Case Studies
Rental Property Curb Appeal Makeover on a Budget
Automated Lawn & Pest Control looks after rental properties across the Spokane area, and this one was struggling to attract tenants. On a limited budget and a fast turnaround, we cleaned up the overgrown landscape and put in low-maintenance plants and black basalt rock beds, then set up weekly mowing, pest control and a fertilizer and weed control program. The unit filled faster than the owner expected.
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- Property
- Income rental house
- Owner's goal
- More curb appeal to attract tenants
- Constraints
- Limited budget and a quick turnaround
- Needs identified
- Fencing, irrigation and landscaping
- Cleanup
- Dead plants removed, existing plants trimmed
- Landscape
- Low-maintenance plants, black basalt rock beds and a small brick border
- Ongoing care
- Weekly mowing, edging and blowing, plus pest control and fertilizer and weed control
- Result
- Filled faster than expected, at a higher monthly rent
Before & after
Rental Curb Appeal Before & After
The front yard is the first thing a prospective tenant sees, so that's where the budget went first.
The front yard
A dirt front yard behind a broken wooden fence became a green lawn with working sprinklers, a chain-link fence and a black basalt rock bed with a low brick border along the porch.
The problem
Why This Rental Needed Curb Appeal
Curb appeal is the first impression a rental makes. This property's yard was overgrown and unkempt, and the house was struggling to attract tenants.
The owner wanted cost-effective improvements that would make the property more desirable and raise its rental income. Two constraints shaped the plan:
- A limited budget. It's an income property, so the money had to go where it would make the most difference.
- A fast turnaround. The owner wanted the work done quickly to keep tenant disruption to a minimum.
The work
Rental Property Landscaping on a Budget
We put the money where tenants would notice it, then kept it maintained.
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Assess and prioritize
We assessed the whole property to see what needed attention, what could be reused and what had to go, then focused on high-impact, low-cost fixes. The plan called for fencing, irrigation and landscaping.
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Redesign the landscape
We removed the dead plants and trimmed the ones worth keeping. The new design is simple: low-maintenance plants, black basalt rock beds and a small, budget-friendly brick border to define the planting areas.
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Keep it looking good
We set up weekly mowing, edging and blowing to keep the yard sharp, and added pest control and a fertilizer and weed control program to keep the new lawn healthy.
Before & after
Rental Side Yard Before & After
The side yard
A bare side yard of dirt, weeds and scrap wood became a clean stretch of lawn, with a black basalt rock bed along the walk that needs little upkeep.
The result
Faster to Rent, at a Higher Rent
The low-budget makeover paid off. The property drew tenants quickly, the unit filled faster than expected and the owner was able to charge a higher monthly rent.
- More tenant interest. The refreshed property quickly drew potential tenants.
- A shorter vacancy. The owner filled the unit faster than expected, cutting vacancy costs.
- Higher rental income. The added curb appeal let the owner charge a higher monthly rent and improve the return on the property.
The same approach works on any rental: put the budget into what a prospective tenant sees first, choose low-maintenance materials and keep it maintained. We look after rentals and commercial sites year-round. See rental property lawn and landscape care.
Services used
Services Used on This Rental
Own a rental that needs curb appeal? Tell us about the property and we'll quote the work.
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Landscaping
Locally designed, professionally built patios, walkways, retaining walls, curbing and planting.
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Lawn Mowing
Weekly mowing at the right height, trimmed, edged and blown clean, with sharpened blades for a clean cut.
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Fertilization & Weed Control
Fertilizer and weed control programs for a thick, green lawn that crowds weeds out.
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Pest Control
Perimeter treatments that put a barrier around your home or business to help keep spiders, ants, wasps and mice outside.
Last updated September 18, 2026