Winter Energy Conservation Tips to Save Money.

With the Winter season fast approaching, ourselves at Freedom Rent to Own thought it would be a good idea to touch base on a few Winter energy saving tips.

Let’s face it. These days everyone is looking for as many ways as possible to save a few bucks here and there. It seems like one of the largest drawbacks for many when it comes to accomplishing such a feat is they simply don’t have a ton of time to invest in doing the research on how to do so.

Because of this, Freedom put together the following list of just a few basic things homeowners can do to help ensure they’re getting the most bang for their buck!

Purchase a Programmable Thermostat                   

Then set it for around 68 degrees. Most people prefer to have their homes kept warm during the winter, even when they’re not home, or at night. With that said, for every degree you drop the temperature in your home, you could end up saving as much as 2% off energy use for your heater. Even more, with the right thermostat, you can program the heater to come on and off at certain times and more.

Lower Your Water Heater’s Temperature

Believe it or not, lowering the temperature on your water heater to around 120 degrees can save you anywhere from 3-5% on your home’s energy bill. You may also consider insulating your water heater and any exposed pipes as it will help reduce heat loss. In other words, the water heater will have to work less.

Catch Those Drafts!

Drafts, air leaks, and poor insulation are often another cause for high-energy bills. As the fall season approaches, it’s a good idea to have an inspection done to repair any areas which might be creating an issue. Repairing any air leaks cave save upwards of 10% off your energy bill and insulating the attic door in your home can even save you up to 15% of the energy costs associated with the loss.

Clean the Fridge AND Your Dryer  

It sounds random but it works. Both of these are two very high-energy draw items. This means if your dryer’s lint traps and fridge’s coils cleaned out, you’ll increase the efficiency of both items. Fixing these items alone can help save you up to 30%.

In addition a clean drier vent helps reduce the risk of fire.

Make a Huge Impact on Your Energy Bill, As Well as Help The Environment.

Saving money on your energy bill doesn’t take a rocket scientists but it does require some due diligence and effort. Sure, just doing one of these things won’t save you a ton of money but by working on each of them, the total savings you could be looking at on your energy bill is upwards of 40 to 50%.  Why wouldn’t you want to do these things for the Winter?

Key Questions to ask before you do a Rent To Own Deal.

Key Questions to ask before you do a Rent To Own Deal. 

One of the big issues in the Rent to Own industry is the fact that there is no professional oversight, so pretty much anyone can claim to be a Rent to Own expert and put together their own deals. A quick look at online ads will reveal a whole bunch of people offering them. They range from investors to real estate professionals to companies from other cities. So how can potential Buyers know what’s real or even know where to begin looking at the possibilities? 

The purpose of this Freedom Rent to Own blog post is to inform people considering Rent to Own deals with key questions that they should be asking before they consider signing any documents or handing over money. 

Question #1: Who are these Rent to Own people and what is their reputation? 

How do you know that they are credible and legitimate? The first step in evaluating a Rent to Own deal is to look very carefully at the company and the people involved. Find out who owns the company and then do a Google search on them. Here are a few things to think about when looking into their background: 

1. What qualifications do they have? Do they have the training and experience to know what they are doing? 

2. How long have they been involved in Rent to Own? Real estate investing of any kind requires expertise, knowledge and preferably experience. Inexperience can be very costly. 

3. Which professional organizations do they belong to? If they’re running a professional Rent to Own company then they will certainly belong to professional trade associations. Find out which and do a search within those organizations to see if there have been any issues. 

4. Have they written anything substantive about Rent to Own via a blog or other articles? One way to evaluate the knowledge of a professional is to see what they’ve written on the subject. Ask the owner(s) for links to posts or articles and see what you think of their positions and the information they have shared. 

5. What is their track record? Can you find any areas of concern? 

6. Have any of their deals not worked out and if so, why? Ask them about their performance record. There are always challenges in real estate investing. If someone tells you that they have never had any issues either they haven’t been at it very long or there is a red-flag. Find out what the challenges have been and how they have resolved the problems. Anyone can look good when things are going well. It’s the challenges that tend to expose people’s true nature. 

7. Have they published a list of testimonials from people and professionals who have used their services? If all they have is a list of testimonials from “clients” with only first names or initials provided, then you don’t have much to go on. It’s better if they can give you professionals to whom you can speak. 

By the end of the evaluation process, you should have a clear picture of where you are today, what you need to do in the next two to three years and what it will take at the end in order to be mortgage ready. If you do not know the answers to any of the above questions then ask for more information. Ensure that you have a plan. You are responsible for executing the plan but you should have clear guidance from the Rent to Own company in order to increase your chances of success! 

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