When new investors start buying rentals in Detroit, one of the things they inevitably ask is, “Do we provide appliances?”
It’s a fair question.
After all, if you were renting, you’d probably expect a stove and fridge, right?
But in C-class rental markets, the rules are a little different.
In Detroit, we almost never include appliances, and it’s not weird or uncommon for tenants to bring their own.
But does it ever make sense to supply them? Let’s break it down.
The Case Against Supplying Appliances
At first glance, putting appliances in a rental might seem like an easy way to boost rent and attract tenants.
But the reality is, in C-class markets, it often causes more headaches than it’s worth. Here’s why.
1) They Break, and That Becomes Your Problem
C-class tenants are often harder on their homes, and that includes the appliances inside them.
More use, less care, and sometimes rougher handling mean more breakdowns. And when they do break, tenants will call you about it.
Some landlords try to avoid this by adding a lease clause saying, “Appliances are provided but not maintained by the landlord.”
Sounds good in theory, but in practice, it’s messy.
If a fridge dies two weeks after move-in, is it really fair to tell your tenant, “Tough luck”? You can try, but you’re setting yourself up for problems.
2) Tenants Don’t Expect Them
This is the part that surprises a lot of investors. In lower-income areas, tenants often have their own appliances.
I’ve even had tenants ask me to remove the ones that were already in the house because they had their own set.
Since appliances aren’t expected, they also don’t command much—if any—extra rent.
You’re adding cost and liability for very little upside.
3) It Doesn’t Lock Tenants in (And That’s a Good Thing)
Some landlords argue that making tenants move in their own appliances creates “stickiness”—meaning tenants stay longer because they don’t want the hassle of moving their appliances again.
Maybe. But I don’t love this mindset.
If your best tenant retention strategy is to make leaving inconvenient, you’re thinking about this the wrong way.
Keep tenants by providing a good home and great service—not by making it harder for them to leave.
What I’ve Done Personally
When I first started buying rentals, I thought I was being smart by including used appliances.
It felt like a win-win—I could make my rentals more appealing without spending too much money.
Then they all started breaking.
Every single used appliance I put in a rental failed within the first two years.
Turns out, when you install a fridge or stove that’s already had a hard life, it doesn’t last much longer.
After seeing this pattern, I switched to buying brand-new appliances whenever I needed to replace one.
That helped, but if I were buying rentals today, I wouldn’t be putting appliances in at all.
My one lower-end rental without them? Not an issue whatsoever. Tenants brought their own and were perfectly happy.
That said, most of my houses still have appliances—because that’s how I started.
And yeah, they still cost me money here and there for repairs and replacements. If I had to do it over again, I’d skip them entirely.
The Bottom Line
If you’re investing in C-class rentals, you don’t need to provide appliances. Tenants expect to bring their own, and the minor rent premium (if any) isn’t worth the long-term cost and hassle.
If you do provide them, be ready to maintain and replace them when needed. But if you’re trying to keep things simple and maximize returns, save yourself the headache and let the tenants handle it.
Your wallet (and your sanity) will thank you.