How family friendly rental properties make sense

Property Management

Family friendly rental properties make financial and operational sense because they attract long-term tenants who value stability, reducing turnover costs while ensuring steady occupancy rates in affordable housing portfolios. By aligning unit features with the specific needs of households—such as adequate storage, safety features, and durable finishes—property managers secure reliable income streams and foster community retention.

In 2022, 85% of parents in the U.S. planned to travel in 2023 with their children. If you’re a property manager or owner of a rental property, this means that having family-friendly rentals can make a huge difference. You’ll want everyone in the family to stay in your apartment comfortably while enjoying their vacation. For related operational guidance, review property management tools and dashboards.

Wondering how to make a property family-friendly? Read on to learn some practical tips and what tools you can use to attract more families and increase your ROI.

Keep the Property Easy To Clean

It’s natural for kids to make messes when playing, eating, or simply running around the house. That is why parents like family-friendly apartments that make cleaning easier. If you have stained carpet, replace it with wooden floors, vinyl, or tile. Instead of using flat paint, use a more durable satin paint. Add reliable door stoppers too, so the door handles won’t make holes in the walls.

To help make property maintenance easier for you, use effective property management software like ExactEstate. Both your staff and residents can submit work orders and track the status wherever they are. Through the online resident portal, families can easily communicate their requests and stay updated with any changes.

Consider Welcoming Pets

Welcoming both children and pets into your rental property might sound risky. However, allowing pets will mean a lot to renters who are also fur parents. Whether families are taking a vacation or moving to a new rental home, they would love to bring their furry friends because they’re also part of the family.

Hence, accepting pets will help you attract more amazing tenants. Just establish rules to help maintain the property. Moreover, you can consider asking for a pet deposit or monthly pet rent.

Provide Enough Storage Space

If you want to accommodate families in your rental property, make sure there’s enough storage space. This includes space for clothes, kids’ toys, books, and other valuable items. However, keep some of these storage spaces out of reach of children for safety.

Moreover, provide adequate storage in the kitchen, living room, and other gathering places. If your rental property has enough space, you can provide a shed, so there’s more room for storage.  

Provide Safety Features

Creating family-friendly apartments requires adding safety and security features. Examples include gate sensors, alarm systems, and security cameras. If you’re managing a large rental property, consider adding a fence to prevent intruders, create boundaries, and provide privacy.

Furthermore, keep the inside of the rental home safe for children. There shouldn’t be sharp items that can injure kids. Check for cracked tiles or live wires, and add cabinet locks and outlet covers. Baby-proof your basement doors, too.

Provide baby gates and carbon monoxide detectors. Your cleaning team should also use baby-safe and non-toxic cleaning solutions, and store these in places that are beyond the children’s reach. Also, make sure your renters have access to several keys in case kids get locked out in their room or bathroom. If your rental home has a pool, keep it secure with proper locks and fencing.

Suggest Local Family-friendly Activities

Learning how to make a property family-friendly includes recommending things and places that the whole family can enjoy in the neighborhood. These include parks, picnic spots, movie theaters, ice cream stores, kid-friendly or pet-friendly restaurants, beaches, and more.

Let them know about the festivals, concerts, and family events near the neighborhood, or create one. Doing so helps renters bond with family members and discover places that will soon be their favorites, too, giving them more reason to stay in your rental property. 

Prepare Your Property for Emergencies

Emergencies can happen at any time. That is why you must prepare your rental home for any unforeseen events. This way, parents or caregivers won’t panic and will know what to do in case they encounter emergencies with their children. Provide a first-aid kit, like ice packs, bandages, gauze, antibiotic ointment, anti-itch cream, thermometers, first-aid manuals, and more.

Moreover, let the family know about the hospitals, clinics, convenience stores, or drug stores near your rental property. Give them a list complete with your personnel’s contact information. You can also place such information on the fridge or somewhere else that they’ll easily notice.

Ensure Comfortable Sleep

Another way to keep your rental property family-friendly is by making sure kids can sleep safely. Invest in bed rails, so parents will have peace of mind that their kids won’t fall out of bed in the middle of the night and get injured.

Consider including a folding crib, too. To make it easier for kids to take a nap, use blackout curtains. You can also add sleep accessories, such as a night light, humidifier, and a white noise machine. Tell parents about the quietest bedroom, so they know where to take children for nap time. Families will appreciate these efforts and be more convinced to stay at your rental home.

Offer Forms of Entertainment

Family-friendly rentals provide different sources of entertainment. These include adding a smart TV, where family members can watch or stream movies together. Place board games, puzzles, and a game table too. Parents can play with the kids or simply use the time to prepare meals or continue to work from home.

You can also provide children’s books, and a large bean bag chair or a small nook with great lighting can urge kids and even adults to read and enjoy their alone time. Furthermore, consider adding basketballs, frisbees, footballs, skateboards, and bicycles so the whole family can enjoy different activities within your rental home.

Add More Sleeping Spaces

If you’re welcoming more family members, the more that you need additional sleeping spaces. Consider pull-out sofas and bunk beds. Make sure there are enough pillows and blankets as well.

Ask Renters Questions

Knowing how to make a property family-friendly includes asking the residents themselves. They might have concerns or suggestions that can make your rental home safer and more relaxing for families. Respond to their requests promptly and effectively. If their requests don’t seem feasible to you, offer some form of compromise.

One great thing about ExactEstate as a property management platform is it gives you room for customization. From reporting to system settings, you can modify them based on your needs while ensuring that residents are enjoying their stay at your property.

Final Thoughts

To keep your rental property more family-friendly, invest in child-friendly amenities, consider allowing pets, provide different entertainment options, ensure enough storage, and prioritize safety and security.

Using ExactEstate can also help you manage your property more effectively, from tenant screening and online leasing to maintenance and reporting. Schedule a demo today to learn how we can help your business succeed while welcoming more families into your property.

Why do family friendly rental properties make a difference?

Family friendly rental properties make a significant difference in tenant retention and community stability. When tenants feel their home is safe, comfortable, and well-managed, they are more likely to stay long-term, reducing turnover costs for property managers.

How can ExactEstate help you manage these upgrades?

ExactEstate streamlines the process of upgrading and maintaining your units by centralizing maintenance requests, lease tracking, and tenant communications. This smart management software ensures your property remains comfortable and secure without adding administrative burden to your team.

How do income and asset limits affect family tenants?

When managing affordable housing, understanding household income and asset thresholds is critical for compliance and tenant placement. Under 24 CFR 5.603, a qualifying family is defined as one "whose annual income does not exceed 80 percent of the median income for the area, as determined by HUD with adjustments for smaller and larger families, except that HUD may establish income ceilings higher or lower than 80 percent of the median income for the area on the basis of HUD's findings that such variations are necessary because of unusually high or low family incomes." Additionally, property managers can streamline the verification process for family assets. According to 24 CFR 5.618, a PHA or owner may determine net assets based on a family certification that they "do not exceed $50,000, which amount will be adjusted annually by HUD in accordance with the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, without taking additional steps to verify the accuracy of the declaration." For households with children, 24 CFR 5.611 provides a deduction of "$480 for each dependent, which amount will be adjusted by HUD annually in accordance with the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, rounded to the next lowest multiple of $25."

What specific upgrades make a unit more suitable for families?

To attract and retain family tenants, property managers should focus on durability, space utilization, and safety. Implementing a standardized upgrade checklist ensures that every unit meets the practical demands of multi-person households while minimizing long-term maintenance costs.