Abberly Place Blog

Are you throwing a Memorial Day Party in your apartment in Garner, NC? If so, we have the perfect appetizer recipe for you. Remember, Memorial day is a day to celebrate and remember our fallen heroes. A patriotic theme for your menu is perfect.
 
Patriotic Taco Salad would be great as an appetizer or a main dish. Serve with sour cream, guacamole, and salsa on the side. The American flag design is perfect for Memorial Day.  It is a favorite of ours at Abberly Place.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
• 1 envelope taco seasoning
• 6 cups tortilla or corn chips
• 4 to 5 cups shredded lettuce
• 9 to 10 pitted large olives, sliced lengthwise
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1. In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the water, tomato paste and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

2. Place chips in an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. dish. Spread beef mixture evenly over the top. Cover with lettuce. For each star, arrange five olive slices together in the upper left corner. To form stripes, add cheese and tomatoes in alternating rows. Serve immediately.

Recipe and picture from Taste of Home

You have felt the pain at the pump. You also probably know that gas prices may get as high as $5.00/gallon as we approach summer! If you live in an apartment in Garner, NC and you like to drive in and around Raleigh on your summer weekend, gas mileage is very important.

You can improve your car’s gas mileage. If you do them all, you can increase your gas mileage by 50%. When you bought your car you had a specified number of miles per gallon, but you may not be seeing that mileage today. Why?

Don’t neglect regular car maintenance.  If it has been awhile since you have had a tune up on your car, schedule one! Be sure to keep up on your car’s regular maintenance. Regularly maintained cars get the best gas mileage. You will be pleasantly surprised.

Check your tire air pressure. Your tires can directly affect your gas mileage. As the temperature changes, so does the pressure in your tires. Regularly check that your tires have the required PSI. When the pressure in your tires is too low, your tires no longer work efficiently, they work like water balloons. With too much surface on the road, there is too much friction causing your car to work harder. Your gas mileage can be dramatically affected by poor tire pressure.

Believe it or not, changing your driving habits can affect your gas mileage. The way you drive affects how much gas you burn. Not planning to stop, revving up and slowing down and driving over the speed limit all use too much gas.  By changing your behavior behind the wheel, you can increase the gas mileage in your car.

Enjoy the summer and enjoy the ride. Keep money in your pocket as gas prices rise, follow these tips to increase your gas mileage.

If you live in an apartment in Garner, NC you may be looking for some nightlife options. “The Edge,” and Elon paper has made some suggestions for some action around the Triangle in Raleigh:

Raleigh maintains a vast selection of nightlife attractions. The city is divided into eight entertainment districts, one of the most popular being Glenwood South that features shopping, nightclubs and unique restaurants like Hibernian Irish Pub. The Warehouse District, contrary to its misleading name, is actually known for its clubbing scene and popular barbecue restaurant, The Pit.

Raleigh is also home to dozens of live music venues ranging from clubs to taverns. Some of the most notable are Lincoln Theatre, The Pour House Music Hall and The Berkeley Café. Raleigh also has a variety of dance clubs, among them Fubar, Mirage and Solas.

“Mirage is a really good place to go if you’re looking for more of a classy club because the people there are generally older,” said NC State student Courtney Farrell. “They host a lot of DJs. I went when Pauly D was there and it was a good time all around.”

No one wants to spend too much money, and Raleigh’s Carmike Blue Ridge 14 Cinema is a discount movie theater that offers older movies for only $2. Raleigh also offers IMAX theaters for a bigger, more diverse range of showings.

We are SUPER EXCITED to announce that your property, Abberly Place in Raleigh, NC took home the biggest award given at our annual awards banquet yesterday for COMMUNITY OF THE YEAR!!! This is an award that we share with you all.

We did have two individual awards given yesterday as well. Both Eric Bogacki and Lauren Booker were awarded Team Spirit awards for outstanding customer service and positive attitude about their community and work. We could not be happier as a team to share this with you all.

Do you need to work off some extra calories before you eat and drink on St. Patty’s day? If so, the 4th annual St. Paddy's Run Green 8k is here. Challenge yourself and your neighbors from your apartment in Garner, NC, grab your kilts and register to run! The race is tomorrow, so start stretching.

Registration is now open for the 4th annual St. Paddy's Run Green 8k in Raleigh! As always, there will be live Irish music, tasty food from Tir na nOg Irish Pub, and the first beer is free (for runner's age 21+ of course)! This year you will also get a free race tech shirt!

Enjoy race contests sponsored by the nOg Run Club: Fastest kilted runners, best St. Paddy's theme costumes, and best team costume (at least 3 runners, and must finish at the same time)!

The first 2,000 registered 8K runners receive their first beer is free (age 21+) and a free race tech shirt!

Highlights of this great event include: Post-race street party hosted by Tir na nOg Irish Pub. The beer truck will have beer available for purchase (21 and above).  Bands will be playing in Moore Square, great beer and food provided by Tir na nOg all evening!

This race is a "green" sustainable event” with minimal landfill waste, natural, compostable food and drink containers, and other earth-friendly initiatives.

Information from GodowntownRaleigh.com

House prices are low and mortgage rates are too, many say it is time to buy a home. But in an upside down real estate market, is it really more cost-effective to own as opposed to renting? Interest rates are lower, house prices are down, but it's also harder to get financed.

Many renters at Abberly Place, outside Raleigh, have gotten out of a mortgage. Others are renting so they are not tied down to such a large amount every month.

Whether you should rent or buy depends on many factors, like how long you plan to stay in your home. Some experts will tell you buying is better than renting only if you plan to be in your house more than five years.

If you don't need the tax help, which is minimal, you may want to rent. Most of the time, and always at Abberly Place, Apartments in Garner, NC, the landlord will fix a kitchen sink which saves the renter out of pocket money.

Here's one pro and con breakdown:

Pros to Buying a House:

• if it has been a goal for awhile then there's the emotional satisfaction of owning your own home.
• It builds equity, (but it takes awhile).
• You can get a tax break if you deduct your mortgage interest and your property taxes.

• Homeowners have to pay property taxes
• Homeowners have to pay for maintenance and upkeep.
• There's less flexibility if you decide to move.
• Down payments are often 20% of the purchase price (if you want to avoid mortgage insurance). That's money that could have been invested elsewhere.

Original article - WKRG

If you are relocating to Raleigh, consider renting an apartment in Garner, NC, take a look at Abberly Place Apartments.  Raleigh is one of the top cities in the south. We have a great climate all year round with warm summers and mild winters. With loads of outdoor activities for the naturalists and plenty of shopping and restaurants for those who love the big city, Raleigh is the perfect location.  You will find both when you move to Raleigh.
 
Besides the bustling downtown, flourishing businesses and great night life, Raleigh also has great college and professional sports teams: NC State, Duke, and the Carolina Tar Heels and the Carolina Hurricanes and the Carolina Panthers. There is so much to see and do a free hybrid electric bus service that will connect you to museums, dining and shopping.
 
Abberly Place represents a new style of living in a beautiful, neighborly community with upscale offerings, unmatched location and easy access to bustling Downtown Raleigh. For more information on one bedroom, two bedroom or three bedroom floor plans, contact us.

Everyone who owns a home or lives in an apartment in Garner knows that this city has some of the most dynamic restaurants in the country. Raleigh itself is a blend of the old and the new, and our restaurants blend as well. From mom and pop restaurants to fine dining and everything in between.

A Taste of Downtown Raleigh Gourmet Food Tour is enjoyed by everyone in Raleigh every Saturday from 1:30-4:30 & 2:00-5:00. Enjoy talking with chefs and owners of area restaurants who are serving ethnic and southern cuisine, house-made chocolate, authentic barbecue, beautiful and delicious cupcakes, local beer, and organic wine. There's something for every taste in Raleigh.

Looking for something way to get out of the apartment in Garner, NC this weekend? It is the Martin Luther King Holiday Weekend, head to Raleigh for some of these Triangle area events.

Friday

• Wake Tech Community College Stop Hunger Now Challenge, 9 a.m., followed by MLK Celebration Program, noon at the Student Services Building, 9101 Fayetteville Road, Raleigh. Students, faculty and staff will pack 10,000 meals to be distributed to schools and orphanages around the world.
• Durham Technical Community College's 27th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration and Luncheon, 11 a.m. in the Phail Wynn Jr. Student Services Center multipurpose room at Durham Tech.
• Bell-Ringing and State Employees' Martin Luther King Observance Program. 11:55 a.m. on the Bicentennial Plaza near the N.C. Museum of History in downtown Raleigh. Members of the N.C. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission will initiate the bell-ringing tribute before the State Employees' Observance Program, which will get under way at noon at First Baptist Church, 99 N. Salisbury St., Raleigh.
• Wreath-Laying, 6 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Memorial Gardens, 1300 Martin Luther King Blvd., Raleigh. Keynote speaker will be Norman Camp, chairman of the Southeast Raleigh Parks Advocacy Council and the South Raleigh Citizens Advisory Council.

Saturday

• Durham Parks and Recreation program, 2 p.m. at W.D. Hill Recreation Center, 1308 Fayetteville St., Durham. The theme is "MLK Day: Remembering the Legacy Through Art."
• MLK Concert Celebration, 7 p.m. at the Durham Armory, 220 Foster St., Durham. The University Choir of N.C. Central University will perform with the Durham Symphony.

Sunday

• Duke University's Martin Luther King Jr. commemoration, 3 p.m. in Duke Chapel, 401 Chapel Drive, Durham. Veteran political strategist and commentator Donna Brazile will give the keynote address.
• Celebration of the Life and Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., 4 p.m. at the Garner Performing Arts Center, 742 W. Garner Road, Garner. Keynote speaker will be Reuben Young, secretary of the N.C. Department of Crime Control and Public Safety.

Monday

• 32nd Annual Martin Luther King Triangle Interfaith Prayer Breakfast, 7 a.m. at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel, Research Triangle Park. Keynote speaker will be Cynthia Marshall, president of AT&T of North Carolina. For the first time, the breakfast will be televised live on WRAL-TV. Doors will open at 6 a.m.
• Triangle Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. Durham, Johnston, Orange and Wake counties will host nearly 30 community service projects to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King. Durham's Signature Project is 9 a.m. to noon at American Tobacco Campus, Bay 7, where volunteers will help with a variety of projects, including assembly of homeless hygiene kits, computer drop-off and cleaning, and writing letters and creating valentines for veterans and active military. Johnston's Signature Project is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Pizazz Thrift Store, where volunteers will collect diapers, new underwear, clothing and nonperishable food. Orange's Signature Project is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Christ United Methodist Church, where volunteers will work on projects such as assembly of health kits. Wake's Signature Project is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at White Plains Children's Center, where volunteers will assemble hygiene kits, sort books, and write letters for veterans and active military. See www. unitedwaytriangle .org /mlk/ .
• Stop Hunger Now project. 9:30 a.m. at Duke University's Freeman Center, 1415 Faber St., Durham. Members from Duke, N.C. Central University and the Durham Rotary Club are coordinating the Million Meals Project, which is expected to package 80,000 meals.
• 32nd Annual Martin Luther King Memorial March. Assemble at 10 a.m. on the grounds of the State Capitol, and depart at 11 a.m. The theme for this year's celebration is "From The Dream to Reality ... Economic & Social Equality ... More Work to Be Done."
• Birthday party held in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. for area children at Northgate Mall, 1058 West Club Blvd., Durham. A reading at 10 a.m. of "Child of the Civil Rights Movement" by Paula Young Shelton, daughter of civil rights activist Andrew Young, will be held for preschool children. A reading at noon will be held for school-age children. Between the readings, Young Shelton will sign the book.
• 32nd Annual Martin Luther King Ecumenical Observance, noon at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Raleigh. The Rev. Nelson Johnson, executive director of The Beloved Community Development Center in Greensboro, will be the keynote speaker.
• 32nd Annual Martin Luther King Evening Musical Celebration, 5:30 p.m. at the Progress Energy Center in downtown Raleigh. Headlining will be national recording artist Ernest Pugh from Maryland.

Many people are told when they are younger that renting is only for college graduates or people who cannot afford to buy.  Many parents hammer these ideas into their children and tell them that renting is equivalent to throwing money away every month.  Fortunately, today people are beginning to finally think for themselves and challenge these ideas.  Here are 4 reasons to pat yourself on the back for deciding to rent an apartment in Garner, NC at an HHHunt Community!
 
1.  Renting can save money

At the very minimum you’ll be shelling out PITI for your home. That is:

   1. Principal
   2. Interest
   3. Tax
   4. Insurance

The PITI doesn’t include property maintenance like maintaining the yard, paint, plumbing, repairs, decorating, etc… When you rent an apartment in Garner at an HHHunt community, the monthly payment is almost always quite a bit less than the PITI in your area and there are no maintenance expenses!

2. Homeowners’ tax deductions are overstated

According to research quoted by MSN, “… half of homeowners don’t get a break, because even with mortgage interest and property taxes, their total deductions do not exceed the standard federal tax deduction ($11,900 for couples and $5,450 for singles)”.

For these folks, it’s like spending $100 to save $20. They’re better off saving the difference and investing it.   Even if there is a “break” on your taxes, you typically had to spend more than you would have spent to rent to get back that $20 for every $100 spent in interest payments.

3. Renting gives you flexibility

For the up and coming young professional, you’re better off renting and saving for a few years than to buy a small condo. Who knows how fast you will outgrow it?  When you own a home, you can’t always sell it when you need to sell it at the price you want to sell it in order to accept a new employment opportunity.  If you have owned a home and don’t want the constant maintenance responsibility, renting gives you the opportunity to enjoy your weekends instead of completing that “to do” list.

4.  Our superb service teams!

Most apartment communities offer 24 hour emergency maintenance and technicians who are skilled in HVAC, plumbing, and electrical.  At an HHHunt Community, our service teams take great pride in offering prompt and professional service to you.  Whether you need a light bulb changed or a new compressor for your AC unit, we are there to take care of you as fast and efficient as possible.  We are always a phone call or email away and most service requests are performed on the same day or within 24 hours!