One of the biggest keys to success in the rental property business is standardization. Nearly all my units have the same brand of faucets, toilets, paint, carpet, etc. As a smaller landlord I find this important for two big reasons:

1) This keeps your maintenance inventory small. I can stock a repair kit for faucets and another for toilets, and know that, even at 8:30 PM on Sunday night, I have what I need to get the job done. It saves me a trip to Menards, and the tenants appreciate the extra level of service.

2) It eliminates having to make several decisions when rehabbing a unit. There are always a hundred decisions to make during a rehab, and I can eliminate having to make the choice of a faucet, toilet, deadbolt, paint brand and color, etc. This streamlines the process and lowers my stress level during a rehab.

John Kostecki