Beat The Heat | Tips For Renters To Increase Energy Efficiency

June 8, 2022

Summer has officially arrived in the Treasure Valley! Over the last few years, the United States has collectively experienced some of the hottest summers. 2021 set a record as the hottest summer EVER! In Boise, the average daily temperature throughout the summer months is in the upper 90s! As a renter, it may sometimes seem like you don’t have a lot of control over the energy efficiency in your home. It appears we are gearing up for another warm summer! We have put together a quick user-friendly list of ways to increase the energy efficiency of your rental home.

Change Your HVAC Filter

As a general rule of thumb, you should change your HVAC filter once every 90 days. In the midst of summer, it is a good idea to change your filter at least every 30-45 days. Dirty filters block airflow and decrease the air conditioner’s ability to absorb heat and produce cooler air. Clean air filters can help to improve the energy efficiency of your home by 15% or more. Many property managers have opted into automatic filter delivery programs as part of their leasing package. This means that your new filters will arrive right on your doorstep!

Adjust Your Thermostat

The U.S. Department of Energy recommends that for optimum energy efficiency your thermostat should be set to 78 Degrees during the summer months. 78 Degrees is the ideal spot between staying cool and keeping your energy bill low. Many property owners are installing SMART thermostats in their rental homes. These thermostats not only increase energy efficiency, but they can also heat and cool by learning your habits at home. This means that your home will be kept warmer when no one is home, and cooler when everyone arrives!

Use Appliances Strategically

It is no secret that ovens generate a ton of heat. If possible, try to use your oven later on in the afternoon to preserve the efficiency of your air conditioning. In the previous years, countertop appliances such as air fryers and toaster ovens can replace a conventional oven and do not generate the amount of heat that an oven will distribute around your home. Other considerations to make during the summer months are washing your clothes in cold water and hang drying rather than using your dryer. You may also consider decreasing the temperature of your hot water heater to decrease your energy use by up to 25%!

Fight The Sunlight

Natural light is one of the best features of any home. The heat generated from the sunlight can also be the enemy of those trying to increase their energy efficiency. Investing in quality shades, and thermal or blackout curtains can assist with reducing your energy costs by 10-25%. Using blackout curtains during the hottest times of the day can keep sunlight-generated heat out, and contain the cool air from your fans and air conditioner inside. While the initial investment isn’t cheap, you will find that over time they will more than pay for themselves with reduced energy bills.

Unplug

This one is easy to forget. From your television to your computer, to even your gaming system, all electronics will generate heat when plugged in. Even if your electronics are switched off, there are still levels of heat that are maintained in the wiring. It may not seem like much, but if you add up all of your unused electronics, every little bit helps!

Switch To LEDs

Most households have begun to make the switch to LED lightbulbs. If you are still using incandescent lights, they are extremely inefficient. LED light bulbs are the most energy-efficient option that is currently available. They do cost a little more upfront but will pay for themselves quickly with energy savings. LED lights last 25 percent longer than incandescent lights, and use 75% less energy.

Many of these tips will help you to save energy year-round, not just in the summer! When you create positive energy habits, you will improve efficiency and experience money savings on your energy bills! If you would like more information from RentWise Property Management on our services and tenant benefit bundles, please visit us at www.rentwisepm.com

Five Decorating Hacks For Renters!

January 5, 2022

Happy New Year! Whether you just moved into your dream rental home, or you just cleared out all the holiday decor- we know that decorating as a renter can be a challenge. Starting off the new year with some fresh, new decor can brighten the mood in the winter months and even make your space feel more open and light! We have compiled a shortlist of our landlord-friendly decorating tips to make your house feel like home!

Temporary Wallpaper

Wallpaper? YES! Wallpaper is making a comeback! Peel and stick removable wallpaper is one of the easiest ways to add a pop of color to your rental home! Since you are likely unable to paint the walls, this is a quick and affordable way to make your space stylish! Websites like Amazon have hundreds of options and are filled with inspiration! When you are ready to remove, just peel the design and be sure to wipe the walls down!

Area Rugs

When you are renting a space, you do not get to choose the floor coverings and they may not completely match your taste. Your landlord is very unlikely to change the flooring if it is still in good condition, so the renter will need to improvise. Area rugs are a great way to make a space come together with very little effort. The hardest part will be choosing the perfect design! Area rugs will also keep flooring in tip-top shape & prevent wear and tear of the flooring in your rental.

Photo Tiles

Nothing says “home” like personal photos! Your landlord may have strict restrictions on nail holes which can limit your decorating options. Websites like Snapfish and Mixtiles and many other photo sites have helped to solve this problem! While we have no affiliation to any specific provider, we have used these ourselves! You can upload your favorite photos, and they come printed on a lightweight surface and are ready to hang with double-sided photo tape. Photo tiles also create a clean, uniform look that solves the issue of mixing and matching photo frames.

House Plants

Whether you have a green thumb, or just prefer the look of an artificial plant, house plants are a stress-free decorating option for renters! If you opt for artificial plants, you do not have to worry about watering them or getting dirt anywhere. If you prefer live plants, be sure to keep a watch for bugs or leaks in the pots to ensure no damage occurs in the property.

Battery Operated Flameless Candles

Relaxing at home almost always includes lighting a candle. When you are a renter, you have to be especially conscious about fire hazards and your lease may even have specific terms against candles. Thankfully, there are many options out there to create the same ambiance of candles, but without the risk! Some flameless candles come scented and even have lifelike flickering flames. Battery Operated Flameless Candles usually come with timers so you can even set a daily timer so your candles are lit each night at dark! Pretty cool, right? You can find flameless candles almost anywhere that sells traditional candles. A side note, flameless candles are a huge bonus if the power goes out!

We hope you loved these easy-to-manage tips on how to beautify your rental home as well as keep your landlord happy! Want to learn more about our services or how to become one of our happy tenants? Contact us at 208-949-3083 or check out our website at www.rentwisepm.com. Less Hassle. More Happy.

10 Tips For Attracting And Retaining The Best Tenants!

December 8, 2021

One of the primary concerns of a good property manager is maintaining occupancy in all of the properties they manage. High occupancy is a result of resident retention. Winning the loyalty of current and prospective residents is a key piece in maintaining a high occupancy rate. Location and luxury amenities may seem like home runs for keeping residents, but this isn’t always the case.

Additionally, a picture-perfect neighborhood will certainly attract prospective residents right off the bat. It is what happens behind the scenes that really make the true difference. An attentive, professional property manager and leasing team can set the tone for how the entire tenant-property manager relationship will go. Trust, credibility, reliability, and rapport with new and existing tenants will be what drives success in both new leases and renewals.

In addition, we have compiled a list of our Top 10 tips to attract & retain the best tenants!

1. Be Easy to Reach and Responsive

A good property manager sets the stage with creative options for communication. This does not mean that you are on call 24/7, but that your tenants know you will be responsive if they need to reach out, for instance. If your tenants feel as if you aren’t responsive, they may give up. This can lead to larger issues down the road that you may not be aware of.

2. Build Professional, Flexible Lease Terms

If a tenant feels like they are locked into never-ending rules, regulations, and fees they may start looking to move. Maintaining positive communication and being flexible to reasonable requests can make a world of difference.

3. Create Personal Relationships

No one likes to feel like a number in a database. Starting the interactions off right with a positive impact will create lasting relationships between tenants and their leasing team. Helpful welcome packets, personal notes, or cards at the holidays and birthdays, and planning small events will create a sense of community & makes tenants want to live there.

4. Make Improvements To The Property

Inexpensive upgrades can make a property feel brand new again. This can look like a fresh coat of paint, installing new technology, new landscaping, or upgrading appliances. One of the personal touches that can go a long way is letting a resident choose their preferred color of paint(within reason). This will make their house feel like their own and they will likely take pride in their residence.

5. Observe Fair Housing Practices

Treating all tenants fairly and equally is one of the best things that you can do to retain your best residents. This ensures that you don’t overcharge your tenants in rent and also prevents illegal discrimination.

6. Conduct Routine Inspections

Creating a schedule for routine inspections at move-in will eliminate any confusion when the time comes. Additionally, a tenant may be putting up with a small problem in their home that they haven’t reported to you. Relying on tenant maintenance is ineffective to knowing the true state of your property. Conducting routine inspections will keep your property in tip-top shape and will keep your tenants happy.

7. Keep Up On Maintenance

The number 1 reason tenants choose to move out is a slow response to maintenance requests. From a tenant’s perspective, they are not in control when something goes awry and they rely on responsible property management teams to alleviate the problems quickly.

8. Make Rent Collection Easy

Having a reliable and user-friendly platform to collect rent is one of the most valuable tools a property manager can have. Reminders and receipts can be sent to tenants so that rent payments are received in a timely manner.

9. Conduct Thorough Tenant Screening

A property owner and management team only want to retain tenants who are responsible, maintain their home, and pay their rent on time. One way to get a good idea of if someone will be a good fit is to conduct a thorough screening. This will include a credit check, financial credentials, and a background check.

10. Respect And Prioritize Privacy

Tenants want and deserve to live somewhere peaceful and where they feel respected. This means that if you must enter a property, with the exception of urgent emergencies, you should always give at least 24 hours’ notice. This allows the tenant to prepare and also make arrangements if there is a pet on-premises.

This is only a small list of ways that you can attract and retain the best tenants! It is our mission to provide excellent service to you when it comes to your most valued asset and do it with the highest quality of customer service, tools, technology, and expertise in our industry! Visit us at https://rentwisepm.com/free-rental-estimate-boise/ to receive a free, no-obligation, estimate on what your home may rent for! Our motto here is LESS HASSLE, MORE HAPPY when it comes to owning a rental property!

Utility Companies For The Properties That We Manage

September 1, 2021

Moving in made easy! Here at RentWise, we understand that moving into a new home can come with its own set of stressors. Our goal is to make our residents’ move-in process as seamless as possible for the tenant and property owner! Also, as experts in the property management industry, one of the things we pride ourselves on, is being prepared! Our lease agreement includes many different segments of information regarding utilities and requirements. The details help to assist in making the transition between residents a breeze!

When a lease has been signed, the resident has 48 hours to return the Utility Transfer Form to our office. Furthermore, to make things simple, we ensure a properties’ utilities will be active between residents For convenience, we ask that the utilities be transferred into the residents’ names within 3 days prior to moving in. In the Treasure Valley, there are several utility companies that support the properties we manage.

Here are the main utility companies that we work with:

Idaho Power Company

www.idahopower.com

(208) 388-2323 or (800) 488-6151

Start, Stop or move your service here.

New requests to start, stop or move service are processed within 24 hours of the next business day. If you are starting service, your first bill may include a setup fee of $20.
Idaho Power Company has a convenient online portal that you can pay your bill, track and compare energy use, update your account information, and more!

Intermountain Gas Company

https://www.intgas.com/

(208) 377-6840 or 800-548-3679

Start, Stop, or Move your service here.

Please note:
Do not use the online forms if you need service within the next two business days. Intermountain Gas Company has a convenient and user-friendly website for its customers to pay bills, track usage, request level pay, and more!

City of Boise: Wastewater & Trash/Recycling

https://www.cityofboise.org/departments/public-works/utility-billing/utility-billing-residential/

To set up a new service, please call (208) 608-7460
Your utility bills can be paid online, through auto-pay, in-person, over the phone, or by mail.

SUEZ Water Idaho

https://www.mysuezwater.com/idaho/standard-home

Email: suezidcustserv@suez-na.com
Phone: (208)362-7304
You can use their 24/7 self-service options to quickly obtain your account balance, pay your bills, and confirm your information.

Our motto is “Less Hassle, More Happy” and we strive to be the best in the business! If you are looking for a group of experts who know how to help you make the most of your investment, contact us today!

Benefits of having a Virtual Property Management Company

August 11, 2021

One trend that you may have heard a lot about recently is having a “Virtual Office.” As your property manager, we strive everyday to ensure that we are providing outstanding, convenient, unmatched service to our clients and residents. We are able to continue to do this by being a virtual business.
There are many reasons why going virtual is beneficial, here are 5 reasons below:

The ability to manage properties
anytime, anywhere

Being virtual affords us the ability to assist and manage our properties from anywhere in the world. The market is always changing. We are able to update property metrics and listing information instantaneously. We are able to market properties quickly and update our social media information. This is a surefire way to know that the business can continue running smoothly no matter what is going on in the world around us.

Keep operating costs down

We do not have a brick and mortar office. This allows us to source the funds elsewhere that we would otherwise be spending on building upkeep; such as maintaining reasonable property management fees. We invest in the highest quality of applications and technology to provide a seamless experience for our investors and residents. This includes a revolutionary owner and tenant portal to pay rent, submit requests and view importation documentation.

Communication

Communication is one of the largest components of successful property management. Being virtual allows us to take this to another level. We have the ability to reach all of our clients and tenants at once. We are able to send out financial reports and updates to our investors in real-time. This makes it easier for property managers to make recommendations and maximize your earning potential based on market trends. We always keep your bottom line in mind. Being virtual cuts back on vacancy times due to the effectiveness of electronic screening and leasing.

Documentation

Our property management team has the ability to access all documents and records from their own workstation. This keeps our service consistent and efficient. Any announcement, request, or interaction comes with a time stamp. As a result, we are able to keep thorough records and document each interaction as it happens, to avoid any misunderstanding. Through our state of the art software, we track maintenance requests and send out status information quickly. Additionally, we are able to send out digital invoicing and collect rent digitally for accurate record keeping. All of this is done to maintain consistency and continuity for our clients.

Health and Safety

Nothing is more important to us than keeping our clients safe and secure. The past few years have proven challenging for every industry. Here at RentWise, we were already running as a virtual property management company prior to COVID-19, so there were no adjustments needed to continue our daily responsibilities. Running a virtual office minimizes daily staff, walk-in, and vendor contact. This is exponentially important as we are all able to maintain a healthy work environment by keeping our distance. Keeping ourselves as well as our residents, investors, and vendors healthy is a guarantee that we can continue providing consistent service without delay. Our virtual dynamic also affords us the opportunity to conduct training on a more frequent basis.

It is our ultimate goal here at RentWise to be the best in the business. We take pride in our team and the properties that we manage. If you would like more information on how we can help make owning an investment property “Less Hassle, More Happy”- we would love to speak with you! Give us a call at 208-949-3083 or email courtney@rentwisepm.com

Assistance Animal Documentation

January 22, 2020

Are you concerned about a potential or current tenant giving you false assistance animal documentation? Yes, we were to for a while. The number of letters and notes we have received over the years from both legitimate and not so legitimate sources has skyrocketed in the last few years.

How can you know when an assistance animal letter is truly legitimate?

Well, thanks to a recent investigation led by HUD with the help of NARPM members and several lobbyists in our industry, websites that sell assistance animal documentation are under a microscope. While there is no “quick fix” to this epidemic of false documentation it certainly helps to weed out a tremendous amount of potentially false documents that can be purchased across the internet leaving property managers to sift through the legitimacy of the documentation while also being able to identify a tenant with a true need for an assistance animal.

What can you do to protect your investment?

Here is a list of items you can request from a current or potential tenant when it comes to assistance animals and/or pets.

Letter from a medical professional or a person in a position to know, dated within the last 12 months.
Verification that the animal is current on all shots/vaccinations.
Verification that the animal is licensed in accordance with city or state law.
You can ask; what service does the animal perform? (It is illegal to ask what the persons disability is.)

Here at RentWise, we use a third-party screening company called petscreening.com to verify assistance animals and/or pets. They gather all the proper documentation and ask the questions allowed by the ADA. It is a free service for anyone who has an assistance animal and a minimal cost to anyone who has pets.

If you are interested in reading more about this investigation we have provided the press release link below.

https://www.hud.gov/press/press_releases_media_advisories/HUD_No_19_162

Would you like to learn more about our services and how owning a rental property can be LESS HASSLE, MORE HAPPY? Visit our website at www.RentWisePM.com or call us at 208-949-3083.