Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Energy Efficiency Improvements

Moving your water heater to the garage or to your attic. This may not sound like much but if you think about it. With the water heater inside you are heating your water and cooling it off with the homes A/C! Keep the water heater in the attic where temperatures can easily reach 110 F (especially here in Florida) and you basically have yourself a preheating system. Remember to still wrap the tank with your insulation to keep the cool nights at bay. To even further increase your savings install a timer on the water heater so your not heating water at night when your sleeping or anytime when your away. If you have any questions or just want to chat about energy savings give me a shout. check out our website for real estate needs. http://www.rainewhite.com

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Energy Efficiency Improvements

I have recently been looking into ways to decrease my electric bills. Short of installing solar panels which can get very expensive to run a whole house system. I am going to install a new High Efficiency A/C this month and I have also been looking into radiant barriers for attics, and let me tell you this stuff can really bring down your attic heat! Rated at a typical r25 you can imagine the amount of heat this will keep out of your attic. The less heat you have in your attic the less heat will transfer into your home. Installation is very easy with this barrier being shipped in rolls that you can simply staple to the rafters in your attic or simply lay across the top of your insulation. Im going to be installing this in my home in the near future.

I purchased a new home and our first electric bill was $250! We have a twenty year old a/c that will be getting replaced with a 15SEER rated unit that qualifies for the tax credit. Ill post my bill total after this install to see the difference. Also once the radiant barriers go up ill post again and Ill have a nice discussion with myself on this blog about how great it works! Keep checking our website for all your real estate needs! http://www.rainewhite.com

Friday, February 27, 2009

Website

Visit our website for updated listing of rentals and sales in the following areas: fort walton beach, Destin, Navarre, Santa Rosa Beach, Niceville, Valparaiso,and more. http://www.rainewhite.com

Friday, August 29, 2008

EVICTIONS

Everyone hates thinking about them. Tenants and owners. Regardless of who you are going through the eviction process can be a headache. Now once you have gone through the process a few dozen times it does start to get easier. Just saying that anyone would have to go through this process more than once gives me the shivers. So I am going to lay out the process as I know it in this blog. I am not an attorney so don't use this information as an legal grounds for anything. I am some one that has experience going through the process for situations I have faced.

When I begin an eviction I make sure that everything is in order before I begin so that all I have to do is wait the alloted amount of time and then move in and move the defendants belongings to the street (if that is how it plays out).

The first step is the realization that your tenant is not going to change their ways. We usually try to work things out before it gets to this point. When nothing is working for you and you have tried alternative means of eviction. For example, the cost of an eviction in our area has quadroupled in the past few months. With total costs easily approaching 400.00. I have suggest to many owners that they offer their delinquent tenants 200-300 to move out. These owners have had great success with this and usually see the evicted tenants moving out on good term (other than their past due amount) and no damage. When this doesn't work however...

Step one: Three Day notice to pay rent or quit. This basically means pay your rent in full within three days (not including holidays or saturday, sunday) or your lease is terminated.

Step two: after the three days are up you will take copies of your lease agreement and three day notice to the clerk of courts to begin the eviction proceedings. You will fill out a Situs Designation form and the Complaint for Eviction non payment of rent Possession only (this is how we do it). This will cost you 300.00 in our area when you add the 20.00 for the sheriff to serve the tenant. From this point the tenant has Five more days to bring in payment in full.

Step three: After the five days call to see if the tenant has paid or made an objection, if not File Motion for Clerk's Default with Self addressed stamped envelope so they can mail you the approved motion when it is complete.

Step four: When your motion is approved by mail you will then need to file the request for issuance of Writ of Possesion. Final Step

It is important to remember that if your property is abandonded during the process you can take possession once abandonded and the process does not need to continue.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

CALL VOLUME INCREASE- House Rentals

Rainewhite Realty has seen at least a 50% call volume increase for their rental homes. It appears there is a mass exodus of people moving out of townhomes and into houses with yard. No Brainer. If you can get cheaper rent and a better home who wouldn't.

We have also seen more and more home owners that need to downsize. These owners have come to us to rent their home out and to find a cheap rental property to live in for themselves. This way they may be able to keep their home from going into foreclosure. Because of all the short sales and foreclosures many people have had their credit totaly screwed up and find it difficult to rent a house. We have decided to basically overlook the foreclosures and short sale notes on credit reports and are taking a common-sense approach to qualifying tenants. We still pull credit but will take into consideration other trade lines. Also references, employment stability, and banking history play a much larger role in our qualification process.

If you are a homeowner that is looking to downsize and rent out your house. Please give us a call we can help and in the next few years if you still need to get out from under that house we can do that to in our sales department.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

International Council Of North West Florida

The internation Council of North West Florida is all the buzz on the Emerald coast. This week they are holding a conference in Destin. See below for info:

"The Inside Story" Find out why International Companies are interested in Northwest Florida. Do not miss this extremely informative conference. You will also get the most recent updates on the International Airport, what is in the plan and what type of companies are already relocating here, how will this impact our local business and real estate, how can MoneyCorp and The British Chamber assist us, why we are becoming global, and the new immigration laws, and more!We are the next Global frontier. Be prepared! Reception and networking to follow with cash bar.

International Council of Northwest florida Please R.S.V.P. Teri Mccall 850-865-997or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
tickets preregistration are $5 or $10 at the door

Monday, July 7, 2008

July Rent Incentives

Hello,

Rainewhite Realty is offering no July rent on select properties if rented in the month of July. That means you can move in with only paying the security deposit. THis can save you a lot of money. We know that it can be difficult to come up with the first month rent and security depoist so we have talked to our owners and many of them have decided to offer this incentive to people who choose to rent this month. If you are interested please give us a call. This is one month free rent on select rentals for the month of July. Hurry up the longer you wait the less you will save!