November 10, 2025 • 26 mins
In this Real Estate Rundown, Zach and Pat unpack two big stories with real-world impact:
- Why your electric bill is about to spike. It’s not just the weather — rising fuel costs, grid strain, and utility hikes are all in play. We break down how this affects homeowners, renters, and the housing market at large. Link
- Maxwell House becomes Maxwell Apartment? The legacy coffee brand is trading its suburban name for something a little more urban. Is this a brand pivot, a cultural signal, or just a PR stunt? We’ve got takes. Link
Energy costs and branding trends, both tied to how (and where) we live. Let’s get into it.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (00:35):
What's going on, everyone?
Welcome to season two of theRent Tish Podcast.
I'm Zach and I'm here with myco-host Patrick.
SPEAKER_00 (00:41):
We're two rookies chasing the dream of real estate
investing.
In this podcast, we'll talkabout property management, wild
stories, and everything inbetween.
We don't know it all yet.
SPEAKER_01 (00:50):
But that's the point.
We're learning as we go, justlike you.
So we'll bring in the experts toeducate and inform us and we'll
figure it out together.
So let's laugh, learn, and diveinto real estate side by side.
Patrick, how are you on thisfine Thursday?
So ready to do this podcast.
Energy level high.
Super high.
Yeah?
I'm excited.
Sounds like a lie.
If I had a if I had a liedetector hooked up to you right
(01:12):
now, I think that you wouldfail.
You you are I I no, I wouldpass.
And you would fail.
What are you drinking there?
Is that well, we were having aconversation earlier about the
ginseng, but apparently it canmean coffee and tea.
SPEAKER_00 (01:25):
So yeah, it's a ginseng delight espresso, which
what that means, I'm not, Ireally have no idea.
But um it really just tastedlike coffee, if I'm being
completely honest.
SPEAKER_01 (01:34):
But well, when you were brewing it, I was like, I
was like porky pig whenever hesmells a pie in the window or
whatever, like fluttering overto the window in a Looney Tunes.
SPEAKER_02 (01:41):
I was like, that smells good.
SPEAKER_00 (01:43):
Yeah, I feel like sometimes with like coffee,
sometimes they smell reallygood, and then you drink it.
It's like, oh, that that's justcoffee.
SPEAKER_01 (01:48):
Well, interestingly enough, we may be talking about
coffee in this very episode.
Did you like that foreshadowing?
SPEAKER_00 (01:54):
That was really that was really good, yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (01:56):
It was good.
Tomorrow's Halloween, so gettingexcited.
Today's the office costume dressup.
SPEAKER_00 (02:01):
Yeah, speaking of coffee again.
SPEAKER_01 (02:03):
Yeah, yeah.
So my costume is a pun.
I'm a grounds keeper, so I'vegot like overalls and a cat and
a hat and some like work gloves,but I'm carrying a bunch of
coffee grounds.
And you are much easier to see.
What are you?
SPEAKER_00 (02:16):
I'm well I'm solely for Monsters Inc., but I had
multiple people today, likemultiple independently, uh say,
are you blues clues?
Yeah, you kind of do look likeblues clues.
Yeah, so I have the MonstersInc.
hat though, so I feel like so.
SPEAKER_01 (02:30):
If you were the blues clues, yeah, blue is his
name, right?
That's the name of the dog.
Yeah.
If you were that, then that nowwould be a perfect time to open
like our fan mail that we getinto questions at the rentish
pod because I could go, We justgot a letter.
We just got a letter.
No one sent it in.
And it's like we open themailbox and it's just like
(02:52):
cobwebs.
Remember, email the pod,questions at the rentish
pod.com.
Follow us on social media at therentish pod.
Give us a like and a thumbs up,whatever your podcast platform
of choice is.
Give us a rating, give us areview, leave us a comment.
Smash that subscribe button.
Exactly.
Smash it, and then uh hit thenotification bell to be alerted
when new episodes go live, andmaybe tell a friend.
(03:14):
If you've got a friend thatyou're like, he's a landlord or
a property manager, or maybehe's just really interested in
the real estate market, sendthem a link.
Copy that URL, paste that URL,send it their way.
I'm sure that they'll enjoy theleft the show.
SPEAKER_00 (03:26):
Dude, I was I was driving the car with my
girlfriend, she had aux and sheshe randomly started playing the
newest episode from the RentishPodcast.
Like, turn this off.
I don't want to listen tomyself.
SPEAKER_01 (03:35):
Patrick doesn't like the sound of his voice.
No.
Everyone's good.
Everyone write into questions atthe rentish pod.com and tell
Patrick how much you like thesound of his voice.
SPEAKER_00 (03:45):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (03:46):
Everyone do it.
All right.
Time to get into the episode.
Patrick.
So we're we're kind of wingingit on this one.
We we had time to get a get anepisode logged in.
So we wanted to come and hangout with the listeners and give
everyone a fun show.
So we're gonna read through acouple of these articles that
were sent over to us by ourproducers who do a lot of really
(04:07):
great research for us, taketheir time, methodically comb
through all these resources, andwe're gonna record and talk to
you guys about this stuff.
But producing me say, do we havean idea for how we want to title
this next segment?
So is it is it's we've got two,it's like two news stories,
right?
So is this just like the newsepisode, news rundown?
SPEAKER_03 (04:25):
Yeah, this is the real estate rundown.
Uh the first part is gonna be umabout electricity, and then the
second part will be aboutcoffee.
Cool.
SPEAKER_01 (04:34):
And you might think to yourself, coffee, what the
how is that real estate related?
I can't wait to find out.
SPEAKER_02 (04:42):
So my joke.
SPEAKER_01 (04:44):
All right, I'll just go ahead.
How about that?
Let's yeah.
How's that sound that soundsgood to me?
So this one, Watts Up with mybill, and that's what Watts
spelled W-A-T-T.
Is that like a like a Watts likeenergy joke?
Exactly.
Yeah.
Why your winter electric costsare climbing?
So winter's coming, and so arehigher energy bills.
This year, experts are warningthat electricity costs could
(05:05):
jump 10 to 20 percent for manyAmericans, with some households
expected to spend nearly$1,000just to heat their homes through
the season.
Yeah.
From sky-high utility bills tothat dreaded moment when you
open your December statement.
We've all been there.
In today's episode of theRenters, we're swapping our own
energy bill horror stories,breaking down why costs are
rising, and sharing some simpleways renters and homeowners
(05:28):
alike can save a little moneyand sanity this winter.
So, personal check-in.
How's your how's your bill sitchgoing on right now?
SPEAKER_00 (05:36):
I mean, it's it's it's definitely the most
expensive October I've ever had.
Okay.
But usually I feel like Octoberis one one of the lesser months
because it's just like I'm ableto open up windows and not have
heat or AC on the whole time.
And it feels really high.
I mean, with that said, mygirlfriend recently moved in
with me, and I feel like thelaundry machine's being run
every single day.
So that might have something todo with it.
SPEAKER_01 (05:58):
Um learn learning all about sharing uh sharing a
living space with a significantother.
Okay, cool.
SPEAKER_00 (06:03):
But yeah, I mean, I I I imagine that is a little bit
of it, but like I mean,definitely seeing seeing a much
higher bill than I'm used to forthis time of year already.
SPEAKER_01 (06:12):
Yeah, so I'm I'm less concerned about my heating
bill for the winter because Ifeel like last year our gas bill
was like not too bad, and ourhouse is like gas heated.
So we'll see what ends uphappening there when when things
start shaking out.
But I will say the energy billsfor electric this summer in
Cincinnati, absolutelydevastating.
August for my house, I don'teven mind sharing numbers, it
was like$350.
(06:33):
And then September it droppeddown.
I think we got it below uh like$240,$230.
But then this month I checked itagain.
It's back up to$330.
So it's like it kind of gotcatch up of like the summer
months of running the AC when itwas really, really brutally hot
here in Cincy.
Yeah.
That's definitely been felt inthe old wallet.
SPEAKER_00 (06:51):
I have no gas in my house.
It's all everything's electric,all the heating and cooling.
Okay, well, all of it.
So I have a feeling it's justgonna keep going up.
Sure.
You know, yeah, we'll see.
SPEAKER_01 (07:00):
Well, electricity demand spikes every winter.
This year, natural gas andheating oil prices are
contributing to the surge.
So, according to U.S.
Energy InformationAdministration, the average
household heating cost isexpected to rise between five to
twenty-one percent, depending onthe region.
So, homes in the northeast andin the midwest are expected to
see the biggest increases.
Were the Midwest.
(07:21):
So uh we're we expect to see uha pretty big size booming.
SPEAKER_02 (07:24):
Dang it.
Dang it.
SPEAKER_01 (07:27):
Yeah, it's I mean it's a good opportunity to like
look for cost cutting andsavings.
Let me read the next couplestats, and then I have a
question to ask you about whereyou keep your your heat and your
and everything, because I'mcurious about this.
So uh the electric grid is understrain in many parts of the US.
Extreme weather, aginginfrastructure, higher demand,
they're all driving up prices.
We've got a bunch of simple,reliable ways to save, like
(07:48):
unplugging electronics,switching to LED bulbs, layering
up, sealing drafty windows withplastic wrap, which I've done
before.
I don't know if you've everpulled that move.
That's a that's one.
Yeah.
Or weather strips.
Yeah, so I I got a question toask you.
Where do you keep where do youwhen do you turn on your heat
and what temperature do you keepit during the winter?
SPEAKER_00 (08:07):
So I in the summer it's between 70 and 72.
In the winter, it's usuallybetween uh 68 to 71.
Last the past couple days we'vehad it at 69.
Okay.
Is what we've we've been keepingit at.
I know you're like producermuse.
SPEAKER_01 (08:24):
Before I chime in, where do you keep where do you
do what what were my questions?
When do you turn on the heat andwhat temperature do you keep it
during the winter?
SPEAKER_03 (08:31):
Probably like two weeks ago we first turned it on,
the heat, and we keep it at uh63.
Right now.
SPEAKER_00 (08:40):
Oh, really?
That would never ever fly.
SPEAKER_01 (08:43):
Okay.
So the other day when we weretalking about this, I thought we
we were farther apart, and wewere also way farther apart
because you were super far.
SPEAKER_03 (08:50):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (08:51):
Well, so I keep it right now, I think it's at 62,
62 or 63.
Yeah, so like you said 54.
I would personally keep it atmaybe 58, I think, is an
appropriate heating level orwhatever for like cost saving
and stuff like that.
But it's like, I don't know, Ifeel like the low 60s is totally
fine for when it's cold out.
Yeah, why not?
That's yeah, I don't know.
Uh, in terms of landlord tenantdynamics, who typically covers
(09:13):
the utilities?
So, what what you know, has yourlandlord ever included
electricity in the rents?
Yeah, all these questions.
I'm curious to hear from Mousseas a as a property owner, but
I'm also curious to know whereyou're at currently with your
electric bill.
SPEAKER_00 (09:26):
So, in all cases, I've had to pay for electric,
(09:53):
gas, and Wi-Fi, all that stuff.
The only things I've ever had tonot pay for are water and trash.
Yeah.
And like sewage, I guess.
Pretty common.
So there have been instanceswhere I do have to pay those.
Sure.
Right now, in my last apartment,I did not have to pay those, but
yeah, I've never had electric.
Okay.
SPEAKER_01 (10:11):
Producer Mousse, who's our resident homeowner,
have you ever included utilitiesin the cost of rent and what is
it like right now with the costof the with the cost of
utilities and how that affectsyou?
SPEAKER_03 (10:23):
Yeah, so as a perk, we we take on the utilities
because it's midterm, we justthink it's better because people
are leaving sooner than stayingfor a year.
I also think it's a goodincentive, especially now,
because when I look at the otherunits, Bill, it's like, whoa.
Uh so sometimes it does make methink, should I include
utilities?
(10:43):
But I think it's a good perkright now.
You just I just make sure weoffset it by charging a normal
amount.
But I've never had a landlordactually take on utilities,
though.
SPEAKER_01 (10:54):
Okay.
Yeah, me neither.
I'm in the same boat.
I mean, water, water and trashhave been the only two utilities
that I've ever had a landlordtake on, but most of the time
I'm I'm paying.
SPEAKER_00 (11:02):
But also, it's just like like let's say the landlord
does take them on.
In essence, the rent willprobably just be higher than it
otherwise would be.
You know, either way, you'repaying for it.
It's just the question is, is ita set cost sort of, or is it a
fluctuating cost?
SPEAKER_01 (11:14):
Well, that's that's the thing.
And that the there's a lot ofbudget billing plans and energy
assistance programs that peopledon't know about that don't take
advantage of that can likereally help out.
Like right now, I know that I'dlike I'd rather just pay it, get
it out of the way.
But like I know that our energyprovider in Cincinnati, they'll
let you split a invoice intomultiple installments free of
charge with no interest.
(11:35):
I don't think they let you likedo that all the time, but
they're you can you can do itfor a few times, I guess, until
they stop you.
You could say, Oh, I got a$400utility bill this month, that's
too much.
I can't afford to pay that rightnow.
I'll split it into six chunksthat apply over the next six
invoices.
So it's like there are planslike that if it helps you out,
helps you like kind of managethat out, but you also have to
(11:56):
be smart about that.
Yeah, manage your finances.
Exactly.
SPEAKER_00 (11:59):
So that's something you have to keep paying
everybody.
SPEAKER_01 (12:01):
Snowball, exactly.
But funnier painful personalhacks for cutting the bill.
I did want to mention theplastic wrap ones.
So you can actually straight upbuy these window covers on
Amazon.
But when I first moved to anapartment in Cincinnati, there's
a lot of really old, beautifulbuildings in the city, but they
are not very well updatedsometimes.
And windows are a big factor ofletting cold air in during the
winter, is like windows with abad seal.
(12:23):
Shout out to, you know, gettingyour contractors, come out, take
a look at your windows.
That could be a real estatetopic, who knows?
But for tenants, you canactually go on to like sites
like Amazon and order these likewindow covers.
They look like big plasticwraps.
It reminds me of like in the,you know, the end scene in the
ET where they've got the houseall like bubbled.
That's exactly what it remindsme of.
But you like strip it around theexterior of the window and then
(12:45):
it catches the cold air andcontains it so that it's not
just like spreading out intoyour house.
It's kind of like an insulator.
So, and it's like removable too,without like ruining the house.
You're just paying like, I don'tknow, 20 bucks for temporary
insulation during the winter.
So that's my hack.
I don't know if you've gotanything like that.
SPEAKER_00 (13:02):
So, yeah, what I do, and I I didn't know about this
until my mom brought me on toit.
I pay my bills with Duke Energyas well here in Cincinnati.
But you can do like certifiedenergy suppliers that run
through Duke, but it's likedifferent energy sources, and
they've got like differentlists.
And I found one with a set ratefor the next 48 months that's
already like cheaper than whatDuke is.
(13:24):
And you can obviously pick likeyou know, fluctuating ones or
whatever.
I found one that's set cost andit's like some sort of renewable
renewable energy.
So I'm I'm paying like way lessthan I would be otherwise.
Have you noticed any change inyour uh power at your house?
Like no, no, no changes.
Like now, I did notice a massivewhen I first when I first used
it, I most noticed a massivededuction in like the price that
(13:47):
I was paying, like instantly.
But like things have just beengoing up since then.
So like you know, I maybe it'sjust my own energy usage.
I'm not sure.
I'm not actually sure how it allworks.
SPEAKER_01 (13:55):
It's all part of inflation too.
I mean the fact that the costthe rising cost of everything is
also increasing, just the risingcost of providing electricity
and bill and and utilities.
So it's all gonna go.
SPEAKER_00 (14:05):
It is still like cheaper than like I would be
paying otherwise, which is likesomething I'd highly recommend
looking into.
Sure.
Recommendation from Patrick.
Patrick O'Prue.
There's a there's a bunch ofdifferent ones though, like in
and it's probably locationdependent.
SPEAKER_01 (14:17):
Sure.
Well, do your research outthere, check and see what
programs are available for you.
But got a couple last-minutestats before we move on to the
next article.
According to the US EnergyInformation Administration,
average electricity bills areforecast to rise about four
percent nationally from Novemberthrough March to around one
dollar.
What?
That doesn't seem right.
(14:37):
$1,130.
There you go.
I saw the one and stoppedreading there.
So I messed that part up.
They're about to rise to like anational average, I'm guessing,
to about$1,130.
If I saw a utility bill for$1,130, I'd be uh I'd not be
very happy.
I don't know what I would do.
(14:58):
I'd be very, very depressed.
For homes heated withelectricity, average heating
costs could rise around 8% ormore this winter.
And they're estimating that itcould be about$1,205 as an
average for electric heatedhomes.
That seems super high.
That is super duper duper high.
But you know, I yeah, I I don'tknow.
We'll see.
(15:18):
We'll you know, it's gonna beinteresting to monitor as we get
into the colder times.
You know, higher natural gasprices, increased demand for
electricity, infrastructure andupkeep costs and weather is all
contributing to the drivingcosts being increased.
And there is a differencebetween homes heated with gas
and homes with electric versuspropane.
There's all sorts of stuff.
Some will go up, some will godown.
Make sure you do your researchand be prepared this winter.
(15:39):
So look for affordable ways tosave on your utilities.
Go the Zach route and justbundle up, bundle up and get
cozy and turn that sucker down.
You know what I mean?
SPEAKER_03 (15:49):
Gosh, you sound like my parents.
But I guess before we go on tothe next segment, um if you are
listening, because we're comingfrom a Cincinnati, Ohio
perspective, right?
Send in what your average billis, uh, questions at
therentishpod.com and the stateyou're in.
We just want to, you know, hearfrom you guys and compare.
Listen to him plug in the show.
SPEAKER_01 (16:10):
Why don't we just make him the host?
Fire me.
Yeah.
You want to fire me?
SPEAKER_03 (16:15):
No, you're the talent.
SPEAKER_00 (16:19):
So next up, we have a coffee-related article, which
apparently I'm doing now.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (16:24):
I think the segment, I like the segment title, What's
Brewing Here with Patrick.
I do like that.
What's Brewing here?
SPEAKER_00 (16:31):
I feel like this is gonna be a one-off segment
because I don't anticipate othercoffee-related segments coming
up.
SPEAKER_01 (16:36):
This is a rarity.
This is the needle in thehaystack.
Uh producer, insert coffeepouring sound effect here.
SPEAKER_00 (16:44):
Yes, this segment is about the Maxwell House becoming
Maxwell Apartment.
It's the first name change inMaxwell House's 133-year
history.
Wow.
Which is crazy.
Yeah, this is crazy.
I didn't really know what thiscompany was until I asked you.
SPEAKER_01 (16:59):
Like, yeah, you had to ask for clarification.
I thought Maxwell House was oneof those like known known
brands, like pretty much acrossthe board.
And you also didn't know whatFolgers was.
I drink that high qualitygourmet.
But you've never even you don'tlike the fact that you didn't
even know what it was.
SPEAKER_00 (17:15):
Yeah, I don't really buy, I don't really buy coffee.
I don't really make coffee at myplace.
I make tea.
SPEAKER_01 (17:19):
Really?
SPEAKER_00 (17:20):
Yeah, and I do coffee in the office or I go out
to get coffee, but I've neverbeen much of a wow, that's nuts.
I have a Nespresso, uh aNespresso machine, so if I do,
it's just like Nespresso.
The Nespresso pots.
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (17:31):
Interesting.
Yeah, growing up, I mean, likegrowing up, I lived in a house
where my mom drank drip coffeeall the time.
So there's always like groundcoffee in a big tin, usually
like Kroger brand.
But then in the grocery storeaisle, I would encourage you to
walk down it one of these days.
You can see all of the differentpre-packaged cans of coffee.
And Maxwell House is the blueugly one that's in the bottom
(17:54):
right because it's typically themost you can get for the
cheapest cost.
Okay.
That isn't the name brand of thestore.
God.
Right.
So, like I typically just buyKroger brand name coffee, like
just the generic Kroger coffee,but it's sold in the same tin
like a Maxwell House or aFolgers.
SPEAKER_00 (18:10):
I mean, I'll probably notice it all the time
now.
Now you will, yeah.
Um so essentially what what'shappening is they're they're
rebranding to Maxwell Apartment,and with it comes a 12-month
quote unquote lease offer ofcoffee, meaning with the bundle,
you get coffee over the courseof a whole year.
Kind of like I see what they'redoing here.
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (18:29):
So it's a it's a pun.
It's what the kids call a pun.
Or uh not a pun.
How how a play on words?
Play on words, something likethat.
SPEAKER_00 (18:39):
A metaphor?
SPEAKER_01 (18:40):
Metaphor, analogy, hyperbole, hyperbole.
SPEAKER_00 (18:44):
No, no, no, no, no.
Something like that.
Simile?
Simile.
Like high school English is whatI'm thinking about.
Antonym.
Prepositional phrase.
Sure.
Um no.
SPEAKER_01 (18:55):
No, it's it's cute.
I mean, like, here's the thing.
Well, well, keep going with yourfacts, and I'm gonna give my
opinion on it.
SPEAKER_00 (19:00):
I mean, that was basically it.
I mean, they're they'll tell melike the an example is a four
27.5 ounce canisters sold as ayear's supply, I guess, over the
course of the year or something.
SPEAKER_01 (19:10):
First off, I gotta say, that is not a year's supply
of coffee.
Like for me, uh so I uh ourhousehold probably goes through
one of the that size can ofcoffee that I brought in today
for my Halloween costume.
We go through one of thoseprobably every week and a half.
SPEAKER_00 (19:25):
That is insane.
SPEAKER_01 (19:28):
A whole drip pot for two people at least once a day,
every single day.
Maybe I could stretch it to twoweeks.
If you want to be sleepdeprived, then typically I'm
having three cups of coffee inthe morning before I leave for
the office.
SPEAKER_00 (19:44):
Is that a lot?
Uh yeah, we actually brought youhere for an intervention.
That's a lot.
SPEAKER_01 (19:48):
The producers are all nodding, telling me that's a
lot.
Yeah, it's that's three cups isa lot of problems.
You have a problem, I think.
Oh, I'm hopelessly addicted tocaffeine, but so is the rest of
the United States.
We're all addicted.
I think this, I mean, I thinkthat this is absolutely wild.
Maxwell House, at least to me,it's a brand.
Clearly, it's not hip with theyoung'ins.
Yeah.
I mean you classify yourself asa young'in.
(20:09):
You classify me as a young'in.
You're one of the you're you'reyou're hip with it.
You know the the slang, the GenZ slang?
Yeah.
Six, seven, all that.
SPEAKER_00 (20:17):
I had I had to have some I had to have somebody
explain that to me.
SPEAKER_01 (20:19):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (20:20):
You had to have them explain.
SPEAKER_01 (20:22):
Well, I think that it's kind of silly.
I mean, like big brand namechanges like this are always
like, it always makes me scratchmy head a little bit because I'm
like, okay, so Maxwell House,that's an established name, been
around for 50 plus years,probably more.
Maxwell Apartment, it's likethat just doesn't roll off the
tongue the same way, but it'salso because I feel like I've
known that that brand name formy whole life.
SPEAKER_00 (20:41):
I think it's just a gimmick, honestly.
I think remember when iHopbecame iHob?
I forgot about that in a houseof burgers.
And everyone was talking aboutit because it's like they
actually like legitimatelychanged their name.
Sure.
Which is crazy.
I like I don't remember anothercompany having done that.
I went to iHob to go try one oftheir like mediocre burgers.
(21:03):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (21:03):
So you're you're telling me that you think that
this is more along the lines oflike a cracker barrel situation.
I think, yeah, I think likeCracker Barrel redoes their
logo, makes it all minimalisticand my hyper modern.
They change the restaurants tomake them look all millennialed,
and then they're like, Psych,we're gonna change it back or
whatever.
SPEAKER_00 (21:18):
I mean, I think that was I think that was an actual
mistake on their end.
I think I think they actuallythought that was a good idea and
now are playing it off.
Now they're playing it off.
I think this is a legitimatechoice for Maxwell House.
Like they're they're changingtheir brand to getting this
whole gimmick.
I think it's gonna becomeMaxwell House again in a year.
Sure.
Is my guess.
SPEAKER_01 (21:34):
You just gotta spend the money on the rebranding, the
the cost of the marketing, thecost of printing the new labels,
the graphic design.
Yeah, I mean, but the coffee isstill the same coffee.
It's probably all justmass-produced grounds coffee
from wherever their warehouse isin the United States.
But I don't know.
SPEAKER_00 (21:48):
Well, it sounds like the the brands move here.
So nearly a third of Americansnow rent rather than owning
houses.
So they're getting hip with thetimes.
SPEAKER_01 (21:56):
Yeah, like people don't know what houses are
anymore.
SPEAKER_00 (22:00):
Yeah, right.
Like, let's relate to theaverage um, you know, American
or whatever who rents.
So yeah, they're they're tryingto resonate with the modern
consumers' economic realities.
To me, I mean I get it.
SPEAKER_01 (22:12):
You're gonna rent your coffee now?
Like what this makes more senseas like an like a new coke or
like Pepsi Clear kind of thingthan it does to me.
SPEAKER_02 (22:21):
Like people just don't associate with the coffee
because man, they're renters,they're not homeowners.
SPEAKER_01 (22:28):
I'm imagining uh Don Draper in like a suit pitching
this to like a group ofexecutives, like madmen style.
SPEAKER_02 (22:34):
What if we made this house just a little smaller?
SPEAKER_01 (22:38):
I I just I don't buy it.
I like the value message though.
I mean, that the talk about thatreal quick.
You want to read that in yourbest advertiser voice?
Here's their value message.
Real coffee.
SPEAKER_00 (22:49):
This is so stupid.
Read it with emotion, read itlike you're reading it to a
board member or like read itlike you're reading a group of
money.
I'm gonna pretend like I'mowning it.
I feel like we're just roastingMaxwell coffee Maxwell apartment
coffee right now.
SPEAKER_01 (23:00):
Maxwell, if you don't want us to roast, you
sponsor the pot.
Mail questions at rentichpot.comand give us a sponsorship.
SPEAKER_00 (23:05):
All right.
The value message is real coffeefor real people making smart
choices.
What a value message.
That's so stupid.
That's like just so generic.
I don't know.
SPEAKER_01 (23:18):
If I see if I see a commercial for Maxwell Apartment
during the Super Bowl and itsays real coffee for real people
making smart choices, it's likedon't be like Don't be stupid,
rent our coffee instead ofbuying it.
It's funny.
Yeah, so what about the culturalimplications, Patrick?
SPEAKER_00 (23:36):
Yeah, I don't know.
I mean, all in all, inconclusion, this name change
seems seems less of like acompany trying to be hip with
the times of trying to relate topeople not being able to afford
homeownership.
Sure.
And seems more like just aridiculous gimmick.
That's just my personal humbleopinion, though.
SPEAKER_01 (23:55):
Yeah, I mean, I could we could do a whole show
about the idea of like namechanges and marketing moves.
I mean, how many companies havetried to pull ridiculous
publicity stunts like thisbefore?
I think it's funny.
It's definitely an eye-catchingheadline.
I just love that the producersare like, this is kind of real
estate related.
SPEAKER_00 (24:10):
They're like, let's have the rent this guy's talking
about it.
Well, here's the thing though,it worked because now I didn't
really know Maxwell House, andnow I know them.
And now I will know, like, oh,they're rebranding to Maxwell
Apartments, and now it's like,you know, maybe I want to try
this coffee now.
So actually, props hats off toyou, Maxwell Apartments.
SPEAKER_01 (24:27):
Well, yeah, and you're getting headlines
already.
Everyone's like, CNBC's talkingabout it, MSNBC, the AP and
Reuters, the Rentish.
They're talking about it.
It's like if they're talkingabout it, it's gotta be big
news.
You know what I mean?
SPEAKER_00 (24:39):
And yeah, we make fun of it, but like it
objectively worked.
So sure.
SPEAKER_01 (24:43):
Yeah, cool.
Cool.
Well, thank you for reading thatlittle article, Patrick, and
props to you for poweringthrough.
Now you can just go recharge andplug yourself back into the wall
out.
SPEAKER_00 (24:52):
Now I'm gonna go drink some coffee that's not
Maxwell Apartments.
SPEAKER_01 (24:54):
Yeah, we're gonna drink some stuff, other stuff.
Well, thank you guys forlistening to another episode of
the Rentish Pod.
Hopefully it was a fun littletreat for you.
This was uh really quite theepisode, let's just put it that
way.
Uh, for for all of youlistening, thank you again.
Email questions at therentishpod.com if you have a topic
suggestion, if you havequestions for me and Patrick,
maybe you're an interested guestand you'd like to be on the
(25:15):
podcast, send us a message.
Tell your friends who are intoreal estate and property
management about the podcast andshare it wherever you can.
And we're available on podcastplatforms all over.
So just find the Rentish Pod,give us a like, give us a thumbs
up, give us a five-star reviewin the comment.
We would appreciate you very,very much.
Until next time, I've been Zach,that's been Patrick, and we'll
see you later.
(25:35):
The Rentish Podcast is recordedin Cincinnati, Ohio, hosted by
Patrick Giro and me, ZachRotello.
Produced by Mousse Geber Mesqueland Charlene Mulchendani.
Edited by Elliot Mongenis.
Theme song by me, Zach Rotello.
What's going on, everyone?
Welcome to season two of theRent Tish Podcast.
I'm Zach and I'm here with myco-host Patrick.
SPEAKER_00 (00:41):
We're two rookies chasing the dream of real estate
investing.
In this podcast, we'll talkabout property management, wild
stories, and everything inbetween.
We don't know it all yet.
SPEAKER_01 (00:50):
But that's the point.
We're learning as we go, justlike you.
So we'll bring in the experts toeducate and inform us and we'll
figure it out together.
So let's laugh, learn, and diveinto real estate side by side.
Patrick, how are you on thisfine Thursday?
So ready to do this podcast.
Energy level high.
Super high.
Yeah?
I'm excited.
Sounds like a lie.
If I had a if I had a liedetector hooked up to you right
(01:12):
now, I think that you wouldfail.
You you are I I no, I wouldpass.
And you would fail.
What are you drinking there?
Is that well, we were having aconversation earlier about the
ginseng, but apparently it canmean coffee and tea.
SPEAKER_00 (01:25):
So yeah, it's a ginseng delight espresso, which
what that means, I'm not, Ireally have no idea.
But um it really just tastedlike coffee, if I'm being
completely honest.
SPEAKER_01 (01:34):
But well, when you were brewing it, I was like, I
was like porky pig whenever hesmells a pie in the window or
whatever, like fluttering overto the window in a Looney Tunes.
SPEAKER_02 (01:41):
I was like, that smells good.
SPEAKER_00 (01:43):
Yeah, I feel like sometimes with like coffee,
sometimes they smell reallygood, and then you drink it.
It's like, oh, that that's justcoffee.
SPEAKER_01 (01:48):
Well, interestingly enough, we may be talking about
coffee in this very episode.
Did you like that foreshadowing?
SPEAKER_00 (01:54):
That was really that was really good, yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (01:56):
It was good.
Tomorrow's Halloween, so gettingexcited.
Today's the office costume dressup.
SPEAKER_00 (02:01):
Yeah, speaking of coffee again.
SPEAKER_01 (02:03):
Yeah, yeah.
So my costume is a pun.
I'm a grounds keeper, so I'vegot like overalls and a cat and
a hat and some like work gloves,but I'm carrying a bunch of
coffee grounds.
And you are much easier to see.
What are you?
SPEAKER_00 (02:16):
I'm well I'm solely for Monsters Inc., but I had
multiple people today, likemultiple independently, uh say,
are you blues clues?
Yeah, you kind of do look likeblues clues.
Yeah, so I have the MonstersInc.
hat though, so I feel like so.
SPEAKER_01 (02:30):
If you were the blues clues, yeah, blue is his
name, right?
That's the name of the dog.
Yeah.
If you were that, then that nowwould be a perfect time to open
like our fan mail that we getinto questions at the rentish
pod because I could go, We justgot a letter.
We just got a letter.
No one sent it in.
And it's like we open themailbox and it's just like
(02:52):
cobwebs.
Remember, email the pod,questions at the rentish
pod.com.
Follow us on social media at therentish pod.
Give us a like and a thumbs up,whatever your podcast platform
of choice is.
Give us a rating, give us areview, leave us a comment.
Smash that subscribe button.
Exactly.
Smash it, and then uh hit thenotification bell to be alerted
when new episodes go live, andmaybe tell a friend.
(03:14):
If you've got a friend thatyou're like, he's a landlord or
a property manager, or maybehe's just really interested in
the real estate market, sendthem a link.
Copy that URL, paste that URL,send it their way.
I'm sure that they'll enjoy theleft the show.
SPEAKER_00 (03:26):
Dude, I was I was driving the car with my
girlfriend, she had aux and sheshe randomly started playing the
newest episode from the RentishPodcast.
Like, turn this off.
I don't want to listen tomyself.
SPEAKER_01 (03:35):
Patrick doesn't like the sound of his voice.
No.
Everyone's good.
Everyone write into questions atthe rentish pod.com and tell
Patrick how much you like thesound of his voice.
SPEAKER_00 (03:45):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (03:46):
Everyone do it.
All right.
Time to get into the episode.
Patrick.
So we're we're kind of wingingit on this one.
We we had time to get a get anepisode logged in.
So we wanted to come and hangout with the listeners and give
everyone a fun show.
So we're gonna read through acouple of these articles that
were sent over to us by ourproducers who do a lot of really
(04:07):
great research for us, taketheir time, methodically comb
through all these resources, andwe're gonna record and talk to
you guys about this stuff.
But producing me say, do we havean idea for how we want to title
this next segment?
So is it is it's we've got two,it's like two news stories,
right?
So is this just like the newsepisode, news rundown?
SPEAKER_03 (04:25):
Yeah, this is the real estate rundown.
Uh the first part is gonna be umabout electricity, and then the
second part will be aboutcoffee.
Cool.
SPEAKER_01 (04:34):
And you might think to yourself, coffee, what the
how is that real estate related?
I can't wait to find out.
SPEAKER_02 (04:42):
So my joke.
SPEAKER_01 (04:44):
All right, I'll just go ahead.
How about that?
Let's yeah.
How's that sound that soundsgood to me?
So this one, Watts Up with mybill, and that's what Watts
spelled W-A-T-T.
Is that like a like a Watts likeenergy joke?
Exactly.
Yeah.
Why your winter electric costsare climbing?
So winter's coming, and so arehigher energy bills.
This year, experts are warningthat electricity costs could
(05:05):
jump 10 to 20 percent for manyAmericans, with some households
expected to spend nearly$1,000just to heat their homes through
the season.
Yeah.
From sky-high utility bills tothat dreaded moment when you
open your December statement.
We've all been there.
In today's episode of theRenters, we're swapping our own
energy bill horror stories,breaking down why costs are
rising, and sharing some simpleways renters and homeowners
(05:28):
alike can save a little moneyand sanity this winter.
So, personal check-in.
How's your how's your bill sitchgoing on right now?
SPEAKER_00 (05:36):
I mean, it's it's it's definitely the most
expensive October I've ever had.
Okay.
But usually I feel like Octoberis one one of the lesser months
because it's just like I'm ableto open up windows and not have
heat or AC on the whole time.
And it feels really high.
I mean, with that said, mygirlfriend recently moved in
with me, and I feel like thelaundry machine's being run
every single day.
So that might have something todo with it.
SPEAKER_01 (05:58):
Um learn learning all about sharing uh sharing a
living space with a significantother.
Okay, cool.
SPEAKER_00 (06:03):
But yeah, I mean, I I I imagine that is a little bit
of it, but like I mean,definitely seeing seeing a much
higher bill than I'm used to forthis time of year already.
SPEAKER_01 (06:12):
Yeah, so I'm I'm less concerned about my heating
bill for the winter because Ifeel like last year our gas bill
was like not too bad, and ourhouse is like gas heated.
So we'll see what ends uphappening there when when things
start shaking out.
But I will say the energy billsfor electric this summer in
Cincinnati, absolutelydevastating.
August for my house, I don'teven mind sharing numbers, it
was like$350.
(06:33):
And then September it droppeddown.
I think we got it below uh like$240,$230.
But then this month I checked itagain.
It's back up to$330.
So it's like it kind of gotcatch up of like the summer
months of running the AC when itwas really, really brutally hot
here in Cincy.
Yeah.
That's definitely been felt inthe old wallet.
SPEAKER_00 (06:51):
I have no gas in my house.
It's all everything's electric,all the heating and cooling.
Okay, well, all of it.
So I have a feeling it's justgonna keep going up.
Sure.
You know, yeah, we'll see.
SPEAKER_01 (07:00):
Well, electricity demand spikes every winter.
This year, natural gas andheating oil prices are
contributing to the surge.
So, according to U.S.
Energy InformationAdministration, the average
household heating cost isexpected to rise between five to
twenty-one percent, depending onthe region.
So, homes in the northeast andin the midwest are expected to
see the biggest increases.
Were the Midwest.
(07:21):
So uh we're we expect to see uha pretty big size booming.
SPEAKER_02 (07:24):
Dang it.
Dang it.
SPEAKER_01 (07:27):
Yeah, it's I mean it's a good opportunity to like
look for cost cutting andsavings.
Let me read the next couplestats, and then I have a
question to ask you about whereyou keep your your heat and your
and everything, because I'mcurious about this.
So uh the electric grid is understrain in many parts of the US.
Extreme weather, aginginfrastructure, higher demand,
they're all driving up prices.
We've got a bunch of simple,reliable ways to save, like
(07:48):
unplugging electronics,switching to LED bulbs, layering
up, sealing drafty windows withplastic wrap, which I've done
before.
I don't know if you've everpulled that move.
That's a that's one.
Yeah.
Or weather strips.
Yeah, so I I got a question toask you.
Where do you keep where do youwhen do you turn on your heat
and what temperature do you keepit during the winter?
SPEAKER_00 (08:07):
So I in the summer it's between 70 and 72.
In the winter, it's usuallybetween uh 68 to 71.
Last the past couple days we'vehad it at 69.
Okay.
Is what we've we've been keepingit at.
I know you're like producermuse.
SPEAKER_01 (08:24):
Before I chime in, where do you keep where do you
do what what were my questions?
When do you turn on the heat andwhat temperature do you keep it
during the winter?
SPEAKER_03 (08:31):
Probably like two weeks ago we first turned it on,
the heat, and we keep it at uh63.
Right now.
SPEAKER_00 (08:40):
Oh, really?
That would never ever fly.
SPEAKER_01 (08:43):
Okay.
So the other day when we weretalking about this, I thought we
we were farther apart, and wewere also way farther apart
because you were super far.
SPEAKER_03 (08:50):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (08:51):
Well, so I keep it right now, I think it's at 62,
62 or 63.
Yeah, so like you said 54.
I would personally keep it atmaybe 58, I think, is an
appropriate heating level orwhatever for like cost saving
and stuff like that.
But it's like, I don't know, Ifeel like the low 60s is totally
fine for when it's cold out.
Yeah, why not?
That's yeah, I don't know.
Uh, in terms of landlord tenantdynamics, who typically covers
(09:13):
the utilities?
So, what what you know, has yourlandlord ever included
electricity in the rents?
Yeah, all these questions.
I'm curious to hear from Mousseas a as a property owner, but
I'm also curious to know whereyou're at currently with your
electric bill.
SPEAKER_00 (09:26):
So, in all cases, I've had to pay for electric,
(09:53):
gas, and Wi-Fi, all that stuff.
The only things I've ever had tonot pay for are water and trash.
Yeah.
And like sewage, I guess.
Pretty common.
So there have been instanceswhere I do have to pay those.
Sure.
Right now, in my last apartment,I did not have to pay those, but
yeah, I've never had electric.
Okay.
SPEAKER_01 (10:11):
Producer Mousse, who's our resident homeowner,
have you ever included utilitiesin the cost of rent and what is
it like right now with the costof the with the cost of
utilities and how that affectsyou?
SPEAKER_03 (10:23):
Yeah, so as a perk, we we take on the utilities
because it's midterm, we justthink it's better because people
are leaving sooner than stayingfor a year.
I also think it's a goodincentive, especially now,
because when I look at the otherunits, Bill, it's like, whoa.
Uh so sometimes it does make methink, should I include
utilities?
(10:43):
But I think it's a good perkright now.
You just I just make sure weoffset it by charging a normal
amount.
But I've never had a landlordactually take on utilities,
though.
SPEAKER_01 (10:54):
Okay.
Yeah, me neither.
I'm in the same boat.
I mean, water, water and trashhave been the only two utilities
that I've ever had a landlordtake on, but most of the time
I'm I'm paying.
SPEAKER_00 (11:02):
But also, it's just like like let's say the landlord
does take them on.
In essence, the rent willprobably just be higher than it
otherwise would be.
You know, either way, you'repaying for it.
It's just the question is, is ita set cost sort of, or is it a
fluctuating cost?
SPEAKER_01 (11:14):
Well, that's that's the thing.
And that the there's a lot ofbudget billing plans and energy
assistance programs that peopledon't know about that don't take
advantage of that can likereally help out.
Like right now, I know that I'dlike I'd rather just pay it, get
it out of the way.
But like I know that our energyprovider in Cincinnati, they'll
let you split a invoice intomultiple installments free of
charge with no interest.
(11:35):
I don't think they let you likedo that all the time, but
they're you can you can do itfor a few times, I guess, until
they stop you.
You could say, Oh, I got a$400utility bill this month, that's
too much.
I can't afford to pay that rightnow.
I'll split it into six chunksthat apply over the next six
invoices.
So it's like there are planslike that if it helps you out,
helps you like kind of managethat out, but you also have to
(11:56):
be smart about that.
Yeah, manage your finances.
Exactly.
SPEAKER_00 (11:59):
So that's something you have to keep paying
everybody.
SPEAKER_01 (12:01):
Snowball, exactly.
But funnier painful personalhacks for cutting the bill.
I did want to mention theplastic wrap ones.
So you can actually straight upbuy these window covers on
Amazon.
But when I first moved to anapartment in Cincinnati, there's
a lot of really old, beautifulbuildings in the city, but they
are not very well updatedsometimes.
And windows are a big factor ofletting cold air in during the
winter, is like windows with abad seal.
(12:23):
Shout out to, you know, gettingyour contractors, come out, take
a look at your windows.
That could be a real estatetopic, who knows?
But for tenants, you canactually go on to like sites
like Amazon and order these likewindow covers.
They look like big plasticwraps.
It reminds me of like in the,you know, the end scene in the
ET where they've got the houseall like bubbled.
That's exactly what it remindsme of.
But you like strip it around theexterior of the window and then
(12:45):
it catches the cold air andcontains it so that it's not
just like spreading out intoyour house.
It's kind of like an insulator.
So, and it's like removable too,without like ruining the house.
You're just paying like, I don'tknow, 20 bucks for temporary
insulation during the winter.
So that's my hack.
I don't know if you've gotanything like that.
SPEAKER_00 (13:02):
So, yeah, what I do, and I I didn't know about this
until my mom brought me on toit.
I pay my bills with Duke Energyas well here in Cincinnati.
But you can do like certifiedenergy suppliers that run
through Duke, but it's likedifferent energy sources, and
they've got like differentlists.
And I found one with a set ratefor the next 48 months that's
already like cheaper than whatDuke is.
(13:24):
And you can obviously pick likeyou know, fluctuating ones or
whatever.
I found one that's set cost andit's like some sort of renewable
renewable energy.
So I'm I'm paying like way lessthan I would be otherwise.
Have you noticed any change inyour uh power at your house?
Like no, no, no changes.
Like now, I did notice a massivewhen I first when I first used
it, I most noticed a massivededuction in like the price that
(13:47):
I was paying, like instantly.
But like things have just beengoing up since then.
So like you know, I maybe it'sjust my own energy usage.
I'm not sure.
I'm not actually sure how it allworks.
SPEAKER_01 (13:55):
It's all part of inflation too.
I mean the fact that the costthe rising cost of everything is
also increasing, just the risingcost of providing electricity
and bill and and utilities.
So it's all gonna go.
SPEAKER_00 (14:05):
It is still like cheaper than like I would be
paying otherwise, which is likesomething I'd highly recommend
looking into.
Sure.
Recommendation from Patrick.
Patrick O'Prue.
There's a there's a bunch ofdifferent ones though, like in
and it's probably locationdependent.
SPEAKER_01 (14:17):
Sure.
Well, do your research outthere, check and see what
programs are available for you.
But got a couple last-minutestats before we move on to the
next article.
According to the US EnergyInformation Administration,
average electricity bills areforecast to rise about four
percent nationally from Novemberthrough March to around one
dollar.
What?
That doesn't seem right.
(14:37):
$1,130.
There you go.
I saw the one and stoppedreading there.
So I messed that part up.
They're about to rise to like anational average, I'm guessing,
to about$1,130.
If I saw a utility bill for$1,130, I'd be uh I'd not be
very happy.
I don't know what I would do.
(14:58):
I'd be very, very depressed.
For homes heated withelectricity, average heating
costs could rise around 8% ormore this winter.
And they're estimating that itcould be about$1,205 as an
average for electric heatedhomes.
That seems super high.
That is super duper duper high.
But you know, I yeah, I I don'tknow.
We'll see.
(15:18):
We'll you know, it's gonna beinteresting to monitor as we get
into the colder times.
You know, higher natural gasprices, increased demand for
electricity, infrastructure andupkeep costs and weather is all
contributing to the drivingcosts being increased.
And there is a differencebetween homes heated with gas
and homes with electric versuspropane.
There's all sorts of stuff.
Some will go up, some will godown.
Make sure you do your researchand be prepared this winter.
(15:39):
So look for affordable ways tosave on your utilities.
Go the Zach route and justbundle up, bundle up and get
cozy and turn that sucker down.
You know what I mean?
SPEAKER_03 (15:49):
Gosh, you sound like my parents.
But I guess before we go on tothe next segment, um if you are
listening, because we're comingfrom a Cincinnati, Ohio
perspective, right?
Send in what your average billis, uh, questions at
therentishpod.com and the stateyou're in.
We just want to, you know, hearfrom you guys and compare.
Listen to him plug in the show.
SPEAKER_01 (16:10):
Why don't we just make him the host?
Fire me.
Yeah.
You want to fire me?
SPEAKER_03 (16:15):
No, you're the talent.
SPEAKER_00 (16:19):
So next up, we have a coffee-related article, which
apparently I'm doing now.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (16:24):
I think the segment, I like the segment title, What's
Brewing Here with Patrick.
I do like that.
What's Brewing here?
SPEAKER_00 (16:31):
I feel like this is gonna be a one-off segment
because I don't anticipate othercoffee-related segments coming
up.
SPEAKER_01 (16:36):
This is a rarity.
This is the needle in thehaystack.
Uh producer, insert coffeepouring sound effect here.
SPEAKER_00 (16:44):
Yes, this segment is about the Maxwell House becoming
Maxwell Apartment.
It's the first name change inMaxwell House's 133-year
history.
Wow.
Which is crazy.
Yeah, this is crazy.
I didn't really know what thiscompany was until I asked you.
SPEAKER_01 (16:59):
Like, yeah, you had to ask for clarification.
I thought Maxwell House was oneof those like known known
brands, like pretty much acrossthe board.
And you also didn't know whatFolgers was.
I drink that high qualitygourmet.
But you've never even you don'tlike the fact that you didn't
even know what it was.
SPEAKER_00 (17:15):
Yeah, I don't really buy, I don't really buy coffee.
I don't really make coffee at myplace.
I make tea.
SPEAKER_01 (17:19):
Really?
SPEAKER_00 (17:20):
Yeah, and I do coffee in the office or I go out
to get coffee, but I've neverbeen much of a wow, that's nuts.
I have a Nespresso, uh aNespresso machine, so if I do,
it's just like Nespresso.
The Nespresso pots.
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (17:31):
Interesting.
Yeah, growing up, I mean, likegrowing up, I lived in a house
where my mom drank drip coffeeall the time.
So there's always like groundcoffee in a big tin, usually
like Kroger brand.
But then in the grocery storeaisle, I would encourage you to
walk down it one of these days.
You can see all of the differentpre-packaged cans of coffee.
And Maxwell House is the blueugly one that's in the bottom
(17:54):
right because it's typically themost you can get for the
cheapest cost.
Okay.
That isn't the name brand of thestore.
God.
Right.
So, like I typically just buyKroger brand name coffee, like
just the generic Kroger coffee,but it's sold in the same tin
like a Maxwell House or aFolgers.
SPEAKER_00 (18:10):
I mean, I'll probably notice it all the time
now.
Now you will, yeah.
Um so essentially what what'shappening is they're they're
rebranding to Maxwell Apartment,and with it comes a 12-month
quote unquote lease offer ofcoffee, meaning with the bundle,
you get coffee over the courseof a whole year.
Kind of like I see what they'redoing here.
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (18:29):
So it's a it's a pun.
It's what the kids call a pun.
Or uh not a pun.
How how a play on words?
Play on words, something likethat.
SPEAKER_00 (18:39):
A metaphor?
SPEAKER_01 (18:40):
Metaphor, analogy, hyperbole, hyperbole.
SPEAKER_00 (18:44):
No, no, no, no, no.
Something like that.
Simile?
Simile.
Like high school English is whatI'm thinking about.
Antonym.
Prepositional phrase.
Sure.
Um no.
SPEAKER_01 (18:55):
No, it's it's cute.
I mean, like, here's the thing.
Well, well, keep going with yourfacts, and I'm gonna give my
opinion on it.
SPEAKER_00 (19:00):
I mean, that was basically it.
I mean, they're they'll tell melike the an example is a four
27.5 ounce canisters sold as ayear's supply, I guess, over the
course of the year or something.
SPEAKER_01 (19:10):
First off, I gotta say, that is not a year's supply
of coffee.
Like for me, uh so I uh ourhousehold probably goes through
one of the that size can ofcoffee that I brought in today
for my Halloween costume.
We go through one of thoseprobably every week and a half.
SPEAKER_00 (19:25):
That is insane.
SPEAKER_01 (19:28):
A whole drip pot for two people at least once a day,
every single day.
Maybe I could stretch it to twoweeks.
If you want to be sleepdeprived, then typically I'm
having three cups of coffee inthe morning before I leave for
the office.
SPEAKER_00 (19:44):
Is that a lot?
Uh yeah, we actually brought youhere for an intervention.
That's a lot.
SPEAKER_01 (19:48):
The producers are all nodding, telling me that's a
lot.
Yeah, it's that's three cups isa lot of problems.
You have a problem, I think.
Oh, I'm hopelessly addicted tocaffeine, but so is the rest of
the United States.
We're all addicted.
I think this, I mean, I thinkthat this is absolutely wild.
Maxwell House, at least to me,it's a brand.
Clearly, it's not hip with theyoung'ins.
Yeah.
I mean you classify yourself asa young'in.
(20:09):
You classify me as a young'in.
You're one of the you're you'reyou're hip with it.
You know the the slang, the GenZ slang?
Yeah.
Six, seven, all that.
SPEAKER_00 (20:17):
I had I had to have some I had to have somebody
explain that to me.
SPEAKER_01 (20:19):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (20:20):
You had to have them explain.
SPEAKER_01 (20:22):
Well, I think that it's kind of silly.
I mean, like big brand namechanges like this are always
like, it always makes me scratchmy head a little bit because I'm
like, okay, so Maxwell House,that's an established name, been
around for 50 plus years,probably more.
Maxwell Apartment, it's likethat just doesn't roll off the
tongue the same way, but it'salso because I feel like I've
known that that brand name formy whole life.
SPEAKER_00 (20:41):
I think it's just a gimmick, honestly.
I think remember when iHopbecame iHob?
I forgot about that in a houseof burgers.
And everyone was talking aboutit because it's like they
actually like legitimatelychanged their name.
Sure.
Which is crazy.
I like I don't remember anothercompany having done that.
I went to iHob to go try one oftheir like mediocre burgers.
(21:03):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (21:03):
So you're you're telling me that you think that
this is more along the lines oflike a cracker barrel situation.
I think, yeah, I think likeCracker Barrel redoes their
logo, makes it all minimalisticand my hyper modern.
They change the restaurants tomake them look all millennialed,
and then they're like, Psych,we're gonna change it back or
whatever.
SPEAKER_00 (21:18):
I mean, I think that was I think that was an actual
mistake on their end.
I think I think they actuallythought that was a good idea and
now are playing it off.
Now they're playing it off.
I think this is a legitimatechoice for Maxwell House.
Like they're they're changingtheir brand to getting this
whole gimmick.
I think it's gonna becomeMaxwell House again in a year.
Sure.
Is my guess.
SPEAKER_01 (21:34):
You just gotta spend the money on the rebranding, the
the cost of the marketing, thecost of printing the new labels,
the graphic design.
Yeah, I mean, but the coffee isstill the same coffee.
It's probably all justmass-produced grounds coffee
from wherever their warehouse isin the United States.
But I don't know.
SPEAKER_00 (21:48):
Well, it sounds like the the brands move here.
So nearly a third of Americansnow rent rather than owning
houses.
So they're getting hip with thetimes.
SPEAKER_01 (21:56):
Yeah, like people don't know what houses are
anymore.
SPEAKER_00 (22:00):
Yeah, right.
Like, let's relate to theaverage um, you know, American
or whatever who rents.
So yeah, they're they're tryingto resonate with the modern
consumers' economic realities.
To me, I mean I get it.
SPEAKER_01 (22:12):
You're gonna rent your coffee now?
Like what this makes more senseas like an like a new coke or
like Pepsi Clear kind of thingthan it does to me.
SPEAKER_02 (22:21):
Like people just don't associate with the coffee
because man, they're renters,they're not homeowners.
SPEAKER_01 (22:28):
I'm imagining uh Don Draper in like a suit pitching
this to like a group ofexecutives, like madmen style.
SPEAKER_02 (22:34):
What if we made this house just a little smaller?
SPEAKER_01 (22:38):
I I just I don't buy it.
I like the value message though.
I mean, that the talk about thatreal quick.
You want to read that in yourbest advertiser voice?
Here's their value message.
Real coffee.
SPEAKER_00 (22:49):
This is so stupid.
Read it with emotion, read itlike you're reading it to a
board member or like read itlike you're reading a group of
money.
I'm gonna pretend like I'mowning it.
I feel like we're just roastingMaxwell coffee Maxwell apartment
coffee right now.
SPEAKER_01 (23:00):
Maxwell, if you don't want us to roast, you
sponsor the pot.
Mail questions at rentichpot.comand give us a sponsorship.
SPEAKER_00 (23:05):
All right.
The value message is real coffeefor real people making smart
choices.
What a value message.
That's so stupid.
That's like just so generic.
I don't know.
SPEAKER_01 (23:18):
If I see if I see a commercial for Maxwell Apartment
during the Super Bowl and itsays real coffee for real people
making smart choices, it's likedon't be like Don't be stupid,
rent our coffee instead ofbuying it.
It's funny.
Yeah, so what about the culturalimplications, Patrick?
SPEAKER_00 (23:36):
Yeah, I don't know.
I mean, all in all, inconclusion, this name change
seems seems less of like acompany trying to be hip with
the times of trying to relate topeople not being able to afford
homeownership.
Sure.
And seems more like just aridiculous gimmick.
That's just my personal humbleopinion, though.
SPEAKER_01 (23:55):
Yeah, I mean, I could we could do a whole show
about the idea of like namechanges and marketing moves.
I mean, how many companies havetried to pull ridiculous
publicity stunts like thisbefore?
I think it's funny.
It's definitely an eye-catchingheadline.
I just love that the producersare like, this is kind of real
estate related.
SPEAKER_00 (24:10):
They're like, let's have the rent this guy's talking
about it.
Well, here's the thing though,it worked because now I didn't
really know Maxwell House, andnow I know them.
And now I will know, like, oh,they're rebranding to Maxwell
Apartments, and now it's like,you know, maybe I want to try
this coffee now.
So actually, props hats off toyou, Maxwell Apartments.
SPEAKER_01 (24:27):
Well, yeah, and you're getting headlines
already.
Everyone's like, CNBC's talkingabout it, MSNBC, the AP and
Reuters, the Rentish.
They're talking about it.
It's like if they're talkingabout it, it's gotta be big
news.
You know what I mean?
SPEAKER_00 (24:39):
And yeah, we make fun of it, but like it
objectively worked.
So sure.
SPEAKER_01 (24:43):
Yeah, cool.
Cool.
Well, thank you for reading thatlittle article, Patrick, and
props to you for poweringthrough.
Now you can just go recharge andplug yourself back into the wall
out.
SPEAKER_00 (24:52):
Now I'm gonna go drink some coffee that's not
Maxwell Apartments.
SPEAKER_01 (24:54):
Yeah, we're gonna drink some stuff, other stuff.
Well, thank you guys forlistening to another episode of
the Rentish Pod.
Hopefully it was a fun littletreat for you.
This was uh really quite theepisode, let's just put it that
way.
Uh, for for all of youlistening, thank you again.
Email questions at therentishpod.com if you have a topic
suggestion, if you havequestions for me and Patrick,
maybe you're an interested guestand you'd like to be on the
(25:15):
podcast, send us a message.
Tell your friends who are intoreal estate and property
management about the podcast andshare it wherever you can.
And we're available on podcastplatforms all over.
So just find the Rentish Pod,give us a like, give us a thumbs
up, give us a five-star reviewin the comment.
We would appreciate you very,very much.
Until next time, I've been Zach,that's been Patrick, and we'll
see you later.
(25:35):
The Rentish Podcast is recordedin Cincinnati, Ohio, hosted by
Patrick Giro and me, ZachRotello.
Produced by Mousse Geber Mesqueland Charlene Mulchendani.
Edited by Elliot Mongenis.
Theme song by me, Zach Rotello.
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