Best Kitchen Countertops for Rental Properties
With rental properties, the main goal is to get leases signed and tenants in. But in order to do that in today’s competitive housing market, you need to offer value that makes your property stand out among others.
Now more than ever, prospective renters are looking for quality interior finishes within apartments, condominiums, and other multi-family complexes — and one of the first places they look is, you guessed it, the kitchen. When the design of your kitchen can make or break their decision to sign, it’s important to get the details right. In this article, we’ll walk you through one of the first steps to designing a desirable rental property kitchen: choosing your countertops.
4 of the Best Kitchen Countertop Options for Rental Properties
So, what is the best kitchen countertop for your rental property? Well, that depends on your specific wants and needs. Each option comes with varying advantages and disadvantages in terms of durability, maintenance, and pricing, so your decision lies with which attributes are most important to you.
To help narrow your choices, we’ll outline the main aspects of four common rental property countertop materials below:
1. Granite
Granite is the most popular stone countertop material on the market, and it’s a solid choice for your rental property’s kitchen. As a pretty durable option, granite countertops are heat and scratch-resistant, but they’re not naturally stain-resistant. If you don’t stick to an annual sealing schedule, and your tenants aren’t disciplined about wiping spills soon after they occur, your countertop’s sleek appearance may suffer.
Granite is also a popular option because its pricing varies based on the stone’s thickness, rarity, and manufacturing and installation labor. Therefore, you can find a beautiful granite option that fits within your budget, however large or small that may be.
2. Quartz
Quartz is quickly gaining popularity in the countertop industry, mostly due to its top-notch durability and low maintenance requirements. Naturally scratch and stain-resistant, quartz countertops are the perfect choice for high-traffic, frequently used kitchens. Their beautiful, clean appearance won’t suffer a bit, even without annual sealings — which is a great assurance for rental properties with unpredictable, ever-changing tenants.
Similar to granite, quartz countertops costs vary, so it’s possible to find something that fits your budget. If you’re looking for an affordable, yet appealing countertop material that’s guaranteed to keep its shine, you won’t be disappointed by quartz.
3. Corian®
Corian® is the original solid surface countertop. It’s composed of about 33% acrylic resin and 66% natural minerals, most commonly aluminum trihydrate. Corian® is usually the most affordable option and is fairly consistent in terms of color and pattern, but it has a more matte compared to other stone countertops’ glossy ones.
Corian® is non-porous, meaning it’s pretty low maintenance. It doesn’t require any sealing — just regular, easy wipe-downs with mild soap and warm water. But you’ll want to know that it is susceptible to scratches, scorching, and chemical damage, so making your tenants aware of best practices is critical to the countertop’s longevity.
4. Laminate
On the complete opposite side of the spectrum, laminate is usually the most affordable countertop option. It’s a common choice for properties that need to outfit a lot of units while sticking to a tight budget. And with a variety of styles and colors available, you’re guaranteed to find one that fits your desired aesthetic.
Laminate, however, isn’t the most durable option. It’s made of plastics, so it can be easily damaged by scratches or heat. But its affordable pricing and ease of installation can usually offset that negative aspect.
If you’re looking for countertops to outfit your rental property’s kitchens, look no further than Standard Kitchens. We have a variety of countertop options available, so you can choose one that best fits your property’s needs and budget. To talk with one of our kitchen experts, give us a call or contact us online.