Apartment Blog

You know that iconic phrase “Houston, we have a problem” from the Apollo 13 movie? Here at For Rent Media Solutions, we prefer to think we have the solutions. We have the resources and the answers to your apartment searching needs.  Not only do we provide you with a moving center and a getting settled center on our Relocation Page, we also provide you with decorating and entertaining tips and apartment living ideas on our Apartment Blog.

So if you’re looking for apartments in and around the Houston area, we are your one stop shop! Check out our newest apartment community videos for Houston apartments:

Hartford Park Apartments

Canfield Lakes Apartments

Briar Park Apartments

Lantern Village Apartments

Steepleway Downs Apartments

Huntington at Stonefield Apartments

The Steeples Apartments

Meadow Ridge Apartments

and Bristol Apartments

With the current economic state many renters are looking for apartments that are ‘cheap’. While the perceived monetary gain may be tempting, it’s important to also look at the safety factors before signing a lease.You should first examine the neighborhood. You have every right to seek out information on whether or not there have been criminal activities. This includes asking the property manager or looking to local authorities. While also examining the neighborhood, you should make sure you visit the property multiples times. Plan on once during the day and at least once during the night. This will help you see how well light the area is and you’ll get a better sense of how safe you will feel when you return home from work each day.

Next, you should check the windows and doors. When you go to a model unit, chances are it’s going to be a better looking home. But check around the community when you visit. Do they tend to be in good shape? You need to also explore the locking mechanisms on the doors and windows. They should always ask when you move in, if the locks have been be changed from the previous owners. Always better to be cautious!

I would also recommend looking at the smoke detector.  This is the most valuable protection you can have-it will save your life! When you choose an apartment, be sure to check where it is located and when the batteries were replaced. Keep a schedule so you know when to change them out again.

Most apartment communities offer, as a paid service, the capability of a security system. They are a great way to protect your apartment. It scares away burglars because it increases the potential and fear of being captured and arrested by the police. But an alarm also does that without anybody getting hurt.

Lastly, protect your belongings by getting renter’s insurance! You can get quotes online by visiting the relocation page on ForRent.com.

Your apartment should be a sanctuary for you and your family, so make sure it’s a safe one.  Take these tips with you when you’re searching for apartments for rent, they’ll really be a lifesaver!

If you’re at that point where you realize, ‘Yeah….I’m ready to move!’ then tell us your story. You could win $10,000 in ForRent.com’s Ready2Move video contest.  It could be a bad roommate, noisy neighbor, paranormal activity or perhaps you’re still living with your parents! Whatever the case may be, tell ForRent.com why you are Ready2Move.

The deadline for video submissions is at 11:59 am on May 27th, 2009 which is tomorrow!!!

You can also win $1,500 just for being in the voting sweepstakes! A voter will be selected at random to win. So visit the website and vote for your favorite video. It could make you a winner!

Visit the website Contest.ForRent.com for competition videos, rules and the submission process!!

So hurry up and get your submissions in! It’s a great contest thus far and we’re looking forward to seeing more clever and imaginative videos.

Good Luck to all!

Memorial Day weekend is the official kick-off weekend for the summer!  It’s definitely the traveling weekend for the beach and any other hot vacation spots. 

I’m not actually going to the beach, but the country.  I LOVE the country.  My cousin and her husband recently relocated to Greensboro, NC.  It’s interesting because although they live in the country, they’re still close to civilization, the city I mean.

Let me start with the drive.  A lot of people get head starts on their travel because EVERYONE is on the road.  BUT, the drive from Portsmouth, VA to Greensboro, NC is a calm, peaceful one.  For one, the only interstate, if that’s what you want to call it, to take in VA is 58 and there’s never any traffic.  It’s just a nice drive through the countryside.  Of course once you get into Carolina you’re on actual highway, but it’s still not congested.

There’s plenty to do in the TRIAD area.  During the day I’ll probably catch a minor league baseball game. Since the Greensboro Grasshoppers have away games the entire weekend we’ll roll down the way to a Winston-Salem Dash game.  And I can’t go on vacation without shopping.  The actual city part has plenty of shopping, outlets and indoor malls alike.

And there’s some good sight seeing.  Greensboro holds a lot of history.  It’s nice to just be able to drive around and take all of the scenery in.  It’s so pretty, fields of green, houses separated by almost a mile, farms, cows, horses, I could go on…

Of course we can’t forget the nightlife.  The general consensus is that Greensboro doesn’t have much nightlife.  Now if you’re in to going to upscale clubs, then no, Greensboro is NOT for you.  But I like the fact that EVERYONE is so down to earth and so friendly.  We just hit up the nearby bars and chat it up with the locals.  People treat you like family and you can’t get that up north.

Well, I hope everyone has as good a Memorial Day weekend as I’m going to have.

I was watching ‘The Wedding Date’ the other day and I heard an astounding statistic that made me rewind my DVR to hear it again. The commercial stated that according to Harris Interactive research, “On average, 236 members [of a national online dating networking site] get married each day.” Each day!? Are you serious? I couldn’t believe that. On average two hundred and thirty six members who sought out their loved one online get married every day of the year?? That’s amazing!

After hearing that statistic I immediately opened my lap top and looked it up (yes, I am that nerdy). The woman didn’t lie, it was an accurate count. I was shocked. So I then started looking up tips and advice about creating an online dating profile. Not for myself, of course, but just for educational purposes! And here are a few things that I learned….

Good First Impressions:
A good first impression is very important in the online dating realm. You need to make sure what you put out there is an accurate representation of yourself. The two specific areas I’m referencing are screen names and photos. You want to make sure your screen name isn’t too vague, but also accurately portrays you and maybe has something personal to go along with it.  Something like ‘Gillian<3VA’ is too broad, but ‘CreativeGillian’ would be more descriptive (although I will have to admit that still isn’t that interesting). Photographs also help make great first impressions. You want the photo on your profile to show off the real you. You want it to display your features (if you have a bald head, don’t try and cover it up in the photo…it’ll be discovered one way or another). Take lots of different photographs in lots of different backgrounds with different poses and choose wisely which one you want to represent you!

Personal Description:
In the description you write make sure you are first and foremost, honest. You want to show who you really are. Highlight great attributes you have through your profile instead of just stating them (i.e. instead of saying you have a sense of humor, show it through your profile or instead of saying you enjoy music, be specific about what type and what band, etc.).  Another tip is to be conversational in your description. You don’t want to come across as throwing a ‘sales pitch’ on why someone should date you!

Embrace it!
Check out all your matches, go with your gut instinct and find opportunities to meet new people. Date around and have a good time.  Enjoy the dating process until you find ‘the one’, because he or she will come around!!

If you’re relocating to a new area, I can only imagine how hard it is to meet new people. So look at the online dating strategy as an opportunity to get yourself out there in your new hometown. And I would recommend checking out our relocation center as well as our life tips page for more resources.

Every year people make resolutions for the New Year. Most resolutions circle around weight loss goals, money or time with family and friends. This year, we want to provide New Years resolutions specifically for renters!

Take a look below:

1. Start 2009 fresh….if you’re tired of the apartment community you live in now? Visit ForRent.com to find a new apartment in your area!

2. Follow the trend of 2008 into 2009, utilize tips for ‘going green’!

3. Feeling overwhelmed from 2008? Get organized in 2009!

4. Have you been saying you’re ready for a new look? Then spice up your decorating style in 2009 with a few decorating tips!

5. Wanna get fit this year? Why not utilize your apartment communities’ amenities?! Go to the Fitness Center to work out!

6. Is your goal to spend more time with family and friends this year? Become a terrific cook with these recipes and you’re bound to have more gatherings at your apartment!

7. Need to save money in 2009?? Consider getting a roommate, browse these roommate tips.

8. And if 2009 is another year that reminds you you’re alone, considering getting a pet! Weigh your options by reading pet-friendly apartment tips.

9. If you’re thinking of relocating to a different area, be prepared! Research as much information about that city/state as you can; one place to do so would be at our City Guide.

10. Another great resolution is to get to know your neighbors!

ForRent.com hopes you have a happy and safe New Year! See you in 2009!!