Rental Car services can considerably save you time and offer you flexibility and freedom when you are traveling. Getting a good rental car deal can save you money, while meeting your requirements. However, like making decisions regarding a number of other issues, the wrong choice could also cost you greatly. Car rental services also come in handy for other situations apart from when you are traveling, such as for weddings and other occasions. Here are some pointers to help you get favorable car rental deals.

Picking Your Car

The right vehicle is the vehicle that suits your needs and falls within your budget. Will you be traveling with children, friends, gear or equipment? Do you wish to save money on energy consumption rates? Will you be requiring something classy or fast? Most companies offering services related to car rentals offer various cars for various needs. From flashy models, to roomy sedans and even an eco-friendly car, if that is what you require.

Be sure to also consider other factors such as if the car has an automatic or shift gear system. In some countries, shift gear cars are very popular, so you need to sure they have a car you can drive. Other factors worthy of consideration are the extra options you may want the car to have such as a ski rack or a GPS system. Extra options and requirements may cost you a bit more. It always helps to first determine the type of car that suits your needs and taste before trying to get a good car deal.

Book the Car

Now that you know the type of car you need, you would need to make a booking in advance to make it easier for you. The internet makes this quite easy to get good rental car deals. Here again, the right choice is based on certain factors. For example, how long will you need the car? If you require the car for a short duration, like below a week, you can get a good rental car deal from major rental companies. Some major rental service providers include Avis, Alamo, Dollar, Budget, Enterprise, Thrifty, National or Hertz.

If you will need the car for a longer period, then you may get better car rental deals from local rental companies or car dealers. Take note that local rental companies and auto dealers may have limited insurance cover. When deciding on which provider to rent a car from it is advised to shop around. Compare rates, services and deals. Websites such as Kayak and Travelocity are useful to help compare rates.

Take Advantage of Promotional Codes

Many major car rental companies offer promotional codes for discounts rates. You can do a search online before booking for a car. Simply search using the name of the rental company plus the term “coupon codes”. Coupon codes help you get a better car rental deal as they could save you as much as 5 to 20 %.

Better Deals for Regular Users

If you are regularly in need for car to rent, it may help you to ask for discounts from major national rental organizations. Some companies offer discounts and negotiated rates for frequent renters. You can also join a car rental frequent loyalty program for better car rental deals.

Denver is one of the most populated areas within Colorado and with population comes the issue of dump waste and hence its collection and transportation to dump sites becomes relevant. Companies and individuals need the services of dumpster companies and these companies can be rented on individual or corporate basis. Dumpster rentals that are locally sponsored are dependable, pre-screened and reasonably priced. The services are provided by either front load dumpster rental companies or roll off container rentals. The rentals are usually used for home renovations, basement clean outs and dry wall projects. The local dumpster rentals are responsible for connecting individuals and companies to dump waste collection and transport service providers.

A local dumpster rental can be reliable, affordable and the best solution for all dumpster needs. Whether you want to remove construction waste or even normal debris, local dumpsters will be the solution to all those needs. Local rentals ensure that all the companies involved in this business produce high quality services to their customers be it the roll- off rentals or container rentals. All one needs to do to get services locally is to simple call the local dumpster rentals and the service will be delivered to you on time. A local dumpster rental (LDR) also has simple procedures that one will have to undergo before getting the service. That is one only requires to make one call to the LDR and then be connected to a company that will provide the services without any hassles like filling of lengthy forms and engagement of middle men in accessing the companies. The fees that is required is spelled out and there are no hidden fees and gimmicks before the provision of the service. The LDR enables quick delivery of service providers that are within one’s local area and hence avoiding unnecessary delays. With the LDR the price of the service is also considerable fair, price is paramount to any given service or product and the LDR ensure that the container rentals and even roll off rentals are reasonably priced.

The roll off dumpster rentals. There are numerous types of dumpsters and the roll off is one of them. This type can be used for both industrial and residential use. Usually, this has an opened top, with wheels, which enable rolling. They come in various sizes and they are designed to meet specified needs depending on volumes. Every roll off has a defined weight limit and it is commonly used for trash clean out and construction waste clean outs.

Container dumpster rentals. This type of dumpsters are commonly used for temporary storage of waste. They are made to be weather resistant and durable. This can hold heavy loads, which will have to be removed from a project site by a waste vehicle once filled with waste. The container rentals are designed to hold variety of waste including construction waste, yard debris, demolition waste and clean out jobs.

Hotels are certainly the most common type of travel accommodation, but vacation rentals are a great option if you’re hoping to save money and have a more comfy, private holiday. You can choose from condos, homes, and cabins, and most all come with professional cleaning services, a full-service kitchen, and all the electronic conveniences (cable TV, air conditioning, laundry machine) you’re accustomed to at home. To get the most out of your rental experience, follow our vacation rental tips and tricks. We’ll help you find a rental, save money, and have the best vacation possible.

First, think about what you want in a rental. Are you more concerned about the property’s location or ammenities? Do you plan to do a lot of cooking at your rental? Are you hoping for laundry machines? Figure out what you want first because all rentals have their pros and cons. Once you’ve sorted out your priorities, do a little homework and research rental properties located in areas you like. Scour online reviews and be sure to check out each property’s details, management, and ammenities. If you want to save even more money, try booking during the off-season.

Once you’ve decided on a property and date, contact the owners or management company and be sure to get a good look at the contract. Some properties ask you to pay for items like utility bills, cable, phone service, internet, propane/gas, and cleaning services. If you don’t get a good look at these details beforehand, you might be confronted with unexpected costs later on. For example, some vacation rentals ask that you clean the house after you leave. If you don’t, they will charge you an extra fee for housekeeping. Book the rental only after you’ve read and understood all its details.

Now that you’ve found and booked your vacation rental, save money wherever you can by taking advantage of the rental’s features. If your rental comes with a kitchen, cook meals at home. At the very least, you could try to eat breakfast and lunch at your rental home and have dinner out. If your rental offers laundry services, try to limit the amount of clothing you bring along. You could pack just a few outfits and then wash them whenever they are dirty or stinky. This will help you lighten your luggage and could even save you on airfare fees. Finally, if you’re traveling with family, you could book just one rental for the whole group or book multiple vacation rentals at once (and ask about a group discount).

Vacation rentals are perfect for families that want to feel like they’re at home when they’re on holiday. If you want the convenience of a kitchen and laundry machine while you relax at the beach for a week, use our vacation rental tips and give rental properties a try.

When individuals travel or have a vehicle in a repair shop, renting an automobile often becomes a necessity. It is good to focus on the best deal

Getting the best rate on rental cars can be challenging, but you can land great deals by doing a little research and by seeking out as many special offers that you can. Comparing car companies is best done on-line because rental car company Websites and other travel Internet platforms can help you narrow down the best rentals for your driving needs. Some things to consider before seeking out rentals is to know what you need from a car up front and whether or not the rental car company will provide you with services or products you will need.

Check Car Prices

Classes of vehicles include compact, economy, mid-size, luxury, sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and vans. Your final decision about vehicle class and size will affect the price of your rental. Call the national car rental chains or any other local auto rental companies in your local area to determine the best price. In addition, be prepared to compare security deposit requirements.

Determine the length of time that you will need an automobile rental, and ask an auto rental representative for costs — including security deposit requirements. If you need a two- to three-week rental, compare the differences in discounts offered between auto rental companies.

Seek Special Services

Call auto rental companies and ask if they will pick you up from your location or if you have to physically go to an auto rental company. Another special service to inquire about are reward points. Ask rental companies if they have a reward point program or if they offer price discounts for special memberships.

Inquire About Discounts

special offers or membership programs. Sign up for free customer reward memberships if you plan on using a particular rental company again. Ask about special discounts such as senior, teachers, or military/government discounts, which can save you at least 15 to 20 percent off your rental rate. Find the best competitive discounts on the company’s website since many offer one-time coupons and rewards. Rental car companies, such as Avis and Hertz, offer daily specials and weekend discounts that can either reduce rental rates or extend rental service days free of charge.

Review Rental Policies

Read the rental policies before settling with a rental company to see if it accommodates your driving needs. Some rental companies will only allow rentals for a certain amount of days. Also consider the company’s policies on extra mileage charges, their policies on accident/car damage, insurance coverage, car check in times (24-hour clock rates) and return locations. Be sure to read the policy in its entirety and don’t hesitate to ask a representative to clarify certain details and particulars.

You may be considering a private home vacation rental, rather than staying in a standard hotel or motel room, for your next trip. A vacation home rental can have many advantages, from a lower cost to a greater amount of space to a better location to more amenities. However, it is important to know just what to expect before you sign on the dotted line so that you can be sure that you are getting a fair deal and that you will be staying in a home that is well maintained and appropriately located.

When you begin investigating a vacation rental, you will likely encounter two options – you can rent from a management company or you can rent directly from the owner of the property. If possible, try to find a way to work with the owner of the vacation home rental, as you may have access to more information and better support before, during, and after your transaction.

Once you have decided that staying in a vacation rental is the right choice for you and your traveling companions, you will discover that the process of finding the right property should go very smoothly.

The Steps to Renting a Private Home

First, find a reputable website with vacation home rental listings, or speak to your travel agent about your options. Make sure that you feel comfortable that whoever is providing you with vacation rental listings has screened each home to make sure that it exists and that it is owned by the person who is listing it.

Next, search for or specify the type of vacation home rental you are looking for, including:

• Price (What is your maximum?)
• Size (Are you looking for a condo unit for two people or a multi-bedroom house for a large family – or for multiple families?)
• Location (Do you want your vacation rental to be near a particular theme park? Do you want to be able to walk to the beach? Do you need to be within walking distance of a grocery store or a video rental shop?)
• Amenities (Do you want your vacation home rental to include a hot tub? Would you like to have access to a gym or to gym equipment? Would you enjoy a game room with video game systems?)

In addition, note whether you will be bringing a pet. (As with all types of rentals, some vacation home rental properties will be pet friendly with a deposit, while others may not allow pets at all. Find this out before you pack Fido into his carrier!) Last but not least, you will need to provide the specific dates for which you will need the vacation rental and the number of people with whom you will be staying.

Researching the Vacation Home Rental

You will then be presented with a list of available vacation home rental properties for your time frame and the other options that you requested. If you are able to work directly with the owners of the rental homes, you can contact them to find out more information. Many owners will be able to answer your emailed questions in depth (but make sure to keep your questions relevant) and to send you pictures of the specific vacation rental. The owner may even have a personal website that you can view for more information about the property. If you are dealing with a management company, you may either be shown pictures of the particular vacation home rental in which you will be staying or pictures that represent the type of home that is available.

In either case, make sure that you feel comfortable with the entire transaction. For example, you may want to avoid an owner or company that sends you emails every hour asking if you have made a decision about the vacation rental, or, on the flip side, someone who takes days to return your messages with answers to your questions, or someone who gives you vague responses.

Finalizing the Deal

When you have found a vacation home rental that suits your needs and with which you feel comfortable, you can then finalize the deal. The owner or management company will have you submit a deposit to hold the vacation rental – usually 10 to 20% of the final cost. Note that you will not receive an actual address or access information until the booking is paid in full.

You will then fill out a rental agreement. Make sure to be honest in this agreement about the number of people and the ages staying in the vacation rental. What happens next may vary depending on whether you are working with an owner or a company. The owner may send you all of the information you will need to access the vacation home rental – including access codes for the lock box and the alarm, so that you can go directly from the road or the airport right into the house. The management company may simply provide you with directions to its offices so that you can pick up the keys and additional important information about the home.

Notifying the Owner or Management Company about Any Issues with the Vacation Rental

Make sure that you let the owner or management company know about anything that is broken when you arrive at the vacation home rental, and also make sure that you inform them about any discrepancies between what your contract said and what you found when you opened the door of your rental. During your stay, remember to treat the home and everything inside and out (including furniture and electronics) respectfully – as if it were your own home all the time. Before you leave, inform the owner or company of anything that was broken or changed during your stay. Also, please take a few minutes to clean up the house by emptying the trash, doing a quick vacuum, and looking around for any other issues that you can easily resolve.

Above all, it is critical to do your own research about any vacation rental before signing a final contract. By becoming familiar with what towns are better for your needs and which locations offer easier access to attractions or beaches, you will be able to make a more informed choice before you sign the final agreement – and ensure that when you reach your vacation home rental, you can relax in style.

Renting your property may seem like an easy way to increase your passive income, but upon starting the process, you may find it to be more complicated than expected. Your house may sit on the market for months without a rental applicant because it is priced above the fair market rent. A bad tenant may be late or outright refuse to pay rent; they have the potential do thousands of dollars in property damage and may ignore your attempts to evict them from the property until authorities are involved.

So how can you avoid the headache of these common difficulties associated with renting a property? Here are five things to do before renting out your house to reduce the risk and stress of being a new landlord.

1. Take Photographs of the Property

Photographs of the property are necessary for several reasons. They are an important part of online advertising – otherwise favorable rental listings without pictures of the property are often passed over by potential tenants because they do not want to have to wait for a house tour to find out that the property does not have a layout or design that suits them. These photographs will also be helpful when your future tenants are moving out, as you can use them to measure any property damage that occurred during the rental period.

2. Assess Fair Market Rent

While it may be tempting to charge higher rent to make money back on recent renovations you may have done or moving costs from when you left the property yourself, the best thing to do is conduct market research: check with rental websites, newspapers, local landlords, realtors, and property management companies to determine the amount that properties of similar location, size and condition are renting for.

3. Create a Concise, Effective Rental Application

An effective rental application will not intimidate potential renters with its length, but will be comprehensive enough that it can be used for tenant screening purposes. Any additional information that you need from the tenant should they pass screening can be included in the lease documents. A good application will have spaces for the following items:

• Name
• Date of Birth
• Social Security Number
• Phone Number
• Current/Previous Addresses (last 7 years, including landlord name(s) and contact information)
• Current Employer (name, address, hire date, income, contact information)
• Authorization to Obtain Consumer Report Statement
• Tenant Signature

4. Consider Using a Property Manager

Property managers will typically charge a percentage of the monthly rent for their services, but in exchange, they will take care of things such as finding new tenants, creating/signing the leases, collecting the rent, and issuing legal notices (including evictions). Hiring a property manager cuts down on the profit you will make from your tenants’ rent payments, so you should carefully consider the cost-benefit of these services.

5. Find Good Tenants

Finding a decent tenant is easier said than done – many applicants can be friendly, polite, and will seem to be a good fit, but will create a flood of problems for you. The best way to improve the quality of tenants that you are leasing to is to conduct tenant background checks – that is, choosing tenants based on measurable fiscal and rental responsibility. Most landlords will charge rental applicants an application fee to cover the cost of tenant screening.

For some individuals, owning, and operating, rental, real estate properties, is a great idea, while, for others, this might not be the case! The difference, not only applies, to the specific property, but, also, each individual’s personality, attitude, and personal, specific strengths and weaknesses. Some factors include, of, course, financial ones, including the necessary reserves, needed, for purchasing a property, starting with the down – payment, closing costs, reserves for repairs, upgrades, renovations, and contingencies. In addition, some individuals are better – suited, for, owning rental property, than others, because some, do not want, the stresses, and tensions, involved, in this type of commitment. With this in mind, this article will attempt to briefly consider, review, and discuss, a few of the key factors and considerations, one should thoroughly explore, in – depth, prior to taking the leap.

1. Personal financials: Do you have the necessary funds, and will you qualify, for whatever financing, might be required? Obtaining a mortgage on a non – owner – occupied property, is significantly different from the process, regarding, one for a personal home. In most cases, a larger down – payment is required (often 25% – down, instead of 20%). In addition, the requirements differ, because not only, must you clearly demonstrate, the same things, you do, for a personal loan, you must also demonstrate, the property is viable, from a financial standpoint, and the rents, will handle the cash flow. It’s important, to have, several reserves, including: a) repairs; b) renovations; c) upgrades; unanticipated contingencies, etc.

2. Property financial issues: I am a believer in the 6% – rule, which means, the net return, should be 6%. For example, one factor is the cash flow, while the other is the overall rate of return, or return – on – investment/ ROI. Therefore, if you purchase a $500,000 property, put $125, 000 down, and have a $375, 000 mortgage loan, and the rate is 5%, your principal and interest, on a 30 – year, fixed – rate vehicle, will be approximately $2,000 per month. If the real estate taxes, and other escrow items, including insurance, etc, are, for example, $12, 000 per year, or $1, 000 per month, your total, out – of – pocket, each month, is approximately, $3, 000. If you estimate, upgrades, repairs, etc, are another $12, 000 per year ($1, 000/ month), you should use this $4, 000 per month, figure, for your preliminary calculations. In addition, base you revenues, on having each unit, unoccupied/ vacant, 2 months per year, to proceed conservatively. This means, you should collect a rent – roll, total, from all units, of at least, $4250 per month. In addition, you should be ensured, your net income, must generate approximately $32,000 per year.

3. Dealing with maintenance issues: Are you comfortable with these challenges and responsibilities?

4. Dealing with tenants: Are you ready, willing and able, to deal with tenants, and collect rents, enforce leases, meet the needs of a tenant, and the personality issues, involved?

5. Opportunity costs: How does the owning of these properties (remember to factor in appreciation, depreciation – benefits, and net income, compare with how, you might do, with other investment vehicles?

The 2 simplest ways to best maintain your Parkade.

How condo boards can maximize their investment now and for years to come.

Recent information on maintenance shows that a condo board can plan to pay anywhere from $100 to $500 per parking stall to keep its parkade in good repair and to budget for upkeep of the moisture protection systems. So, if a building had 150 stalls, it breaks down to an average of $25 per stall, or $15 to $75 thousand dollars.

What are the best ways for a condo board corporation to use this money effectively?

By focusing on the reserve fund and operating budget, here are some guidelines to make sure that the parkade is maintained properly.

Before we start let’s get down to basics.

Most parkades today are equipped with reinforced concrete. These are durable because of waterproof membranes that protect against water and salts, which both can destroy the concrete surface. This happens when water and salts mix together and contact metals and steels which create iron oxide or rust. The rust expands and creates pressure on the surrounding concrete. These metals are found in rebar- which creates strength on the concrete floors. The rusting process reduces the strength of the concrete, and can severely affect its ability to handle weight in the parking areas. Eventually, the structure’s integrity can be comprised, in some cases, it could even collapse completely!

So the aim of maintaining parkades properly is to make sure that the salts and dangerous pollutants are removed on a regular basis.

Here are the 2 simplest ways to maintain your Parkade and help reduce the damage to the parking garage structure.

1) The most cost-effective plan is to have your parkades power swept, pressure washed, and power scrubbed, at least twice a year. This will combat against the harmful influences of rusts, dirt and dangerous debris.

2) Have a regular program for flushing and cleaning floor drains and drain pipes in the garage every 6 months. A good time to do this is as the parkade is being swept and scrubbed. This allows the salts and dirt waters in the parkade to flush down these pipes safely. This reduces the contamination of salts and debris on the concrete surface.

It is a lot easier to make sure the membrane and concrete are properly cared for with regular maintenance than to overspend on replacement costs of the overall structure. A little maintenance goes a long way when it comes to important structures like your parkade.

One of the interesting discussions I have with property owners is about pets and whether they should accept them. It is a hot topic, so I thought I would lay out the pros and cons and some of the things you can do to offset the potential risk of accepting pets.

60% of Americans Own Pets!

To start you need to understand that about 60% of Americans have pets. If you decide not to accept pets, you are eliminating almost two-thirds of the population as potential tenants. Also, if you have a high-end single-family home that number may be as high as 70% to 75% of families are going to have pets.

If you own lower end properties or student housing that percentage might be lower. But either way, if you do not accept pets, a large chunk of the population is not eligible to rent your property.

Pet Owners Tend to Stay in Apartments Longer!

Pet owners tend to be very good tenants in that they tend to stay longer. Because it’s difficult for pet owner to move or find another place that accepts pets, they are going to stay at their current property much longer. Obviously, that helps with turnover and with repair costs so it’s better to have longer term tenants.

Pet Owners Tend to Make More Money and Make Better Tenants

Pet owners tend to make more money than non-pet owner tenants. Because owners of pets have pay for food, vet bills, and all the other stuff pet owners buy it indicates a higher disposable income than non-pet owners. Higher incomes should allow them to afford higher rents and be able to offset any short term financial trouble.

Charge Extra Rent and Security Deposit

You should make more money with accepting pets. We charge an extra $25 per month, per pet. If the tenants have two pets, then we would charge an extra $50 per month of rental income. We also charge an extra $300 per pet in security deposit. It is refundable if the place is perfect when the tenants moves out, but if pet does any damage then we have additional monies to be used to make repairs. Also, if the carpets were not clean when they left, one of the things we will be using the $300 security money for is to clean and shampoo the carpets.

Use Pet Addendums to Lay out the Pet Rules and Regulations!

We recommend that you should have the tenants sign a full pet addendum. The pet addendum lays out all the rules and regulations of owning a pet and the ramifications if they don’t take care of that pet.

Do Not Accept Aggressive Dogs

We do not accept any aggressive dogs. If tenants own a bull dog or other aggressive dogs we would not recommend accepting them. Additionally, I would not accept dog that are over 50 or 60 pounds as they are adding a lot of additional risk for your building and other tenants or neighbors. One of the reasons for this is most property insurance companies will void your insurance if you accept aggressive or large dogs.

Professional Shampoo Carpets Once the Tenants Move Out!

We require pet owner tenants that they must professionally shampoo the carpets when they leave. They must pay for the cleaning and provide us a receipt proofing the cleaning was done. If for some reason they were not to do it, then again as I mentioned earlier, we’d use that extra $300 in security to have the carpets professionally shampooed and cleaned.

Hard Wood Floors and Pets?

One major concern is hardwood floors. If you have a property with hardwood floors, accepting pets is a real risk factor. We do recommend mitigating the risk by requiring that they have rugs over some or all the hardwood floors. But either way, if you have hardwood floors, it is an extra risk and make sure it is worth having a dog in the property with hardwood floors.

Service Animals are NOT Pets!

It is very important that everybody understands is that a service animal is not a pet. If you decide to not accept pets, that’s fine. But if the tenant has a service animal you cannot decide to accept to decline a tenant based on a service animal. So just make sure you’re aware of that as an owner that a service animal is not a pet.