The upgrades that pay off in a Central Iowa house hack are the ones that make the unit easier to live in and easier to maintain: durable flooring, a smart thermostat, internet built into the rent, outdoor space that works like another room, a few kitchen and bath touches, and an optional furniture package. Most are low cost, flooring is the moderate-cost exception, and you can phase all of it in while you live there. Two compliance checks belong at the top of the list before any work starts - radon, and lead-safe renovation rules if the home was built before 1978.
Here is what we did at the Ames property and at the Ankeny properties, why each upgrade earned its spot, and how to decide which ones fit your own house hack.
At the Ames property, we replaced the flooring throughout the entire house. The main level had laminate, and we swapped it for luxury vinyl plank (LVP). I recommend putting LVP on your checklist when you tour house hacks, or budgeting for it when it is not there. In the investor world, LVP is known for holding up to scratches and water far better than laminate, which makes maintenance and turnover much more straightforward.
Laminate can last if it is babied, but in a rental, cheaper flooring almost always turns into a maintenance item, no matter how careful the occupant is. We also put brand-new carpet on the upper and lower levels in place of the builder-grade carpet that was there before. The whole house looked and felt a step up.
The bigger point: flooring is one of the rare upgrades that works for two audiences. It improves the rental today, and it still counts in the property's value when you eventually sell. For the resale lens on which projects return their cost, our breakdown of what repairs are actually worth doing before listing an Iowa home is a useful filter.
The Ames property has a large patio out back, so we made it part of the rental package: a grill, a gas fire pit, a couch, chairs and side tables. To top it off, we installed an outdoor TV, which turned the patio into a second space for entertaining instead of an empty slab of concrete.
Outdoor space is limited at the Ankeny properties, so there we included a grill and put the focus on the interior. That is the right move in general - match the upgrade to the space you actually have. One practical note: list anything you include in the lease, and tell your insurance agent about it, especially gas appliances, so your coverage matches what is on the property.
These are the lower-cost items, and they add up.
At the Ankeny properties, we got a little creative. To add flexibility, we offered an a-la-carte, rent-to-own option on furniture: couches, the living room table, the dining table and chairs, bed frames, garage shelving and a mini fridge.
We did it for two reasons. First, it turns an unfurnished unit into a fully furnished option, or fills whatever gaps a renter has, so the place is truly move-in ready. Second, every item that got chosen was one less bulky piece for us to move to the next property. At the time, the tenant in our Ankeny property chose the dining table and chairs. Another win-win, and offering the option widens the renter pool.
If you try this, put the terms in writing and keep them separate from the lease, offer the same menu and terms to every applicant, and have a real estate attorney review the agreement before you use it. If this is your first rental, our guide to Iowa landlord basics for first-time rental owners is a good place to get grounded first.
Radon. The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, citing the EPA, notes that the entire state of Iowa is considered at high risk for radon gas in homes. In a house hack, you live there too, so test early, ideally during your inspection period, and if results come back elevated, treat mitigation as a core upgrade rather than an extra. Our Iowa radon testing guide covers timing, testing and what to do with the results.
Homes built before 1978. Paid work that disturbs painted surfaces in pre-1978 housing falls under the EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule. The EPA notes the rule generally does not apply to homeowners working on their own pre-1978 home, but it does apply if you rent all or part of your home - which is exactly what a house hack is. Flooring jobs that pull painted trim and sanding before paint are the kinds of projects to flag. Iowa runs its own EPA-authorized program through the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing, which requires at least one certified lead-safe renovator on every covered renovation. The right move is to hire an RRP-certified firm, confirm the certification before work begins, and ask a real estate attorney if you are unsure whether a project is covered.
If this list sounds expensive or difficult to tackle, keep the house hack timeline in mind: you live in the property for a year before you move out and rent it. Your lender will confirm the occupancy terms on your specific loan. None of this has to be done at once, and most of it is what people do to a home anyway to make it their own.
That year is also your best research. You learn the property's inefficiencies firsthand, and every fix that makes your own life easier carries straight over to the renter's experience. For larger items like a full flooring replacement or a bathroom, an FHA 203(k) renovation loan can roll the work into the purchase if you know the scope before you buy.
What this means for your strategy: upgrade for durability and daily convenience first, amenities second, and personal touches last. Then price the finished unit against real comparable rentals, not against what you spent. The goal is the best rent the market will support and a unit that stays leased. Our guide to setting the right rent for your Central Iowa rental walks through building a comp set and pricing in included utilities and amenities.
Run the numbers on the upgraded unit before you commit to the list. Plug your expected rent and your project costs into the Deal Calculator and see which upgrades actually move cash flow. For the full strategy, from choosing the property to moving out and renting it, start with the house hacking playbook.
If you want a second set of eyes on a property in the Ankeny-to-Ames corridor or the Des Moines metro, reach out. No pressure - we will run the numbers together.
Jackson Krile | Flanders Team | RE/MAX Real Estate Center
515.490.8614 · Jackson@FlandersTeam.com
Let's talk through your specific situation - no pressure.