Apartment Blog

Last year’s Super Bowl Winner Peyton Manning, quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts, spoke to For Rent Media Solutions and the multifamily housing industry at the 2007 National Apartment Association Conference and Exhibition in Las Vegas, NV. Peyton spoke on his success and accomplishments over the years that lead him to victory. He gave us all eight rules to follow for increased success, rules such as: ‘Enjoy the journey, not the destination‘, ‘Learn from your failures and quickly move on‘, ‘Trust those around you to do the job they are hired to do‘, and ‘Make it your time!’ Following his inspirational speech, For Rent Media Solutions went on to have its best producing year!

Will this be a trend to follow suit in 2008? Will another Manning win the Super Bowl, then speak to our staff and we’ll shatter records again? The Manning family has a lot of talent on the branches of its family tree, so the question in everyone’s mind is will Eli Manning beat Tom Brady in the Super Bowl to bring home another victory? For Rent Media Solutions hopes that whatever the outcome of the game, our record will still stand at undefeated!

What are your thoughts?

According to a new research study by Clarity and The EAR Foundation, one of the biggest fears for senior citizens is the loss of independence. This fear even outweighs the fear of death for most!

This study produced some key statistics for seniors. For example, “the vast majority of seniors (89%) want to age in place or grow older without having to move from their homes.” 1 And because they are so determined to maintain that independence, half of them are open to using new technologies to help them do so.

Clarity president, Carsten Trads says “….Independent living is a key determinant of quality of life for seniors….” Therefore this shows that not only do older American’s value their ability to live independently, but they will also try any means to enable them, i.e. technology.¹

This study also showed that almost half of seniors are comfortable using personal computers, Internet and email. “Seniors are clearly more open to technology than many people believe,” commented Trads. ¹

So in essence seniors are willing and able to be independent, and are open to using technology to help them attain that independence.

Here at For Rent Media Solutions, we are committed to providing resources that make apartment hunting for seniors uncomplicated. After 55 Housing and Resource Guide, a For Rent Media Solutions publication, worked in collaboration with the AARP Foundation to create Exploring Life After 55, an annual supplemental publication geared towards adults age 55 and beyond. This new publication serves as an education resource, addressing subject matter important to baby boomers that are planning their retirement, and aging adults and adult children who are researching housing options for their parents. The first issue covers a variety of topics including: an assisted living and health check list, a description of housing and care options, estate planning basics, how to guard against identity theft and so much more! Exploring Life After 55 will be published once a year and distributed to AARP Foundation offices nationwide as well as to local industry events and senior centers.

In addition to Exploring Life After55 and After 55 Housing and Resource Guide, For Rent Media Solutions offers online resources at SeniorOutlook.com. Resources include: moving services, storage, Medicare and Medicaid information and more. SeniorOutlook.com also helps our consumers navigate through the website by providing ‘How to Use SeniorOutlook.com’ instructions to help make the process easier.

We at For Rent Media Solutions strive to improve the process of apartment hunting for all apartment seekers, After 55 or not. Your independence and peace of mind is important to us. Please let us know if you have any suggestions as to how we can improve our services.

Source: Research Brief: Seniors Want to “Age in Place,” and Want Technology to Help; Thursday, November 8^th, 2007.

You’ve seen recent posts about how you can do more to protect the environment and conserve our resources, such as recycling and reusing. But what other efforts are being done around you that you may not even know about? Did you know that apartment communities are making great strides to improve their communities to increase their ‘going green’ efforts? It’s true!

It all starts with construction. Recycled materials can be used, low VOC paints, carpets and other indoor products are making their way as well as heating and cooling systems that are geothermal based (meaning it draws upon the earth’s temperature to supplement traditional systems). Many products are out there for construction companies to use, such as biodegradable linoleum and industrialized recycled polmer (for carpet tiles).

So why aren’t all apartment communities being converted using more environmentally friendly efforts? Well that’s a simple answer, money! “Green construction is often looked at as costly and can seriously hurt the project’s bottom line. Using environmental design is normally estimated to cost as much as 15 percent more than traditional jobs[1].”

Even so, the costs for going green may increase for the developers but they do the exact opposite for the tenants. Having more energy efficient & water saving devices in the apartment community will help drive down costs for residents, which is ultimately what every renter wants!! And given the increased demand of environmentally friendly communities, I’d say resident’s voices are being heard. Many renters expressed that they would pay more in rent if they would be living in a building that makes efforts to conserve and recycle. Because when you think about it, having those amenities will actually save you more money in the long run with reduced electric and water bills!!

So ask your apartment community if they’re doing their part!

[1] Daily Record, The (Baltimore), Jun 25, 2004 by Ezra Fieser

Going green is instrumental in keeping our planet alive. So do your part to make sure you aren’t over using our resources and depleting our reserve. Here are some water and energy saving tips for your home.

○ Compact fluorescent light bulbs are an efficient lighting source for your home. They conserve energy by using less wattage while also creating the same brightness as incandescent bulbs. And they last longer too! (Which saves more $$)

○ Don’t let your faucets leak or drip water!! This is one I get on my boyfriend about ALL the time!! When brushing your teeth, you just need to wet the tooth brush. Turn off the water. Put the toothpaste on the toothbrush and start brushing. When you need to wash the toothbrush and spit the toothpaste out, then turn on the water. Doesn’t seem like you’d save that much water but twice a day for 365 days a year-it adds up!!

○ This is an interesting tip that I had never heard before but am definitely going to do from now on, put lids on pots to avoid heat waste and help water boil faster!!

○ Use cool/cold water whenever possible as using warm or hot water requires more energy to heat.

○ Use rechargeable batteries.

○ Use the natural sunlight during the day instead of using electricity! The sun is the brightest and cheapest source of light around!

Do you have any other helpful tips for saving water & energy around the home? Let us know!! We all need to do our part!

Source: www.alephnull.net/eco/saving

As you know, For Rent Media Solutions is environmentally friendly. Our efforts have extended not only to the paper our magazine is printed on, but also within our own office! So to help you do your part, we’ve complied a few tips to help your office be on it’s way too!

1. Have a recycling coordinator. This person in your office would be in charge for arranging the collections, placement of the bins, public awareness, etc. Choose a person who actually cares about recycling and who would see it through.

2. Organize the collection process. The recycling coordinator needs to find out how the recyclable materials will be disposed of. Whether it’s an employee who delivers the recyclable materials to a recycling center or your janitorial staff collecting it, make sure there is a process in place!

3. Get Recycling Bins. In order for your employees to recycle, there needs to be a place for them to leave the items. When you find bins to use, make sure they are clearly labeled for what items go in it. (I.e. Aluminum Cans) And I would advise you to tell your employees (or have it written on the bin) that the items need to be cleaned first!

4. Consider the location! First off, you’ll want to have multiple bins for your office to ensure maximum participation. Use central locations such as break rooms, office work rooms, etc.

5. Announce the program. What good is having a recycling program in place, if your co-workers don’t even know about it! Make sure you announce the program to everyone and let them know the benefits of having it. Send out reminder emails occasionally too so they’ll keep it on their mind!

Now you know some tips of how to create an office recycling program, here is the fun part-incentive! Make this a competition with co-workers. Have them compete for “Recycler of the Month” or have departments compete for a party each quarter! See how many participants you get then!!

Source: www.greengiftguide.com

We at For Rent Media Solutions are continuing our efforts to be environmentally friendly. All FRMS newsprint pages are printed on recycled paper. Our coated paper has a percentage of recycled content, depending on the availability. All of our insert cards are printed on a UV press that uses non hazardous inks and emit no VOC’s into the atmosphere. We also recycle all of the metal for the plates and the ink/water/fountain solution. And all waste paper is returned to the mill to be used in recycled papers.

So take a cue from us! When you’ve finished searching for apartments for rent in For Rent Magazine, be sure to recycle it!

Thanks!

Everyone has experienced road rage. Whether you’ve been on the receiving end or directing it towards a fellow driver, it’s not fun. Larger metropolitan areas tend to have the majority of traffic therefore they have some of the most aggressive drivers. The number one city that topped the list for most aggressive drivers (for the second year in a row) is……….Miami, followed by New York, Boston, Los Angeles and Washington.

The most courteous cities, regarding hostile drivers, are Portland, Pittsburg, Seattle, St. Louis and Dallas.

Do you live in a city with high road rage?? The AAA website offers a three-step plan to avoid being a victim of aggressive driving.

1. ‘Don’t Offend’ which simply means do not cut off other drivers, don’t drive slowly in the left lane, don’t tailgate and DO NOT gesture to other drivers.

2. ‘Don’t engage’ other drivers, which basically means do not cause trouble. Don’t look the other driver in the eyes (stare them down) and call 911 should you feel that you are in a dangerous situation.

3. ‘Forget Winning’ If someone has done #1 or #2 to you, let it go. Don’t let it frustrate you till you become angry. Try to put yourself in the other driver’s shoes and free yourself from any aggravation.

I know on my daily commute to work I sometimes feel the need to bang on the steering wheel to alleviate my frustrations, but what about you? Do you have any constructive methods to help you release your frustrations while you are on the road?

Source: AOL AUTOS, ‘Road Rage and Aggressive Driving’ by Craig Howie

Look at this little guy! Isn’t he so cute and pathetic? I almost seem cruel for making him wear an outfit like this, huh? Well let me tell you, after reading some tips on how to keep my pet safe in the winter, I’m actually doing a GOOD thing by dressing him up like this!!

As the weather is starting to get colder, don’t forget to protect your animals too! The little guys and big guys alike need looking after so they aren’t hurting this chilly season. Here are a few tips for you to take into consideration while looking after your pets.

Tip 1:

Keep your cat inside!! This is very important during the winter because outside cats tend to go where it is warm and that may not be the safest place; i.e. under the hood of a car? How would a cat even get here? This obviously poses many dangers to them as they can become seriously injured or killed. Also be sure and clean up any left over antifreeze as it is lethal for dogs and cats!

Tip 2:

Never shave your dog down to his/her skin during the winter. It goes without saying that without their coat, they won’t have any warmth on their body. Also make sure that after a bath, your dog is completely dried off before going outside.

Tip 3:

Consider clothes for smaller animals. Okay, so to go along with my Bailey (up top); this is actually recommended for small dogs’ with short hair because they get cold so easily. I have even read that putting boots on dogs (regardless of size) may be recommended because their paws get cold and walking on the damp cement can actually hurt them.

Tip 4:

Never leave your animal alone in a car. This is not safe. Even though he/she is not specifically outside, they can still freeze to death!

Tip 5:

Consider their food consumption. If your animal isn’t getting as much physical exercise as he/she usually does (in the summer months), be sure and reduce the amount of food you give them to avoid any gaining of unnecessary weight.

Our pets are apart of our family, so make sure you are keeping them safe and healthy this winter season. For more information on how to keep your pet safe, visit ASPCA.org or visit ForRent.com to find pet-friendly apartments!

Recognized by their easy to use insurance resources, ForRent.com makes shopping for all your insurance needs a breeze. A great deal of apartment hunters will need to find renters insurance before they can sign a lease. I know that while I’m shopping for apartments there are many communities that informed me I needed renters insurance-some even offered me a few business cards to find quotes!

But visiting ForRent.com is truly a one stop shop. Now, you’ve heard me talk about all the wonderful resources our Relocation Center offers, but one thing I haven’t spoken about is our FREE Insurance Quotes. Follow these easy steps and you’ll find the right insurance to meet your needs:

1. Visit ForRent.com’s website
2. Click on Relocation Center on the top menu bar
3. Under the Finance Center (middle of the screen) click on FREE Insurance Quotes
4. Start comparing and finding quotes for your area TODAY!!
5. Or of course you can be brought to the Insurance Quotes page by simply clicking on the links provided within this blog!! J

And if you are not in the market for renter’s insurance, ForRent.com also offers quotes on health, auto and life insurance too!

Hope this helps all of you!