Declutter Your Home
Posted by irentnc on Mar 11, 2014 in Blog, Home Tips and Tricks, Uncategorized | 0 comments
How many times do you open that single drawer in your kitchen only to find that anything you take out is tangled, smashed, or broken? It is the drawer that holds a variety of small yet frequently used items that have nothing to do with Kitchen activities. This past weekend, I went into my “junk” drawer to grab the mail key and found myself literally digging for it. That was it! I began walking around the downstairs of my house opening drawers and cabinets to see what was in each one. Not only did I find items I had been missing but I also saw lots of items that I know we would never use. This was the moment when I dedicated my day and planned out future days to declutter my home. Here is my process and what I found to be pretty helpful. Plan your process First address areas in your home that a) drive you crazy; b) are used more often; and c) correlate with another area needing a good cleaning. Second, figure out if you are going to need to purchase boxes, plastic drawer dividers, bins, etc. You will want to run out to purchase these items before you get started so you don’t loose momentum by running to the store mid-way through. **If your unsure how to organize certain areas, log onto any of the popular house/home websites to get great ideas. Set a time Limit While you are riffling through all your stuff, it is easy to get caught up in finding random forgotten items. I found myself browsing through old photo albums and college writings. When I looked at the clock, I had spent 20 min reminiscing and was still surrounded by stuff I had taken out of the closet! Give yourself a time limit and set your phone to remind you of when time is running out. Use the 4 box method Take a look around your house and find 3...
Sacramento Rain…much needed…but with some side effects!
Posted by irentnc on Feb 11, 2014 in Blog, Uncategorized | 0 comments
Oh finally, the Sacramento region saw rain! We also saw many of our close friends and clients take advantage of the snow fall in the Sierras. As I step out to walk my dog through the neighborhood for her daily exercise, I was greeted by frogs, birds, jack rabbits, and…mosquitos! With all of the standing water and little sunlight to dry up the puddles we are experiencing a slight mosquito invasion. I don’t know about you, but for some reason if I am standing in a group of people , I can guarantee I will be the one who walks away with mosquito bites. Most store bought mosquito repellents really smell terrible and tend to linger in the air after you apply them, causing you to ingest the awful aroma. I went looking online for some natural repellants and ideas for a more enjoyable time out doors. Here are some of my favorites: 1. When grilling, toss some stalks of rosemary on the BBQ. 2. Use Lavender around the home. If you like to leave windows open or have a tendency to have doors left open try applying la vender to ribbon and tack it up around the window and door casing. 3. Citronella. You can buy citronella candles and torch lights in pretty much any outdoor section of a big box store. I came across a blog to which they teach you how to make your own citronella candles (http://gardentherapy.ca/diy-citronella-candles/) Try some of these yourself and if you have something that you have found to help repel mosquitos, let us know by commenting on our iRENT Facebook page. iRENT invests in your investment! Call us if you have questions about what your Sacramento, Rocklin, Roseville, Lincoln, Elk Grove, Folsom, home is worth or the possible rental income...
Let Your Lifestyle be Your Guide
Posted by irentnc on May 29, 2013 in Blog, Home Tips and Tricks | 0 comments
Whether looking for a vacation rental by owner, a new home, or a resort to enjoy a holiday… look for functionality and style! Do you need warm and intimate? Maybe you need spacious living quarters with lots of bedrooms and bathrooms. Whatever your plans, examine your intent and purpose. Jot down “must haves” and a few “nice-to-haves” to give you direction to your search. Look at your lifestyle and your preferences in maintaining your home or rental. Time is a key factor in your ability to keep a place clean, clutter free, and inviting. Keep in mind the mother nature factor… weather, pests, and vegetation are all things that will take control of your outdoor living spaces and exterior materials of your home if they are not tended to on a regular basis. The thought of lots of land and privacy is always enticing but some people quickly realize that much of your free time will be eaten up by the amount of time and effort it requires to maintain all this space. At the end of the day, your lifestyle should be the guiding factor in your rental, home, or vacation decisions. Price is always a consideration and lets face it, most of us want VALUE. Why pay 10x’s more for all your requirements when you could get a deal and have money left over. If you are not afraid of a little sweat equity then perhaps you can save a little bit of money up front by purchasing a home that needs some work in renovations. If you are looking for a vacation rental, look to a travel site such as Groupon or Costco travel. Sometimes you can get your entire trip rolled into a package which ends up saving some money rather than planning it al a carte. A dwelling speaks volumes about one’s personality! Cozy comfort casual are fine for some… while others enjoy organizing Feng Shui techniques. We all know when we enter a...
Forming Lasting Rental Agreements
Posted by irentnc on Mar 20, 2013 in Blog, Uncategorized | 6 comments
I recently came into conversation with a really great friend and savvy business person. As we discussed life and business we began talking about property management and the hits and misses of managing investment rental properties. The conversation began with a story of the property they purchased several years ago. It is a fabulous condo in a great location to which they poured many long hours of “sweat equity” into renovations of an otherwise simple layout. They used faux paint techniques, upgraded kitchen cabinetry and hardware, and put down some decorative and functional flooring. This was their home! As life goes on, change happens and they were given the opportunity to live elsewhere for personal and occupational reasons. They packed up and left to another state with the notion that they would rent this condo out in their absence. This homeowner reached out to friends and family to see who was interested in renting the condo. A long time friend approached them and soon negotiations were taking place to facilitate this friend-rental agreement. At this point in time the conversation came to a halt… this is where iRENT knowledge comes into play. A friend-rental agreement DOES NOT work! It ruins friendships and sometimes will cause physical damage to the property as well. The trick to protecting an investment is to treat it like a business transaction. With all of the financial interests in a piece of real property one should really look at making legally binding agreements any time this interest is significantly affected. The moral of this story is to run through all of the steps on both the tenant and the owners side. Here is a simple checklist: 1. Create a valid rental agreement; 2. Perform a background and credit screen; 3. COLLECT A DEPOSIT; 4. Take pictures of the property before turning over the keys; 5. Verify income and employment; 6. Tenant should perform an inspection and notate unusual items. Each of the above listed items...
Property Management Tip: Disaster Proof Your Home
Posted by irentnc on Aug 27, 2012 in Blog, Home Tips and Tricks | 1 comment
We have a family condo located in Destin FL and as we read these articles about hurricane Issac, there is a little sense of panic due to uncertainty. Being that California and Florida are on opposite coasts of our great nation, we have to make decisions as to how we are going to prepare for such a massive storm being that we live so far away. As I start to do some preliminary research, I came across this article on the FORBES site: http://www.forbes.com/sites/morganbrennan/2012/08/27/as-hurricane-isaac-threatens-the-gulf-coast-last-minute-ways-to-disaster-proof-your-home/ It is a great read and in my opinion, is applicable to any home in any state. Mother nature and human accidents leave you, your home, and all your belongings susceptible to some destruction. The best advice is to ensure that your insurance policies are accurate and up-to-date. This article is an easy read and even includes some photos for an added emphasis. Photo courtesy...
Independence Day 2012: Proud to be an American Small Business
Posted by irentnc on Jul 2, 2012 in Blog | 1 comment
It is an unusual year with a very important holiday falling mid week. How do we get through 2 work days.. celebrate.. and return to work for 2 more days? It is my assumption that many of the hard working people in our great nation will be using “vacation days” for the 5th and 6th of July. If you are looking for something to do in the Sacramento area on Wednesday July 4th, I have included a link below to the Sacramento Bee website. They have created a user friendly calendar of events for this holiday in and around the area. http://events.sacbee.com/search?st=event&holiday=independence_day The iRENT team will be out on the Sacramento River this year! We are celebrating with Family and Friends and wish you and yours a safe and fun holiday....
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