Rental hacks for the frustrated landlord

by Ryan Ong

GIVEN that we live on a tiny island, and rely heavily on foreign workers, you’d think renting out a property is easy. Well you’d be wrong. Singapore’s rental market, particularly for high-end properties, have been declining despite the influx of foreigners. Now, landlords will have to engage in vicious, no-holds-barred fights over tenants, and at least a handful will be offloading their property in shameful defeat. There are some ways to make sure you’re not one of them:



1. Make imitation furniture

If you are renting out a furnished unit, there are ways to make it seem like a higher rent is justified. The hard way is to invest way too much money, by buying designer furniture and Persian rugs. Have you seen Eames chairs? They look really cool, can go for upward of $5,000 a piece, and constitute an investment that you will recoup when the sun burns out.

But you’ve seen people with top end furniture, who claim they only spent $30,000* on everything right? That’s because it’s not always stated, but interior designers and contractors can make their own furniture. That includes when you point at something in a magazine, and tell them to “make something that looks like that, but at 1/10th of the price, thanks“.

Alternatively, go to custom made furniture websites and get them to create designs inspired from elsewhere. You don’t actually need to buy the high-end furnishings.



2. Fight for two year leases, avoid the shorter ones

Pop quiz: When the rental market is soft, do the number of rental contracts signed go up or down?

Answer: Up, which you answered because you know it’s a trick question so the answer will be counter-intuitive. But yes, rental volumes have gone up, even as rental rates have gone down. That’s because some tenants (especially those with cunning agents to represent them) often push for shorter leases in a weak rental market. That way, in six months or nine months or a year, they can attempt to renegotiate with you and get lower rates (they are betting that rental rates are likely to be just as depressed, or even worse, in that time).

So rather than just be grateful for any tenant, and just jump on a short-term contract, at least try to negotiate for a longer lease. Make your rental income consistent and fixed in a declining market.



3. Empty space? Store things for a fee

Singaporeans buy a lot of stuff, and we’re all running out of space. A less known, unofficial perk of rental properties is that they’re also giant cupboards (If you’ve had a landlord, you’ll know many of us like to keep spare stuff in our other properties). A landlord can monetise this function.

Find someone who needs space to store something, and who would otherwise need to pay a storage company (like a warehouse) for it. Writers with 1,000 copies of self-published manuscripts, blogshop owners who need inventory space, musicians who need a place to stash the old drum kit, etc. Get them to sign a contract that absolves you responsibility should their stuff burn down (improbable), and then charge them to store their items.

It may just come to a few hundred dollars a month (don’t store so much it actually affects a prospective tenant), but take what you can get in this economy.



4. Learn to stage your place for viewings

If you’ve skipped using a property agent, you’ll have to stage the property yourself. You can create significant improvements just by making some basic changes. Some of the tips given to me by property agents include:

– Repaint, preferably using white. You can get the paint company (like Dulux) to do this for you these days, and you’ll get a professional team.

– Shut off the downlights during the viewing, and use uplights. Downlights are the regular lights that shine down from the ceiling. Uplights point up at the ceiling. Examples are these floor lamps that can be pointed at the ceiling, or track lighting angled upward (like the sort used for pictures in art galleries).

You know how rooms in design magazines look nicer than they do in real life? That’s because they’re using uplights.

– Hang big mirrors on the walls, which will bounce the light around. This makes your place look more spacious, and also brighter.

– Scent the room, with a generous number of aromatherapy candles (or at least air fresheners). Do this especially for older units, which may be musty in areas.

– Remove any sagging cabinets in the kitchen, or storage units with missing knobs. Also replace old faucets or mouldy mirrors. While these are actually trivial issues, they make an inordinate impact on the tenant’s perspective.


5. Cherry pick extras to nab tenants

If the tenant is hesitating on the price, ask them what they’d want if the budget was no concern. They might mention things like more space for their children. You can then offer small extras that are tangentially related (e.g. I don’t have a backyard, but I will do up one room as a play space with some toys at no charge to you). Cherry pick the “extras” that you are willing to do for free (they should be things that don’t actually cost much).

Sometimes, the little extra gesture will be all you need to secure the tenant.


6. Partially furnished is cost-effective

In general, unfurnished properties are harder to rent out (and obviously bring in less rental income). One way to save on costs, while still attracting tenants, is to partially furnish your unit. That means putting in only essentials like the tables, beds, chairs, and so on. But leave out other amenities like the feature walls, kitchen island, or television (especially leave out the television; few people need it anymore thanks to Netflix). This will help you save on costs.

Next, try and rent it out to a family first. They will usually buy their own stuff to round out the apartment, and when they leave you can offer to buy their stuff off them at a discount (thus saving money again).


Above all, keep the unit tenanted

In a worst case scenario, you may not be able to get the rental rate you want. Bear in mind that in desperate straits, low rent is better than no rent. They key is to avoid having to offload your property, in the current weak market.


Featured image by Natassya Siregar.

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Resource :http://themiddleground.sg/2016/11/07/rental-hacks-frustrated-landlord/

Does A New City Mean New Furniture And Home Appliances?

In the age that we’re living, the phrase that “Change is the only constant,” rings so true. Lifestyles are changing, our habits are changing and especially our whims.

Relocating to a new city for a job seeker is a very real possibility these days. Most of us don’t have a choice, if our employer wants us to shift to a new city for the new job, we have to. Either you take your furniture and appliances in tow and risk getting it damaged for a temporary yet long term posting. Of course you won’t decide to buy a house in the posted city but rather just rent, then why not also rent home furniture and home appliances. If you’re in a temporary living situation, where you need furniture and home appliances for a medium term before you move out, but don’t want to shell out a considerable amount of money on a purchase, then again renting might be a good option for you. By renting your appliance, you can avoid the hassle of saving for an expensive outright purchase of a model that may soon become outdated.

Renting makes relocation hassle free 

A lot of people have begun to rent furniture and home appliances after relocating to a new city. With a growing need to control household budgets, increased geographical mobility and new habits, the cause for renting home appliances make a valid points against investing long term in equipment for the home. In addition to saving on the cost of installation and any necessary repairs, renting a home appliance can enable the consumer to obtain a tailored service.

The Ahuja Rentals Advantage

Ahuja Rentals offers complete solutions when it comes to furniture and appliance furnishings and maintenance for people in transit or relocating, for any length of time. They help you relocate and settle down as smoothly and comfortably as is possible. The rental packages are personalized to suit your needs, tastes and budget. They deliver and set up your furniture for you. No lifting, assembling, hiring a truck or organizing manpower.

Ahuja Rental Services

1. Assessment of proper, adequate furniture and appliances required for the house
2. Repair, maintenance services of furniture and appliances – free of cost
3. Transportation services
4. Flexibility for customers in selecting the furniture and changing it in rental period
5. Shifting services available in rental period – on chargeable basis

Resource:  https://furniturerentalnews.wordpress.com/2016/11/25/does-a-new-city-mean-new-furniture-and-home-appliances/

Homelessness collaborative progresses as it fights self-imposed deadline

Landlords who may be skittish about renting apartments to homeless veterans and others who may have fallen on hard times need not worry, according to a couple who provides such rentals.

The hassles are few, and the rewards, many, said Jason and Pam Melby, who own rental properties in La Crosse and own or manage others in Tomah, where they rent to more than 20 veterans.

“Our experience has been tremendous,” said Jason, a La Crosse police captain who also is on the design committee of the La Crosse Collaborative to End Homelessness. “Renting to vets and people who have served our country is the right thing to do.”

It also vaults over the typical landlord-tenant relationship, Pam said, explaining, “They view me as a friend. I like working with them. I always say be kind because you don’t know what battles people may be having.”

The collaborative is operating on a 100-day deadline, having intended to identify 15 rental units by Veterans Day in its quest to help 12 homeless veterans move in by Christmas Day.

With that first deadline looming Friday and appearing elusive, the collaborative remains undeterred in its overall goals, said Kim Cable, who chairs the group.

The optimism springs from success so far, from having located apartments for eight, helping gather furnishings and other supplies and helping them move in since the collaborative launched its effort on Sept. 15, she said.

“It’s a live document. We get some house and become aware of new veterans,” Cable said. “What we really need are one-bedroom units inside and outside of La Crosse.”

The reason some quarters are needed outside of the city is that some of the veterans have housing vouchers with that stipulation, she said.

Most of those chits are called HUD/VASH vouchers, with “VASH” standing for the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program, which includes a variety of support services and caseworkers for the vets.

“The experience we’ve had with the HUD/VASH program has been really good,” Jason Melby said. “I would say the wrap-around services and case workers make all of the difference in the world.”

Landlords often have to address issues with tenants, he said.

“In managing the properties appropriately, the case workers provide an extra security blanket,” Jason said.

“Some haven’t had the social experience of renting, and getting them back requires just a little patience, because it might take a little more effort to manage,” he said.

“The risk with veterans isn’t any different than anybody else. I’ve rented some to people for seven years, and something happens in their life and everything goes south,” said the 44-year-old Jason, who said he bought his first duplex at the age of 19.

“My wife deals with most of this because she manages the properties,” he said. “Some just need someone to talk to sometimes. A lot come in and sit down and talk to her for 10 or 15 minutes. She likes it.

“Some stories are funny, and others are tragic,” he said. “Once they are moved in, you develop a rapport. That’s part of it.”

Pam echoed the sentiment, saying the chats range from everyday topics to deeper issues about their lives and families, as well as checking how things are going with her.

“The apartments are nice, but sometimes, they are just thankful that somebody believed in them,” Pam said. “For some, I’m the only person they have to talk to.”

Such was the case with a veteran who had health issues to the extent that he eventually wasn’t able to make it out much, so she told him to call her when he had the rent payment, and she drove to his apartment to pick it up.

“He’d also call every week to talk,” she said, adding that she became concerned one week when he didn’t call.

She went to his apartment and found that he had died, an unsettling experience for her. Because he had no family, he was buried in Madison in a cemetery with an area for veterans who have no next of kin, Pam said.

Setting his landlord hat aside and donning his police captain cap, Jason said, “From the aspect of law enforcement, it’s not just veterans but generally with homeless people.”

When issues arise with homeless people sleeping in parking ramps or parks or, perhaps urinating in public areas, “the first people called are law enforcement,” he said.

“We could chase them and write tickets, but the issue isn’t behavior. It’s that homeless people don’t have housing. It doesn’t solve anything to write tickets,” Jason said.

“We at the La Crosse Police Department take an active interest” to help homeless people,” he said, noting that Neighborhood Resource Officer Joel Miller recently carried furniture into an apartment to help a veteran get settled.

“It’s better than chasing them around,” he said. “We can do more good by helping them than chasing them around.”

Collaborative members have hosted two sessions for landlords who might be interested in joining its effort and will host a training session Nov. 17, Cable said.

During collaborative team meetings last week, “We found we’re really doing well, and most teams are meeting or exceeding their goals,” she said.

The group’s collections of furniture and household supplies at a warehouse every Saturday of October were so successful that the group has suspended those efforts for now.

“The warehouse is full,” Cable said. “The generosity and outpouring from the community are so amazing, so wonderful. Everybody is pulling together, and it keeps us going.”

Resource :   http://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/homelessness-collaborative-progresses-as-it-fights-self-imposed-deadline/article_cfe23551-93d9-5c01-b74d-501a6c0f3da5.html

Latest Analyst Ratings For Rent-A-Center Inc. (NASDAQ:RCII)

Recently analysts working for a variety of stock market brokerages have changed their consensus ratings and price targets on shares of Rent-A-Center Inc. (NASDAQ:RCII).


 10/13/2016 – Jefferies began new coverage on Rent-A-Center Inc. giving the company a “hold” rating. They now have a USD 10 price target on the stock.

05/24/2016 – Topeka Capital Markets began new coverage on Rent-A-Center Inc. giving the company a “buy” rating. They now have a USD 27 price target on the stock.

03/15/2016 – Rent-A-Center Inc. was upgraded to “strong buy” by analysts at Raymond James. They now have a USD 21 price target on the stock.

01/12/2016 – Rent-A-Center Inc. was downgraded to “hold” by analysts at BB&T Capital Markets.

12/22/2015 – Rent-A-Center Inc. had its “buy” rating reiterated by analysts at Cantor Fitzgerald. They now have a USD 18 price target on the stock.

10/29/2015 – Rent-A-Center Inc. was downgraded to “sector weight” by analysts at KeyBanc.

10/19/2015 – Sidoti began new coverage on Rent-A-Center Inc. giving the company a “buy” rating. They now have a USD 40 price target on the stock.

07/29/2015 – Rent-A-Center Inc. had its “buy” rating reiterated by analysts at Benchmark. They now have a USD 45 price target on the stock.

07/29/2015 – Rent-A-Center Inc. had its “buy” rating reiterated by analysts at Canaccord Genuity. They now have a USD 45 price target on the stock.

03/27/2015 – Rent-A-Center Inc. had its “hold” rating reiterated by analysts at Zacks. They now have a USD 26 price target on the stock.

03/10/2015 – Stephens began new coverage on Rent-A-Center Inc. giving the company a “equal weight” rating.

10/08/2014 – Rent-A-Center Inc. was upgraded to “buy” by analysts at Northcoast Research. They now have a USD 38 price target on the stock.

05/14/2014 – Rent-A-Center Inc. was upgraded to “buy” by analysts at TheStreet.

04/24/2014 – Rent-A-Center Inc. was upgraded to “buy” by analysts at Gilford Securities.

12/24/2013 – Rent-A-Center Inc. was upgraded to “hold” by analysts at Thomson Reuters/Verus.

Rent-A-Center Inc. has a 50 day moving average of 10.95 and a 200 day moving average of 12.27. The stock’s market capitalization is 562.85M, it has a 52-week low of 8.00 and a 52-week high of 18.54.

The share price of the company (NASDAQ:RCII) was down -0.09%, with a high of 0.00 during the day and the volume of Rent-A-Center Inc. shares traded was 0.

Rent-A-Center, Inc. is a rent-to-own operator in North America. The Company provides an opportunity to obtain ownership of products, such as consumer electronics, appliances, computers (including tablets), smartphones and furniture (including accessories), under rental purchase agreements. The Company operates in four segments: Core U.S., Acceptance Now, Mexico and Franchising. Its Core U.S. and Mexico stores generally offer merchandise from over five basic product categories: consumer electronics, appliances, computers (including tablets), smartphones and furniture (including accessories). The Acceptance Now segment provides an on-site rent-to-own option at a third-party retailer’s location. Its Franchising segment engages in the sale of rental merchandise to its franchisees who, in turn, offer the merchandise to the general public for rent or purchase under a rent-to-own transaction. It offers brands, such as LG, Frigidaire, Acer, Apple, Asus, Samsung, Ashley, Powell and Standard.

Resource :  http://www.desotoedge.com/stocks/latest-analyst-ratings-for-rent-a-center-inc-nasdaqrcii-3/120966

Virtual realty: can a computer game turn you into an ‘evil’ property developer?

Delaying repairs to save money and dehumanising your tenants ... Adam Forrest becomes a virtual landlord and learns some interesting – and depressing – lessons

 Building my first high-rise tower wasn’t too difficult. I threw up some studio apartments, hooked them up with power and phone lines, arranged for a rubbish collection, and welcomed my first tenants. I packed the people in, stacked the units, and the profits soon began to pile up nicely.

It’s fun being a virtual landlord. I’ve been playing Project Highrise, a PC and Mac real estate management simulation, since the game’s release in September. It gives cash-strapped renters like me a chance to indulge the wild fantasy of owning property. It also offers members of Generation Rent some insight into how real-world landlords and larger developers actually do business.

Despite its cutesy appearance, the game is surprisingly detailed and utterly unsentimental. You begin the game by managing the costs of building infrastructure, and trying to avoid taking on too much bank debt before your tenants can provide a steady revenue stream. Before too long, you’re hiring consultants to lobby city hall for a metro station and wondering whether “prestige” artwork in the hallway might attract higher-paying residents.

In becoming a digital Donald Trump, I learned some interesting, if slightly depressing lessons. For one thing, it’s costly to lose tenants. You don’t want a day to go by without any rent; and you don’t want to have to reach into your pocket to refurbish an empty flat to make it rentable again. So it’s best to keep all current tenants happy, if you can. But fixing up occupied flats that have turned grimy is also expensive, so it’s worth trying to hold out as long as possible without doing

I also learned how easy it is to dehumanise your tenants. At first, each new tower resident was an intriguing little person I cared about. I customised their names so I could remember their characteristics. Phyllis, who didn’t seem to go out much, became “Phyllis the Quiet One”. Mildred, who always complained about the smell of the rubbish bins on her floor, became “Smell-sensitive Mildred”. Dave was simply “Tank Top Dave”.

But before too long, after filling six or seven floors, I forgot about them as individuals. They were simply rent payers; inhabitants of my units. And if they weren’t happy about something, they became a profit-draining pain.

We did a lot of research about how real-world things function,” says Matthew Viglione, designer of Project Highrise, which is made by Chicago-based SomaSim. “We talked to building developers and owners in Chicago about how much they plan for, how much they react, how needy certain tenants are, and how much you want residential [tenants] versus commercial [tenants]. We did walking tours of various skyscrapers, and said, ‘Yes, we want that element in the game.’”

Project Highrise runs a series of urban development challenges in which the player is put in charge of buildings in crisis, based loosely on repurposed and rejuvenated downtown Chicago skyscrapers like the Marquette Building.

I tried one challenge called “neighbourhood revitalisation”, which tests your ability to revive a particularly run-down building and restore it to profit-making glory. Shamefully, I found it cost effective to evict low paying cafes and cheap liquor stores and bring in some higher paying “creatives” – graphic design studios, architectural practices and talent agencies. Perhaps I was only following the gentrification model I’ve absorbed from real-life London.

Project Highrise’s programmer, Robert Zubek, says the game was not based on any one model of change – and it is possible to adopt a number of different strategies to find reliable, long-term profit.

“If you imagine a game where your tower is grimy and run down, you don’t actually have to fix it,” Zubek explains. “You can just lower the rent just enough for people to be less unhappy, so that they don’t move out. So you can play this ‘slumlord’ kind of game. It is still dehumanising, because ultimately you’re having to treat your tenants as financial resources.”

In this respect, the game reflects life all too well. If continually watching the bottom line seems a little grim, there is at least the consolation of playing with the form of your fantasy tower. Would-be architects can tinker with the shape of construction, although SomaSim’s designers admit to being strongly influenced by the simple, clean modernism of Chicago’s Mies van der Rohe for the game’s basic structural elements.

“It’s a style that travels well,” explains Viglione. “And the interior design, the colour palette and furniture were borrowed from the 1960s. There’s something very simple, international and appealing about it. I think the optimism of that era was fantastic.”

Intriguingly, some of SomaSim’s early ideas were too awkward to incorporate into the finished game. One concept the team considered, before it was finally deemed too complex, was offering virtual tenants the chance to sign up to long-term tenancy contracts.

“We did consider introducing leases where residents could agree to be locked into long-term leases,” says Zubek. “But we had a hard time making that easy for the player to understand – it just made it harder to enjoy the game. You want to give the player a lot of power so they have the agency to do things.”

After six weeks of playing Project Highrise, squeezing tiny tenants living in my laptop tower, I found myself envisioning a different kind of video game: a fantasy world which flipped everything on its head, and put the tenant in control.

In this alternative game (Project Housing Crisis?) wealthy property magnates would be able to vicariously experience the life of an impoverished renter, attempting to dodge rent hikes and the threat of eviction while saving up for a deposit. You never know, it might even make our cities kinder, more human places.

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Resource : https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/nov/09/virtual-realty-computer-game-evil-property-developer#img-1

Holiday, winter deals at state parks

Fans of Georgia’s State Parks can save on getaways and gift cards this winter season. By day, enjoy peaceful hiking trails and open vistas, and by night kick back with cozy campfires and starry skies.

From Nov. 25 through Dec. 24, get a $5 gift certificate for every $50 purchase of Georgia State Park gift cards. Gift cards can be tucked into a stocking for later use on cabins, campsites, historic site admission, retail items, picnic shelters, boat rentals, golf fees and many other outdoor activities. Give the card to someone you love and keep the gift certificate for yourself. (The $5 certificates are valid Jan. 1-31, 2017; $20 minimum must be spent. Not valid on ParkPass fees or Friends memberships.) Buy gift cards at park offices or online at GeorgiaStateParks.org/gift-card with promo code $5GIFTCERTPROMO16. Learn more at GeorgiaStateParks.org/specials.

Enjoy a peaceful winter wonderland while saving on your wallet. This December and January, save 50 percent on campsites and 25 percent on “glamping” yurts, Sunday through Thursday nights.  Yurts are like a cross between a cabin and a tent, with furniture inside, a cozy fire pit outside and hot showers nearby. Yurts usually rent for $75 to $100 per night. Georgia State Park campsites feature water and electric hookups (some sewage hookups) and a central bathhouse. Campsites usually rent for $25 to $40 per night. During holiday season, many families gather at state parks to enjoy parties and reunions in group shelters.

Use promo code WinterPromo16 when booking at GeorgiaStateParks.org/reservations or calling 1-800-864-7275. For a list of participating state parks, visit GeorgiaStateParks.org/map; not valid at Crooked River, Skidaway, Reed Bingham, Fort McAllister and Laura S. Walker state parks. Learn more at GeorgiaStateParks.org/specials.

Location:
Fayette County

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Section:
Lifestyle
Resource :  http://thecitizen.com/lifestyle/holiday-winter-deals-state-parks

What's Considered 'Normal Wear and Tear' in a Rental?

The one thought on every renter’s mind on move-out day (aside from “How the heck am I going to get this sofa through the front door?”) has to do with the security deposit. Will you ever see that money again?

According to most leases, your only hope is to return your apartment in the same condition as when you took possession, beyond “normal wear and tear.” Still, though, this raises the question: What exactly is normal wear and tear, and what crosses the line?

Read on to learn just what you need to fix, and what you can let slide.

What qualifies as ‘normal wear and tear’

Unfortunately, when it comes to pinpointing wear and tear, there’s no specific laundry list of flaws that landlords will find acceptable to leave behind. It helps to think in terms of things you encounter in your own home on a daily basis.

“Have you ever put a nail in the wall to hang a picture or scuffed the wall carrying in groceries?” asks Trent Zachmann, chief operating officer of Renters Warehouse, which manages residential real estate. (Of course you have!) “These kinds of things happen.”

Normal wear and tear is light damage that occurs over time and doesn’t affect the use of the home or appliances; it’s just not aesthetically pleasing. Other examples of normal wear and tear are light scratches on wood floors, wear spots on carpet (but not stains), and loose railings or banisters.
What tenants must fix

According to Gary Malin, president of Citi Habitats, these are some of the most common things that renters would be responsible for fixing:

    Excessively scratched or gouged floors
    Broken windows or torn screens
    Broken or nonworking appliances
    Pet stains and odors
    Custom wall coverings such as paint or wallpaper
    Any installations like shelving, light fixtures, or window treatments


The importance of a move-in checklist

All landlords or property managers will have different expectations, and so on your move-in day it’s important to discuss the condition they expect you to keep your apartment in. Scratches and discoloration should be documented, so whip out your smartphone or camera and take photos of any flaws you see and make sure your landlord is aware of them so he knows you didn’t create them.

Ideally, your landlord should provide a checklist of the property condition upon move in. But if not, Kimberly Smith of AvenueWest, which manages corporate housing, recommends creating your own (you can download a sample rental property checklist online). Ask your landlord to sign the document to make it official, include photos of flaws, and, if you want to be extra careful, search online and try to find out the life expectancy of various items. One biggie is the carpet.

“The carpet is a great example of an amenity that many tenants and landlords dispute,” Smith explains. “To establish the expectations for the cleanliness of the carpet, first start with the total life expectancy.” Experts estimate that in a household of two to four people, carpet will typically last around three to five years. So if the tenant rents a newly carpeted place for five years and the carpet needs to be replaced when he moves out, then this is considered normal wear and tear.

In other words, make yourself at home and don’t sweat the small scuffs.


Have any other tips on how to keep your wear and tear in the normal range? Is your landlord especially picky about it? Share your stories by joining the discussion on House Talk.
Resource : http://www.realtor.com/advice/rent/what-is-normal-wear-and-tear-in-rental/

Bloom Central in full bloom at the heart of Abu Dhabi

rentfurniturenews.Located across the road from Abu Dhabi’s Al Wahda Mall, Bloom’s new complex, Bloom Central, is hard to miss.

Made up of the capital’s new Marriott hotel, offices, serviced apartments and housing, the development sits on Abu Dhabi‘s main artery, Airport Road, on a crossroads between one of the capital’s biggest shopping centres and one of its largest public hospitals.

To live in such a location, there are a couple of options. Firstly, the 64 serviced Marriott executive apartments offer one, two and three-bedroom suites. Fully furnished, they come with all the mod cons you might need – a spacious lounge, kitchen with a washing machine and tumble dryer as well as an office area. And the usual headaches with setting up in a home are also removed.

"Usually when you first come to the UAE you need Emirates ID to get Etisalat to connect your internet," says Susan Huisink, marketing manager for the executive apartments. "Here we provide free internet already in the apartment. We provide sheets, kitchenware and even groceries so you can come here and move in with just a suitcase."

Marriott staff clean the apartments, which are leased on longer-term contracts, twice a week and can provide room service for an additional fee as well as grocery shopping and a laundry service.

All the apartments also come with access to a residents’ lounge and Marriott says a separate swimming pool exclusively for executive apartments will open soon.

But all of these services come at a hefty cost. Monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment reaches an eye-watering Dh17,000 – that’s Dh204,000 a year. By comparison, a four-bedroom villa in the same area is currently being advertised on Dubizzle for Dh210,000 a year.

For those staying in Abu Dhabi for the longer term, Bloom has a second option: 49 two, three and four-bedroom apartments for lease. Unlike the serviced apartments, these come without any furniture and whoever moves in must provide everything including kitchen appliances.

Rents here are a little more in tune with the mainstream rental market in Abu Dhabi. Bloom is currently marketing three-bedroom pads in the complex for Dh180,000 a year.

lbarnard@thenational.ae

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Resource : http://www.thenational.ae/business/the-life/bloom-central-in-full-bloom-at-the-heart-of-abu-dhabi

Panasonic's home of the future will blow your mind

The high-tech home of the Jetsons just got a little closer to reality.

Demonstrated at this year's CEATEC 2016, Panasonic unveiled a full range of IoT (Internet of Things) smart home products at its "Unique Interface/Unique Experience" exhibition. Its exhibition used existing and in-development technologies to show the kitchen of the not-too-distant future.

Shown in the above video, the shelves are kitted out with the company's transparent displays -- sliding glass panels that double as an OLED monitor -- turning ordinary shelves into full sized, high-fidelity TV displays.

The Flat Cooker, what looks to be a stylish-yet-ordinary dining room table, is a new concept cooker, where food is cooked directly on the plate by placing a specialised lid over it. Once the metal-rimmed lid makes contact with the table, ingredients within begin to heat up, while the rest of the surface remains room temperature.

Should you like to drink the occasional glass of wine and wish to keep your bottles cool, the same technology used in the transparent display shelves are also present in a wine cabinet. With a tap of the glass, it can display and modify the cabinet's internal temperature and humidity, list off the details of each bottle and provide cooking recipes for food that compliments your drink of choice.

The smart home market -- ordinary household appliances made "smart" by IoT -- is expected to double in size in the coming years. It'll grow from its 2015 worth of $46 billion to over $120 billion by 2022, according to Markets and Markets.

Tags:
    Appliance Smart Home SmartThings
Resource :https://www.cnet.com/news/panasonics-home-of-the-future-looks-amazing/

Cash, gift vouchers most preferred Diwali gift by employees, says ASSOCHAM survey

 New Delhi: While a box of traditional sweets is the least desirable gift for office workers, cash and gift coupons/vouchers, prepaid cards are most desired this Diwali festival, noted a just-concluded survey by apex industry body ASSOCHAM.

The ASSOCHAM Social Development Foundation conducted an online survey to gauge 1,000 full-time office workers' opinions and about 500 human resource professionals on Diwali festival bonuses given by companies and their desired gifts between October 1 - October 15 in 10 cities of - Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, and Mumbai.

The ASSOCHAM survey showed that 45 per cent of office workers wanted cash or gift coupons/vouchers, 35 per cent wanted gadgets/electronic item/home appliances/utensils and other such things for personal use or for use in their households, 15 per cent gift-boxes of sweets or cookies and the remaining preferred various other things.

However over half of the HR professionals that ASSOCHAM interacted with said that cash rewards have the lowest impact and do little to improve employee satisfaction and performance, many of these opined that non-financial rewards have a greater and longer-lasting effect on employee.

Most of the HR professionals said their companies have identified staff members who have consistently performed better and deserve to be recognised with something 'tangible.'

Further elaborating on this aspect, many said their companies adhere to the policy of meritocracy and would reward only the best staff thereby making it performance-based and not across the board.

"Most of the companies in private sector have gradually moved away from a fixed Diwali bonus and instead provide benefits considering employees' individual performance for past few years, so hardly any change is expected on this front," said Mr D.S. Rawat, secretary general of ASSOCHAM while releasing findings of the chamber's survey.

"Though companies are not getting very generous, but considering that Diwali being one of India's widely celebrated annual festival, corporate gifting has become a tradition to express gratitude, appreciation, develop relationships and generate goodwill amid peers and employees," said Mr Rawat.

Many HR representatives also said that though they have earmarked a certain amount towards corporate gifting, but they have not increased their budget compared to last year.

Many of these said they plan to give gift hampers including assorted chocolates, imported liquor, genuine leather bags and even personalised gifts like gym/club membership to their deserving employees and clients this year.

Crockery, sweets, dry fruits, bed sheets, gold coins, home decor, tableware, luxury watches, designer apparel, expensive writing instruments, free holiday packages, movie tickets, dinner coupons, spa vouchers and hampers with a mix of festive essentials like torans, diyas, aromatic candles remain certain other popular gift options this year too.
Resource  :http://retail.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/cash-gift-vouchers-most-preferred-diwali-gift-by-employees-says-assocham-survey/55027057

BRIEF-Home appliances maker Wuxi Little Swan's Q3 net profit up 30.3 pct

Oct 24 Wuxi Little Swan Co Ltd

* Says Q3 net profit up 30.3 percent y/y at 332.3 million yuan ($49.09 million)

Source text in Chinese: bit.ly/2eAowG5

Further company coverage: ($1 = 6.7689 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by Hong Kong newsroom)
Resource :http://in.reuters.com/article/idINL4N1CU2L3

Perlora Loft has furnishings for the modern millennial

After 22 years of trying to get the owners of the old St. Elmo’s bookstore at 2214  East Carson St. to sell the building, Perry Siegsmund was finally successful.

“It just sat empty for  years,” said Mr. Siegsmund, who with his wife, Lora, owns Pelora, the contemporary furniture store next door. “They just didn’t want to sell, but I would call every six months or so and ask if they were ready to sell.”

He ultimately prevailed, and earlier this month they opened a new showroom that has expanded their current store by an additional 4,000 square feet. “We had to re-plumb and rewire the entire place,” he said. “It’s been a big investment.”

With this added space they aim to appeal to modern-minded millennials as well as downsizers. The Siegsmunds also own Perlora Leather in the Strip District.

The new showroom has its own name and identity: Perlora Loft.

While furniture shopping, like so many things, is migrating online, Perlora aims to buck that trend with what Mrs. Siegsmund says is excellent service and products that shoppers can see and feel before pulling out their credit card. The store offers a free interior design service to purchasing customers.

“Perlora Loft is designed for a younger demographic with a lower price point and a modern appeal,” said Mrs. Siegsmund.  The first floor of the former bookstore is filled with the  EQ3 brand furniture such as the Simple Queen platform bed and the popular Arie chair with a metal base that swivels all the way around.

The second floor was once an apartment building, so the couple decided to keep the original rooms and windows that look out into the hall. “It’s so funny,” said Mrs. Siegsmund.

“We used a few rooms of the apartment to showcase how the furniture would look in an actual room,” Mr. Siegsmund added. There are several brands to look at upstairs, including Innovation, Moe’s, BDI and Stressless You by Ekornes.  The display in the front room is built around the fireplace.  In there you will find the double-louvered door Corridor Bar by BDI and Moe’s wall unit behind the Brady Collection sofa. 

Patricia Sheridan: psheridan@post-gazette.com, 412-263-2613, Twitter: @pasheridan.
Resource  :http://www.post-gazette.com/life/homes/2016/10/24/Perlora-Loft-has-furnishings-for-the-modern-millennial/stories/201610240001

AT HOME WITH MARNI JAMESON: Part 3: Second Home Owners Offer First-Hand Advice

Is owning a second home all it’s cracked up to be? That’s the question I cast to my experience-wizened readers. And their resounding answer? A definitive sometimes.

Over the last two weeks in this column I’ve shared, in a general sense, the pluses and minuses of the second home. This week, I am giving the reins over to my readers, who have shared their first-hand knowledge of second-home ownership. Here are their lessons from the trenches, beaches, mountains and golf communities:

“Just think!”

“There we were, stretched out on the beach —in January!” begins Bonnie Wilkes, explaining how she and her husband, then Chicago residents, came to own a second home in Sarasota, Fla. “The temperature was in the mid-80s. Wow! We thought — just think if we could have this all the time! We should buy a second home here.”

And they did. That was 34 years ago. “Never again did we feel that same level of relaxation while on vacation at that same beach,” she continued. “Some days we didn’t even make it to the beach because we were waiting for the refrigerator repair guy. Instead of strolling the gift shops in the village, we were at a big box store looking for a TV for the guestroom.”

A second home is just that—a second home, Wilkes said, “with all the responsibilities any home requires, compounded by the fact that your time to fulfill those responsibilities is your vacation time.”

But the Wilkes’ story doesn’t end there. They retired 10 years ago, sold the Sarasota condo and their Chicago home, and bought a larger place — in Sarasota — where they now live permanently.

“We couldn’t be happier.”
Renting beats owning

“We’ve rented the second home and owned the second home,” said Claudia Latona, of Pittsburgh. “Yes, it’s nice to be surrounded by your own things, but owning a second place amounts to an expensive and demanding hobby. It’s much more relaxing to rent.”
Timing is everything

Five years ago, Carol and Tom Gordon, of San Anselmo, Calif., bought a cottage on Lake Erie, where Carol Gordon went every summer while growing up. “I wanted it as a way to stake my claim in the east,” she wrote. Now they are considering whether it’s worth keeping until they retire and can actually spend enough time there to justify the cost.

Gordon feels obligated to vacation there; however, getting there isn’t easy with their active older children. “So we think of selling. But not yet. It’s too beautiful of a spot. Sigh.”

What would she do differently? “We probably bought our second home too early, given our active family and the distance from California to New York. We would have been better off buying a closer place, or not purchasing a second home until our children were on their own.”
Location, location, location

Waiting till the kids were grown made a second-home investment pay off for Jane Gold, of Saratoga, Calif. After their three children were out of the house, she and her husband bought a second home in Lake Tahoe.

“Our family always vacationed there, and we have fond memories of those times.” Five years ago, they bought a house close to the lake and just a four-and-a-half-hour by car from their main home, so they can take their dogs. “We don’t regret buying one bit.”
Familiarity breeds success

Karen Shelby, of Decatur, Ill and her husband, who are retired, paid cash for a townhome by the beach in Fort Myers, Fla., a year and a half ago. “We love it,” she said.

She attributes their success to scouting the area thoroughly to find the right part of town, and setting a price limit. “We stuck to our guns. We were tempted to get more house for our money, but opted for a better neighborhood.”

Now, by renting their townhome out January through March, they make enough to cover their carrying costs for the year.
Bottom line proves bittersweet

Laurie Akin and her husband, both teachers, bought a condo 12 years ago on Siesta Beach, Fla., only 20 minutes away from their real-life house. When they weren’t enjoying the beach house, they rented it out.

However, last year when they retired, they did the math and realized they simply could not continue owning two households. Saying good-bye was bittersweet, said Akin, who savors the good times they had with family and friends, but doesn’t miss the “huge” responsibility.

“The romance of a second place is undeniable. But those magical moments must be balanced with the knowledge that real estate does not always go up. We took a loss when we had to sell what we imagined would be a good retirement investment. We are glad we did it, yet we are also glad we are out from under it.”
Costs accrue

“All the costs of a second home increase over time,” writes Estelle Stetz-Marcus, who moved to Orlando from Massachusetts, and keeps her former home as her second home. Appliances need replacing, utility costs inch up, property taxes rise. “You have to balance the joy a second home gives you (and seeing her grandkids there is a big motivation) versus the costs that accrue and accrue and accrue. After a certain age you just want life to be a little less complicated.”
Freedom rings.

Ann Rosenwald, of Colorado, had a second home in Virginia Beach for 10 years. “We did have amazing family times there,” she admits. But now that they’ve sold the getaway, they have spent what they used to devote to their second home on traveling the world. “We’ve been to wonderful places we wouldn’t have experienced if we’d still had our beach house.”

Rosenwald sums up our readers’ advice well: “If a second home is stretching you, and making you feel you have to vacation there, it can be an anchor around your neck. But if having the vacation home doesn’t stop you from traveling to other places, then go for it!”

Join me next week when a financial planner shares a checklist to help you decide whether a second home is right for you.
Resource  :http://www.nwitimes.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/at-home-with-marni-jameson-part-second-home-owners-offer/article_9181d7b4-f350-589e-bdf2-d897c5d73a64.html

A Toddler Is Killed In A Fire, With His Dog Found Huddled Next To Him

The fire's temperature probably reached 1,000 degrees - so intense that it began to melt furniture and dishes.

As smoke poured out of the one-story home late Friday, neighbors in Spokane, Washington, called 911, dragged a garden hose across the street and tried to douse the flames.

Awakened by the fire, the man and woman who lived inside the rental house had dashed out with three children.

But a fourth child, a 3-year-old, was still inside.

Neighbors and police officers who arrived shortly after the call weren't able to get into the home because of the intense heat and flames, Brian Schaeffer, Spokane's assistant fire chief, told The Washington Post.

Firefighters arrived a little later and went through the front door in their protective suits. They found the boy's body in the back bedroom. Next to him was a teddy bear and the family's dog, a terrier mix. The dog was huddled over the boy, trying to protect him.

"The injuries were so extreme, his injuries were just incompatible with life," Schaeffer said.

"There was no way to survive that. It leaves a permanent scar in someone's memory. You can't unsee that."

Fire officials haven't said what caused the fire, which remains under investigation. The Spokane police department's major crimes unit was investigating the child's death, which is typical when a fire kills someone.

Between the fire and the investigation, Schaeffer estimated that he'd been up for 24 hours straight. When he woke up Sunday morning, he told The Post, he was still fuming over what investigators found in the home's charred wreckage: A smoke detector with no battery inside.

"With it being 2016, there's no reason a person should not have a smoke detector in their home," Schaeffer said. His department hands out smoke detectors free. "People are so busy and oftentimes the smoke detector falls way behind paying the rent or getting a job or putting food on the table."

"This is kind of what I'm struggling with," Schaeffer said. "This is our third fire fatality in a couple months. It's not only emotional, it's preventable. We would love our business to be proactive versus responsive. We wouldn't have to go through what we went through a few days ago with a grieving family."

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, three out of five deadly fires happen in homes without working smoke alarms.

Having a working smoke detector cuts the chances of dying in a house fire in half, the administration says.

Schaeffer's fire department had been spreading a fire-prevention message for National Fire Prevention Week, which was earlier this month.

The campaign, Schaeffer said, is more likely to save a child's life.

"You know children are at risk," he said. "They don't have the experience to get low and close the door, which is huge. (A smoke detector) will give you minutes in a residential fire."

Investigators haven't said what actually alerted the family to the smoke and flames on Friday night, or how they were able to save three children but not four. All that remains under investigation.

© 2016 The Washington Post

Resource http://www.ndtv.com/world-news/a-toddler-is-killed-in-a-fire-with-his-dog-found-huddled-next-to-him-1478154

Rent-A-Center Inc. (RCII) Hits New 52-week Low During October 11 Session

 Rent-A-Center Inc. (RCII) established a new 52-week low yesterday, and could be a company to watch at the open. After opening at $8.40, Rent-A-Center Inc. dropped to $8.00 for a new 52-week low. By the closing bell, the company's stock was at $9.18 a share for a loss of 28.73%.

Falling to a new 52-week low is never fun for company's shareholder, but, depending on who you ask, it can be either a buy or a sell signal. Someone bearish on the stock might see it reaching its lowest price in a year as a sign of growing downward momentum and make sure they sell their shares. Bulls, though, are more likely to see a new 52-week low as the stock hitting its low point and anticipate a bounce in the share price.

However one plays it, it's often a critical moment for any stock and should be noted by investors.

Rent-A-Center Inc. saw 11.98 million shares of its stock trade hands, that's out of 53.12 million shares outstand. The stock has an average daily volume of 784,294 shares. After hitting a new 52-week low, Rent-A-Center Inc. enters the new trading day with a market cap of 487.61 million, a 50-day SMA of $12.41 and a 200-day SMA of $12.98

For a complete fundamental analysis analysis of Rent-A-Center Inc., check out Equities.com’s Stock Valuation Analysis report for RCII. To see the latest independent stock recommendations from Equities.com’s analysts, visit our Research section.

Rent-A-Center Inc is a rent-to-own operator in North America. It offers durable products, such as consumer electronics, appliances, computers, smartphones, and furniture, under flexible rental purchase agreements with no long-term obligation.

Rent-A-Center Inc. has 24,300 employees, is led by CEO Robert D. Davis, and makes its home in Plano, TX.

Rent-A-Center Inc. is also a component of the Russell 2000 Index, which is generally viewed as the most reliable indicator of the health of the broader small-cap market. Using a rules-based methodology, it creates a simple, unbiased view of how America's stable of smaller publicly traded companies are performing in the stock markets.

The index consists of the 2,000 smallest companies of the 3,000 largest publicly-traded companies in the country as judged by market cap. It's constructed by Russell Investments, which also builds and maintains the Russell 3000 (an index consisting of all 3,000 biggest companies by market cap) and the large-cap Russell 1000 (which has the 1,000 largest companies from the Russell 3000).

For more news on the financial markets, go to Equities.com. Also, learn more about our independent proprietary equity research reports and our robust do-it-yourself Stock Valuation Analysis reports in our Research section.

All data provided by QuoteMedia and was accurate as of 4:30PM ET.

DISCLOSURE: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors, and do not represent the views of equities.com. Readers should not consider statements made by the author as formal recommendations and should consult their financial advisor before making any investment decisions. To read our full disclosure, please go to: http://www.equities.com/disclaimer
Resource  :https://www.equities.com/news/rent-a-center-inc-rcii-hits-new-52-week-low-during-october-11-session