Using Ceiling Fans in Winter

When it gets cold, your ceiling fan can help.  Here in Michigan, we can use all the help we can get.  The recent cold weather burst reminds us that, to quote Game of Thrones, "Winter is Coming."  As Family Handyman reminds us, we can use our ceiling fans to help keep the house warmer and reduce those awful heating bills.  They were even kind enough to include a video.

Link:
http://www.familyhandyman.com/video/v/62195686/ceiling-fans-and-saving-on-winter-home-heating-bills.htm

Thought for the Day

Success seems to be connected to action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit. - Conrad Hilton

Thought for the Day

You become like the 5 people you spend most of your time with. Choose wisely.

Thought for the Day

Remember that the tone of your voice often conveys more accurately what is in your mind than do your words.

Thought for the Day

Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.

Thought for the Day

Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart. -Winnie the Pooh

Thought for the Day

It you haven’t the willpower to keep your physical body in repair, you also lack the power of will in other important circumstances that control your life.

Thought for the Day

When you show by your actions that you lack self-confidence, other people also begin to doubt your ability to perform.

Thought for the Day

Instead of complaining about your circumstances, get busy and create some new ones.

Thought for the Day

The best & most beautiful things in life cannot be seen, not touched, but are felt in the heart. -Helen Keller

Effective Tenant Screening

Getting a good tenant, who pays on time and keeps the property decent, is key to having a profitable rental property.  Trust me, I've dealt with the opposite, and it is not fun.  But how do you weed out bad prospects?

You start with an application, I hope.  You can charge an application fee.  In fact, I recommend it to weed out those who are not serious about renting from you.

Once you get the application, start by looking at the income.  Some people use a standard of three times rent per month.  I weed out anyone who has prior evictions, but foreclosures are different.  A lot of people walked away from homes when the market collapsed or when their balloon mortgage came due and they could not refinance at that valuation.  Those people still have jobs and can pay you rent.

That's one thing to think about.  Of course, you don't want to violate the law by illegally discriminating on the basis of race, sex, marital status, etc.

Follow the link to see what else you should be thinking about.


Link:
http://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2014/10/16/the-landlords-guide-to-effective-and-legal-tenant-screening/

Thought for the Day

Disappointments are just God's way of saying: "I've got something better"' Be patient, live life, have faith.

How a Septic Tank Works

For many people,the most they know about septic tanks is that they do not want to empty them.  Still, if you have one (and many still do), then you need to have at least a basic understanding of how they operate.

Key tip: don't use a garbage disposal as they don't really help as much as you think.

Link:
http://www.familyhandyman.com/plumbing/how-a-septic-tank-works/view-all

Thought for the Day

There is always a shortage of people who get the job done on time without excuses or grumbling.