I'd take a tile countertop with undermount sink and marine edge like you have there over laminate any day. It looks good and it's also pretty durable. I would update the kitchen a different way.

I agree with Fori.

Do you think there could be something else about the townhouse limiting your tenant options? How is the bathroom? Do you have wood/laminate floors or carpet?

One other thing. Do you think it would make a difference to have professional photos taken of the property? When we sold our last house I was absolutely amazed at how wonderful our house looked in the professional photos. It was only 100 bucks and the response (and offer) within 24 hours convinced me that pro real estate photos are essential.

I think its mainly the kitchen and thus the countertop that's limiting my tenant options.

The bathrooms were remodeled about four, five years ago. It wasn't a full blown bathroom remodel where I changed the mirrors, got frameless shower doors, or changed the lighting. But, all the bathrooms did get new vanities, granite countertops, and faucets.

I've got the same tile floors in the kitchen and the adjoining dining room and then carpets in the rest of the home.

And, I know the rental price wasn't the issue because I try to underprice it and keep it below market rent to drum up more interest. I certainly did show it to enough people and got a number of applicants who wanted the place, but a lower price didn't necessarily bring in better applicants.

how many bathrooms? (carpet?) how many bedrooms?

how old is the carpet? stained? dirty or damaged?

I wouldn't like tile countertops - I'd rather have a nice laminate myself.

I too would prefer a nice laminate over tile counters.

Have you considered one of the more "durable" granites...the kind posters refer to as bullet-proof? Would prefab granite counters work for your layout?

You can get prefab counter super cheap.

I would not change the countertop. In SoCal. Tile countertops are the norm. The kitchen looks clean and nice. What are other kitchens in rentals looking like? That may give you can idea of what may be the issue. How are you advertising the apartment for rent? Are most rentals in your are handled by realtors? There could be a lot of factors affecting the rental. I doubt the kitchen is the main factor.

Good luck!

"The tile countertops are those 70s or 80s tiles with that bumpy texture
on the tiles. The tiles are still in good shape although a few of those
little bumps that stick out have broken off. And, there's the grout
lines between the tiles which I don't even bother because that seems
like a lost cause." quoted from marvelousmarvin's original post.

If some of the bumps have broken off it sounds like maybe the tile is not in as good a shape as you think? If there are lots of apartments to rent, potential tenants may be focusing on the negative to knock the list of rentals down to a small list to choose from. Is your damaged and dated tile a turn off?

I'm one of those who would see tile counters and run - I have no interest in dealing with the grout and extra work to keep an uneven surface clean. Plus you can't roll out dough. I'll take a laminate counter any day over tile even with an overmount sink. I could be wrong but I think some of the cheapest grades of granite might be close to the price of a quality laminate counter. Either of them would be my choice if I was looking at rentals.

I realize you want to save money and not redo the cabinets etc. but I still remember years ago when I was house hunting and seeing kitchens with brand new counters etc. but the cabinets were painted sloppily and didn't close properly with poor quality hardware. I also saw one house where the homeowner had professionally painted cabinets that looked fantastic because they were smooth, no drips and they looked and felt like high end cabinets, not old tired ones when in fact they were old, original to the house. I'm not suggesting you rip out your cabinets - but look to see that they paint/finish on them is professional factory finish looking - no drips, even coverage etc.

If I had a choice between a place with tile counters and one with seamless counters, I'd take the latter. I hate hate hate tile counters and the grout associated with them. If you do decide to change the counters, replace the sink at the same time with a single bowl sink. So much easier to use than a divided sink.

I like laminates! But laminate in a rental? Makes sense to me :)

I have a friend who just DIY'd concrete overlay on existing countertop, from instructions she found on the 'net. She's happy with it, but if you go that route, make sure you cover everything else in the kitchen, and invest in a shopvac-type vacuum cleaner.

This is the only pic I have with the new tops.

Blog with instructions and good pics.

There is nothing I hate more than tile counters. (OK, maybe a few things, lol.) Anything glass that is dropped is likely to break, keeping the grout clean is a hassle, and it means you need another surface for working with dough. You probably do need to change them out. I'd prefer laminate to granite but, in your market, you probably need to go granite. If your cabinets are in good condition, look for a low-cost stone.

Regarding finding quality tenants: We have several rentals. I hate to say this as I think it makes me sound like a socio-economic snob but we have found that properties that warrant higher rent attract more conscientious renters that pay timely and take better care of the property.

And, as homepro suggested, the other units may be marketed differently and better.

Have you gone to look at other rental units to compare the differences between them and your own? Not just look at online photos but physically visiting them in person? It might be worth it to do that to give you some clarify on this issue.

I would absolutely replace the tile with a nice looking laminate. If possible, I'd also change the sink to a large stainless sink. Both would make the kitchen look much more "current".

It really depends on which city in Orange County the property is in. The rents vary according to the reputation of the town. Costa Mesa doesn't have the high rents of Newport Beach or Laguna. Any improvements you make should line up with the perception of the town or neighborhood.

Aside from that, is laminate tough? Will it stain? Can you put a hot pan on it? Renters don't show the concern homeowners do. Personally, I don't even like granite. Streaky stuff is hard to keep shiny. In our pub/media room, the bar top is granite. In our kitchen I chose large porcelain floor tiles with a modern schleutered edge. It cleans like a dream and it's so tough you can dance on it. I think all the advice above about looking at other rentals personally is really good.

We just remodeled my late mother in law's kitchen to sell the house (not to rent it), but we simply painted the cabinets white inside and out (professional) and put new fixtures on it. We also installed a new sink and faucet and stainless appliances. We went with the prefab granite for the counter top. House sold before it ever had the realtor preview. Bright and light make rooms look bigger.

Good luck to you. Would love to see what you decide on!

Laminate isn't repairable and in a rental, repairability should be at the top of the list.

What do you expect to happen to the laminates, Joe? A cigarette burn? That's the only thing that's ever damaged mine (before we owned it).

I have never understood the idea of putting hot pans or cutting directly on countertops. I guess we all grew up with laminate in our area of the country. We all know to use hot pads and cutting boards! :)

Stone often has to be sealed and sometimes babied. And....laminate is not usually that expensive to replace and can/should be taken out of the rent deposit, if necessary.

Have you priced laminate vs granite? In my area, the difference is a few hundred dollars. Also, my IKEA recently sold buttermilk Caesarstone for under 50.00/sqft.

I'd prefer laminate over tile...but if the tile is in good shape, not sure that it would be worth replacing.with laminate. Do you have quotes so that you know the cost difference between laminate and low-end granite?

Are the other units carpeted as well? When I was renting, I never cared much about kitchen countertops, but always looked for wood/laminate floors.

FWIW, I was only comparing laminate to the existing tile. Between laminate and granite, if the price difference isn't too great, I'd go with granite. Why? Because people think it's an upgrade, and you can get one that's pretty bullet (and therefore, tenant)-proof.

Would that be Uba Tuba?

I don't really know, but in my previous home I had Crema Bordeaux and Nordic Black Antique. I resealed them once in 8 years. And I (gasp!) put hot pots on them. They were in perfect condition when we moved.

But did you stand and sit on your counters --- and skateboard in your kitchen? :)

I like laminate with a single bowl SS sink. Really, I would replace the blinds with roller shades, paint the walls/backsplash a more up-to-date color (coordinate with basic curtains) and, replace a can light or two with pendants. I think that would do a lot for this kitchen. I guess the vibe you are going for will depends on the general age bracket of your target renter.

First question: Do the tile counters need replacing? Are they too gross to leave as is?
If yes, and a more upscale look is required, then laminate isn't going to cut it, especially if you go through the mess of removing tiled counters.
Second, in terms of additional rental income, how long would it take before new counters are paid for through a higher rent?
Third, is the goal to attract a different kind of renters? In that case, I suppose it depends on the target market and what comparable places look like.

OK - I'm going to say it....You're looking for a higher-end clientele, correct?

I know you don't want to hear it, but I think the cabinets are also an issue - they look low-end. While partial overlays are not necessarily low-end, the large amount of exposed cabinet boxes do look low-end. There are also large spaces b/w the counter and the top drawers.

Personally, I'd consider redoing the cabinets with IKEA cabinets (inexpensive, but look better than what you have). Then, put in an inexpensive granite that complements whatever finish you pick - don't just pick any granite b/c it's cheap, pick an inexpensive one that doesn't look like it was slammed in there just so you can say "granite counters".

Your appliances are fine and will not need to be replaced. Although, a slide-in range may have looked more high-end....but if you don't have something else to do with the existing range and cannot sell it, you could probably stick with it.

You don't have to change the layout. (There may be some ways to make it look bigger that might warrant a change, but I can't tell without seeing the entire space and having measurements.)

I also strongly dislike tile counters - not just cleaning the grout, but crumbs, etc., get caught in the grout lines when wiping off the counter and you have to fiddle to get the counter clean. Laminate, high end, may be OK, as long as it's in pristine condition. Unfortunately, many renters won't care if they scratch or gouge your laminate counters by cutting on them. Too many people do things in rentals (homes and cars) that they wouldn't do at home or with their own cars.

Oh, and get some of that clutter off the counters.

"What do you expect to happen to the laminates, Joe? A cigarette burn? That's the only thing that's ever damaged mine (before we owned it)."

Got a nick in a laminate bar top in my condo and looked at it until I replaced the top.

Treb: Do you recommend Corian type products for rentals?

I rented my last apartment for the price, location, and hardwood floors. Rental carpet squicks me out. It had vintage tile counters that I didn't mind because they were flat with small clean grout lines. However, I would have definitely prefered laminate to that bumpy 80's stuff with huge grout lines and the marine edge that makes it hard to wipe stuff off the counter. Note that this was not an upscale apt building, so I was expecting functional, not stylish.
I second the suggestion to look at getting new ikea cabinets. That door where the trash compactor was removed looks awful. I would find new ikea cabinets with white grimslov or veddinge doors (2 of their less expensive styles) and a nice laminate or inexpensive granite much more appealing than what you have now.

Ironically, that door replacing the trash compactor is from Ikea. It was the closest thing I could find that matched the existing cabinet style.

I didn't even think about prefab granite countertops and I'll have to look into them if it can be priced low enough. How do I know if prefab will work for the layout? I really need to cram in a lot of information about granite because I had already written it off as an option until now.

I don't want to spend too much on granite because I think it would be throwing good money after bad money with this kitchen. I don't want to spend too much on granite when they'll go on top of early 70s plywood cabinets. And, if you buy new cabinets for the new countertops, then it opens a pandora's box where then you need new layout, etc... The layout needs improvement, and it wouldn't make sense to not address the layout if you were bringing in new cabinetry.

Its not just the money to buy new cabinets, its also all the time it'd take to install everything and all the time it'd take to figure out the layout and stuff like that.

If I updated the kitchen, it would be to decrease the time it takes to rent the place. But, any time I saved in doing so would be more than lost by all the time it takes to remodel a kitchen with new cabinetry and layout.

If I got granite countertops, should they be something blackish because the stainless steel appliances have those black parts?

Also, would I also need to get the same granite countertop for the pass through in between the kitchen and the dining room? You can see it on the left, with the orchid on top of it.

Yes I'd do something with black in it and neutral colors. There are lots of pre-fab ones that could save you money and be close to laminate. They tend to be lower movement and as long as colors are something that goes with lots of other colors I think you should be good.

Yes I'd do the pass through in the same material, or if it is window height the pass through could use the same as you are using for your window sills in the rest of the house.

I think I would reduce the depth of the pass through material though. No need to have an overhang like it does and it seems to encroach too much on the dining area.

Of course, I don't know your rental market but we have found that upgrades allow us to raise the rent a bit and usually lead to getting more reliable renters. It really might be money well spent. And, of course, there are the tax write-offs for improvements. I dunno...you really need to weigh the issues you are dealing with against the issues of a month or so of lost rent while you're doing the improvements plus the cost of materials/labor. But since you're having problems renting the apartment, which looks to be a charming place, imho, it may be the best way to resolve the issues.

I agree that the overhang in the dining room is too encroaching on the dining table.

Carpet would be a much bigger turn-off for me than anything about that kitchen. When I was renting, carpets were an automatic "no". Who wants to live with someone else's detritus deep in their floors? (I don't even want to live with my own detritus and I'm on a mission to remove the last two carpets in my home, even if I have to live with the concrete subfloor.)

I have lived with tile counters and they can look nice but they really are hard to clean. You can't just spray and wipe like a normal countertop. The grout tends to hold in bacteria-laden liquids if not adequately sealed. From the description of the tile countertops, there is no way that they can be hygienic currently, and anyone who takes cooking seriously would have an issue with that. I don't see a problem with laminate - there have been lots of kitchens posted with lovely laminate counters.

I agree that a professional paint job of the cabinets may be beneficial - it's hard to tell from the photos.

"Treb: Do you recommend Corian type products for rentals?"

Why wouldn't you want a product that is sanitary, stylish, repairable, and refinishable in a rental?

"...Its not just the money to buy new cabinets, its also all the time it'd take to install everything and all the time it'd take to figure out the layout and stuff like that.

If I updated the kitchen, it would be to decrease the time it takes to rent the place. But, any time I saved in doing so would be more than lost by all the time it takes to remodel a kitchen with new cabinetry and layout...."

It would only increase the time for the first renter, not subsequent.

If you wait 2 or 3 months to update it and get a higher rent, won't that offset the loss? Renting for an additional 2 or 3 months at a lower rent may net you less in the long run. And then you'll be faced with the same decision as now.

.

Regarding the door that replaced the trash compactor - it's not that it's an IKEA door, it's that it doesn't match the rest of the doors and is full-height (like the others should be), so it sticks out like a sore thumb. In addition, it does not appear to have been installed correctly (it looks like it doesn't close completely - but that could just be the picture.)

Hi! I'm checking in again since the HOUZZ takeover. I think Floor and Decor in Santa Ana has prefab granite.

Having lived in So Cal most of my life, I get that you are in a bit of a quandary. Like someone else said, it depends on which beach city and what the proximity is to a university. And people would pay more for Laguna over San Clemente but might have different expectations for Newport over Huntington.

I would first try and get an understanding of the owner occupancy to rentals ratio. If there are a ton of properties for rent and you just want to get someone in, then clean it and price it right. Maybe add the prefab granite if it's cheap. If it's in a nicer area and most of the units are owner occupied, I would do more.

And maybe the tenant quality is affected by your advertising method. I bet a property manager could get a better tenant and more money.

At this point, I think it might more sense to put the money in the flooring rather than the kitchen.

Since so many people mentioned flooring as a potential turn-off, I'm looking for some help with flooring choices because I'm going to have to change the carpet anyways when the current tenant moves out.

It sounds like carpet is out, but are people specifically looking for hardwood or something that looks like hardwood but doesn't necessarily have to be hardwood? Some people mentioned laminates, but nobody mentioned vinyl flooring that looks like hardwood?

And, are people expecting that hardwood or hardwood-like flooring to extend throughout the house, including the upstairs bedrooms? Or, is carpet for the bedrooms still acceptable as long as you have hardwood or hardwood-like flooring downstairs?

I would start a new thread for your questions, I think you will get more help that way. And I would make sure the title tells them you are asking about flooring for a rental property. ;) (the flooring forum is probably the technical place to post, but you may very well get more views and answers in here)

For us, carpet in the bedrooms is a huge turn off. We all have dust mite allergies and carpet in the bedrooms is dreadful for that.

marvelousmarvin, we have vinyl flooring that looks like hardwood in two bathrooms. We figure they are less likely to get water damage and we are the only ones using the bathrooms. It's OK, but there is a world of difference between that and laminate.

We have laminate in our pub/media room that gets a lot of traffic, but no chance of water damage. The laminate looks much more rich and expensive than the wood-look vinyl because of it's textures. Wood-look vinyl is cheap and it looks it.

I think some type of indoor outdoor carpet would be fine and quiet on the stairs and hall upstairs, but I'd go with laminate in the downstairs and upstairs bedrooms for the reasons mentioned from previous posters.

My sister built a very nice home a few years back and we all thought their vinyl floor was real wood. She said everyone thinks that. It runs through most of the house and each time I go there I am struck at how much like real wood that floor works. She just took off for several weeks overseas so I can't ask her the brand but I think it might be worth looking around to see if you can find a quality vinyl look-alike if you prefer laying vinyl.

I'd say it depends on your prospective renter: All I can say that in my area, hardwood trumps all other materials, even if it's not (much) more expensive than laminate.
Have you looked at Costco bamboo florring or some of their laminates that have actually "separate" blanks?

My first choice is hardwood or laminate everywhere (sorry don't know anything about the wood-look vinyl), but carpet in the bedrooms wouldn't be a deal breaker.