• About

setx411

~ What's Happening in Your Neck of the Woods!

setx411

Daily Archives: September 10, 2013

Going green has never been more high tech

10 Tuesday Sep 2013

Posted by SETX411 in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment


Going%20green%20has%20never%20been%20more%20high%20tech
Think going green will cost too much or take too much time? You might be surprised at how much time, energy and money you can save by making a few changes in your home to make it more energy efficient. And don’t worry that it will be too much work because some new high tech tools are making it easier than ever.

 
Green living expert Megan McLendon is the executive producer at http://www.doyourpart.com, and she recommends several options for making a powerful impact.

 
Take stock of the situation
Do you really know how much energy you use to run your household? Think about everything you run or turn on during the day. Consider your heating and cooling systems, appliances and electronics. The average single-family household racks up more than $2,000 in energy bills each year. Home electricity monitors make it easy to see how much energy you use and what you spend on it. A device called The Energy Detective can monitor the energy your home consumes in real time and the exact amount it’s costing you. You can chart 10 years’ worth of data and even review your information remotely. The basic model costs around $200. Then, there are free ways to help you see what’s using the most energy at home and help you target those hot spots. MyEnergy.com compiles information directly from your utility companies and is able to compare your usage to that of some of your neighbors. You can also earn reward points for using less energy.

 
Hit the energy hogs
Now, that you know how much energy you’re really using at home, it’s time to hit those energy hogs hard. Start with making your heating and cooling systems more efficient. So-called “smart” thermostats are now available and are easy to use. The Nest thermostat is one such device that actually learns from your family’s behavior. Soon after installation, it will automatically begin to lower or increase the temperature when you go to bed or leave the house. It even allows you to look at its daily energy use and access the thermostat from your computer or smartphone. 

Going%20green%20has%20never%20been%20more%20high%20tech
There are also other intuitive devices to help you reduce your energy consumption at home. A power strip for sale by Belkin will shut down power going to a series of electronics by simply turning off one of the components. This is a great solution for home offices and entertainment centers. And here’s another smart tip: For those items at home which run off batteries, invest in reusable ones. They will cost a little more than regular batteries but more than make up for that cost in the long run. A gadget that will easily help you make the switch is the Energizer Universal Charger. This device will charge AA, AAA, C, D, and 9V batteries, so you also reduce clutter by only having one charger for all of your battery charging needs. 

 
Put it all together
Once you have the information you need, you can easily put it all together to analyze. EnergyHub has a product that works as a command center for your home. You can access all your energy information in one place so you can control your thermostat, lights and appliances from a central home location or remotely. General Electric is also rolling out a hub system called the Nucleus that does the same thing and is compatible with smart meters.
Knowledge is power. When you know how much energy your home is using, it’s easier to come up with strategies to lower your energy usage and lower your utility bills. It’s another important way to do your part without wasting your energy.
IMAGE CAPTIONS:
——————————————-
Caption 1: Reviewing your energy consumption regularly can help you see how much energy you use and where you can cut down.
Caption 2: Intuitive devices like this advanced power strip and battery charger help you reduce your energy consumption at home.

Courtesy of BPT

Tenant screening: Check those tenants out!

10 Tuesday Sep 2013

Posted by SETX411 in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment


Destoryed%20bathroom
The usual landlord/tenant relationship goes something like this.  The tenant rents an apartment, pays the rent, the landlord maintains the property and all is well.  The times that the landlord/tenant relationship goes sour can often be traced back to the tenant screening process.

Bad tenants usually do not just develop overnight, they have been bad tenants for a while and they leave a trail.  Your job as a landlord is to sniff out this trail before you allow them in your property.  You can save yourself many headaches by rigorously screening your prospective tenants.  In fact, I might even go so far as to say that tenant screening is the key component to being a successful landlord. 

Bad tenants may present themselves very well.  They may dress and speak well.  They will say all the right things.  They may even have cash in hand and be ready to move in.  When someone is holding $500 in front of you to move in, it can be very tempting.  Do not do it!  Screen them!  Screen everyone thoroughly.  Check every reference and verify everything on their application.  Oh, you don’t use a written application?!?  Well there is your first problem.

Here are some tips when screening tenant applications:

    Pull credit and criminal history on everyone.  This is your first line of defense against the bad tenant.  Compare the data in the reports you receive with what is stated on your application.   Does it match?  If it does not, dig deeper.  Why is the info different?  If we discover lies, that is immediate cause for disapproval.

    Verify their work history.  Do not do this by calling the number they have listed on the application if you can help it.  A friend may be waiting for your call on the other end.  Instead, call the main office and get transferred into the department where the person says they work.  In this way you can avoid the “friend” set up.

    The current landlord may want them out and will therefore lie to you.  It is best to talk with the previous landlord or to get an accurate view.

    People forge documents.  It has happened to us.  Do not believe the paycheck stubs, letterhead, whatever.  Verify everything with the issuer.

    The old adage is true; do not judge a book by its cover.  We had a well dressed, well spoken man fill out and application, say all the right things and pay the application fee in cash.  He must have assumed we would pocket the fee and not check.  He had never paid a bill in his life.  Even the phone company was after him!  There are professional scammers out there, be vigilant.  It would have taken us at least 4 months to get him out.  I know that time frame could be a year or more in some parts of the country.

    Ask their place of employment if there are any planned layoffs.  We had a tenant get laid off the day he was approved to move in.

Most people are good, tell the truth and try to do the right thing.  Your job is to weed out the bad ones by finding the lies.  And they will lie to cover up their past, and get into your property.  Evictions are neither fun nor cheap.  So save yourself some hassle, set up a rigorous tenant screening process.  Also, be sure to treat every applicant in the same manner by using the exact same screening process.  Don’t set yourself up for a discrimination lawsuit because you treated one perspective tenant differently.

Author: Kevin Perk

Kevin’s Website: http://www.smarterlandlording.com

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Recent Posts

  • How to judge your home’s curb appeal
  • How canned foods help you cook like the pros
  • Three simple ideas for creating an amazing cheese platter
  • How to balance your life goals with your finances
  • Three ways to give energy savings the green light in your home

Archives

  • June 2016
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • September 2012

Categories

  • Events
  • Uncategorized

Ben Rodriguez

Triangle Real Estate LLC

Triangle Real Estate LLC

SETX Events

September 2013
M T W T F S S
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30  
« Aug   Oct »

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com
The Big DayOctober 3, 2012
The big day is here.
  • RSS - Posts
  • RSS - Comments

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy