or there is the option of going to the Rent to Own companies. In my opinion though, I would just buy a fridge.
It boils down to “habitability” because here in the good ol USA we all expect to have a fridge, sometimes more than one and a freezer! I have friends who have shorty fridges next to their TVs for the drinks & snacks! I think the Fed Housing rules require you to offer a habitable dwelling AND THAT INCLUDES FRIDGE, RANGE, RUNNING WATER, SANITATION FIXTURES, etc. As a landlord I would never want my tenants to be without a fridge for more than a day. A problem could arise if HD or Lowes couldnt deliver. Tenants might demand that you pay them to stay in a motel until the fridge is installed. I think they might be within their rights on that. Also it is a big item to remove/install I would never allow tenants to take care of that, only the pro’s. I’m sure your dad is a smart guy but this is your business that you are just starting and you need to get out from under his decision making. Trust but verify. Good luck! I vote for Whirlpool.
@Jacquelyn First it depends on your area. Some areas can require it and other areas can’t. My personal preference is based on the service and housing provider I choose to be. I always supply.
Congrats on your first property. You got a lot of good advice from others about trying to understand what is normally included or not included in your market. That’s good advice.
Don’t tell anybody but I am a slow learner. Let me share two mistakes I made when I started out in buy and hold real estate.
We bought one brand new spec built rental home and placed a washer and dryer in the house but did not have it yet hooked up. The tenant was anxious to move in so they offered to hook it up and I thought that was a great idea. They hooked it up wrong, fried the control panel and instead of bickering with the tenant, I ended up buying and installing a new washer and dryer.
I told you I am a slow learner.
I tend to get business friendly with my tenants and so I want to help them out in any way I can. I had a home that did not include a washer or dryer and another house where the tenant asked me to remove the washer and dryer so they could bring their high end washer and dryer. I told my tenant that needed a washer and dryer that if they would move the washer and dryer from house 1 to house 2, they could use the extra pair that was only a year or two old. All went well till I noticed the wood floors torn up in house 1 where the washer was dragged across the floor.
As you consider the refrigerator question for your first home think of the total cost of the refrigerator to you the landlord, not the upfront cost. I hope that helps and please keep my secret! LOL!
We always provide refrigerators (and that's what I see in the large majority of places). Most prospective tenants expect the place to have a fridge so I would provide it.