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November 2016

Frustrated driver with hand on her head, in a parking lot hit and run accidentIn most parts of the country, sweater weather is finally here. Starbucks released their new holiday cup, parents are trying to get their children to pose nicely for a holiday card, and neighborhood and apartment complex decoration competitions have begun!

It’s definitely an interesting time of year. While most holiday traditions are fun (or awesomely corny), some aren’t. Between Thanksgiving and the New Year, your car could be vulnerable to a not-so-fun yearly occurrence: a 20% increase in parking lot accidents. With over 1 million parking lot accidents occurring annually, that’s no small number. Happy holidays?

With hoards of people flocking to the mall every day and drivers distracted by Bing Crosby crooning over the radio, your odds of getting caught on the wrong side of someone’s distracted driving increase over the holidays. While a nice driver will leave their contact information on your car’s dash if they hit you in a hurry, not everyone ends up on Santa’s nice list. Although no one wants to fall prey to a hit and run driver, you should be prepared for the possibility. Read on for our guide to handling a hit and run, with top tips we hope you’ll never have to use!

Girl in grey winter hat and mittens, outside in snow, blowing her noseAs cold winter weather rolls in, people shut their windows and prepare to hibernate indoors for a few months. Unfortunately, closing up your home also means trapping dust inside with you, which can be miserable for allergy-prone people. If you struggle with wintertime allergies, try these preventative measures to combat common allergy symptoms like a runny nose, scratchy throat, and itchy eyes. If you’re already suffering, we’ve got home remedies to help those aches and itches too!

Close Up Of Man Collecting Parcel Delivery Outside DoorThe holiday shopping season is upon us and, for many people, that means jumping on Amazon or countless other shopping sites to order gifts and needed items. This year’s Cyber Monday looks to be the single biggest shopping day in history, far surpassing $90 billion in sales, which means that more packages than ever before will be shipped. This poses an interesting challenge for some apartment residents because where you live could mean drastic changes in how (and if) you receive your package deliveries.

Gingerbread man in Thanksgiving Day paradePass the pumpkin pie and prepare the stretchy pants! Ponder the Christmas decorations that are already out in stores! It’s November, which marks the beginning of the holiday season and more importantly, a food lover’s dream. On a day dedicated to family, football, and feasting until your pants don’t fit, there’s no better way to kick it off than with a parade full of holiday spirit. Check out these seven turkey-ific parades you’ve got to see.

Young man and woman lifting a moving box, getting ready to move into temporary furnished apartmentIn a perfect world, every decision would be rational. Before any decisions were made, there’d be a pro-con list and plenty of time to deliberate over a fresh peppermint mocha. Unfortunately, that world exists in the same reality as painless politics and calorie-free pizza. Bummer. If only the world were so logical and predictable! Sometimes, things just move fast. Maybe you just found out you’re being transferred for work, you nailed the internship of your dreams (across the country), or you need to take an out-of-town contract job. Whatever the case, read on to learn our top tips for finding temporary housing in a pinch!

Chalkboard sign saying, "Thank you, veterans," in front of American flagOn Friday, November 11, we celebrate Veterans Day. On this prestigious occasion, there really is nothing more important than recognizing our veterans who served this country in World War II, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq, and other military initiatives throughout the world. They made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure that we – and our families – live peaceful lives in the country that we love. The millions of active duty and reserve Americans serving in the U.S. Army, the Navy, the Marines, and the National Guard also deserve our wholehearted support on this day and every day throughout the year.

New renter reviewing their apartment lease agreement with pen in handTalk about nerve wracking! Applying for an apartment and reading over the lease or rental agreement can definitely bring beads of sweat to your forehead. Lease agreements are contracts that define tenant-landlord relationships and often use confusing “legalese.” Even the simplest apartment leases can use some pretty uncommon terms and phrases. Do you really know what everything means? It may be good to double check your lease know-how before signing on the dotted line. Here are some quick and easy definitions for common lease terms to help you understand what you’re signing.

Hourglass in front of wall of close, slight vintage filterLove it or hate it, the time changes every fall. The days become shorter as darkness descends by 6:00 p.m. Saving time becomes an even bigger focus this time of year. One of our favorite ways to save time is by choosing the right apartment for your next home. When you live in an apartment, you actually enjoy more time savings than homeowners. Check it out! Here are five ways you can save time as an apartment dweller.