Jason Cohen Pittsburgh advises would-be investors away from certain unprofitable renovations.

1. 5 U P D A T E S L A N D L O R D S
S H O U L D N ' T M A K E
J A S O N C O H E N P I T T S B U R G H

2. UPDATING A HOME SHOULDN'T BE COSTLY.
Marble countertops, shiny tiled floors, and a brand-new patio:
while they might be pretty, upgrades like these won’t help your
bottom line. If you plan to invest and maintain a profitable rental
property, you’ll need to strike a balance between updating the
space and minding your budget. By creating an appealing
setting, you can make more of a profit by increasing the rent -
however, if you stray from updates to full-scale renovation, you
might end up dealing with a property that costs more than it
earns. Here are a few renovations that investors shouldn’t make
on a rental property.

3. S W I M M I N G P O O L
A pool may seem like an ideal
addition to the backyard, but it
won't necessarily increase the value
of the home. The feature can also
take away space in the backyard for
pets or children to play in on the
property and make it seem
unattractive to families who lack
the time or resources to maintain
it.

4. R O O M A D D I T I O N S
According to loans.usnews.com,
room additions don't always pay off
due to the high cost of the
construction. Projects with a lower
price tag - such as appliance
updates and repainting - tend to
have a better return on investment
for landlords.

5. D I Y P R O J E C T S
From painting the walls to
installing new sinks, DIY projects
are cost-effective at a price; while
they may seem cheap at the outset,
they often look they were
performed by someone who had a
lack of experience, and ultimately
turn away would-be tenants. It's
necessary to leave the work to
professionals to ensure that your
money is an investment that pays
off and attracts more tenants in the
coming years.

6. H I G H - M A I N T E N A N C E
L A N D S C A P E S
According to Time Magazine,
creating a beautiful garden benefits
the aesthetics of a home - but it
doesn't justify increasing the rent
that you charge. It can also require
a significant amount of money for
landscaping services to upkeep the
property or the tenants may not
want to spend their weekends
pulling weeds and watering
different areas of the yard. Stick to
landscaping that is easy to maintain
to ensure that you don't waste your
money if you're renting out the
house.

7. U P G R A D I N G
E V E R Y T H I N G
Many landlords make the mistake of
upgrading everything and assuming
that the home needs to have all new
features or materials to attract
good tenants. Overspending on
upgrades can make the house
appear too chic and regal for the
local area, making it necessary to
keep the upgrades to a minimum.
Stick to adding new fixtures on the
cabinets or new hardwood floors in
the living room to make upgrades
that are minimal, yet aesthetically
effective.

8. For more of Jason Cohen Pittsburgh’s insights on
real estate, please visit:
JasonCohenPittsburgh.org.
T H A N K Y O U