Multi-Family Property Investors & Management Co.

Apartment Landscaping Tips

For potential renters, nothing is better than coming home to a space that has amazing outdoor spaces, attractive landscaping, and well-maintained amenities that make spending time outside a joy. This same curb appeal is important when you’re ready to show off your property to investors. When it comes to creating apartment landscaping that helps your property to stand out, there are some important basics you need to follow.

Start With the Entrance

Think of the entrance area as the “front door” for your current and prospective tenants as well as visitors. Does it welcome everyone in? Or leave a bad impression and turn them away? The entrance area needs to be not only attractive and inviting, but also offer security to the property.

Flowerbeds and colorful, flowering plants create a splash and give off a welcoming feeling. Trees and shrubs can make a larger, multi-story building seem less severe while screening undesirable views and muffle sound on properties that may be in high-traffic areas. Lighting on the walkway adds a layer of security and shines a literal spotlight on the entrance. 

Take it up a notch with a courtyard area or some benches where people can sit and rest. Water features are a luxurious touch that adds value to the property while also incorporating nature in your design.

Don’t Forget the Flowers and Trees

Large complexes with multiple buildings can look like a sea of brick or vinyl siding and asphalt parking areas. Break up the monotony with hearty flowering shrubs and shady trees that will fill out over the years after planting.

Crape myrtle, hydrangea, and azalea plants all thrive in the St. Louis area and sustain seasonal changes. They provide height and volume, and bloom in a range of attractive colors that can complement the exterior of your property’s buildings. Add butterfly bushes to boost the sustainability of your landscaping and attract pollinators for that special touch.

Trees in your landscape design are another great idea. They offer curb appeal, shade, and privacy — something that potential tenants will appreciate when touring your property. With the right layout and proximity to living spaces, trees can offer the added benefit of lowering utility bills with their sun-shielding shade.

Consider a Common Area

While apartment renters may not have a backyard, adding a common area to your property can be a close substitute — especially if your property’s target audience is young families who are looking for places to play.

Include a lawn area with enough space to toss around a football, a hard-surface court for basketball or tennis, and benches for spectators to comfortably watch. Establish pockets of outdoor space with greenery that offers a little bit of privacy for quiet reading or conversation. Grilling stations or fire pits can give residents a space to gather, socialize, and entertain guests.

Appeal to the pet owners by setting up a dog park, dog runs, or trails for exercising furry friends. Just make sure to provide plenty of dog waste bag dispensers and waste receptacles to encourage residents to keep the property clean and tidy.

Beef Up Security

Security features can be incorporated as part of your landscape design. Tenants will feel safer, property value increases, and these additions could even reduce your liability insurance premiums.

Fences around the outside of the property will muffle noise and create a barrier that protects unwanted visitors. Adding climbing greenery can make them more visually appealing. Lighting along walkways and in the parking areas can add to the physical safety of tenants while also deterring thieves. 

If you’re considering adding a water feature or small pond to your design, or you have a pool on the property, you’ll also want to incorporate physical barriers to prevent pets and small children from falling in.

Make Sure to Maintain

Once you’ve decided on landscaping and outdoor living design, find a partner that you can depend on to maintain the area. All of the additions you make to the curb appeal of your property won’t mean much if common spaces are dirty and plants are overgrown. Whether you’re working with on-site personnel or a third-party landscaping company, prioritize communication and collaboration to help make your property stand out from the competition. 

Creating a space that encourages people to sign a lease will help increase the value of your property, increase retention, and help build a community that investors would be proud to add to their portfolio when it comes time to sell. Working with a property management company that you can trust to make this happen will offer some serious peace of mind.