When it comes to the option of installing blinds or installing curtains in a rental, it appears that there may be pros and cons to each.

If I install blinds, it is cheaper, but they are difficult to clean, and it seems that tenants break them often. On the other hand, it doesn't seem to be difficult to charge them for broken blinds without pushback. Also as the blinds age out I get new ones before there time. Problem there though is that each time you go to buy new blinds, the designs have changed and you have to add more mounting holes for the different brackets.

I have never offered my rental to where I provide curtains. I have had some tenants put curtains up. If so, I have left the curtain rods and/or curtains, that the old tenants left behind, for them to use if they want. I have noticed that there never seems to be a problem with the cheap curtain rods getting broken. Seems they know how to handle curtains but not blinds. Problem there is the higher cost of curtains and rods. Also, will they like the curtains I choose, and if not, after they move, will I get my curtains back if they changed them out. I could throw the curtains in the wash to clean them and most likely not have to replace the rods.

There are other pros and cons I am sure.

I am close to finishing up my rehab and am trying to decide on window coverings, as I do want some.

Do you prefer blinds or curtains?

Why?

Is it easier to get reimbursed, without pushback, for curtains and rods, or for blinds?

When blinds were $4 each, I could treat them as disposable.

But corded blinds are another thing that have been banned from manufacturing. So the cordless blinds are $15-$20 each.

If I'm paying $15-$20/window, I want something that's less fragile than blinds. So I spend $4 on a tension rod, and $10-$12 for a pair of blackout curtains, and have a window covering for about the same price.

I own a mobile home park and am concerned that a bedsheet, flag or other such inappropriate window coverings are not visible from the outside.

Hence, I furnish blinds. I bought the cheapest blinds available for years and replaced them all at turnover time. They were always broken in less than 12 months, houses that were left in move in ready condition had broken blinds.

I have for the past 3 months been installing Allen Roth faux wood blinds

Neither one.

I used to install mini-blinds.

Now, I install curtain rods - the "cheap" white, bent metal ones.

I put a nicer metal one with some kind of simple fineals in the Living room.

I will put a set of generic, not-too-godd-looking (whatever I ind in Big Lots) curtains in the bedroom windows, so they have privacy when they first move in. I tell them that once you have bought curtains that suite your style/taste, I'll take these away.

Now, I also do a complimentary maintenance check of the house in about a month - "to make sure everything is working properly in your new home".

Before that visit, I'll email them asking for anything that they think will need attention - so I can bring what I'll need to take care of it right away. And "I'm sure you have some nice curtains by now, so I'll pick up mine while I'm there".

Note that I do not have trailer park or low-rent neighborhoods any more.

In a mid-term, furnished rental unit, I will install the same type of rods and curtains. Nice, heavy black-out curtains.

Even though they may not tend to be too rough on them, the blinds are too hard to keep clean.

We are clearly not going to reach consensus here!

I HATE blinds. I make "curtain rods" out of electrical conduit, and brackets out of L-brackets and conduit pieces. The rods are way stronger than most curtain rods, and the brackets are just the right strength so that if a kid swings on the curtains, the brackets bend before the conduit does and the rod just falls down.

I pick up cheap curtains at yard sales, clearance, etc. They're in the move-in photos, so if they're gone upon move-out I can charge against their SD. I have one particularly ugly set that I keep HOPING someone will steal. Much easier to replace than miniblinds.

I think blinds look and are disgusting.... perhaps because when I was little one of my jobs was to help my grandma take down the metal wide slatted venetian blinds, put them in the back yard and scrub them.

We buy and install quality rods in character with the house. Otherwise tenants buy cheap ones that look it. They think they know how to install them, but either they end up crooked and most times leave huge holes upon departure. On occasion we've purchased quality curtains when we come across them, especially in windows that my husband has built a decorative shelf above, (very appealing for website pictures).

Blinds.

White. Easy to manage - one on EVERY window. My homes look good from the street 24/7/365. No wolf blankets showing.

Walk into Lowes and walk out with what’s needed. Minimal time spent. No odd shapes or colors, and no time shopping.

(6man: for 40 years the brackets were the same - snap in, snap out. Now the new brackets do the same once mounted. )

When we started doing this the residents stopped tearing up my woodwork and walls with railroad spikes and giant screws to hang their own stuff. Turnover, wood putty, spackle, paint costs GONE.

If we don’t cover the windows the res WILL scrounge up something and usually leave it for us to remove at turnover.

Easy to swap if broken. Res can swap them toward their $100 Super Clean Move Out Bonus without a moment from me. At move out I see the new blind boxes in the trash. Done!

Easy to clean with a damp rag or vacuum brush. Previous housekeeper would let them soak in the tub.

Most prospects like blinds.

Cloth holds odor.

We ARE using cloth on patio doors to avoid those dreaded vertical blinds. Thx WMH!

BRAD

We put in roller shades that are light-blocking and heavy duty. We rarely have to replace one due to tenant damage. some tenants use them daily, some never, and a few left them down all the time (can you say "cave"?).

A, B and C+ units.

We install the basic blinds from Lowe's in ALL windows. We also install Amazon Basic curtain rods above ALL windows.

We tell tenants, if the blinds break, replace them. They came from Lowes.

Use the provided rods to decorate your home with color, so that you have what YOU like.

Thank you everyone for the replies.

I have been doing as Plenty stated, except with the cheep blinds.

Ken, I would rather not fool with any myself, but I want the house to look lived in. I also don't want the tenants installing themselves.

Brad, I suppose if you can get the same exact brand every time then the same brackets may work. It usually seems difficult to get the same brand as sometimes stores change them.

I have decided for the time being to go with a combination of both. I will do most of the windows with blinds, even though I also despise them, and will do valance curtains and rods in the kitchen. I want to add color in the kitchen and let in all of the natural light. I have gotten the room darkening blinds that should be a little more energy efficient. Probably not as efficient as blackout curtains though. I want as much natural light as possible in this old home. I have spent a lot of time doing custom work in parts of it.

The kitchen valance curtains should also help with my staging if I can find the ones that I like. I haven't had any luck with finding any in stores.

the key is to buy extras when you buy them, and use the same size as much as possible. Then, mark them up.

I paid under $10 for each set of blinds.

If I have to replace them, I CHARGE $35. That accounts for my time and trouble.

With 26 units. We have enough of them that we actually seem to replace them fairly regularly. We generally get 3-6 years out of them. The 2018 construction project has had about half of the blinds replaced.

Blinds, always blinds. Curtains only for windows where blinds are not wide enough. I think they look better and keep prying eyes out while the place is unoccupied. I usually charge the tenants if the blinds are damaged during their stay, unless it's a particularly long-term tenant (like 5+ years).

I don't supply any window coverings. If the last tenant leaves something not torn or nasty I let it sit and the new tenant decides if they want it.

Seems like I put blinds up and they want curtains, or the colors are not right or the way they move are not right. I just tell them don't put towels or some such up. Get something you like that will be presentable.

I have had no push back from this so I will keep the process going. If while it is empty I have a set of blinds or whatever I might put them in, but I don't plan to decorate for the tenant I don't even have.

B properties in a failing community. I have provided WalMart blinds, but east or west sun exposure causes the slats to sag. Looks bad from the street. Curtains and rods from Big Lots, Goodwill, or garage sales. Simple styles, neutral colors. I am not the decorator. Window coverings are a safety issue. The tenants let me know if they change the curtains and I instruct where to store them. Best to provide window coverings for curb appeal of house. No cardboard or tattered sheets taped or nailed to the walls and window frames allowed. Washing curtains at move-out time is the least of my worries.

Years ago, Home Depot and Lowes had blinds in a few nice decorator colors that they would cut to fit. I put these in several of my rentals. I have never had to replace any of them and I don't know why my tenants have not damaged them - maybe they like the colors enough that they don't mess them up????

Single Family Detached homes ~1800 sf.

Blinds (2" white plastic cut to size at lowes or hd.)

Yes, they're a little pricey now, but if you are upgrading your rental home and want top of the neighborhood rent rate, you have to offer a nice home. Can't go wrong with white blinds. 115 deg days, keep the white blinds closed and you keep radiant heat out and lower the tenant's elect bill for AC.

If tenant wants to install their own curtains or shears over the blinds, my leases say they need to ask me first, show me a pic of what they want to install, and then I let them install the curtains over the blinds. A few holes for curtain rods if I have to remove them for a turn are cheap to fill before fresh paint.

If blinds are destroyed, replacement costs come out of security deposit, and/or it's a write off for me.

If blinds are in good shape at turns, cleaners wipe them clean for low $. If after 7 years, the vinyl 2" blinds are really dirty, two choices:

1) take them down, soak them in tub with a bit of simple green for an hour, wipe them with soft wet cloth, then hang them on a ladder and spray gently and let dry while hanging (this took me 4 hours to do 17 blinds, and they look new again.

For properties taking from rental to selling, in general we remove all window coverings blinds, curtains, and all brackets and throw the stuff away and don't replace. For properties continuing as rentals, we ditch anything, curtains, blinds brackets that are damaged or too old. We might leave anyting is good condtion, but offer to remove if new tenants doesn't like or wants to replace.

Nothing

I let them decide what they want.

I was really looking forward to seeing you again at the convention. Lots of people could learn from you on how to keep residents that long or why you are specific in your 1031 process.