Boasting both mountain views and a vibrant city life, Denver is extremely popular with renters — but that doesn’t mean finding reliable, responsible tenants for your investment property is simple in this market.

Although demand for rentals remains strong, a surge in supply has pushed vacancy rates higher, forcing landlords to compete for the best tenants.

As families across the Mile High City search for their dream rental properties, there’s a growing demand for family-friendly, tech-enhanced homes. To stand out in the Denver rental market, we recommend taking small steps to upgrade your property with families in mind, making your property safer, smarter and more comfortable for parents and kids.

Why Kid-Friendly Smart Homes are In Demand in Denver

Renters across the country are increasingly seeking tech-enabled homes with family-friendly upgrades. These homes, equipped with smart-home essentials and outfitted with durable and kid-friendly finishes, can make life safer and more convenient for families with children.

In Denver County, there are 131,006 children, making up 18.4% of the population, and WalletHub recently ranked Colorado the 11th-best state to raise a family. The Centennial State placed sixth for family fun and affordability.

Parents in Denver want homes that offer convenience, energy savings and safety for their children. With these enhancements, you can create a "move-in ready" feel to boost your property’s rental value and reduce its vacancy rate.

Durable & Kid-Friendly Finishes

Parents with young children know they’re often full of boundless energy and can be messy — which is difficult in a rental, where the tenant doesn’t have control over the space. A kid could easily fall and hit their head on the countertop while playing, or shut their hand in a cabinet door. They might damage the walls or floors.

That’s why durable and kid-friendly finishes can be a game-changer. They give parents peace of mind while also reducing the amount of wear and tear on your property, alleviating future maintenance costs. And in Denver, where residents typically see 57.1 inches of snow each year, durable finishes can also help avoid damage due to water or the salt used on wintery roads.

Consider installing scratch-resistant flooring like luxury vinyl plank (LVP) or tile in high-traffic areas, like kitchens or hallways, and using washable, low-VOC paints on the walls. Rounded-edge countertops and soft-close cabinets are ideal for keeping young children safe.

Smart Home Essentials Parents Love

Situated on the Front Range as part of Colorado’s growing tech hub, Denver is home to plenty of tech-savvy families who would appreciate the convenience and sense of safety that smart home products bring.

A Rent. survey found that 82% of renters want a smart device in their homes. A few of our favorites include smart thermostats, smart locks, smart doorbells, smart leak detectors, and smart smoke or carbon monoxide alarms.

Smart thermostats’ convenience — you can often control temperatures remotely from your phone or using your voice, which is great for busy parents — is rivaled only by their ability to help residents conserve energy. It’s a win-win for your tenants’ budgets and the planet!

With a smart lock and smart doorbell, your tenants can receive notifications when someone approaches the door or tries to enter, adding an extra layer of security that can reassure anxious parents. Smart locks replace a traditional lock, often with a keypad that requires an access code for entry.

A smart leak detector and smart smoke or carbon monoxide alarms can help protect your tenants and prevent damage to your property. Smart leak detectors are designed to catch water leaks early, and smart smoke or carbon monoxide alarms do more than just beep incessantly like their old-school predecessors — they can send alerts to your tenants’ phones.

These smart devices will elevate your property, giving it a luxury feel, which could allow you to justify premium rent. Consider offering them as part of an add-on “tech package.” 

Kid-Friendly Extras to Set Your Property Apart

Durable finishes and smart home essentials aren’t the only perks you should consider to make families with children fall in love with your property. 

There are a variety of other kid-friendly extras you could offer, including built-in child safety gates or babyproofing hardware in high-traffic areas, which can make parents’ lives significantly easier. Children will love playing in a fenced-in backyard or spending time in secure outdoor play areas, and blackout shades or smart blinds can make for better nap and bedtime routines. Dedicated “flex spaces” are ideal for busy families who might need a home office one minute and a playroom the next.

The Power of Location & Layout

For families with children, proximity to parks, schools and kid-friendly amenities is key, allowing busy parents to easily drive their kids to school, soccer practice or a fun Saturday afternoon at the park. Whether your property is downtown near the Denver Zoo and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science or close to Paco Sanchez Park’s playgrounds on the west side, don’t forget to mention any kid-friendly attractions when marketing your property!

To attract families with children, layout is important, too. Open floor plans are for better family flow and make it easier to supervise children, and plenty of storage is necessary for all of the toys, strollers and gear that families with young children have.

Marketing Your Kid-Friendly Smart Home in Denver

Once you’ve upgraded your property with smart home essentials, turned it into a kid-friendly oasis and determined how to best highlight its location and layout, it’s time to optimize your marketing strategy to attract families with children! Here’s what we recommend:

• In your online listings, use keywords such as “kid-friendly,” “smart home,” “family-friendly,” “safe and secure” and “tech-upgraded”

• Include photos showing your property’s smart tech, durable finishes and kid-friendly perks

• Consider offering virtual tours showing how the space suits families

Renting Your Kid-Friendly Smart Home with Ease

Small investments in kid-friendly and smart home upgrades can help you stand out in the competitive Denver rental market by making your property more attractive to families with children. These updates may not cost much, but they can have a significant payoff — both by helping you avoid vacancies and by allowing you to justify charging more in rent.

When you’re thinking about updating your property, our advice is to think like a modern family, considering which features would make their lives safer or more convenient. You’ll get a flood of tenant applications in no time.