How One Family Increased Their Rental Income by 50%

In today’s economy, finding ways to make more money without starting from scratch can be a challenge. For many families who own rental properties, the question is not just how to make money, but how to make more from what you already have. This is exactly what happened with the Harris family — an ordinary family who managed to increase their rental income by 50% with smart, practical changes. And the best part? You can do the same.

In this blog post, we’ll walk through the real-life story of how they did it, step-by-step, and how you can apply their lessons to your own rental property.

Meet the Harris Family

The Harris family lives in a mid-sized city in the Midwest. A few years ago, they bought a three-bedroom home as a rental income investment. The rent was decent, but after a few years, they noticed their profits weren’t growing. Costs like property taxes, maintenance, and inflation were eating into their returns.

“We didn’t want to raise rent just for the sake of it,” said Laura Harris. “We wanted to make sure we were giving value and making the property better so people would be willing to pay more — and stay longer.”

Step 1: Understanding the Market

Before making any changes, the Harris family did one smart thing — they researched.

They looked at:

Average rents in the area
What amenities other rentals were offering
What renters were complaining about in online reviews

What they found surprised them. Their rent was slightly below the neighborhood average, but their property didn’t offer many of the modern features tenants wanted — like in-unit laundry, fast internet, or updated appliances.

Lesson: Know what the market wants. Being slightly cheaper isn’t always an advantage if your rental is outdated.

Step 2: Investing in Smart Upgrades

The Harris family didn’t have a huge budget, but they made strategic upgrades that gave their rental a more modern feel. Here’s what they did:

Installed a washer/dryer combo unit in a small closet (previously tenants had to use a laundromat).
Upgraded the kitchen appliances to stainless steel (used but in good condition).
Added a fresh coat of paint in modern, neutral colors.
Improved lighting by installing energy-efficient LED fixtures.
Boosted curb appeal with simple landscaping and a new mailbox.

All of this cost around $7,000 — not cheap, but manageable.

Lesson: Focus on upgrades that tenants care about most. Clean, functional, and modern always wins over luxury.

Step 3: Professional Photos and Listing Rewrite

Before the upgrades, the rental listing had low-quality photos taken with a phone and a short description. After the upgrades, they hired a professional photographer for $200 and rewrote the listing to focus on the new features:

“Bright and modern kitchen with stainless steel appliances”
“In-unit laundry — no more laundromats!”
“Freshly painted with stylish finishes”
“Minutes from downtown and public transit”

The new listing got more attention immediately.

Lesson: How you present your property matters just as much as the upgrades themselves.

Step 4: Targeting Long-Term, High-Quality Tenants

Instead of trying to fill the unit quickly, the Harris family took their time screening applicants. They looked for:

Stable job history
Good references
Respectful communication

They were also clear about expectations: no smoking, no late rent, and clear communication. They offered a small discount on the security deposit for tenants who signed a 2-year lease.

They found a great tenant — a young professional who loved the space and was happy to pay $400 more per month than the previous tenant, just for the convenience and quality.

Lesson: A good tenant is worth the wait. Quality tenants reduce turnover and damage.

Step 5: Managing the Property Efficiently

To avoid future issues and protect their new income stream, the Harris family put systems in place:

Set up online rent payments
Hired a handyman on-call for minor repairs
Created a welcome packet with house rules and local info
Responded quickly to maintenance requests

These small actions helped keep the tenant happy, reduced complaints, and made life easier for everyone.

Lesson: Good management protects your investment. Happy tenants stay longer and take better care of the property.

The Results

Here’s a breakdown of how their rental income changed:

Before Upgrades	After Upgrades
Monthly Rent: $1,200	Monthly Rent: $1,800
Annual Rent: $14,400	Annual Rent: $21,600
Net Income: ~$8,000/year	Net Income: ~$15,000/year

That’s a 50% increase in rental income, even after accounting for the upgrade costs.

What You Can Learn from the Harris Family

If you own a rental property or are thinking about buying one, here are the top takeaways:

Do your research: Don’t guess what renters want. Look at the market and deliver what’s in demand.
Make smart upgrades: You don’t need to renovate everything — just improve what matters most.
Invest in presentation: A great listing and photos can justify a higher rent.
Choose the right tenants: A reliable tenant is worth more than a high rent and high turnover.
Be a great landlord: Stay responsive and professional to keep tenants happy and income steady.

Conclusion

The Harris family’s story is proof that you don’t need to be a real estate expert to make more money from your rental. You just need to think like a renter, spend wisely, and treat your property like a business.

If they could boost their Rental Income by 50%, so can you — with a little time, effort, and strategic planning.

Are you ready to take your rental income to the next level?

Case Study: How One Family Increased Their Rental Income By 50%