Installing Blinds Like a Gangster

Discover the latest trends in the Las Vegas real estate market and meet the inspiring owners of Bugsy Blinds, Carmen and Conrad Trevino. With over 21 years of experience, they take us inside their journey of building an iconic local business, complete with their distinct branding featuring a tommy gun. Join us as they reveal the secrets behind their success and the importance of visiting their showroom near Allegiant Stadium for anyone considering new window coverings.

Ever wondered about the intricacies of window covering solutions? We break down the entire process, from assessing customer needs to the final installation. Explore the nuances of plantation shutters, including different louver sizes and tilt mechanisms, and the benefits of specific frame options. Get an inside look at the production of arches and vertical blinds, and learn why the German-engineered Deco Matic vertical blind system is a game-changer. Plus, find out why roller shades with translucent panels are becoming a must-have in many homes.

If financing options are on your mind, we’ve got you covered. Carmen dives into the flexible and convenient financing plans available, such as interest-free periods of up to 18 months and easy pre-qualification without a credit check. Understand the practicality of financing new window coverings and solar screens, especially for new homeowners. Discover how solar screens can enhance energy efficiency and comfort, and why poly shutters could be a smart investment that even qualifies for a federal tax rebate. Don’t miss out on these valuable insights that could transform your home improvement plans.

Chapters

• 0:16 Local Real Estate and Community Spotlight
• 10:43 Window Coverings Manufacturing and Popular Options
• 15:57 Flexible Financing Options for Roller Shades
• 22:36 Financing Options and Energy Efficient Blinds

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:16

Good morning Las Vegas. Welcome to Vegas Realty. Check your local Las Vegas news show happening right here. Every Thursday morning we bring you up-to-date information and boots on the ground information on local real estate here in Las Vegas. And this week we actually have our community spotlight, where we like to highlight local businesses and share them with our community. Before we get into that, we're going to do what we always do and talk about our real estate numbers this week, which, if you have been liking, sharing, subscribing or tuning in, you know that at the first of the month we always talk about the previous month and the beginning of every episode we talk about what our numbers are in Las Vegas and there's not much happening that is different this week. We've seen a slight rise about 100, 150 houses each week coming on the market. That's no different.

Speaker 1: 1:07

This week. Our single family residents in the Las Vegas Valley are 4,361 homes available. That's ticking up slowly but surely. Like I said, about 100 homes a week. Our solds are about 346 this week, which is pretty similar to last week. We did have a slight tick in our price decreases at 582, and so that's an indicator that those homes are sitting a little bit longer and people are making adjustments to those prices to get more eyes on the property, or people have come onto the market with, let's say, wishful thinking, hoping that they're going to get more than they are, and they need to make those adjustments to make it more appealing. Now I do like this under contract number. This is holding at about 600 and that is a nice solid number. So when we do next month's market report and we go back and look at these numbers, we'll show that we had a really good July and that is very, very good, because that's where we are July 2024.

Speaker 1: 2:12

All right, kids, that is your local market numbers for this week. And now it is time for one of my favorite shows of the month, the community spotlight. Yay, so we have a family that has been in town forever and I know that my family has used them and lots of clients has used them and as part of our community they have been around, and as soon as I say the name, you're gonna know exactly who I'm talking about and recognize them. I am talking Bugsy blinds, that it's been in Vegas for as long as I can remember. So, please, welcome to the show from Bugsy Blinds. We have Carmen and Conrad Trevino, hi guys, welcome to the show.

Speaker 3: 2:53

Thank you for having us.

Speaker 2: 2:54

Hey, glad to see you here bright and early Thursday morning.

Speaker 1: 2:58

So I know that I am so familiar with the Bugsy Blinds bill billboard with the what is it?

Speaker 2: 3:06

I almost said a gatling gun. I don't even know what a gatling gun is okay, but a tommy gun.

Speaker 1: 3:11

That is a famous, famous photo for vegas locals. Everybody recognizes it right yeah, now that's actually you on the photograph isn't it it is, it's me I'm the gangster you're the gangster.

Speaker 2: 3:24

A lot of people will ask me you know, what do you do for a living? And I'm like I'm a gangster and they go. They just look at me and they just go.

Speaker 1: 3:31

They laugh and they're like, okay, and I'm like well, hey, listen we're rooted in a gangster in this city, so they don't know if you're serious or if you're joking I know, I just I love the initial reaction.

Speaker 2: 3:42

Then I tell them who I really am.

Speaker 3: 3:44

And they're like oh yes, you are a gangster, that makes sense.

Speaker 1: 3:47

Yeah, no, I everybody, I know when I say Bugsy Blinds, they're like the gun and I'm like, yeah, the gun, the Tommy gun, all right. So how long have you guys been in town?

Speaker 2: 3:57

We have been in business for over 21 years. So yeah, we started in February 2003 and we just celebrated our 21st anniversary.

Speaker 1: 4:07

So happy birthday Bugsy Blinds. That's awesome.

Speaker 2: 4:10

Lucky 21. 21, you're able to drink now. It's a good town for that.

Speaker 1: 4:15

All right, awesome. So you guys have a showroom and it is off of Dean Martin.

Speaker 2: 4:20

Dean Martin and Post.

Speaker 1: 4:22

We're probably about maybe half a mile away from the Allegiant Stadium okay cool, and so people can go into the showroom and just sort of that's always a good jumping-off point right yeah, like yeah let's see what's available.

Speaker 2: 4:35

They can come in, look, touch, feel, play with some of the motorization options, the cordless, the, all the different options for all the different window covers we have.

Speaker 1: 4:46

We have probably about 30 different brands that we carry, but we feature a majority of what we offer in the showroom oh, excellent, and I'm a touchy-feely person and it's hard when you're buying stuff, especially online, like it's a great deal, but then, when product shows up, you just don't have an idea of the quality yeah so it's good to get in there and sort of touch and feel it.

Speaker 1: 5:07

So I know that some people, especially like clients that I have right, they like a lot of a house, they want to buy the house and then when they get in they want to nest and make it their own and they might have like vertical blinds or there's no window coverings or anything. They don't really know where to start. So let's just say somebody for the first time is putting blinds in their house. What do you suggest they come into the showroom.

Speaker 2: 5:27

That is usually the best place to start, especially like if they don't know what they want, I just say you know what? Why don't you come in the showroom and let's talk about your needs? Because there's a huge, sometimes, disconnect of we get out there because we give, we go and do free in-home consultations and sometimes they're just they don't really know and they're like, well, I don't know what that looks like or, um, as much as I might suggest something, it just it's so much easier when I have my clients come in the store and then we can go through every single scenario with them because I say how often do you want to be able to control the light? Do you want to just just diffuse it? Do you want complete blackout? And these are a lot of factors that determine which product we're going to get you into.

Speaker 1: 6:09

Right, and there's actually a ton of products, right.

Speaker 2: 6:12

There's a ton.

Speaker 1: 6:12

It's not like, hey, we're going to throw up blinds. And even if you get blinds. There's subcategories of what you can do with those blinds, Like what kind of want Do you want the cordless option versus motorization, or you know, do you want to be able to just diffuse it a little bit, and so every blind can have up to about five or 10 different options within it. Wow, that's a lot of options, it is.

Speaker 2: 6:37

And sometimes it gets overwhelming for clients, and so that's why you know me personally. I try to just narrow it down to, like you know, just a couple of options, and then I'll tell them what I think is best based on their needs, and then we go from there and then I can show them right in the store exactly how it operates yeah, that would work better for me because I'm a this or that girl, do you want this or that, and I get to pick.

Speaker 3: 6:58

Yeah, very visual it's nice to be able to feel the product and and then determining oh, I, I'm not going to like this, or I have cats they're going to claw that up.

Speaker 3: 7:07

Yes, so we always ask those questions and it's pertinent, when you're looking at window coverings, to choose something that's right for you and your family. You know at that time, and feeling it and knowing the options and then the different price points, you know if you want to do something a lot nicer for your main bedroom and your living room, your common areas, as opposed to the guest rooms that hardly, you know you're not going to have, you know, use of very, you know, very often.

Speaker 1: 7:36

So when people come in then do they have the whole house in mind, because you said like maybe they want to change something a little bit different? Do people usually do the whole home uniform? Do they just come in and say, I just want the main living area?

Speaker 2: 7:47

I mean it just depends on budget. So if they're looking to just redo the entire house like, uh, like yesterday I just met with some clients and they came in the store two days ago and then I went yesterday as the follow up to their home. They came in the store wanting motorization on their windows and come to find out they've got arch windows and they were 20 feet up in the air. And I said you know, we can do them, but we'd have to do those motorized roller shades as a square over the arch, as an outside mount. And I said I don't think it's going to look pretty. And you know, if this is your main focal area, I think shutters would be the actually the best way to go. It's gonna have, it's gonna show the architectural design of that arch and you know we can build you a pole to kind of open and close them as you need them. And the clients, after they went back and forth, the husband-wife talked to each other. They said you know, we think you're actually right.

Speaker 2: 8:43

Yeah it's not gonna like the look of the square over an arch.

Speaker 1: 8:46

Yeah, I have to agree that was a good call, especially like walking into a home, but they came in the store with one thing in mind. And then you know, after I found out what their needs were and I explained exactly how it's going to look, the end result was those options yeah, first before making that decision yeah, yeah, and that was great advice because, as a buyer's agent, if I walked into a house and there was like random blinds outside of the window, I'd be like that looks weird and it just doesn't look finished.

Speaker 2: 9:20

And you know, for me, my, my ocd kind of kicks in and I just I always treat the house like it's my house and I'd I try not to do that because I know it's other people's houses, but I want to do what's in the best interest of their needs, with it also looking very, very good.

Speaker 1: 9:36

Okay. So I know that feeling too, because I'm the same way. When I'm with my clients, I want to advise them, but I keep having to say, tiana, this isn't your house, this isn't your money, you don't get to make these decisions, but I always feel like I have a little bit of insight that I should be sharing at least. So, yeah, I guess all of us who love our clients do that right.

Speaker 2: 9:55

I do it because I love my clients and I love to see the end result and I want them to be happy with the final product that's put in.

Speaker 1: 10:03

So you said plant. You got them into plantation shutters on the arch. I bet that's going to look so good. Buyers love plantation shutters.

Speaker 2: 10:11

They're still very, very popular. A lot of clients are asking me you know, are shutters still popular? Are they still like? You know the in thing? And I'm telling them yes, it is, because it still represents over 30, 40% of our business right now.

Speaker 1: 10:25

Oh, okay, that's excellent, so it's still very popular.

Speaker 2: 10:27

We actually manufacture them in our facility as well. So when people come to our showroom, a lot of times if I'm there I can just give them like a quick you know the 25 cent tour and just show them how we actually put the entire process together.

Speaker 1: 10:40

That's cool. Yeah, that's cool, that always.

Speaker 2: 10:43

So we control the process, and then beginning to end so you know, somebody comes into the store, we find out their needs. They decide they end up wanting shutters or they like it. They're going to see the different options of the louver size. So we have three and a half, four and a half. Do they want the front tilt versus the hidden tilt where there's no tilt rod in the?

Speaker 1: 11:03

front. I don't know if you've seen that option. I know all about that.

Speaker 2: 11:06

So we have those two options. We do either one same price, and then they have the frame option that goes around the entire window, which is my favorite frame option.

Speaker 1: 11:15

It feels like a reveal, because then I can pull them like not only is it shutters, but boom full window and you can open them out.

Speaker 2: 11:22

They've got the hinges on there and then they got the magnets to catch them in place so that they just close yeah you know freely, but once we do that, we go out there, we we take the measurements. If they're just squares, our lead time is about two weeks right now, from start to finish. Very nice it's the fastest that you're going to find anywhere in Las Vegas.

Speaker 1: 11:40

Yeah, and that's because of the in-house manufacturing.

Speaker 2: 11:43

In-house manufacturing and we control the entire process. We keep in stock at least six months to a year's worth of inventory.

Speaker 1: 11:50

Nice.

Speaker 2: 11:50

So we don't have inventory problems. Sometimes we may just get a little backlog on the installs. Maybe we have a lot of orders going on all at the same time, but we're very consistent in our quality control and making sure that we meet our deadlines for our clients. And so is the plantation shutter the only thing you manufacture, or you manufacture other types, no so we do the shutters at our facility and we make the arches for the shutters as well, and then we also make vertical blinds.

Speaker 1: 12:18

Okay.

Speaker 2: 12:19

And vertical blinds are, you know, something that has faded away over the time? Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, they were popular 20 years ago when we started, but we still have that need for our commercial clients that are still using it in that aspect all right, you look like you were going to say something I was going to say that.

Speaker 3: 12:36

Or sometimes you have like a runner moving out, uh-huh, you know, and they know, they're going to lose a security deposit because they pulled all the you know the blinds down or what three of them are on the ground?

Speaker 3: 12:46

so they'll come in. They're like, okay, I'm moving out in a month, this is the size can I get done. They'll come and you know we'll, we'll manufacture it for them and, you know, get it installed, put it back up. Then they get their security deposit back. So sometimes it depends how much they they put in. Is it worth it to replace them? Um, or, you know, we also do sell the little parts. If it's just the uh, what is it the? I don't know the blind, what is it called? I?

Speaker 1: 13:11

call it a police string.

Speaker 3: 13:13

The vein If the lane came out. We have vein savers, we have a parts department, Okay. So if it's only little, little things that need to be repaired, our parts department can assist them. And then they, you know fix them on their own.

Speaker 1: 13:25

So my sister has a vertical blind.

Speaker 2: 13:27

That drives me nuts because it's the one that goes like wonky and sideways you got a quick fix hack for that you need to replace the headrail that's not a quick fix, tack, that's a great point you just brought up is because people have had that issue in the past and typically those those parts are plastic. They're yeah kind of cheaply made. We invested probably about 12 or 13 years ago into a system called deco matic okay and it was a German engineered vertical head rail system.

Speaker 2: 13:58

It is the one of the most expensive ones to fabricate and and manufacture right, but we did that in the best interest of our clients, because we used to use the ones that you're just talking about right.

Speaker 2: 14:09

Every time I go in there I'm like I always want to flip that little piece of plastic call us a year after we would do the install and be like, yeah, you know the vein, the stem broke off at the top and I need to have it replaced and we would take care of it. But it just became so costly for us that we wanted to find something different. And so we were at a window covering trade show back and I want to say 2011, 2012, something like that, and we we found a decomatic head rail system invested into it.

Speaker 2: 14:37

It was very expensive and the training, the training behind it, because it's a very intricate system, but all the the stems are made with like polycarbonate fibers on strong and then the stems are actually made out of aluminum and then the actual head rails like steel and aluminum. So all the head rails that we use have that entire system and it is expensive to make. But once we install it like our Callback is probably less than 1%.

Speaker 1: 15:04

So what do you think is the most popular blind or window covering that you guys are selling? I know you said like 30 to 40 percent are shutters.

Speaker 2: 15:12

That sounds pretty dang popular Right now. Roller shades have just taken the entire market by storm. Everybody loves roller shades.

Speaker 1: 15:19

Okay, so I've seen some beautiful roller shades that have sort of a translucent panel in them, so you can roll it and it can let the light in, or it can diffuse Right, or it can go dark and I love those and I'm starting to see them more and more, or the same sort of idea of that translucent but like in a slider panel. These are all my technical terms.

Speaker 2: 15:44

I don't know what they're called. You sound great, Okay cool.

Speaker 1: 15:48

So those I'm seeing a lot more of now, when I used to see a lot of vertical blinds, so I'm assuming that's popular yeah that's part of that too.

Speaker 2: 15:57

So roller shades are just the one fabric that will only go up or only go down. What you're talking about is the transitional ones, which are kind of in the same family. It's basically a roller shade twice, because it just has like a double roll on it. So those are very, very popular as well. Those can be motorized.

Speaker 1: 16:13

You can have them with the chain on them if you need to, and now they even come cordless too yeah, and then I saw some the other day that, um, it looked, they, they could come from the top down or from the bottom up, which was brilliant, because then you can block out, like all the way to roof lines and just have sky yep, and so you can do that with honeycomb shades, so that that that you can do with honeycomb shades, you can also do it with Roman shades and even woven woods and it's.

Speaker 2: 16:40

It's just a. It's a beautiful look. A lot of people like them and they're not that much like difference as far as like between shutters and roller shades. Roller shades are probably a little bit less expensive than the shutters and they look great. They look fantastic and they're very easy maintenance because they're hanging vertically. You don't really have a dust factor or cleaning issues with roller shades too.

Speaker 2: 17:01

So oh, that is nice, that is one key factor I do bring up to people, because a lot of people ask about the cleaning of them too and the maintenance yeah, and what is the cleaning of them? So shutters, you know, you just take some 409 or just a damp cloth and you would just go through every single vein. So it can be kind of a process.

Speaker 1: 17:18

but A little tedious, but it's not every day right With roller shades.

Speaker 2: 17:22

You really don't have any maintenance at all.

Speaker 3: 17:25

Just a Swiffer.

Speaker 2: 17:26

Yeah, Maybe a Swiffer but it's a product that goes up and down, so it doesn't really have dust hanging on it.

Speaker 1: 17:32

Yeah, and we don't have the dust in the valley that we used to. You've been here years and years and years. As the city has developed and we have less and less raw land around us, we're seeing less and less dust in people's homes.

Speaker 2: 17:45

And newer windows and stuff. All the new construction.

Speaker 1: 17:49

So that's cool. And then, carmen, you guys work together, so you guys are married.

Speaker 3: 18:00

I don't know if I said that you guys are a happy couple running the local business, which is fantastic. What do you do, carmen? So I always say I share a small role because he does a lot, but I do the financing. So helping our customers when they come into the office to apply for financing, and I have a team in the showroom as well. So our showroom consultants are there a Monday through Friday, there Me and to two other people.

Speaker 3: 18:23

So, when customers come in and they're inquiring about making a purchase. Sometimes doing the whole house can be a lot, so they are inquiring about financing, what it would cost, what it would entail, and the showroom consultants always assist so they can apply online and get pre-qualified at home or in our showroom.

Speaker 2: 18:49

Without a credit check. Without a credit check, yeah, the pre-qualification yeah.

Speaker 3: 18:53

It just kind of gives you a number like hey, a soft tap on your credit, this is what we're looking at possibly approving you for, and then that kind of gives you a general idea on what you want to move forward with on a purchase yeah, on what you want to move forward with on a purchase. Then, once you figure out the final number of what you need, then you can always apply and have that application process again in the store or at your appointment with your designer or in home on your own.

Speaker 2: 19:19

And the financing options that we have are interest free. So we have anywhere from six months right now up to 18 months depending on the size of the purchase, and in some cases we can even go 36 months, as like an equal pay.

Speaker 3: 19:32

Wow. So six 12, six 12 and 18 months interest deferred. So you have that time from the time of purchase up until you know the end of your promo no interest and then once that promo ends, then that interest kicks in. But most of our clients, with right now the 18 month promo that we have going on this year, a lot of our clients are opting for that and they're like, oh yeah, we're going to pay it off in 12 months or tax season is coming around the corner, so they are already looking for ways that they're going to pay that off and take advantage of the interest deferred options.

Speaker 1: 20:10

Yeah, having interest deferred is really great, especially for 18 months, because if you are diligent with your money and you know what you want to do, you can have those lines basically put in on a payment plan without that interest.

Speaker 3: 20:17

Right, absolutely.

Speaker 2: 20:18

And some of our clients actually have already. Because we utilize Synchrony Bank as our partner for that, a lot of our clients actually already have a Synchrony Home card, so a lot of times we can even take their card already if they haven't gotten it through another vendor, like a furniture store or whatever. So that's been really impactful for a lot of our clients. They're taking advantage of it, and especially because the economy is kind of uncertain right now.

Speaker 1: 20:45

Really, you noticed.

Speaker 3: 20:52

Yeah, especially because the economy is kind of uncertain right now. So really, you noticed, yeah, and some of our clients sometimes they, you know we can help them when they come in or when they're with a designer you, you pay a minimum of 3.5 percent a month, right, right, so it's not is that you can always pay more, but there's always that minimum. So at least if you make that you, you don't lose that promotion. And at some point sometimes you fall into hard times. You can always call and say, hey, can I get this month deferred towards the end, and they'll help you out with that.

Speaker 3: 21:15

That's really a good company. It's a very good company to work with. You get once every 12 months and if they don't want to do the whole house, just based off of what the payoff may be you know the amount would be in those 18 months they can always do it in phases too. When we come over, the designers measure the entire house and if you say I only want to do these three and then we'll save the others Once this is paid off, we can do that as well. We keep that on file.

Speaker 2: 21:40

We have a lot of clients do that too.

Speaker 1: 21:42

I was going to say that's a really great option too, because I know people, especially first-time homebuyers. It becomes overwhelming. They're looking for a little privacy or they're looking to control temperature a little bit better, but they don't have the funds or the means to get that loan for the entire house, but just to come and do. But you have all of the information on file or future right, so you don't have to come back out and measure again, right?

Speaker 2: 22:06

that's. That's awesome. And then the other thing we didn't talk about, too, is our progressive finance, which is a no credit check 90-day same as cash. So yeah it's a.

Speaker 3: 22:15

It's just basically what you would have the information yeah, so they don't call it same as cash anymore. I heard you correct him on the deferment not interest-free, it's deferred yes, yes, yes, I already heard you correct him on the deferment.

Speaker 1: 22:26

It's not interest free it's deferred.

Speaker 3: 22:29

Yes, we don't want them knocking on the door saying you said that wrong, so it's 90 days. So you have the first 90 days after the install. So you come in, you get your quote. You said let's go. You'll sign their financing paperwork that says I'm borrowing X amount of dollars for this purchase. My 90 days start the day that you install. No biggie, the application process is very similar. Go on the website. It says you're approved and they'll actually give you a call and say hey, how do you like your blinds? And you know, are we good to go? And they'll say yes, we're good to go. You have 90 days to pay up that entire amount.

Speaker 3: 23:11

Nice, after the 90 days, if it's not paid off, then the interest is it kicks in, however, a lot of clients who are converted to a lease correct, it's a lease to own. Option is how they set that up for progressive financing or progressive leasing, I'm sorry, and a lot of our clients who are purchasing a house and you know between you and you and I, you and I some clients are buying their house. They can't have that hard, that hard uh credit that is absolutely true, so this one is a soft one.

Speaker 3: 23:45

Yeah, so they will base it off of a couple of things. They do their own, you know inquiries and whatnot, but it doesn't show up. So some clients have decided hey, I'm going to move in, in a month we're closing, let me apply for this. And those 90 days don't kick in because they're not installed. They're not installed Right, they're probably closed a month. You know, into into them buying the home and we'll order and we'll install.

Speaker 2: 24:13

We can they can.

Speaker 1: 24:14

At that time, they can actually order, get the install done and everything without even having their credit affected, right which is brilliant because I'm gonna tell you right now as a realtor, the first thing I do when I sit down with buyers is don't spend any money. Don't run up a credit card bill, don't quit your job, don't change bank accounts, don't take on a new lease or anything. You just save everything. Eat Top Ramen. Save every dollar until you're in a house and then go buck wild.

Speaker 3: 24:41

You're on a financial diet when you're buying a like that financial diet.

Speaker 1: 24:44

Can I, can I steal that? I'm gonna write that down. Yes, I give it to everybody financial diet. If somebody said that to me, though, I'd be mad.

Speaker 2: 24:52

I'd be like no, I just want to spend all my money but it's so true because you don't want it to affect the the interest rate that you're, that you're getting and you're not tied down to anything.

Speaker 3: 25:03

Well, you, you, you've signed something that says, hey, I'm going to lease, to own this once it's installed, but I'm closing before that, so you have room to work with. A lot of our customers do that because at least we'll get the process starting. You've committed to purchasing them, we're committed to buying them and carrying it for you. Once you've closed and you've moved in, boom, let's come in and install. So it won't. You won't have that time. You know that lag time. You know having to shower at night because you have your window coverings in the dark.

Speaker 1: 25:33

You think you should shower during the day because they can't see in with the reflection. Right, Right.

Speaker 3: 25:38

You would think but yeah, just at night, with the lights off, it's just in the dark. Not that we're talking about experience or anything, but you know that sounds like it's familiar to you. You guys have to shower in the dark at one time in your life. Yeah, yes, we did.

Speaker 2: 25:53

We did because we didn't know, you know we, we didn't plan for it another great thing, too, right now, especially during the summer, that I wanted to bring up was the solar screens, yeah, outside, yes, yes, yes, that's another thing I was going to bring up, because we just got news this week and to me you've been here 21 years Tell me this does not sound weird.

Speaker 1: 26:12

They said another six weeks of three-digit temperatures.

Speaker 2: 26:17

It's insane.

Speaker 1: 26:18

I'm like but don't we have three-digit temperatures for six, eight weeks every year? Why is this different?

Speaker 2: 26:24

This one's longer. Oh, is it? Yeah, it's already been a month of three digits.

Speaker 1: 26:29

Yeah, but I feel like from June, july, august we always have three. I've lived here like 30 years Same.

Speaker 2: 26:36

And even as long as I've lived here, I'm still not used to the heat. I hate it.

Speaker 1: 26:40

Oh, opposite, I love it.

Speaker 2: 26:43

You know, one way you can stay cool is by getting those solar screens that diffuse up to 80 to 95% of the light. And then I tell people, these things pay for themselves in the first year.

Speaker 1: 26:54

They do and they're a good resale.

Speaker 2: 26:56

Yes, every time.

Speaker 1: 26:57

I'm showing a house and their solar panel, especially if it's a west-facing window. Yes, I mean not solar panel, solar screens. I'm like, trust me, you're going to be glad you had this, because that sun, especially a west-facing window, that's rough man.

Speaker 3: 27:09

Yeah, and it's also a good way. If you invest in purchasing shutters for your home, it's a good way to protect them too. Oh right from damage.

Speaker 2: 27:17

And I forgot the shutters. Actually, the ones that we provide are poly shutters. Actually qualify for a federal tax rebate too, for? Up to $1,200 because they are considered energy efficient.

Speaker 1: 27:28

That's excellent news. That should be right on a billboard too.

Speaker 3: 27:35

Yeah, once you've made your purchase, we send over a document, we email it to you. We mail it to you as well, and it's something that you're going to turn into your tax person. That shows you made this purchase, this is how much you paid, this is the home that you live in, and then you turn that in and then they deal with the tax rebate portion. But we provide that documentation for the homeowners.

Speaker 1: 28:03

Excellent, and are there any other blinds besides the shutters that are considered energy?

Speaker 2: 28:06

efficient. That could help with temperature. Yes, the honeycombs are very energy efficient as well. Those are also qualifying for the federal tax rebate from certain suppliers, so that's another great way to go as well.

Speaker 1: 28:16

The solar screens though I've had so many client testimonials that have called me even a week after we've installed them and be like you cannot believe how much cooler my room is ever since you put these things in yeah, yeah, it's shocking and then they've actually showed me the bill before and after, and the savings is usually between 20 to 30 percent yeah, that that I believe, because I remember we moved into a property once and the solar shades were all in the garage and then, um, the owner was like we took them down because it darkened the room a little bit and we like bright, but the room when I was showing the house was unbearable. I can't show unbearable houses to clients and have them go. Oh, this is where I want to live. I want it to be perfect temperature, nice lights, smell good like the best foot forward.

Speaker 2: 29:03

Right.

Speaker 1: 29:04

And so we ended up putting the solar shades back on and the neck showing that we had, it was cool and it was nice. And then they ended up buying the house and I was like, see, I told you, but yes, solar shades do make a difference and I didn't think it really changed the light that much.

Speaker 2: 29:20

Not really you can still see through them during the day. Oh, absolutely.

Speaker 1: 29:24

Absolutely, but I just meant the brightness of the room.

Speaker 2: 29:26

Oh yeah, yeah, oh yeah, yeah, it's going to diffuse it a little bit but not not a lot, All right.

Speaker 1: 29:37

So, uh, asking for a friend, just kidding, it's a client. Um, they have vertical blinds and they look like burnt out and sunscreened on one side of the blinds from facing out all the time. I told her just to replace them, but she thinks there's a quick hack or clean for them. Is that even a possibility? Because they work properly right. Everything opens and closes.

Speaker 2: 29:55

If they're completely burned and-.

Speaker 1: 29:57

On one side they are. The other side looks fine. The house, those facing inside the outside there's no way to save them. No way to save them. No, all right. All right, just thought I'd ask for a friend. All right, you guys. You guys have been amazing and we're coming to the end of the show, but I do want people. I know that we talked about your showroom.

Speaker 2: 30:19

But if they need to get a hold of you, do you have an email or a phone number you'd like to give our listeners?

Speaker 1: 30:23

so in-home consultation or you can go to our website at bugsy'sblindscom as well all right, conrad carmen, thank you so much for coming in and thank you, las vegas, for turning into us. We are here every thursday at 9 30. Make sure you like, share and subscribe so you don't miss a beat, and we'll see you next thursday, 9 30 am. Have a great week. Bye vegas, bye Vegas.