The Best + Worst U.S. Cities for Renters

As COVID-19 continues to rage across much of the U.S., people are still buying homes and moving into rental units—and "pandemic pricing" may be one of the few silver linings of this crisis.

Although home prices have steadily risen, mortgage rates have hit all-time lows, and rent prices have stayed close to where they were in 2019.

In a recent report, WalletHub looked to assist renters who want to get more bang for their buck. By evaluating 182 U.S. cities across 24 key indicators, from quality of life to rental attractiveness, the personal finance site ranked the cities from best to worst.

Some interesting takeaways include the fact that Cedar Rapids, Iowa, which has the lowest median annual gross rent divided by median annual household income at 15.24 percent, has the highest rental affordability out of all the cities ranked.

Also, Little Rock, Ark., has the highest rental vacancy rate (14.3 percent); a figure that is 11 times higher than in Garden Grove, Calif., the city with the lowest at 1.3 percent.

Here are the 10 best and 10 worst cities in the U.S. for renters, according to WalletHub:

For an interactive map + more, go to RISMedia.

Related Links

• The Most Common Reasons Your Air Conditioning Unit Breaks Down

• Why Work from Home When You Can Work from Bermuda??

• New Interest from City Dwellers Rise Prices in Rural Areas

The Most Common Reasons Your Air Conditioning Unit Breaks Down

Summer is the time to kick back, relax and enjoy the cool air from your air conditioning.

Unfortunately, things don't always go according to plan, and your AC could easily stop working on the hottest day of the year. RIS Media has put together a list of what might be going on with your broken air conditioner.

To prevent this from happening, you'll need to know what you can do to keep your AC working all summer long. Here are the most common reasons your AC might break down this summer:

Dirty Air Filters

The air filter is one of the most important components of your air conditioning unit. The purpose of the filter is simple: to remove any lingering particles and pollutants from the air. Over time, the air filter can become clogged with dirt, pet dander and other particles, making your AC work at reduced capacity.

In fact, if left to fester, dirty air filters can actually make your air conditioning malfunction completely. To keep this from happening, HVAC professionals suggest that homeowners clean or replace the filter every three months, at the very least.

Leak in the Refrigerant Tank

Refrigerant is the substance which cools the air that passes through the air conditioning unit. However, it's possible for a leak to occur in the system. Should this happen, it would cause the entire unit to malfunction and break down. Sometimes, it can be difficult to figure out that a leak is coming from the refrigerant tank. You'll need to contact a professional for AC maintenance to know for sure.

Delinquent Maintenance

Before you notice problems with your AC, you should be doing regular, basic maintenance. Cleaning or replacing your air filters is one of the most important tasks, but there are other types of preventative maintenance that you can do to keep your AC unit running smoothly.

Check the unit outside and make sure bushes, shrubs and other tall plants aren't growing too close to it. Debris from these can get stuck in the unit, decreasing its effectiveness. You should also make sure to clean any debris you notice from the fins of the machine. While you're at it, check the fins of the unit for any dents. If you notice damage, talk to an HVAC professional.

Lastly, you should have a professional perform routine services about once a year. Routine air conditioning maintenance will find and fix any issues before they become problems big enough to permanently damage your AC unit.

Overuse

Some people think they can run their AC incessantly without giving it a break. Sadly, that can lead to system malfunction. Even when it's hot outside, you need to set your thermostat at a comfortable temperature and leave it alone. AC units need to cycle and have downtime from use.

When the thermostat is constantly set lower and lower, it can reduce the efficiency of your unit. It may run longer, but not cool your home as much as it used to. You may also notice a difference in temperatures when you go from room to room. You can offset this by again leaving the thermostat a comfortable temperature. Don't try to bump it down once it's reached that temperature. Also, you can turn off your AC when it's cooler and open your windows and doors to get some fresh air. Set your ceiling fans to spin counter-clockwise and use external fans to cool your home.

During the dog days of summer, a functioning AC is a must. In addition to regular maintenance, make sure to follow the above tips and if it seems like your air conditioning just isn't working right, contact a HVAC specialist.

Related Links

• Why Work from Home When You Can Work from Bermuda??

• New Interest from City Dwellers Rise Prices in Rural Areas

• Coronavirus Sparks Renewed Interests in Granny Flats + Other Accessory Dwelling Units

Why Work from Home When You Can Work from Bermuda??

Several countries with fragile tourist economies have started to offer visas that allow foreign nationals to live and work for a period of at least six months.

When Lamin Ngobeh, a high-school teacher at the Freire Charter School in Wilmington, Del., saw a social media post last month about working remotely in Barbados for 12 months, his interest was piqued.

“My school probably won’t open for in-person classes at least until February 2021, and I want to be in a country that’s safer — health wise — and also enjoy the quality of life,” he said of the reasons for considering a temporary relocation. “I reached out to my school leaders and they were very supportive of my decision.”

When it announced its 12-month Welcome Stamp program in mid-July, Barbados became one of the first of several countries, in regions from the Caribbean to Eastern Europe, to create programs for remote workers. The programs employ either special visas or expand existing ones to entice workers to temporarily relocate. Other countries offering similar visas currently include Estonia, Georgia and Bermuda.

A substantial drop in these countries’ tourism numbers is a key reason for the new programs.

“Tourism is the lifeline of the country,” said Eusi Skeete, the U.S. director of tourism for Barbados. Tourism accounted for 14 percent of the country’s annual gross domestic product in 2019, according to data published by the Central Bank of Barbados, and had a record number of international arrivals of more than 712,000. But in 2020, the number of visitors during the months of April, May and June were near zero.

Mr. Skeete said that the country’s new remote worker visa program will help with those numbers. “A 12-month period will allow visitors to experience the country in a holistic way,” he said.

More than 1,000 applications from around the world were submitted within the first week, the country said, with the majority of responses from the United States, Canada, and Britain.

Mr. Ngobeh’s application was approved on Monday. He plans to move mid-September.

Some criteria for international visitors who seek these extended stays are similar

.While all countries require proof of health insurance and negative virus tests (either pre-arrival, upon arrival, or both), some require an application fee and proof of a monthly salary, complete with bank statements.

For Barbados, prospective remote workers need to fill out an online application form and submit photos, they also need to supply proof of employment and an income declaration of at least $50,000 annually during the period that they are on the island. An application fee of $2,000 per person is only payable after he or she is approved; families pay a fee of $3,000, irrespective of the number of members in their household.

For more info + travel information, visit The New York Times.

Related Links

• New Interest from City Dwellers Rise Prices in Rural Areas

• Back to School List for Remote Learning + Hybrid Students

• Buying a Fixer-Upper? West + Main's Own Malisa Eakins' Advice Featured in Apartment Therapy

New Interest from City Dwellers Rise Prices in Rural Areas

The pandemic is pushing homeowners out of the big cities and into rural and suburban areas, pushing up home prices in previously sleepy towns.

In July, less densely populated areas showed more buyer interest than urban areas, Redfin said. Before the pandemic, 9% of homebuyers said they were searching for a home in rural areas. Now, 19% say they are looking at rural options.

The median sale price of homes in rural areas increased 11.3% year over year in the four weeks ending Aug. 2, and rose 9.2% in suburban areas, while homes in urban areas had a smaller home price increase at 6.7%.

“We’ve been speculating about increasing interest in the suburbs and rural areas since the start of the pandemic,” said Redfin Economist Taylor Marr. “Now we’re seeing concrete evidence that rural and suburban neighborhoods are more attractive to homebuyers than the city, partly because working from home means commute times are no longer a major factor for some people.”

As a result of COVID-19, 13% of homebuyers had searched for homes in a different area than originally planned, according to a Redfin survey conducted from July 19 through 21.

Before the pandemic, 37% of homebuyers said they were looking for a home in an urban area, compared to 19% now. The number of homebuyers looking in the suburbs grew – 43% said they were looking for a home in the suburbs before the pandemic and 50% said they are looking in the suburbs now.

Home supply in rural areas went down 37.9% year over year, and down 31.8% in the suburbs in the four weeks ending Aug. 2, Redfin said, compared to a 21.3% decline in urban areas.

Meanwhile, new listings in rural areas fell 14.2% year over year, and dropped 3.6% in suburban neighborhoods. In urban areas, new listings remained flat year over year.

To read more, go to Housing Wire.

Related Links

• The most popular house styles in the US

• Coronavirus Sparks Renewed Interests in Granny Flats + Other Accessory Dwelling Units

• NAR: Home Prices Increased Across Most Metro Areas in Second Quarter

Back to School List for Remote Learning + Hybrid Students

Depending on your individual needs, and whether you’re remote learning or hybrid learning, we suggest the following definitive online school supply list so your kiddos are prepared to start the 2020-21 year off right!

A reliable computer and internet access

You’ll need a reliable computer that operates at a good speed and is able to handle a variety of different programs. This doesn’t mean you have to splurge on the latest and most expensive model, but you should be able to work with minimal issues. Your internet should also be reasonably fast and reliable, and it’s not a bad idea to come up with a few backup options for getting online if your primary connection is having issues.

A comfortable chair

Unlike in a traditional setting where students tend to move from one classroom to another, you may find you + your kids sitting in one spot for a while as you engage in online learning. With this in mind, everyone should have a comfortable chair that they can adjust to the right level to see their computer easily.

A separate workspace

Carve out a separate school area with a desk and room for your binders, textbooks and other items. This will help everyone focus and get down to work more easily than if they were working on a couch or bed.

Any necessary software

Avoid unnecessary stress by reading through school announcements, websites and emails and subscribing to any necessary programs or platforms ahead of time.

Earphones or earbuds

When listening to a lecture, the people around probably won’t want to hear it, whether you’re at home, in a library or at a coffee shop. Getting a set of earphones or earbuds will help ensure you don’t disturb those around you, and can also drown out outside noise to minimize distractions.

Printer and printer paper

Even though many assignments can be submitted online, you may want to print items for your records or to access offline. Printing a syllabus or checklist for each course and keeping it within easy reach also assists with organization.

Traditional school supplies

Much of your work will be done on the computer, but you’ll still want items such as pens, pencils, highlighters, binders and notebook paper on hand. Depending on the courses you take, you may also need to purchase textbooks and supplemental texts.

An online or paper calendar

Keeping track of daily assignments and ongoing deadlines throughout the semester is imperative to your online learning success. An online or old-school paper calendar will help you make sure nothing slips through the cracks.

A backpack

You may think you won't need a backpack for online school since you won't be going from classroom to classroom. However, owning a backpack with room for a laptop, books and other supplies will prove useful when you head to a study session with a classmate or move to another location for a change of scenery.

An abundance of patience

Teachers, administrators, school staff members, and students and their families are all going to be operating in a business-not-as-usual environment. Giving everyone some extra space + grace as school begins will go a long way toward making this academic year as productive and fulfilling as possible.

When in doubt, carve out some time to shut down the screens, get outside, and shake off the pressure and expectations - this too, shall pass, and all that really matters is your students’ well-being.

If you are in need of support, supplies or anything else, please reach out.