Landlords - Include Utilities in Rents for Less

Rental property owners - the question always looms: how do you make your property more attractive to prospective tenants? You don't want to lower the rent and you can't raise it to include utilities (don't mess with that cash flow), but you can still include utilities in your rent rate and turn a profit. It's all a matter of making that house, condo, apartment or townhome of yours energy-efficient.

Here are some energy-saving tips that you can use not only for your rental properties, but for your own home as well!

Lighting Tips

• Use Energy-Star certified compact flourescent light bulbs in all of your light fixtures. You'll save, on the average $30 per bulb installed in your home over the life of the bulb. Leave a few extra for your tenants and let them know that they're available so they don't call your property manager for bulb replacements. 
• Install dimmers on main room (kitchen, living room, basement) lights. Dimmers decrease oerall energy used. 
• Consider replacing light fixtures with halogen lamps with those with compact flourescent bulbs. They stay significantly cooler and last much longer. 
• Install compact flourescent fixtures in your home's outdoor/landscape lighting as well. You can find these at most home improvement stores.

Windows

• Lose the mini-blinds and switch to honeycomb shades - Cellular shades are a tad more expensive but offer much better insulation than your run-of-the-mill mini-blind.
• Install neutral-colored insulating curtains - These can be picked-up in the off-season (wither end of winter or end of summer) for low dollar at stores like Target or Walmart and will help insulate your unit through hot or cold seasons.
• Go ahead and replace old windows - Drafty old windows will only break further and end up having to be replaced down the line. Make it a project to do a few windows per year, and you'll not only lower heating and cooling costs in the long-term, but improve your property with a significant asset if you choose to sell.

Appliances

• Install Energy Star compliant appliances in your home. Here's an excellent appliance buying guide to help you choose the most cost-effective, energy-efficient appliances.
• If your home is equipped for gas appliances (clothes dryer, water heater, central heat, stove), take advantage of the overall savings that gas appliances offer and make sure you install them. Gas appliances may cost a bit more, but they'll save you in the long run!
• Consider a tankless water heater - They cost less to run and save on hot water costs!

Overall Home Construction

• Insulation - Is your property well-insulated? Upgading the insulation in your property if needed will help save on heating and colling costs.
• Keep filters clean & changed - Make arrangements with your property management firm to change the filters on your heating/cooling system in each property once a month.

Landscaping

• Consider xerascaping - Low to no-maintenance landscaping will not only look great from tenant to tenant but will decrease your water bills from less need for irrigation.
• Install bubble-drip irrigation systems - No need for full-on sprinklers in most areas. Get rid of most of the grass, go with low-maintenance landscaping and lower your overall water costs.