Home2015December

December 2015

home furniture stagingStaging an apartment for prospective renters to tour? It can be tough to style a space in a way that appeals to lots of different kinds of renters. From big families to pet owners to seniors, a staged apartment should make anyone feel at home. So how do you pull off the perfectly staged apartment? Start with these five tips for apartment home staging success, and you’ll be on your way to happy new renters in no time.

Young beautiful girl decorates the Christmas treeAhhh. Christmas has finally arrived. For some of us, the holiday signals time with family, who travel from far and near to eat dinner and open presents with us. For college students, it signals the end of a busy semester, and the fact that you have finally completed their final exams. For many of us, the two weeks that include Christmas and New Year’s Day, also signal a welcome vacation, after weeks of preparing for the big holidays. Now, we can finally relax and have fun with family and friends.

AS_MicrowaveLiving in a one bedroom apartment or studio apartment can be a great way to save money, but there are often some tradeoffs for the reduced expenses. A common problem is the lack of a full kitchen, which can cause a lot of stress for the hungry renter. Here a few tips for how to make it work.

1. The Hot Plate

The defining aspect of any kitchen is the stove, but some small apartments may do without. An easy remedy to that situation is the purchase of a restaurant-quality hot plate. With a couple of pots, pans, and cooking utensils, the hot plate will function as a normal stove burner, allowing you to cook any of the stove-top dishes you desire. Combined with a microwave and a mini-fridge, you’ll have a scaled-down version of a kitchen with all the basic necessities.

ApartmentSearch_VacuumingWhen you’re moving out of an apartment, it’s essential to know what constitutes “normal wear and tear” to most apartment owners. If you want to get your security deposit back, you’ll need to make sure your apartment is as close to as it used to be as you can possibly manage. Sure, small scratches are okay here and there, but how far does that leeway extend? Here are some tips on how to make sure your apartment is ready for move-out.

1. Clean Your Carpets

Holiday snowmanThis Tuesday, December 22, marks the Winter Solstice – the longest night of the year. While this is the official start to winter, in many places, winter is already in full effect. As schoolchildren, college students and others wrap up their studies and testing, their thoughts quickly turn to enjoying the holiday season – including throwing a snowball or two.

For apartment renters, winter is a terrific time of year. These are the top reasons why, when it comes to winter, renting rules:

Do You Want to Build a Snowman?

apartment pools are one of the top amenitiesEverywhere you go, you hear about the increase in popularity of the apartment lifestyle. Everyone from retiring Baby Boomers to Millennials to Generation Z – who are just now finding their first apartments – are discovering the benefits of apartment living. But an apartment is much more than just a place to eat and lay your head at night. One of the greatest things about apartment living is all the amenities that come with it – amenities that most people would not otherwise be able to afford or enjoy.

While we all know about apartment community amenities such as fitness centers, swimming pools and recreational activities such as tennis and racquetball, there are many other amenities that are driving people to choose renting rather than owning.

roommates fightingWhether you’re cohabiting with your best friend or you were matched with someone random, roommate troubles happen to everyone. That’s because no matter how close you are, sharing space, stuff, and bills with another person invariably leads to disagreements. However, you can ward them off by keeping these handy tips in mind. Here’s how to stop the top roommate squabbles before they start.

AS_NewCitiesNewYear2016 is right around the corner, ringing in a wealth of new opportunities for everyone in America and abroad. As the job market continues to grow, so will the companies driving the new economy. This also means wages will continue to grow, and more people will be relocating to cities throughout the U.S. for job opportunities.

Job relocation, along with the fact that more Millennials are moving out of the homes they have shared with their parents as well as the emergence of the new Generation Z workforce, means that apartment demand will be at an all-time high. Now is the time to start getting ready for the new year, your new job and your new apartment.