Renovate with purpose, not excess
By Sandy Deo
REMAX Landmark
📞 0400 920 238
☎️ 07 3169 6535
📍 2/8 Curban Street, Underwood
✉️mailto:[email protected]
If your investment property has an unconventional layout, it can either help it stand out or limit its appeal to prospective tenants – the key is understanding how the space aligns with modern living.
Before investing in major renovations, take a closer look at how your property functions. Layout and liveability are often more important to tenants than high-end finishes, and small, strategic changes can deliver a strong return without overcapitalising.
Older homes offer great potential. Often exuding character, while they may not reflect contemporary design trends, they often provide flexible layouts that can be adapted to suit without the need for a full rebuild.
Open-plan living has long been popular, but tenant preferences are shifting. Many renters now value a balance between openness and separation, especially with the rise of working from home. This approach, often referred to as ‘broken plan living’, creates connected spaces with defined zones for different activities.
For landlords, this means you don’t always need to remove walls to modernise a property. Simple updates such as widening doorways, adding partial openings, improving lighting or using consistent flooring can make a home feel more functional and inviting. For the same effect in an already open-plan home, introducing subtle zoning through furniture placement or partitions can emulate separate spaces and enhance usability.
When planning any updates, consider how tenants are likely to live in the space. Flexibility is key and areas that can serve multiple purposes are increasingly in demand.
Enhancing your property’s existing features is often the most cost-effective way to improve appeal, attract quality tenants and support long-term rental returns.
Credit: REMAX Australia
