Day: January 2, 2020

Last Updated on March 4, 2022 by Alarm New England

Whatever your reason for wanting to know how to rent your house out, you no doubt want the entire process to run smoothly and to find tenants who will take care of your property.

Knowing how to rent your house out and the procedures to follow can mean the difference between finding reliable tenants and your apartment standing open, or even worse – having tenants who do not pay.

There is quite a bit to think about, and being adequately prepared from the beginning will set you up for success in the long run. An important question to ask yourself is whether or not to use a realtor or property manager as they will typically take care of some of the services we mention in this article.

While it can make life easy, you do pay for the convenience and can expect a realtor’s services to cost you about 10% of the monthly rent, as well as 50% of the first month’s rent once a tenant is secured. The other option is to find out how to rent your house out yourself and then manage your property on your own to save some money.

We have put together seven tips on how to rent your house out to remove a lot of the guesswork and layout the steps to renting out a house.

Our Top Tips On How To Rent Your House Out

Initial Phase – Advertising & Screening

Establishing Your Rental Price

The first tip on how to rent your house out is related to the rental price. Your rental price will be determined mainly by the price that the market is willing to pay, and not by the amount that you want to receive as income.

To determine how to rent your house out at a price the market is willing to pay, take a look online or in newspapers, or speak to the neighbors or local realtors to find out what other properties in the area are going for. This will give you an idea of what you can ask for yours.

Advertising Your Property

Once you have established a rental price, you need to advertise your property. Knowing where and how to put your house up for rent as an advertisement to reach the right potential tenants is important. Take photos of the house with furniture in it as this gives a better indication of the actual space available.

Ideally, advertise your house for rent on the same platforms you used to determine the rental income. Considering these platforms contain the information on the area, they are relevant and likely being seen by people interested in renting in the area.

Pre-screen Potential Tenants

How to rent your house out in the most efficient way begins here. You may think pre-screening is a duplication of what you will go through when examining the applications, but in actual fact, it will help you to remove unsuitable candidates early on and save you time in the long run.

Ask the interested applicants who respond to your advert for some basic information over the phone and use this to immediately qualify or disqualify them from viewing your house. You may want to ask them:

• their employment status
• for references you can contact
• their credit history
• if they have any prior convictions

Let them know the number of people who can stay in the house (usually two per room)

Middle Phase – Showing & Applications

Showing The Property

Organize one property viewing at a designated time for your pre-screened applicants to see the house. This way you can get it over and done with in one go, and should you have current tenants in there already, it will be less of a disturbance for them.

Ask your spouse, partner, family member or friend to come along and help you out with the viewing if you have a large number of people who want to see the place.

Make sure you have ample application forms with you to hand out to prospective tenants and ask those interested to fill it out while they are there. Most will want to take it home to fill out and send back to you, but it’s worth trying to speed up the process by creating a sense of urgency.

Applications and Background Checks

This phase of how to rent your house out is crucial. Combing through the applications and performing background and credit checks on your potential tenants will identify the right person for your property. Obtain a release of information from the applicant on the application form, and make sure you do these things:

• Verify the applicant’s monthly income
• Speak to two or three previous landlords provided as references
• Perform a credit and criminal check

Final Phase – Signing The Lease Agreement & Key Handover

The Lease Agreement

Once you have approved a tenant, it is time to sign the lease agreement. Either your attorney can draw up a basic lease agreement for you, or you can find free formats available to download off the internet. Alternatively, stationery/paper stores often have lease agreement templates available for purchase too.

This is also the point where you collect your safety deposit from your new tenant. Make sure you have a separate, interest-bearing bank account to deposit these funds into as required by law.

Key Handover

Use the key handover as an opportunity to also fill out the move-in condition report with your new tenant. Run through the house together; make notes and take photographs of its condition so that there are no conflicts when the tenants move out your property in future.

Our tips do not only apply to renting out your house, and can be taken to indicate how to rent out an apartment too. Whatever the case, we leave you with a final bonus tip on how to rent your house out – that is not to forget to take out a rental home insurance policy that covers you in the case of any unfortunate events such as fire or flooding that may result in loss of rental income.

Last Updated on February 28, 2022 by Alarm New England

A security system key fob is a remote device used to arm or disarm your home security system, or trigger a panic alert that is sent to a alarm monitoring service in the event of a break in or emergency at home.

The key fob security system works like a wireless remote does for your car to lock and unlock it, and create an alert should someone trigger one of the alarm sensors.

Why Use A Key Fob Security System

Improved accessibility

A security system key fob remote gives you more freedom and accessibility to control the alarm system in your home and provides an extra layer of security.

While some larger home may have more than one control panel located on the different floors or near different entrances, most houses only have one. Having the portable key fob gives you another way to control your alarm system from different areas in the house.

Convenience

Unfortunately, security breaches or home emergencies do not always happen at a convenient time when you can access the control panel to hit a panic button and send an alert to the monitoring company, or quickly arm the system.

By using a key fob security system, your ability to quickly activate your alarm while you are at home is greatly improved because you can carry it with you to activate.

Portability

You can place the remote on your bedside table when you go to sleep every night or take it outside with you when going into the backyard to do some gardening. That way, should an emergency or security situation arise, you will have quick and easy access to press the button and activate your alarm or panic alert.

Time-Saving

While your security control panel can often be accessed from your smartphone through an app, a key fob is faster. While smartphones and the accompanying apps are great for monitoring your home and controlling your system when you’re away, having a key fob while you’re in the house makes it possible to quickly activate the system or sound the panic button.

Ease of Use

Because they are easy to use, key fobs remotes are also handy to give to your children, grandparents, or neighbors who may need to arm or disarm the system. They eliminate the problem of having to remember a code to control the security system. As we mentioned earlier, the key fob security system offers a simple solution to arming and disarming the alarm for people who are not as savvy with security systems or may have trouble remembering your code.

Flexibility

Most security systems will allow you to program a number of key fobs into your security system. This makes it easy for you to grant access to the people who need it without having to divulge your alarm code.

When there are a number of people who need to access your home and alarm system, there is less risk of someone failing to set or disarm the system because all it requires is the push of a single button. It also relieves the stress of trying to remember and enter a code in a panic if an alarm is accidentally triggered.

How Do Key Fobs Work?

Key fob remotes are compact and wireless. They generally run on long-life lithium batteries which can last up to five years, and are easy to replace without a professional.

The newer remotes also have a battery warning light to alert you when batteries are low and need to be replaced.

The key fobs usually have an LED indicator light on them to confirm that the button has been pressed and communicated with the security system.

Key fobs only work within a certain range and physical structures such as walls or buildings may affect how well the key fob communicates with the control panel.

Will a Key Fob Work With a Wired or Wireless Home Security System?

Key fob security systems often come standard with both wired and wireless home security system installations.

Benefits of Using a Key Fob Security System

To summarize, a key fob offers you many benefits and flexibility to provide:

• Provide quick and easy access to arm, disarm, or trigger panic alert
• Portability so it can be used anywhere in or around your the home
• Limited access to your alarm code
• Versatility to distribute a number of key fobs to those who need to access your home

Last Updated on June 27, 2024 by Alarm New England

With winter on its way, now is the time to prepare your home. The season brings with it cold winds, below zero temperatures, and snow.

The United States, and other parts of the world, are experiencing more extreme weather conditions due to climate change. Over the last decade, even areas in our southern regions which do not typically get extreme cold or the threat of snow have dipped into the single digits.

While other cities have recorded colder than ever temperatures, one evening Chicago was colder than the South Pole.

We’re all guilty of neglecting important home maintenance tasks, failing to prepare your home for winter can be costly.

This simple home maintenance checklist will help you easily ready your house before winter hits.

Interior

Check and service your fireplace or chimney

Ridding your chimney of soot and debris is an easy DIY job and will save you having to pay for a cleaning service. However, if there is a buildup of creosote present, you’ll need a licensed contractor to remove it.

Run the tip of a fireplace poker along the interior of the chimney wall. If you find a thick, shiny, tar-like buildup it’s best to call a professional. At least once a year a regular, wood or coal burning fireplace should be serviced.

Once the fireplace is cleaned, consider installing a fireplace plug (also called chimney pillow). This inflatable device prevents cold air entering the house and heat from escaping. One homeowner in Marylandsaved around 13% on consumption costs after using a fireplace plug to block heat loss.

Reverse the ceiling fans

By changing the direction that the blades spin, hot air is forced downwards, keeping the heat in the bottom half of the house. By reversing the motor and running the fan on low-speed during the winter, you can achieve more noticeable warmth.

According to Apartment Therapy, adjusting your thermostat and running the fan as above can save close to 10% on heating costs.

Most modern ceiling fans have a remote control where the direction can be adjusted, or you can locate the exterior switch located on the fan motor to manually change it.

Check and replace batteries of detectors and alarms

An annual average of45,900 heating-related fires occurred between in the U.S. between 2013 and 2015. And heating was the second largest contributor to fires in residential buildings.

With the temperatures dipping, it will put your mind at ease knowing that the detectors and alarms are all in good working condition.

It is also crucial to ensure your fire and carbon monoxide monitoring systems are working. If a fire breaks out, or there is a gas leak, the detection systems need to be functioning correctly in order to notice it immediately. Take the time to conduct a test on each alarm or detector and replace the batteries before winter.

Prevent pipes from freezing

Water has the unique property of expanding as it freezes. This can cause the pipes the water is contained in to burst. Whether the pipe is plastic or metal, it can easily break from this expansion.

Pipes most at risk are ones that are exposed to the severe cold, like those that run along the exterior of the house or in the pool. Pipes inside the house are at risk too, especially those in unheated areas like the basement or attic. According to the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, burst pipes because of freezing can result in damages that can cost a homeowner well over $5000.

But it’s easy to prevent.

Pipe insulation is cheap and effective. Insulate all pipes that are exposed to the cold weather, including those in the garage and basements.

Consider heating cables or tape as another long-term solution.

Faucets and pipes located outside of the house need to be drained completely and turned off. If pipes do not have a shut-off valve, you will need to leave the cold water tap dripping to prevent water from freezing.

Even a soft flow of water is enough to keep the pipes from freezing completely. Hose pipes should be drained and stored away.

Insulate the hot water tank and heaters

In winter, the hot water in a tank can cool quickly, which makes the boiler work more frequently to heat it up again. Wrap an insulation blanket around your water heater to reduce electricity consumption.

Also, proper maintenance one your water heater will ensure that it is functioning efficiently, and extend its life. It’s recommended to drain a water heater once a year. You could also program the hot water tank to only run during peak usage times rather than the entire day.

Seal off openings with caulking and weather-stripping

Doors are typically undercut to allow air flow to circulate into and out of the rooms. Some windows are also designed to conduct some air between them. When winter comes, and the cold, wet wind is blowing, it is wise to seal all these openings up.

Check the condition and presence of caulking on all windows and replace or install where necessary. Use waterproof caulk around windows, doors and joints to prevent rain or snow from seeping in.

The Department of Energy estimates an average home can save 20 percent on heating costs by weather-stripping all doors and openings effectively. Weather-stripping comes in different materials and grades, so pick one that bests suits your needs.

Sump pump maintenance

A sump pump keeps the foundation of your home dry by preventing water build up or flooding. It has an effective lifespan of 10 years with regular maintenance. Having a working sump pump in winter is essential.

Remove debris from the basin and conduct a manual test to see that the pump is functioning normally. Be sure to insulate the discharge hose and install a backup battery to prepare for power outages.

Cover or remove the air-conditioning unit

If you have an air conditioning unit that sits in your window , it is likely to channel cold air through it during winter. It is recommended to remove these in the cold weather season and seal up the opening.

If you have a permanent, central AC unit that sits outside the house, consider placing a wooden board on top of it, held down with bricks. This will prevent snow or other debris from collapsing onto it.

Prepare the humidifier

Make sure the drain line is clean for a whole-house humidifier. Replace the media panel if necessary, this is responsible for mixing water and hot air from the furnace together. It is typical to drain the humidifier more than once during the winter months.

Exterior

Assess the roof for leaks and check ventilation

“Ice dams” occur when snow accumulates on the roof because of trapped ice. The weight can cause the roof to collapse.

To prevent ice dams, ensure the temperature of the roof is the same as the eaves. Consider installing an ice and water shield, which acts as a barrier and helps prevent moisture seeping into the house. Install roof vents and insulate the attic.

Stock up on ice melting compounds

Purchase salt, ice melt or sand for clearing snowfall from the sidewalks and driveway. This will also make shoveling easier. It is recommended to treat your driveway or walkway before winter hits and keep shoveling throughout the season to keep snow buildup to a minimum.

Trim trees and remove leaves in the garden

Snow weighs a lot and coupled with wind may easily break off old branches or cause thinner ones to snap. Consider trimming tree branches and crowns that circle close to the house and driveway.

Plants often go dormant in winter, so pruning them will actuallybenefit their ability to withstand the season.

Give the lawn a good rake to remove old, fallen leaves from the previous season. With snow falling shortly, patches of uncollected leaves can cause the grass to blacken and even make walking in the snow unpredictable.

Clear gutters

Gutters are designed to channel water off the roof and away from the home. If your gutter system is damaged, clogged or incorrectly installed, it is likely to be ineffective and result in damage to your property.

Water accumulating on the roof can lead to a ceiling collapse, while water leaking out of a cracked or clogged gutter may result in stains or foundation erosion.

A simple inspection and cleaning of the gutters will do can prevent these types of problems. Use a ladder to check the troughs for leaves and debris. Remove anything that may have accumulated over the fall.

To check for cracks or leaks, take a hose and run water along the channel to identify any issues. You may want to consider hiring a professional gutter cleaner if the property is large, or the gutters are difficult to reach.

Gutter guards can also keep your water channels free of debris, forming a protective barrier over the top.

Inspect railings and steps (and protect entryways)

To be safe during the winter months, ensure all steps and handrails leading to the house are secure.

Make sure the tiles and paving on the steps is fastened and safe to tread on too.

Protect your entryways by placing a mat on both the inside and outside of the door. Ice and mud can quickly build up and become a hazard. Consider placing a boot tray near the door.

Additional home winter tips

• Stock up on a survival kit and supplies
• Consider purchasing a generator if you live in an area prone to power outages
• Take out and inspect your shovels and snow blowers
• Inspect outdoor lighting
• Use rugs inside rooms for trapping heat and to keep your home warmer
• Clear window weep holes of debris
• Stock up on enough fuel for your motors and appliances
• Maintain an average room temperature of no less than 55 degrees to keep the inside of the walls and pipes warm
• Leave doors of unoccupied rooms open for even flow of heat
• Protect outdoor furniture or consider storing them inside
• Know how to shut off the water supply and where your pipes are located
• Ditch the gas space heater for an electric one
• Have a list of phone numbers for emergencies and repairs

Be ready this winter

Adequate preparation can save you from costly damage and frustration that can occur during the extreme weather of the winter months. Stay warm and be safe during the winter.