CasaSugar

10 Tips For Short-Term Rental and Sublet Agreements

CasaSugar — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 07:00:23 -0800

Did you know that Washington DC residents are renting out their homes for the Jan. 20 presidential inauguration? Residents can stand to earn a pretty penny: the pictured home is renting for $550 a day! The practice is becoming so popular that there's even a website dedicated to the cause. Whether you're a DC resident looking to rent out your house for inauguration weekend, or a homeowner or renter who'd like to do a short-term sublet for an upcoming vacation, it's better to be safe than sorry when offering your home to a stranger. Douglas Culkin, president of the National Apartment Association, notes that, "By taking some basic precautions, people can leave their homes feeling like they have done their due diligence to ensure a smooth renting experience.”

To see tips from the National Apartment Association, read more.

Draw up a basic, legally binding agreement to secure payment that includes a damaged property clause. Get 50 percent deposit in advance.
Give strong consideration to doing a background check of the resident. It costs about $30 to $40 and can be done in minutes. Search for “resident screening” to find a vendor. Incorporate the cost of the screening into what you are charging for “rent.”
Make sure you're protected with insurance - if someone injures themselves in your home you may be liable. Check your policy.
If you currently rent your home and are thinking of sub-letting it for the week, check with your landlord to make sure you are legally allowed to do so before you post your advertisement.
Make a duplicate set of keys. Send them via an insured carrier service but do not include your home address anywhere in the package, in case it gets lost or stolen before reaching its intended recipient.
Change the locks after they leave. Incorporate this cost into what you charge for rent.
What about pets? If your lease agreement allows them, you'll have to decide if you want to let a renter bring their pet for the week, but be clear if no pets are allowed so there are no surprises upon your return.
As a courtesy, alert your neighbors, who will see strangers entering and exiting your home during their stay, so they don't call the police.
You'll exchange emergency numbers with your renters, but in case you are not immediately reachable, leave a second local emergency contact number, especially if you plan to leave the area.
Clean out the fridge, make some closet space, etc. Schedule to have a cleaning company come before the renters arrive and after they leave. No one wants to see the other's leftovers.

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Su Casa: Bright and Beautiful in Washington DC

CasaSugar — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 08:30:55 -0700

Su Casa member Katiepwise recently moved to Washington DC, where she's done a fabulous job of making her apartment simultaneously vibrant and cozy. Describing her style, she says, "I love bright colors and am not afraid to use them. I mix Ikea furniture with hand-me-down pieces from family. I attempted a 'salon-style' art wall over my couch and I live to color out just about anything! If I could paint my walls, I would, but since it's a rental, all the walls are beige. My dream is to have an eggplant-colored library and hot pink Moroccan themed sun deck." Check out her cool apartment in the slideshow!

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House Hunting For Oprah

CasaSugar — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 13:00:47 -0800

There's a rumor flying about that Oprah is house hunting for new digs in DC, so she'll be close to buddy Barack Obama. NYPost is claiming that she's been eyeing a nine-bedroom, $50 million Georgetown mansion from afar. The property on the market fitting that description is the nine-bedroom, $49 million, 1801 Federal-style house shown here, which features "majestic grounds & gardens, parking for 100 cars, ballroom, gatehouse [and an] additional building overlooking Washington Monument and Rock Creek Park." But, she certainly hasn't made any purchases yet, if the rumor is true. Since Oprah's a busy lady, I decided to do a little house hunting in the District for her. Oprah, you can thank me by offering me one of your other digs: perhaps your Miami island pad that's on the market. To see a few of the most fabulous homes in DC I've selected for Ms. Winfrey, check out this slideshow. Source

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Ask Casa: Art in the DC Area?

CasaSugar — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 04:30:45 -0700

Hi Casa,

My husband and I just bought our first house (yay!) in the Washington, DC, metro area. We love going to the local art fairs, and we just want some real art. We are huge art fans though we haven't been able to buy very much of it. I know that you often find up-and-coming artists (or established ones) and was wondering if you could give me some suggestions. We love abstract art, deep colors, huge Dali fans, Picasso, etc. The wall we want to fill is a good size, so we could accommodate a 6-feet-tall-by-4 feet-wide painting or a five-feet square painting. I know this is a ton of information, but I don't know where else to turn and we would love to find new artists and help them out!

Thanks so much for your time and I love your site!

Idekosky

To see my suggestions, read more.

Hi Idekosky,

For a painting this large, you'll likely have to commission a work - but don't worry, it's actually a fun process. I've had art commissioned before, and the artist is almost always enthusiastic about the process of working with a buyer. I'd first look online at DC Arts, where you can find links to artists, photographers, and designers in the DC metro area. I found painter Eileen Wold through the site, and I'm really impressed by her series of smokestack paintings.

If your online search proves unsuccessful, I would take it to the streets for Mid City Artists Open Studios night, which usually happens in May. If you can't wait that long (and who can blame you?), I would examine the list of artists from Mid City Artists' website and directly contact any that seem to fit your tastes. You might like Sondra Arkin's abstract paintings (shown here), or the work of Brian Petro, who also works with large panels.

Don't be afraid to also approach emerging galleries or new art spaces or studio spaces, since these artists may be both less expensive and more willing to work with specific requests. Enjoy your hunt! It's a fun one.

Good luck,
Casa

Oh, and are there any DC metro area art mavens out there? Please leave your advice in the comments!

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How-To: Reduce Winter Heating Bills

CasaSugar — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 08:30:51 -0700

Recently, heating expert Chris Cooper shared some advice for thrifty Winter heating. He's back, with some hints on how to cut your heating bills or to assist other families with their high heating bills. Chris notes that, "Research compiled by the National Fuel Funds Network proves that fuel poverty leads to 'heat or eat' situations, [where] families strive in vain for a safe balance between paying for food and paying for energy."

To find out how you can help out, or find assistance with your heating costs, read more.

The Low-Income Housing and Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is one of the most effective programs in the battle against fuel poverty in the US. Since 1981, LIHEAP has provided funding to heat homes through the cold stretch from October to March, but officials there indicate that they only reach 20 percent of the population that requests their services. $5.1 billion is allocated to LIHEAP for Winter 08-09.
The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) addresses the fuel poverty problem from the pragmatic perspective of home conditioning, offering funds to help homeowners improve the energy efficiency of their property. During the last 30 years, they have served 5.6 million low-income families.
In addition to the help that federal programs provide, there are numerous organizations within close proximity of any community that reach out to Americans in need. Look for a Salvation Army, an American Red Cross, or a local advocacy center in your town or city. If you can, donate warm bedding, coats, scarves, gloves, and mittens to local community assistance organizations.
Most local electric companies offer assistance programs to their customers. The Upper Peninsula Power Company in Michigan, for example, offers a Winter Protection Plan that assures eligible elderly and low-income customers will not have their power turned off between Nov. 1 and March 31. In Massachusetts, local electric providers throughout the state contribute to the Good Neighbor Energy Fund which helps people who do not qualify for state or federal programs. Electric consumers can also contribute to the fund through donations sent in with their monthly payments.
You can engage public officials in your area regarding regional and state programs that promote affordable warmth. LIHEAP distributes a newsletter that keeps citizens informed about ways to lobby and support their campaign. The National Fuel Funds Network is organizing a Day of Action in Washington DC on Feb. 10, 2009.
Participate in home winterization initiatives in your neighborhood. Participating in initiatives that improve insulation, heating options, and living conditions for a variety of people may be the sort of grass roots movement that could reverse the terrible reality of fuel poverty in the United States.

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Architect Stories: Hugh Newell Jacobsen

CasaSugar — Fri, 16 May 2008 13:00:39 -0700

Hugh Newell Jacobsen is a prominent American architect best known for his modern pavilion-based residences, which are mostly simple, gabled structures, rectangular in plan. His projects have been built and published worldwide, and he's won 114 awards for excellence in design, six of which are National Honor Awards from the American Institute of Architects and 20 from the professional journal Architectural Record. Jacobsen graduated from Yale’s School of Architecture in 1955, held an apprenticeship with Philip Johnson, and then opened a practice under his own name in 1958. In the 50 years since then, he has designed several large buildings, including the libraries for the American Colleges of Greece (Athens), Gettysburg College (Penn.), two museums for the Smithsonian in Washington, DC, the Renwick Gallery, the Arts and Industries Building, and an addition to the US Capitol, but his forté is residential architecture.
To hear about his design philosophy and see some of his projects, read more

Jacobsen's design philosophy parallels something Mies van der Rohe once said: "God is in the details." He says, "Architecture is order, and this order carries throughout the building down to the smallest corner. There is no back side to architecture any more than there is a detail that is unimportant." But a glance at his portfolio will instantly prove to you that he does practice what he preaches (and he lectures extensively throughout the US and abroad). His detailing is deliberately sparse and linear, and he pays a great deal of focus to the site of each design, so that each building belongs specifically to its location, unlike the ubiquitous McMansions of today. "People look good in my buildings," he says. Well, who can argue with that?

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Designer Spotlight: David Brunicardi

CasaSugar — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 05:00:03 -0800

San Francisco-based furniture designer David Brunicardi specializes in creating modern, functional furniture that's sustainably crafted. The tagline from his website promotes his line as "versatile furniture that is beautiful and functional." He got his start in interior design and renovation when a lack of funds forced him to renovate his first business, a bar that he opened with a high-school friend, entirely on his own. David's works are currently sold in showrooms throughout the San Francisco-Bay Area, Chicago, Washington, DC, and New York.

Each piece of Brunicardi's furniture is handcrafted, and almost every piece is made from sustainable or recovered woods.
Here's one of my favorites of David's furniture. Constructed from laminated baltic birch and walnut veneer, the EndUp nightstand can be flipped on its side for use as a stool, as you see fit.

To see a gallery of his furniture, as well as another of my favorites, just read more.
I also love the simplicity of the Toasty nightstand, which is made from reclaimed Douglas fir. I can imagine several of these placed in a foyer, where they'd work well as stools for visitors to sit on while removing shoes.

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Su Casa: A Compact and Charming Kitchen Sink

CasaSugar — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 07:31:37 -0700

Today's Su Casa comes from a gallery that Arielrb38 posted showing off her fourth-floor walk-up in Washington, DC. (Want to share your photos? Here's how to post in the Su Casa group.) She makes great use of a small space with the spice rack and hanging fruit baskets, and the plants and the colorful poster really add life to the nook.