CT Real Estate Today - February 2021 Edition by CT Real Estate Today

Looking to rent an apartment in this competitive market? We have some tips for you!

Did you know that Zillow is now charging to list rental properties?

Controversial Full Civil Rights Protection for criminals proposed in Housing Committee. Raising concerns for both landlords and tenants.

February Edition

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FEATURED ARTICLES Page: Realtor Report - What! Zillow Is Charging For Rentals?: Zillow was once free to list your rental properties but they now are charging a weekly fee after your first listing. Will you continue to use Zillow to list, or look elsewhere?

Insurance Insights - How Does Rental Insurance Works?: Do you use renters insurance? Do you know how it works or why you should have it? Check out this article to learn more!

News & Views From The Capitol - Lamont Extends Emergency Powers: Governor Ned Lamont’s emergency powers were set to expire this month but he has chosen to extend the order until April 20th.

Property Management Tools, Tips & Techniques - How To Rent An Apartment In An Increasingly Competitive Market Space: Looking to rent out one of your apartments? Here are some tips to reel in desirable tenants.

Page: Financially Speaking - IRS Delays Tax Filing Season Until Feb. 12th: The IRS has pushed the start of filing season back approximately two weeks now to start February 12th, 2021.

Get Energy Efficient - 25 Quick & Easy Energy Efficiency Tips: Looking for some tips & tricks on how to save money by being more energy efficient? Check out this article from DirectEnergy!

Publisher’s Message “ Helping Property Owners Since 1994” - Bob De Cosmo, President

February - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Bob DeCosmo began purchasing and managing rental real estate in 1982 and is a strong advocate for private property ownership right's in Connecticut.

Published by CTPOA Our goals; Educate our members on “Best Practices” for maximum efficiency. Increase profitability by lowering operating expenses via vendor discounts. Provide access to “Core Services” needed to better manage and maintain properties.

Our Team: Carmine DeCosmo Melissa DeCosmo Paul Jenney

This month brings a host of topics to discuss ranging from good to ugly. We are super excited that positive things are happening at our sister company TenantTracks and that they added two talented marketing members to their team. Sean Harnish and Chelsea Sayegh have come onboard to take Connecticut’s most accurate tenant screening service into new markets moving across Southern New England now with an eye on New York and New Jersey next. Then there is the bad! Have you seen the weather lately? The month of February has turned into a winter wonderland but unfortunately for property owners this means getting out there to shovel and sand walkways. We can only hope for an early spring, but we can’t really complain as we have been lucky the past few years with mild winters. Then there is the ugly stuff happening. As many know, I have been active for over two decades at our Capitol as an advocate for the housing industry. The last few years we have seen legislators introduce concepts that just fly in the face of all that is good and proper. On Feb. 18th, the housing committee is holding a public hearing and here we go again... To think that anyone who raped, robbed, or murdered another person will be given “full civil rights protections” and allowed to sue landlords if denied housing is just terrifying. There is no shortage of housing for the re-entry population. There IS a shortage of jobs and subsidies for this segment of the rental market and that is the real problem. The problem is NOT denials by landlords because of criminal records, denials are due to inability to pay. Nobody can rent an apartment unless they can demonstrate that they can afford to pay for it. This applies to everyone. There is no discrimination here, its affordability and risk mitigation plain and simple. We can hope the rest of the legislators will understand when you are elected to serve the public that you have an obligation to protect the public’s health safety and welfare; not endanger it!

Housing Committee PUBLIC HEARING AGENDA Thursday, February 18, 2021 11:00 AM in Zoom and YouTube Live

I. BILLS FOR REVIEW 1. Proposed S.B. No. 86 AN ACT APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR HOUSING RESOURCES FOR THE HOMELESS AND TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS. (HSG) 2. Proposed S.B. No. 354 AN ACT CONCERNING RENTAL ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS. (HSG) 3. Proposed S.B. No. 393 AN ACT CONCERNING ROOM TEMPERATURES. (HSG) 4. Proposed S.B. No. 804 AN ACT CONCERNING INCLUSION IN CERTAIN COMMUNITIES. (HSG) 5. Proposed H.B. No. 5679 AN ACT CONCERNING PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT FOR CERTAIN FIRST-TIME HOME BUYERS. (HSG) 6. Proposed H.B. No. 5681 AN ACT CONCERNING MUNICIPAL OPPORTUNITY REIMBURSEMENT AND EDUCATIONAL EQUITY. (HSG) 7. Proposed H.B. No. 5683 AN ACT CONCERNING AFFORDABLE HOUSING. (HSG) 8. Proposed H.B. No. 5685 AN ACT CONCERNING RENT CONTROL. (HSG) 9. Proposed H.B. No. 5686 AN ACT CONCERNING COVID-19 RELATED PROTECTIONS FOR TENANTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS. (HSG)

10. Proposed H.B. No. 5911 AN ACT CONCERNING STATE FUNDING AND LOW-INCOME HOUSING. (HSG) 11. Proposed H.B. No. 6239 AN ACT CONCERNING HOUSING FUNDING ALLOCATION AND SEGREGATION. (HSG) 12. Proposed H.B. No. 6240 AN ACT CONCERNING PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES FOR STATE HOUSING AUTHORITY PROPERTIES. (HSG)

13. H.B. No. 6408 (RAISED) AN ACT REQUIRING HOUSING AUTHORITIES TO PROVIDE VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATIONS TO PROSPECTIVE TENANTS. (HSG) 14. H.B. No. 6430 (RAISED) AN ACT CONCERNING HOUSING AUTHORITY JURISDICTION. (HSG) 15. H.B. No. 6431 (RAISED) AN ACT CONCERNING HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR JUSTICE-IMPACTED PERSONS. (HSG)

16. H.B. No. 6432 (RAISED) AN ACT CONCERNING HOUSING AUTHORITY APPLICATION PROCEDURES. (HSG) 17. H.B. No. 6433 (RAISED) AN ACT CONCERNING INSPECTIONS OF RENTAL PROPERTY PRIOR TO OCCUPANCY OR TERMINATION, LATE RENTAL PAYMENTS AND DESIGNATION OF A RENTAL HOUSING OMBUDSMAN. (HSG) 18. H.B. No. 6436 (RAISED) AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE OPEN CHOICE VOUCHERS PILOT PROGRAM. (HSG) 19. H.B. No. 6437 (RAISED) AN ACT REQUIRING LANDLORDS TO NOTIFY TENANTS OF FORECLOSURE PROCEEDINGS. (HSG) II. ADJOURNMENT The public hearing can be livestreamed via YouTube Live. In addition, the public hearing may be recorded and broadcast live on CT-N.com.

Rental Housing Financial Impact Study Provided By: TransUnion Research methodology The sample of renters included in this analysis were applicants screened through the TransUnion Resident Screening platform who received an approved status. The analysis comprised 2,739,190 distinct individuals and 9,971 properties from January 1, 2018, to October 31, 2020.

Overview The global COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact rental markets across the US. TransUnion has conducted a detailed analysis of renters to better understand how this evolving situation is impacting credit performance, and if early indicators of financial hardship are signaling future concerns about the renter population’s ability to pay their bills. The findings in this report will focus on the most important trends we find in our current analysis. All previous monthly reports and analysis can be found here. The goal of our analysis is to help you make informed decisions at a time when information on renter financial health and the impacts on the rental industry are still emerging. We are providing this report and additional resources to the industry so we can come together to be of support during this difficult time.*

Key takeaways from the TransUnion analysis 1. Credit scores have steadily risen during the COVID-19 pandemic. The average ResidentScore® of renters has risen 5.3 points year-to-date. 2. The percentage of renters with a tradeline in Acute Relief, excluding mortgage and student loan accounts, has stabilized in recent months, but remains at elevated levels near 4.2%. 3. Delinquencies remain at the lowest levels in years, and the percentage of renters with at least on delinquent account decreased across all categories (30 days, 60 days and 90 days past due) from September to October, 2020. Renters with severe delinquencies (90 days+) are down to –4.2% year-over-year. 4. Renters have not turned to debt to meet existing financial obligations. While credit card utilization rates rose 0.8% from September to October, they remain down –11.8% year-overyear.

Renter credit scores continue to rise It is clear that renters have made fairly significant changes to their financial behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as reductions in credit card utilization and total trade balances and debt. As a result, renters have seen a general rise in their credit scores. The average renter’s ResidentScore 3.0, which is TransUnion’s proprietary, rental industryspecific scoring model designed to predict the likelihood of skips and evictions, has increased 5.3 points since the beginning of 2020.

Early indicators of financial hardship Delinquencies The percentage of renters with at least one delinquent account remains at its lowest level in more than two years. All delinquency categories (30, 60 and 90 days past due) decreased month-over-month and remain significantly below where they were one year ago.

Acute Relief “Acute Relief” refers to any account in a status of deferment, forbearance or noted as impacted by natural disaster. The percentage of renters with any tradeline in Acute Relief has stabilized in recent months but remains at elevated levels.

Renter credit activity Credit card utilization Credit card utilization rates bottomed in June and have slightly increased since then. Month-over -month utilization rates rose 0.8%, primarily due to increases among renters with sub-prime (<580) and near-prime (580–619) ResidentScores, which were up 1.3% and 1.5%, respectively.

Renters have not turned to debt to meet existing financial obligations Debt balances From September to October the total balance owed across all debt obligations (excluding mortgage and home equity) rose slightly from $30,545 to $30,570, but year-overyear balances have declined -1.1%.

What! Zillow is Charging for Rentals? By: Kate Morse, with hemlane.com

Listing your rental on websites like Craigslist, Realtor.com, Padmapper, and previously, Zillow, has been a free service for landlords and agents. Only in broker-dominated markets, such as New York City, would you see a paywall where a landlord would be charged a fee to list their vacant rental property. Zillow’s rental team has mentioned that they have no plans to roll back this paywall.

How is Zillow charging? Zillow charges you a fee to advertise your rental property. This fee is charged even if you are posting on Zillow Rental Manager, where only your first posting for the year is free.

What effect will this have on the market? Zillow became the #1 rental listing website, because it did not charge for listings and provided a great user experience with trusted data (shut down fraudulent accounts faster than competitors, like Craigslist). Craigslist became a less popular option as it did not provide these two key features that Zillow had. Zillow may risk its #1 position by putting up a paywall and requiring fees to list rentals. Since they also own Trulia and HotPads, where the same paywall exists to advertise, their overall rental listing inventory could decrease across

all three platforms. Fewer people will advertise on the platform when there is a paywall. In the short-term, we believe that Zillow’s change in policy will not strongly affect the market. They currently have the majority share of the market, so tenants will continue to search Zillow’s platform for their next home. In the next couple of years, we predict tenants will see Zillow’s inventory decrease and will start to discover other free rental sites with more listings available. This trend will be seen across the nation, as Zillow starts to charge for advertising on their website. Zillow’s new policy is shaking up the market. There could be a huge opportunity here for a new rental listing website to take the #1 position! However, Zillow may be quick to respond to any threat. In the long term, it will be interesting to see whether Zillow can maintain its #1 position as other listing websites offer free services.

What other rental advertising options do I have? In order to make it easier to advertise on multiple listing websites, Hemlane posts to over 30 rental listing websites with a goal to provide you with the most tenant inquiries. Hemlane offers a 30 day free trial for you to see the results. Rental properties on Hemlane receive an average of 21 qualified leads within the first 15 days, consolidated from all of the top rental listing websites. The other popular place to post your rental property is Facebook Marketplace.

How Does Renter’s Insurance Work? By: Cherise Threewitt on usnews.com Renters insurance is affordable insurance coverage for people who rent the place they live, protecting against the loss of personal belongings, certain types of liability, and temporary relocation if a rental unit becomes uninhabitable due to a covered event. Although it's relatively straightforward, many new and experienced renters might wonder how renters insurance actually works. As always, the time to learn about insurance coverage is before you need it, not after.

as a renter.

Renters insurance is mostly thought of as affordable coverage for the policyholder’s personal property, which refers to all of a renter’s belongings, including furniture, clothing, electronics and devices, appliances and kitchen equipment, bedding and towels, and most sports and hobby equipment, such as bicycles and musical instruments. This excludes fixtures of the rental unit, such as built-in appliances. However, there are two other components to a standard This guide to how a renters policy works will cover renters insurance policy that may help make this what renters insurance is, how to determine coverage worthwhile for renters who have few whether you need renters insurance, how and belongings. In addition to property coverage, where to shop for renters insurance, how to renters insurance covers the policyholder's legal choose a policy, how much insurance to buy, and and liability expenses related to lawsuits resulting what it covers. from accidents occurring on the rental property, and it also compensates for additional living expenses if the policyholder and other covered What is Renters Insurance? occupants of the property are forced to relocate If you rent your home, you’ll probably want to look temporarily due to a covered disaster. That into renters insurance. It’s a common renters insurance definition applies whether you’re misconception that if a disaster occurs on your renting an apartment, condo, townhouse, other rental property, your landlord can be held attached dwelling, or a single-family home. financially responsible for any property damage to or intrusion from a neighboring unit. Earthquakes your personal belongings, any injuries that result, and floods from weather or other external water and extra expenses that you may incur. The truth sources are usually excluded. is, whatever insurance coverage the landlord has on the building or the rental unit doesn't cover you

Although renters insurance generally covers events that could result in the loss or destruction of personal property, temporary displacement from the property, or lawsuits, policies vary. As a result, it's important to carefully compare the coverage details of any policies you're considering. Commonly covered events include smoke, fire, explosions, theft, vandalism, windstorms, lightning, natural disasters, and water damage from internal sources, such as plumbing or intrusion from a neighboring unit. Earthquakes and floods from weather or other external water sources are usually excluded.

Do I Need Renters Insurance?

Is Renters Insurance Required?

Assuming your landlord doesn’t require renters insurance and the choice is totally up to you, how As previously mentioned, a landlord’s insurance do you figure out if you need it? According to policy doesn’t extend coverage to renters. Even the Insurance Information Institute (III), a renters though a landlord will most likely be compensated insurance policy is a smart choice for most for damage to the property in the event of a tenants. That’s because renters insurance is disaster, it’s still in the landlord’s best interest to affordable for most households, and the coverage ensure that renters can afford to cope with the it provides is valuable in a wide variety of same circumstances. That’s why landlords are disasters and incidents. If damage to your permitted to require renters insurance as a possessions or the possibility of needing to condition of a lease, even though renters relocate temporarily would be a significant insurance isn't required by law. Whether you’re financial obstacle, renters insurance is probably renting from an independent landlord or a large the right call. management firm, and regardless of the size or type of rental property, you shouldn’t be surprised If you meet the conditions on this list, you might to see language in the lease that requires you to not need renters insurance but should probably provide proof of renters insurance. still consider it: Why is it smart for a landlord to require tenants to carry renters insurance? If renters have their own coverage for disasters that affect the property or incidents that occur on the property, the landlord is much less likely to get dragged into a lawsuit over damaged belongings, personal injuries, or other such incidents. Even if a landlord isn't found legally responsible, a lawsuit is still timeconsuming and expensive. Also, a tenant or potential tenant who provides proof of a renters insurance policy is, all else being equal, usually perceived as a better risk than one who can’t or won't get renters insurance.

• Your landlord doesn't require it • You don't own many possessions, or your possessions have a low total value • You have separate liability or umbrella insurance if someone is injured on your property or by a member of your household If any of these situations apply, it's strongly recommended that you get renters insurance: • Your landlord requires it • You have a lot of possessions, or you have particularly valuable possessions You don't have separate liability or umbrella insurance if someone is injured on your property or by a member of your household

How Does Renter’s Insurance Work? By: Cherise Threewitt on usnews.com

How Do I Get Renters Insurance? According to the III, most renters insurance policies are similar from company to company in terms of what they cover and under what conditions. Renters insurance is generally very affordable, so most consumers should be more focused on finding a company they’re comfortable with and a policy that meets all their needs, rather than finding the absolute cheapest policy available. It’s important to comparison shop, of course, but remember to compare your experiences with each company and the details of each policy as well as pricing.

When comparing policies, whether from competing insurance companies or the same company, only look at those that provide the amount of renters insurance you actually need. The best approach is to figure out how much your belongings are worth and buy enough coverage to be fully reimbursed if you lose everything in a disaster. Also, consider certain types of supplemental coverage based on your living situation and other factors. These steps will be covered in more detail later in this guide.

If you’ve compared options from different companies, made sure the coverage limit of the If you already have an insurance company that policy you've chosen is high enough to protect all you’re happy with for auto, life, or any other type of insurance, that’s a good starting point. But it’s in of your possessions, considered various add-on your best interest to check out companies as well, coverages offered by the insurance company, and understand what your policy does and doesn't based on recommendations from family, friends, cover, you’re in good shape. and any realtors you know. You can get online quotes from many renters insurance companies, which makes comparison shopping easier. However, remember that not all renters insurance companies operate in every state. (See the state availability table below.) Ultimately, you should choose a company that offers good customer service and helps you understand the policy you’re considering.

Lamont Extends Emergency Powers From: cbia.com

Gov. Ned Lamont will extend the current public health emergency through April 20, a move that maintains his broad authority to manage the coronavirus pandemic. Lamont told legislative leaders of his plan to extend the public health and civil preparedness emergency from the current Feb. 9 deadline.

Democratic legislative leaders said the announcement was not unexpected, but Republican lawmakers took issue with extending Lamont’s wide powers through the middle of April. “In our view, the continued exercise of emergency powers has become a matter of convenience, rather than a matter of emergency,” Sen. Kevin Kelly (R-Stratford) and Rep. Vincent Candelora (R-North Branford), the legislature’s minority leaders, said in a statement.

Republicans proposed extending Lamont’s executive powers until March 1, limiting any future extensions to 30 days, and requiring legislative approval for any extensions.

Pandemic Response Democrats, who hold majorities in the House and Senate, disagree. “Addressing the pandemic is larger than any one branch of government—Governor Lamont has worked with legislators to keep us all safe, respond to developments from Washington, and keep our economy going,” Senate President Martin Looney (D-New Haven) and House Speaker Matt Ritter (D-Hartford) said in a statement. “A pandemic team with an unparalleled level of expertise has been assembled by the governor’s office and prematurely revoking emergency authority would disrupt Connecticut’s ability to respond to COVID and distribute the vaccine.” Lamont and state agencies have issued dozens of executive orders since the pandemic began in March 2020.

His orders have closed businesses and schools, limited the size of indoor and outdoor gatherings, and required travelers from other states to quarantine. Lamont last issued an executive order on Dec. 23 when he extended an eviction moratorium.

By: Matthew Hughes, Owner/Broker of Farm River Property Management LLC In today’s low interest environment, many potential tenants are jumping straight to homeownership. You can argue that a landlord’s biggest completion is the Federal government who acts to foster home ownership — this creates stable communities, but tightens the rental market. In order to complete for the market rent, a landlord must aggressively market their vacancies to attract and retain tenants. Below are helpful tips I have used to lease apartments in today’s competitive market. 1) The listing should be detailed and include all the necessary fees and requirements needed to apply for the apartment. Utilizing online applications and digital leasing goes a long way to cut down on busy work. Landlords are facing extreme pressure on their bottom line, outsourcing or streamlining as much busy work as possible is key to the new environment that we face. 2) Utilize the MLS. The best thing about listing a unit with a broker is that you can leverage the broker community. Showing a unit is a tedious and menial task, outsourcing it is a wise choice. The commission is tax deductible and further shelters income. As a landlord, I list my own rental properties on the MLS — this leads to better tenants, less down time, and a general efficiency that I strive to replicate in all parts of my business. 3) Price the property right. Understand that the rental market is more competitive than the last time you leased a unit. Conveying to my clients that a dated kitchen or bath will negatively impact the rental amount of the unit is a challenging yet necessary conversation. If a landlord is unwilling to make a large capital investment in improving the space, the best —and easiest —alternative is to lower the price. Properly pricing a unit will solve most problems. 4) Stand out to get outstanding tenants. Great tenants are absorbed quickly. Who wouldn’t want a creditworthy tenant? At Farm River Property Management we market our properties on as many channels as possible, utilize professionals photography and virtual tours, and we streamline the showing and application process with digital tools designed to create a seamless experience. 22

Applicants are always impressed with the ease with which they can schedule showings and submit applications. These investments attract savvy tenants and reduce vacancies and eliminate no shows. 5) Screen. Screen. Screen. Renting an apartment is a time consuming tasks. Stringent screening can lead to better tenants, higher income, and lower costs. Trading a vacant property for a bad tenant, doesn’t solve a problem it merely creates a new one. There is no excuse for not vetting tenants. 6) Competition is a teacher. Competitive teaches us that a dated apartment will not get the market rent. Competition teaches us that growth for growth’s sake is not a valid tactic. Competition teaches us that properties that are proximate to employment centers and public amenities yield higher rents. Competition teaches us that responsiveness is the most important tactic we can utilize to drive traffic to vacancies. Competition teaches us that competing on amenities is important yet the amenities need to reflect the demand of the market. Keeping an eye on the market and your competition will help you price rentals.

7) Accommodate current tenants to avoid vacancies. Some of my most successful clients have taken a very responsive approach to tenant issues. This creates a better overall experience and in the long run reduces vacancies. Dealing with tiny issues can save time and money in the long run. At Farm River Property Management we have a 24/7 call center that can address all issue.

Matthew Hughes is the broker/owner of Farm River Property Management LLC. Matthew works with landlords and property owners to create value in today’s competitive real estate market. His business provides full services property management, brokerage and leasing services He has personally marketed over 160 properties in Greater New Haven area. His website is www.frpmllc.com.

Article By: cbia.com The nation’s tax season will start Feb. 12, 2021, the day the IRS will begin accepting and processing 2020 tax year returns.

That’s about two weeks after the usual start date in late January. The IRS said the additional time for individual filers lets the agency do more programming and testing of its system to adjust to tax law changes associated with the second round of federal coronavirus relief funds. Failure to do the programming could result in delayed income tax refunds, the agency said. “These changes ensure that eligible people will receive any remaining stimulus money as a Recovery Rebate Credit when they file their 2020 tax return,” the IRS said.

Tax Returns

Taxpayers can speed up the refund process during the pandemic by filing electronically, the agency said.

“People can begin filing their tax returns immediately with tax software companies, including IRS Free File partners” it noted. “These groups are starting to accept tax returns now, and the returns will be transmitted to the IRS starting Feb. 12.”

IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said this promises to be “one of the nation’s most important filing seasons ever.” “This start date will ensure that people get their needed tax refunds quickly while also making sure they receive any remaining stimulus payments they are eligible for as quickly as possible,” Rettig said. The IRS said more than 150 million tax returns are expected to be filed this year, most before the April 15 deadline.

Key Filing Dates Here are some key filing dates: •

Jan. 15. Taxpayers can begin filing returns through Free File partners; tax returns will be transmitted to the IRS starting Feb. 12. Tax software companies are also accepting tax filings in advance.

•

Feb. 12. IRS begins the 2021 tax season. Individual tax returns begin being accepted and processing starts.

•

First week of March. Tax refunds begin reaching those claiming EITC and ACTC (PATH Act returns) for those who file electronically with direct deposit and there are no issues with their tax returns.

•

April 15. Deadline for filing 2020 tax returns.

•

Oct. 15. Deadling to file for an extension on 2020 tax returns

From - DirectEnergy.com Energy efficiency means you are using less energy to do the same jobs, reducing your home's energy waste and saving money. To effectively increase your energy efficiency involves more than just using less energy - it requires you becoming aware of how energy is used, where it's wasted, and how it can be used more effectively and efficiently in everyday life. Here are some top tips to help your home or business save energy and be more efficient.

How To Make Your Home More Energy Efficient 1. Change your light bulbs to LEDs. 2. Wash your clothes in cold water if possible. 3. Air seal your home. Sealing cracks, gaps and leaks and adding insulation can save up to 10% on home heating and cooling costs. 4. Clean or replace all filters in your home regularly. Dirty filters make your system work harder and run longer than necessary. 5. Use your microwave instead of your stove when cooking. 6. Defrost your refrigerator and freezer before ice buildup becomes 1/4-inch thick to ensure your appliances are running efficiently. 7. During warmer months, close blinds, shades and drapes on the sunny side of your home to help keep your home's temperature cooler and reduce the work for you AC. Open shades during cooler months to let the sun warm your home. 8. Don't peek in the oven while baking! Every time you peek, the temperature can drop 25 F, making your oven use more energy to bring the temperature back up. 9. Use natural light when possible. 26

10. Control your fixtures with a photocell or a timer to assure dusk-to-dawn only operation of your outdoor lights. 11. Don't leave your electronics on all day long. Only turn on your computer, monitor, printer and fax machine when you need them. 12. Set your thermostat to 78F in the summer and 68F in the winter - every degree of extra heating or cooling will increase energy usage 6% to 8%. Setting your thermostat to a lower temperature than normal will not cool your home faster. 13. Using your ceiling fan will allow you to raise the thermostat setting about 4°F with no reduction in comfort. 14. Refrigerators and freezers actually operate most efficiently when full, so keep your refrigerator and freezer as full as possible (using water bottles if nothing else). Be careful about overfilling them as this will reduce airflow and cause the appliance to work harder. 15. Using dishwashers and clothes washers/dryers at night will keep the house cooler, reduce strain on the power grid during the peak usage hours of 4 PM and 6 PM and reduce the chance of an emergency! 16. Turn off heated dry on your dishwasher and air dry instead. 17. Set your refrigerator temperature to the manufacturer's recommendation to avoid excessive cooling and wasting energy. 18. Don't leave bathroom or kitchen ventilation fans running longer than necessary. They replace inside air with outside. 19. Replace your windows. If your home has single-pane windows, consider replacing them with more energy efficient windows, or adding solar shades or tinting film. 20. Install a programmable thermostat that will automatically adjust the temperature according to your schedule. 21. Turn off the lights when they're not in use. Lighting accounts for about 12% of a typical residential utility bill. 22. Don't leave your mobile phone plugged in overnight. It only takes a couple of hours to charge.

23. Turn off the oven a few minutes before cooking time runs out. Your food will continue to cook without using the extra electricity. 24. Watch your appliance placement. Avoid placing appliances that give off heat, such as lamps or TVs, near a thermostat. 25. Dress for the weather. When you're at home, dress in warm clothing in the winter and cooler clothing in the summer to stay comfortable without making your heater and AC work harder.

What’s Happening Near You? The Statewide Events and Meetings calendar is a resource for local landlords and property owners to meet up, network and grow your real estate opportunities.

Get Involved, Stay Informed. 29

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Update On Future Events. Due to COVID-19 our in-person events are very limited due to current restrictions in place by the Governor. If you or your organization is hosting an event or virtual meeting please let us know by emailing us at media@ctpoa.com and we will put you into the Event Calendar. Stay safe! 31

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