Blog Post

Does your Long Beach Rental Have Water Wise Landscaping Features?

Dustin Edwards • Sep 06, 2022

Water Wise Features For Your Rental

When managing your property have you considered water wise landscaping features?


Conserving water has quickly become a necessary feature when
renting a Long Beach property. Many tenants who have to pay for their water utilities would rather save their money with water wise landscaping features. While landlords that include the price of water utility in the rent would be smart to keep landscaping features drought resistant and water wise. 

What are water wise landscaping features and why would you want to have them on your Long Beach rental? Below are a few landscaping features that can save you money and keep the curb appeal of your Long Beach rental high.


Water Conservation is Everyone’s Responsibility

People should understand that water conservation is everyone’s responsibility. As the challenges of this California drought rapidly increases, it will eventually result in increased prices. The solution is to conserve water by making your home more water-efficient. 


As a property owner, it's your responsibility to make sure water lines, irrigation and plumbing is well maintained and not leaking. But it goes farther than this, automation of sprinkler systems and proper lawn care can conserve water, keep tenants happy while keeping your curb appeal intact. 


Drought Resistant Lawn

Drought resistant grass lawns may be one of the best ways to keep a beautiful lawn while saving water. While there are some types of lawns that can be green year round with proper watering, this can be difficult to keep up when only allowed to water your lawn according to Long Beach water restrictions.


Drought resistant grass can thrive during periods of limited watering. Though a concern for some is that most drought resistant grass like buffalo and bermuda grass has a dormancy period in which the grass will turn brown for a season.


Although this may seem like your lawn is dying you can retain the bright lush green by simply applying grass paint during this period. It does sound odd to paint your grass when it's brown but it's far more common than you may think. When drought resistant grass goes dormant it doesn't need much water, so by painting the dry grass you can keep the curb appeal of a green lawn and save water. Lawn paint only lasts 2 to 3 months, by the time it begins to wash away your grass should be growing again.


Drip Irrigation and a Smart Controller

You may be wondering what a drip irrigation system is. Essentially its a low pressure, low volume lawn and garden watering system. It delivers water to your home’s landscapes through a small steam, spray or drip. This type of system uses less water than other irrigation systems while keeping roots moist but not soggy. With minimal evaporation and overwatering a drip irrigation can lower use of water while keeping plants thriving.


A drip irrigation system can solve some problems you can't with a traditional sprinkler system. The gentle and precise nature of drip irrigation will prevent over watering which can cause run off watering that can cause erosion. The water supply lines connect directly to a hose spigot making it unnecessary to cut into the home’s water lines.The flexibility of the water lines means you can adjust what locations get the appropriate watering as the plants grow and spread throughout the landscape. You can also get smart controllers like the
Rachio R3 to adjust watering depending on the weather. Although drip irrigation uses less water than a traditional sprinkler system, you are still going to deal with local restrictions based on your property’s location.


Mulch

If you’re not familiar with mulch, it comes in a few varieties but most commonly its wood chips spread across gardens or other landscape features. Mulch is versatile in landscaping, it improves soil quality, allows better water movement, it keeps soil cool during summer, and it mitigates water evaporation.

 

Added bonuses include using it to hide drip irrigation systems, wires used for landscaping lights which can give your property a clean, natural look.


Sprinkler Maintenance 

Sprinklers, being a “set it and forget it” system many homeowners and tenants truly forget to adjust and maintain the sprinkler system. Forgetting to adjust sprinklers after a rainfall can lead to overwatering your lawn which is not only unnecessary it leads to waste of water.


Over time, much like everything in a home, sprinkler systems will need maintenance and repairs. Sprinkler heads can become misdirected and begin to spray walkways or driveways instead of the landscape. Depending on water quality the sprinkler head can also become partially clogged which can lead to pooling of water near the sprinkler head and dry spots throughout the lawn.


You can participate in Long Beach’s
Lawn-to-Garden program which can provide benefits for the environment and attract environmentally conscious tenants. All Lawn-to-Garden projects are eligible to receive an incentive of up to $3.00 per square foot of lawn removed in the front yard or $2.00 per square foot in the backyard. Replacing water thirsty lawns for native, drought resistant gardens. If you need help understanding water wise landscaping features, or need help understanding Long Beach’s Lawn-to-Garden program feel free to call us at (562) 888-0247 or feel free to fill out our free rental analysis to see what your rental could yield today.

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By Dustin Edwards 01 May, 2024
Everyone wants to feel safe in their homes. As an investment property owner, it's up to you to decide whether or not to include security measures in your property. Many of the costs associated with the security measures can be included in the rent, meaning not only can you keep your property safe, but you can earn more income in the long run. However, you would still want your tenants to have renters insurance to protect their assets. Today, we’ll discuss the top five security measures you can add to your property and why they're beneficial to you and your tenant. Security Cameras Cameras are probably one of the first security measures people think about when asked about security. Cameras provide more benefits than just surveillance. They provide an extra level of security for the safety of the tenants and their belongings. Additionally, security cameras can be useful when repairs are required. Cameras can aid in supervising repairs and maintenance to ensure you’re receiving the agreed-upon work. During vacancies when the property is empty, security cameras can help keep the property safe from potential intruders. Doorbell cameras are incredibly popular now. They provide the aforementioned safety of a camera that can be accessed remotely, as well as the ability to communicate with visitors. Although one must be careful never to say you're not home, just say you're unavailable to strangers. Security Lights Security lights with motion detectors are another effective tool when adding security measures to your property. These lights brightly if a potential intruder attempts to get near your home. They can provide enough illumination to see the intruder or, at the very least, scare them off. Nowadays, you can find a combination of security cameras and motion-activated security lights, such as the floodlight cam wired plus from Ring . Additionally, because these lights only turn on when motion is detected, they’re more cost-effective than traditional lights with a switch. Illuminate the Property Light generally deters intruders as it's more difficult to hide. Adding lighting to the landscaping can increase the security of the property while creating a relaxing atmosphere. Lights can also be used in other areas of the property to accent features such as trees, benches, or artwork. This can help your property stand out while giving your tenants an additional feeling of safety. Keyless Entry Keyless entry is seen as both a convenience feature and a security feature. They usually use an electronic passcode, biometric data, or grant access through a smartphone app. Physical keys can be lost, stolen, or duplicated. You reduce the risk of unauthorized entry by eliminating the need for a physical key to enter the property. Many keyless entry systems include several features, such as remote locking and monitoring. Although keyless entry is a great new technology for keeping your tenants and properties safe, they’re best used with other security systems. Security Company Nothing beats having an extra pair of eyes on your property for security. This is where security companies like ADT and SimpliSafe come in. While companies may deal with security in varying ways, they aim to protect your investment. While safety is the primary role of a security company, remember that many tenants may be willing to pay more for a premium amenity like a home security company. Keeping your property and tenants safe is incredibly important to the longevity of an investment property. If you’re looking to improve the security of your Long Beach rental property or need help managing your beach city rental property, we invite you to call us today at (562) 888-0247 or fill out our Owner Application online .
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