Robert C. White & Co - June 2021

Robert C. White & Co - June 2021

R E N T A L READER YOUR

JUNE 2021

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A WORD FROM LANCE This Edition, Property Manager Lance Camby Takes the Reins

This month’s cover letter comes from Property Manager Lance Camby. Lance is exactly the kind of young man our company loves to see walk in the door — motivated, hardworking, and absolutely dedicated to client experience. Our prompt was simple: Talk about one of our core values and tell readers who you are. We couldn’t be happier with the result! One of the things I really connect with about this company is that the focus on our Core Values is just that — a focus. They really guide everything we do, and when we aren’t sure what the answer is or how to move forward, they provide a goal post we can focus on no matter what the situation is. Talking about one of them is easy because they all resonate with me. And right now, the one I’m thinking about most is “Work Together, Win Together.” Like most people, I’ve had a range of jobs. But nothing has motivated me the way real estate does; years ago, I sat down and decided what I wanted to do for a career and how to get there. I figured out what I wanted to do — real estate and sales — but I’m still not sure how to get there. The difference is, at this company, I am surrounded by people who have that exact experience and are willing to share it to see me succeed. One of my concerns was that I had heard real estate can be a dog-eat-dog world. Although my past jobs were not in this field, I had seen

that dynamic at work and I didn’t care for it. It is tough to grow if you don’t have the right people around you. But my coworkers here — my team members, really, because that’s what we are — showed me things do not have to be that way. At all. They’re good people, inside and out, and seeing them putting other team members first really took my fear away. With teammates like that, when I come in every day, I come in ready to work. It really feels like we’re winning, and winning together. I credit Luke with being a great boss and keeping the team cohesive but also on its toes and always ready to help solve a problem or give a bit of advice if it’s needed. If I make a mistake, he’ll sit down with me and work through it, explain what could have gone differently, and make sure that when I walk away from that conversation, I walk away a little wiser. Everybody here is like that — they all have wisdom they are willing to share, and both my questions and my ideas are welcome as we go through our day. At the end of each day, I almost always know more than when I started, and it seems like the rest of the team wants to do the same thing themselves — a great attitude to have and a great way to approach life. My drive for self-improvement is what took me to real estate, and it’s something I continue to pursue today. How can I be more professional? More efficient? How can I be a better coworker or teammate? What’s the next thing I need to do to help tenants or clients? This company doesn’t try to kill my passion; they nourish it.

“You don’t smile like this unless you love what you do!” — Lance Camby

And that’s good, because this is a job that keeps me busy and on my toes. The only constant from day to day is checking my email first thing in the morning and responding to anything “hot.” After that, it could be maintenance tickets, collections, helping someone behind on rent come up with a payment plan, or just the inspections we spread out and do regularly. With all the various activities, I stay busy — and that’s really how I like it. I’ve met some of the nicest people working here, because we really do have great tenants. I’ll do an inspection, and people want to give me food or offer a cool drink, and it makes me really happy. Just the thought is what counts, and it says a lot about our tenants. Of course, nobody can work all the time, and as much as I love my job, I try to stay active and engaged when off the clock. For years, that meant basketball, but for the past couple of years, boxing took center stage, followed by kickboxing. It really changed my life, because it’s crazy what going into a place and exhausting

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THE TOP 3 WEEKEND REMODEL PROJECTS FOR SUMMER 2021

Want to add a little pizazz to your home without spending a lot of time on it? Then this article is for you! There are several small projects you can easily do over a weekend that can refresh the look and feel of your home, inside and out. Take a look! Go with the flow. When was the last time you changed out your kitchen faucet? What about your showerheads? Refreshing the faucets around the home, whether in the kitchen or bathroom, can make a big difference. Not only do newer faucets look great, but you may also find one that improves upon the functionality of your old one. The same with showerheads — improve the flow of water and improve your next shower. What about touch-sensitive faucets? That’s a thing! You have lots of options to consider. Light it up. It’s easy to overlook outdoor lighting. You might have a floodlight or maybe some simple overhead lighting if you have a covered porch or patio, but why not take it up a notch? String lights are hot this year, and they come in outdoor varieties. You can make your favorite outdoor space — whether a porch, patio, or deck — more inviting with string lights. Drape them in creative ways to enhance the space and design. It’ll be Instagram-ready in no time! Create a fabulous front entrance. Every home should have a welcoming front entrance — it’s usually the first impression people have of your residence! Spruce up your home with a freshly painted door (or if you’re feeling really bold, an entirely new door ). Don’t forget about the foliage — it might be a good time to trim or sculpt the foliage around the front entrance. Or, if it’s looking particularly drab, find some interesting pots and plant some new flowers or shrubs to enliven the space. One more thing: Don’t forget the lighting, either. Installing new lighting fixtures can go a long way in giving your front entrance a fresh, welcoming look.

Composting is an excellent way to cut down on landfill waste while making your garden and yard look even better. However, it can often require a little TLC, and it’s easy to throw off the “balance” of the compost, potentially leading to disaster. Here are a few common mistakes people make with their compost and how you can avoid ( or fix) them! 3 Composting Mistakes That Are Easy to Make And Easy to Fix!

Food Scraps on Top of the Pile

Accessible food waste is a fast way to attract animals and insects. If left on the top of the pile, it also generates a very unpleasant odor as it breaks down. That makes tending to the compost an unwelcome chore. The best way to avoid this is to have enough other material (preexisting compost, leaves, grass, or a mix of all) to layer on top of the pile. As Good Housekeeping points out, this is a great way to avoid critters and smells — and it keeps the compost healthier!

Too Much of Any One Thing

A big part of a successful compost pile is diversity. Excess grass, for example, can inhibit healthy compositing. It may limit airflow to lower parts of the pile, choking the microbes below. It can also introduce too much nitrogen to the mix, which can elevate certain bacteria levels and make the pile smell awful. If you notice too much of one type of material like grass, food waste, or leaves, hold back on that material for a few weeks.

Too Much or Too Little Moisture

Related to the second point, too much water can also limit proper airflow and end up killing essential bacteria. If the moisture is because of rain, you can cover the compost for short periods of time. Using a tarp is a great option, and you can divert sprinklers away from the compost to avoid other water sources. However, during the summer heat, it’s possible for the compost to dry out. The material will then decompose at a very slow rate, as many of the microbes either die out or can’t function properly. Fixing this is as simple as watering it. Just keep a close eye out!

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LIGHT UP YOUR LIFE Get the Most Out of Each Lightbulb

We’ve all stood in front of the lightbulb section at the home improvement store. There are so many to choose from. But most of the time, we just grab the one we know will fit in any given spot. We don’t always consider things like color temperature, brightness, wattage (outside of compatibility with lamps or sockets). However, the bulb you choose does matter. The type of light it puts out can dramatically change a room — and not just in appearance, but functionality, too. Consider the following: Working Spaces (Kitchen and Bathrooms) These rooms, more or less, are utility rooms. They serve specific functions. In the kitchen, you prepare meals and cook. Kids may do homework in the kitchen. In the bathroom, you get ready for work. You may choose outfits, put on makeup, groom yourself, and so on. In these rooms, you need to see detail. As such, brighter lightbulbs are essential. These bulbs give off 5,000–10,000 lumens and have a bright or cool white color temperature (the packaging may say 4,100 kelvins). Day lightbulbs are a good option as well (5,000–6,000 kelvins). The type of bulb (incandescent, compact fluorescent, LED, halogen, etc.) isn’t as important as the first two features. A bright bulb that emits cool light will open up the room, allowing you to clearly see the job at hand. Living Spaces (Dining Rooms, Home Offices, Bedrooms, Reading Areas) These rooms are more casual than the utility spaces and don’t require as much light as in the kitchen or bathroom. These are rooms where you may be relaxing

or need to be less energetic. Bright, white light is more of an “awake” light, but it’s not ideal when you’re just chilling out (or even working behind a computer screen in a home office). You want bulbs in the 2,000–6,000 lumen range that give off softer, warmer light around 2,700 kelvins. This type of light is just as the naming suggests — warmer. It gives the room a more inviting feeling. It’s easier on the eyes and looks more natural in these types of rooms. In the home office, warmer light helps balance the light emitted by monitors, which can be harder on the eyes. Softer, warmer light reduces eye strain. This is also why it’s ideal for reading areas!

GRILLED CHICKEN SHAWARMA

... continued from Cover

Inspired by FeastingAtHome.com

yourself for an hour can do for your well-being. And there’s nothing as exhausting as training to fight — except sparring or fighting in a ring itself! But really, my world revolves around my 4-year- old son, Dexter. He is my absolute everything and I cherish every second I get with him. We go to the park a lot, and he’s at that age where he’s learning so much so quickly I can hardly keep up. I wonder how long it will be before he’s finding his own hobbies and getting into school sports like the basketball I played growing up. And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have my fingers crossed that he’ll be a Baltimore Ravens fan like me — at least that way I’d have some company here in Connecticut! I’m really grateful to Luke for giving me this opportunity to write a letter about the values and about my life, and I’m also grateful I’ve been given a spot on this amazing team of people. We work together, and we win together every day. What could be better than that?

Ingredients

Directions

• 2 tbsp ground cumin • 2 tbsp ground coriander • 2 tsp kosher salt • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper • 2 tsp turmeric • 1 tsp ground ginger • 1 tsp ground black pepper • 2 tsp allspice • 8 garlic cloves, minced • 6 tbsp olive oil • 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1. To create marinade, whisk all spices with the garlic and olive oil in a medium bowl. 2. Add chicken to the bowl, coat well with marinade, cover, and let sit in the fridge for at least 20 minutes — or up to 48 hours. Strain off excess marinade before cooking. 3. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Grill thighs for 10–12 minutes on each side, or until a meat thermometer reads 165 F. 4. Serve with rice, vegetables, or pita bread with tzatziki.

–Lance Camby

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57 DODGE AVE., STE. 107 NORTH HAVEN, CT 06473 860.613.6290

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INSIDE

1

A Word From Lance

2

These Mistakes Can Ruin Your Compost!

Short Weekend Home Projects Perfect for Summer!

3

Lightbulb Primer: Choosing the Right Bulb for the Right Job

Grilled Chicken Shawarma

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Don’t Let the Sun Get Your Garden Down

3 QUICK WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR PLANTS FROM THE SUN

When you’re growing a vegetable garden, protecting your plants is your No. 1 priority. So, what are the simplest ways to protect your veggies from sun and heat?

Lay down a layer of grass mulch.

After mowing the yard, save some grass clippings and put down a layer around your garden plants. This keeps the soil cooler and reduces ground evaporation, which helps keep plants extra hydrated on hot days.

Give plants a little shade.

Using wood stakes or dowels, put together a makeshift tent using bedsheets, towels, or any other covering. The shade shouldn’t be extensive — just enough to reduce the harshness of the sunlight a few hours a day.

Water in the mornings/evenings.

This also helps keep plants extra hydrated when they need it most. Plus, it reduces evaporation before the plants can make the most of the water.

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