Category Archives: Housing

Silent enemy

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Hey there all you renters, landlords, property owners and property managers. You should know that an enemy lurks in your house and is not your mother in law… its corrosion. Let’s learn how to fight it.

Living near the sea has its charms, but there are also invisible enemies to face. For example, corrosion taking hold of chairs, rods, artifacts and everything that is made of metal. This can happen at any place if you leave furniture outside.

So if you own or decided to rent a house, apartment, condominium or duplex near the beach to enjoy its delights, and your house has a bunch of furniture made of metal (for example, umbrellas, beach chairs, games terrace, appliances, etc.) pay attention because at Home Town Rent we’ll tell you how to protect them and deal with corrosion.

Corrosion can be caused by a reaction produced by the natural environment. This reaction is called oxidation and is what causes the metal to weaken and acquire that texture and color, until it’s destroyed.

The oxidation of metals in a house can certainly be considered a disease, since there is no way to reverse it, although you can stop it. Corrosion is metal cancer. As cancer metastasis begins to expand, it’s unstoppable “contaminating” the rest of the metal surface.

If you are renting or living close to the beach or in coastal areas you should be especially alert and protect your furniture from corrosion. You can take the following measures:

Choosing the right metal: for example stainless steel or aluminum. They are metals that hardly corrode.

To remove corrosion in early stages from your furniture you can use a rust remover, it is available at any hardware store. With steel wool, apply deoxidizer in the areas of rusted metal. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and use hand and eye protection.

Another trick to remove oxidation is to apply white vinegar with a cloth, leave half an hour and then rinse. Employ it especially in appliances.

Baking soda is another excellent metal antioxidant, make a paste with water and apply it on the rusted areas.

Once you have removed corrosion apply a protective layer, which may be a brightener, or a layer of anti-corrosive paint.

With these tips you will prevent oxidation and destruction of metal furniture in your home and you won’t ever have to worry on your days at the beach.

Do you have rental questions of your own? Comments? Concerns? Love letters? Hate mail? Ring it in: Hometownrant@hometownrent.com

Baby, It’s Cold Outside

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Hey there all you tenants, landlords, property owners and property managers. The holiday seasons are upon us, and with them have come the cold weather. Depending on where you live in the country, this will mean more or less to you, but most of us will be impacted by the weather in the winter, at least a little bit. Lucky for you, the hometown rant has the guide to keeping you warm and cozy inside your house, apartment, condo or duplex all season long.

If the weather does get cold enough to make it uncomfortable inside your rental property, you’ve probably already got some coping strategies, ranging from wearing a lot of layers to burning your possessions in a little pile on the floor. Hopefully you haven’t got to that point yet, although it is the last step before sucking it up and actually turning on your heat.

Once you’ve given in though, you’re going to want to take some steps to conserve the heat, so you get the most bang for your buck. A big part of this process depends on the age of your rental property, specifically as it impacts the seals around the doors and windows. Older places tend to have more gaps and cracks, making any attempts to heat the interior more and more futile. If you do plan on running the heat in an old house, we suggest you get some easily removable rubber seals, something like these, which, if applied correctly, can make a big difference in the heat retention of older houses, apartments, condos or duplexes.

If your rental property doesn’t have central heating, you could consider using space heaters in the rooms you’ll be occupying most frequently, but keep in mind that multiple space heaters will quickly run up your electric bill, and can even blow a fuse if used at the same time as a few other electronic devices. If you have central heating, it’s probably going to be more efficient to run that and take measures to keep that heat in.

As a landlord, property owner or property manager, you probably have a general idea of how your properties fare in terms of winterization, so let your tenants know how to best seal in that warmth. They’ll probably appreciate the advice, and if not, hey, it’s their loss. Above all, stay warm and have fun!

 

Thanksliving

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Hey there all you renters, landlords, property owners and property managers. It’s that time of year again—the time when you get together with your in-laws, family, friends, and inevitably that random guy who you think might be dating your cousin, but you don’t want ask him because then he’d know that you’ve forgotten his name. It’s probably Steve. Or maybe Randy.

Anyways, Thanksgiving is upon us, and for many of you tenants out there, that means hosting an uncomfortable number of people in your rental property until they’ve all safely snapped out of their debilitating food comas. Not to worry though—here at the rant, we’ve got you covered like gravy on mashed potatoes.

Speaking of enormous piles of food, if you are hosting people, make sure that everyone has a rough idea of who’s expected to bring what. Traditionally, the host provides the bird, but obviously the dimensions of the kitchen in your rental property will decide what you can provide and what you can’t. Figure out what you can do, and have guests account for the rest.

Also, think about the size of your house, apartment, condo or duplex in terms of how many people you can realistically seat, and how much counter space you have for dishes. Having too many friends and too much food aren’t the worst problems to have, but they can be problems. Avoid potential awkwardness by figuring out beforehand how many people you’ll be entertaining.

As a guest, help your host out by contacting them and asking if they want you to bring something. Have your grandma’s super-secret pumpkin pecan pie recipe? Offer to bring a few to share, but don’t worry if there’s already a few pies in the works. You can always switch it up to keep your meal balanced and delicious.

Lastly, landlords and property owners–remember that it’s during this time of year that tenants often have guests over, so make sure to remind them about parking and fire safety measures. You don’t want to be a buzzkill during the holidays, but reminding people that overcrowding an apartment in which you’re deep frying a turkey is not the most prudent move. Stay safe!

Do you have rental questions of your own? Comments? Concerns? Love letters? Hate mail? Give them here, thanks: Hometownrant@hometownrent.com

The Long Hall

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Hey there all you tenants, landlords, property owners and property managers. This week on the rant, we’re in it for the long hall. Or the short hall. Any and all halls, really. Those rooms that aren’t rooms, that strange in-between space through which you traverse, navigating your beloved house, apartment, condo or duplex. Hallways are one of the most oft-overlooked areas of a rental property, but they can often be the difference between a cozy home and a hellish nightmare.

Landlords, property owners and property managers, when preparing a property for rent, make sure your hallways are clean and looking as nice as the rooms to which they lead. Hallways, being high-traffic areas, often see quite a bit of wear and tear, including wall scuffs and dirty or scratched floors, and this can be a deterrent to potential tenants looking to rent out your property. One thing to consider when looking at remodeling is the type of flooring in your halls. Carpet is cozy, but more difficult to clean. Wood is nice, but requires some care to keep it looking good for years to come. Think about the type of tenant you want to rent to, and make your choice accordingly.

As a tenant, especially if you’re looking to spruce up your house, apartment, condo or duplex, consider doing something to the hall. Obviously, this will depend on how wide your halls are, and how much space there is to navigate, but even something as simple as a few framed pictures can break the visual monotony of a large white expanse. If you want to get fancy, put in a little table, maybe with a plant on it. Little touches like this are what make a living space feel ‘lived in,’ so to speak.

Also, don’t forget to clean your hallways, especially ones on the first floor that lead to outside doors. These are some of the areas in your rental property most likely to get dirty quick, and also some of the least likely to be cleaned regularly. Do yourself a favor and save on deep cleaning in the long run by keeping your hallway free of dirt and debris that could get tracked into the rest of the house later on.

Do you have rental questions of your own? Comments? Concerns? Love letters? Hate mail? We’re in it for the long hall: Hometownrant@hometownrent.com

Bed Head

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Hey there all you renters, landlords, property owners and property managers. This week on the rant, we’re putting the rumors to bed. Or maybe we’re spreading rumors about beds? We’re not sure. We’re tired. We need to go to bed.

By most conventional metrics, the bed is the most important piece of furniture in the entire rental property–it’s the one you spend the most time in. In fact, you probably spend more time in your bed than in any other place. When you think about that, it becomes abundantly clear that no matter whether you live in a house, apartment, condo, duplex, your bed matters.

For you landlords and property owners, providing the bed probably won’t be your responsibility,  unless your rental property is of the short term or pre-furnished sort. If you do provide a nice bed, you’ll want to advertise that, as well as making sure you’re renting to tenants who are going to take good care of it.

On that note, tenants, if you’ve invested in a nice mattress, make sure you take good care of it. Buy several fitted sheets and a washable cover so cleaning and changing your bedding is easy and you don’t have to wait for the dirty stuff to be finished before re-making it.

When choosing a mattress and bed frame, you have a few things to think about–the size of your living space, your budget, and whether or not you’ll be sharing your bed regularly with a special someone, or maybe a faithful canine.

We’ve found that a full size mattress tends to be the best balance of size, affordability and space occupied,  though if you want more room to relax, you could bump up to a queen, or even a king. If you want to really ball out, you could even go with a Shaq bed, though you’ll have to also spring for the custom circular superman fitted sheets.

Whatever your choice, make sure it’s one that’ll stay comfortable for a long time–bad mattresses can lead to lack of sleep and back pain, both of which will tend to make your life miserable in the long run. Do yourself a favor and get the bed you deserve!

 Do you have rental questions of your own? Comments? Concerns? Love letters? Hate mail? We’ll sleep on it: Hometownrant@hometownrent.com

Menage a Garage

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Hey there all you renters, landlords, property owners and property managers. This week on the rant, we’re getting down and dirty in that strange middle ground halfway between the road and your house, condo, duplex or apartment building, the garage. Not all properties have them, but many do, some communal and some individual, and one thing all garages have in common is that they’re often underutilized space that could benefit from some organization and planning.

Though designed to hold automobiles, garages often find themselves used for storing all manner of other things, from tools and lawnmowers to ski gear in the offseason, to drum kits and amplifiers for band practice. If you’re a landlord or property owner and your rental property has a garage, make sure to advertise it on property listings, and Include a picture with an example of how one might set up the space to most efficiently hold all their stuff.

If you’re a tenant in a property with a garage and you’re not already using it, think about what you might be able to do with it. Have any artistic hobbies that require a studio space? Always dreamed of starting a lo-fi surf-rock band? The garage is your oyster. We’ve even heard of people converting garages into living spaces, especially in warmer areas of the country, though the legality of cramming an extra roommate into a potentially non-designated living space can be suspect. Alway check with your landlord and your lease to make sure you’re compliant with local fire and safety codes regarding the number of people and quality of living space.

If you’re like most people though, you’ve probably already got a bunch of stuff piled up in your garage. Now might be a good time to go through it, and decide what you want and don’t want. Autumn is upon us and with it comes the fall garage sale season, clearing space for the inevitable accumulation that’ll happen come wintertime. It’s often quite the process, which is why it’s always good to start sooner rather than later.

So what are you waiting for, get out there and get on it!

Do you have rental questions of your own? Comments? Concerns? Love letters? Hate mail? Park it in our mailbox: Hometownrant@hometownrent.com

The Sit Down

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Hey there all you renters, landlords, property owners and property managers. Are you sitting down? Good, because this week, we’re talking about what you’re sitting on.

Seating arrangements in rental properties are one of those things that you shouldn’t really notice–there should just be places to sit where and when you want them. Unfortunately,  this isn’t always the case, and sometimes when it’s up to you to furnish the rooms of your house, apartment,  condo or duplex, you might realize that it’s a little harder than it seems.

As a landlord or property manager, you probably won’t be in charge of furnishing your properties,  and if you are, it might be a situation where you’re putting the same basic items in multiple apartments throughout a building. If this is the case, you’ll want to think about an easily replicable layout that can be modified if need be. If you need help, check out our handy guide on Feng Shui for some ideas.

As a tenant, you’ll probably be supplying your own chairs and couches, but you’ll have to choose wisely. The number one question is, is it comfortable? If not, we’re not really sure what you’re doing with it. Life is short, don’t waste it sitting on uncomfortable furniture. Aesthetics are also important–consider the colors and styles you’ve already got going on, and when picking a new couch or chair, try to envision it amongst your other belongings. Does it look good? Good.

Another important and oft-overlooked aspect of furnishing, particularly with couches, is the logistics of actually getting it into your rental property. If you’re on a fourth floor apartment, or live in an older house with doors that aren’t as wide, you may not be able to actually get that giant leather love seat inside. You know what they say–measure twice, couch once. Or something like that…

Do you have rental questions of your own? Comments? Concerns? Love letters? Hate mail? Sit down with us: Hometownrant@hometownrent.com

Rental Mail

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Hey there all you renters, landlords, property owners and property managers! This week on the rant, we’re mailing it in. It’s 2015 and at this point of social media saturation, email almost seems archaic, but there are still times when good old fashioned snail mail is just the only thing that’ll do. That’s why it’s important for you to check out the Hometown Rant’s handy guide to letters, parcels and packages.

As a landlord or a property owner or manager, you’re probably going to be the one who’s in charge of making sure there’s a mailbox, or a series of mailboxes if you own or manage an apartment complex. You’ll also want to make sure that the address or addresses are clearly visible, and in the case of an apartment, that names are displayed on the boxes as well. This will go a long way toward making sure that all the mail coming to your rental property goes to the right person.

As a tenant, it’s your job to make sure your mailbox situation is in good working order, and to notify your landlord or property manager if those kids from down the street come and smash it up with baseball bat again. Also, check your mail regularly. It’s probably mostly bills, but that’s all the more reason to check and get those paid off as quickly as possible–they’ll only grow if you ignore them.

Another important thing for tenants to do when moving between houses, apartments, condos or duplexes is to make sure that you let people know about the switch. Maybe send out an email to the people you know who might be snail-mailing you, so they’ll know where to reach you. Also, change your autofill settings in your browser. There’s nothing worse than ordering something and having it accidentally shipped to your old address.

Most people who’ve rented have also probably gotten mail from long gone tenants, usually promotional junk, but every once in a while, something that looks important. If this happens, hold on to whatever it is but don’t open it. Not only is it illegal, but it’s a total dick move, even if it was their fault for sending it to the wrong place. Try and contact your landlord if you’re receiving a lot of mail for people you don’t know, since they might have a forwarding address. If not, notify the post office that the person they’re trying to deliver to no longer lives there.

If you don’t have space for a mailbox, or you want a different address for some reason (don’t worry, we won’t ask) you could always consider a P.O. Box. They’re not too expensive, and they’re a good way to have a constant address, especially if you’re on the go a lot.

 

 Do you have rental questions of your own? Comments? Concerns? Love letters? Hate mail? Ship it on over: Hometownrant@hometownrent.com

 

Gorgeous Storage

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Hey there all you renters, landlords, property owners and property managers. This week on the rant, we’re talking stuff. Where do you put stuff? Well, that all depends on what kind of stuff it is. Duh. Still, storage is a big issue in just about every house, apartment, condo, or duplex, especially in those rental properties that aren’t as spacious, and figuring out how to elegantly and efficiently store things will make your life that much easier, and it’ll do wonders for your rental’s general aesthetic of cleanliness. What’s not to like about that?

Landlords, property owners and property managers should always take storage into consideration, especially during renovations. Is there enough cabinet space in your kitchen area? What about some sort of linen closet? Are there any places where you could install shelving that could be selling points for potential tenants? The main caveat here is not to put in things that could limit the usefulness of a room. Make sure, for instance, that if you install a shelf, it’s in a logical place, and doesn’t stand out too much–the best storage solutions are natural, and don’t call too much attention to themselves.

For all you tenants out there, most of the storage solutions will be up to you. After all, it’s your stuff. One thing we’ve learned in our time is that you can never really go wrong with some of these guys. You can get them in different sizes and colors, and the simple boxes look good storing just about anything, from books, to DVDs, to plants, to random odds and ends. For closets, hanging shelves can be a nice alternative to a large, cumbersome dresser as a way to store your clothes in an organized fashion. There are also tons of different plastic storage drawers, carts and boxes that won’t break the bank, and that are great for offices or other work spaces.

Of course, sometimes the solution is simpler than you think–just get rid of some stuff. Check out our earlier post on modern asceticism for your house, apartment, condo or duplex, that is, if you’re feeling overwhelmed by it all.

Now get out there and put everything where it goes!

Do you have rental questions of your own? Comments? Concerns? Hate mail? Love letters? We’ll file them away:  Hometownrant@hometownrent.com

letour

Le Tour du Rental

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Hey there all you renters, landlords, property owners and property managers! It’s that special time of year again, that time where skinny, shaven men don skin-tight suits and tear across France on bicycles that cost more than your car. Ok, so maybe you vowed never to watch Le Tour again after that one time you had a few too many drinks and swore solidarity with Lance Armstrong, but it’s summer time, and like it or not, bikes are in the air. Or on the road. You know, whatever.

Even if you aren’t of the speedsuit persuasion, the bicycle is still the most efficient means of human powered transportation, and the best way to get from point a to point b without a car. Some cities and towns are more bike-friendly than others, so Landlords and property owners should consider the location of the house, apartment, condo or duplex in relation to any central bike routes, since that can be a big selling point for the right tenants. Especially in apartment buildings in cities, landlords should provide some sort of secure storage for tenants to keep bikes safe from inclement weather and the prying eyes of would-be bike thieves.

As a tenant, you should consider the bike-ability of the house, apartment, condo or duplex you’re renting. Some important factors include distance to work, downtown areas and grocery stores, as well as the location of any big hills in the area. If you can ride to most of the places you have to go instead of driving, you’ll save your car from the wear of stop-and-go city driving, save money on gas, and get in shape while you do it. What’s not to like about that?

As far as storage goes, the obvious choice for bike owners is probably the garage, that is, if you have one. If not, see if there’s a communal storage rack somewhere in your building, or maybe consider a hook or a wall-mounted rack inside your rental property. As always though, Don’t go installing anything without clearing it with your landlord, and even once you get the go-ahead, make sure you know what you’re doing before trying to install anything. Here’s a hint: use a stud finder when you drill. The last thing you want is a broken bike and/or big hole in the wall of your rental property.

Last but not least, ride safe, wear a helmet, and use lights at night. It’s not you crashing that you should be worried about, it’s the 17 year old on his phone behind the wheel. Think about it this way–if it saves your life once, isn’t it worth wearing every time? Now get out there and join the peloton!

Do you have rental questions of your own? Comments? Concerns? Hate mail? Love letters? Ride ‘em on over: Hometownrant@hometownrent.com