Wealthy renters are customizing their spaces and landlords love it. Is investing in someone else's property worth it?

Affluent renters are increasingly investing their own money in rental homes, customizing everything from lighting and closets to home-office layouts and wall finishes. The Wall Street Journal identified this trend in December 2025, noting that those families paying $20,000 or more per month in rent are not only making these upgrades, they’re being encouraged by landlords, especially as the changes increase the property's value (1). Must Read For investor-owners, the math can be straightforward: improve ...