Abberly Place Blog

>During the winter holiday’s it seems like everyone wants to share extra love and attention.  As often as we can we like to capture each moment with a picture.  Of course, the family pet has to be apart of each photo.  But what happens when you can’t quite get the dog to stay still long enough to take a quality photo?

It’s a challenge but it’s possible to come out with the perfect holiday photo’s.  One thing that you should do before hand would be to plan early.  The more organized the family is the easier it will be to control that furry family member.  Will everyone be wearing similar outfits?  Will the dog be dressed up?  these are simple things that could make a difference.

Think about the location where you’ll be taking the pictures.  You really want to minimize as many distractions as possible.  Some dogs may get a bit nervous and it will be harder to get your dogs attention.

Take a look at this article to find out more Tips for Including Your Pet in Family Holiday Photos
Happy Holiday’s from Abberly Place Apartments

We have all seen all the reports on the news, in the paper and talked about the rising number of bed bug cases throughout the country.  Bed Bugs have certainly made a come back in the last few decades.  There are several reasons for this resurgence.  The first reason is for a rise in infestation is the removal of DDT as a pest control deterrent.  DDT was found to be a carcinogenic and was banned by the Federal Government.  The second reason is more international travel.  Although bed bugs had almost been eradicated in the US, their infestation was still prevalent in other parts of the world.  With more international travel and the absence of DDT as a pest control option, bed bugs made their triumphant return to the US.  Misinformed people believed that this pest is brought on by being unclean.  This couldn’t be more incorrect.  Cleanliness has nothing to do with an infestation, bed bugs do not like dirt, they like humans.  Another interesting fact about bed bugs is unlike mosquitoes, bed bugs do not transfer disease.  Bed bugs can also live dormant up to a year without a human host. 

So how do you protect yourself against an infestation?  The first thing to do is to know where bed bugs are found.  Bed bugs are nocturnal so typically come out while we are sleeping and become dormant during the day in most cases.  They hide under the mattress, under the bed tag on your bed, inside your electronics, inside your picture frames, on top of door jams, in piles of clothes, and behind the head board of beds.  This is just a short list of places they hide.  Bed bugs can be found in other areas too.  The Commonwealth of Virginia came out with things to do while traveling:

One of the most common ways of encountering bed bugs is during travel. Whether traveling in the United States or internationally, there are hundreds of places where your luggage might come in contact with bed bugs. Bed bugs might be in your hotel room, in the trunk of the taxi, in the luggage compartment of the airplane, or in the baggage
handling facility at the airport. While you may not be able to control your bag’s travel experience, you can inspect your hotel room before your sleep there, and you can inspect your luggage prior to bringing it into your home. Inspecting your hotel room for bed bugs is very important for protecting yourself against bed bug bites as well as preventing bed bugs from infesting your bag. Hotel infestations are typically focused near the bed, so a quick inspection of the mattress and head board is generally enough for you to determine if bed bugs are present. Before opening your suitcase:

Hotel room inspection:

• Pull back all of the bedding at the head of the bed near the head board to look for bed bugs or their fecal stains on the mattress (usually several black spots in a group)
• Check the underside of the mattress tag
• Check the seams of the mattress and the boxsprings
• If possible remove the head board from the wall and inspect the back of it, particularly the holes for set-in screws and the plate that allows the head board to hang from the wall.
• If bed bug evidence is found, report it to the management and ask for another room.

To protect your luggage:

• Do not place your suitcase on the spare bed
• Inspect the luggage stand (where the straps are attached to the metal bars) and place your bag on the stand away from the wall.
• Keep your clothing in your bag, do not unpack and place your belongings in drawers
• Using a flashlight, give a quick check to the closet for bed bug evidence before hanging clothes
• Place your shoes in an open area, not under the bed or in the closet
• Upon returning home, unpack your luggage immediately in some location other than the bed room (bathroom, garage, mud room, foyer etc.). Launder all clothing.
• Using a flashlight, inspect your bag for bed bugs.
• If you have reason to believe that your bag did encounter bed bugs, place your suitcase in a plastic bag. If the weather is warm, the bag with the suitcase can be put out in the hot sun or in the hot car for a day.
• Alternatively, a fumigant strip (NoPest® strip) can be put inside the bag to chemically treat the suitcase. You can also purchase a collapsible heat chamber designed for heat treating luggage (PackTite Portable Bed bug Killing Unit™).
• Although it is not always practical, using a soft bag like a duffel style bag or gym bag when traveling will allow you to put the bag in the dryer when you get home.

By far the most common method of developing a bed bug infestation is by bringing used furniture into your home. Used furniture comes in many forms, and while picking up a nice looking mattress sitting next to the dumpster may be an obvious risk, storing your son’s furniture when he moves home from college may not be so obvious. Bed bugs can infest many items. We do not allow folks to dispose of furniture items at our compactors to help deter the spread of bed bugs. 

To protect yourself:

• Never take any furniture from a dumpster no matter how good it looks. The better it looks the more likely it is to be infested with bed bugs.
• Do not purchase refurbished mattresses or couches.
• Do not purchase furniture at a garage sale or antique store without carefully inspecting it first.
• Never store anyone’s furniture in your home.
• Do not purchase used books without first inspecting them.
• If you purchase a new mattress (or any piece of furniture), do not have it delivered to your home. Often the same trucks that deliver new mattresses, also take the old (potentially infested) mattresses away. So your new mattress might pick up bed bugs on the truck.
• If you are helping a friend move, or transporting other people’s belonging for any reason, be sure to inspect your vehicle once the belongings have been removed. While bed bugs do not typically survive the heat of a car during the warmer months, the car is an excellent bed bug habitat during the cooler weather.

So what do you do if you find bed bugs in your home?  Number one thing is do not freak out.  If you are living in an apartment home, report to your management office immediately.  If you can, trap one of the insects in a plastic bag so that the licensed professional can determine what insect they need to treat.  You should also try to recall where you found or saw the insect.  Do not try home remedies or pesticides in your apartment.  This can further the infestation into other people’s home and make it more difficult to treat.  Extermination of bed infestation needs to be done by a licensed professional.  Typically, most licensed professionals use several methods at one time when treating bed bugs.  This method has been found to be the best way to eradicate the problem.  Those three steps usually involve a neurotoxin, heat (typically steam above 117 degrees) and crushed shell solution that is put in the walls.  They also typically use a specific type of mattress cover on the bed and box spring that had the activity.  That mattress cover should be kept on the bed for the life of the mattress/box spring.  Exterminating bed bugs at the beginning stages of infestation is much easier to treat and eradicate than waiting until the problem has gotten really out of hand.  

There are signs that you might have a bed bug issue.  If you notice brown or red spots on your sheets, this could possible be from bites or fecal matter left behind from the insect.  If you find insect bites on you in the morning after you wake up, there is a chance you might have bed bugs.  They typically bite in areas that are softer parts of your skin such as the stomach, under part of your arms, thighs, and face/neck.  In most cases, it will be a series of three bites in a row. For the most part, the bites will be similar to a mosquito bite  but some folks have bruised from it.  Obviously seeing the bugs in your home is an obvious indicator.  

There are a lot of myths out there about this insect and a lot of paranoia.  Being aware of how they travel, common places to pick them up and what to do if you find them is the upmost important thing.  We will all know people in the next 10 years that has been effected by bed bugs.  We can protect ourselves by being diligent.    

We all need a place to call home but even with the real estate downturn, many people continue to think that buying a home is a good investment and a way for them to build wealth. When times were good, this was not really the case for most people.  Wherever you choose to live, make sure it’s for the right reasons. Owning a home can be rewarding. Renting an apartment home with Abberly Place can also be very rewarding. Don’t just take our word for it – check out this article on Yahoo Finance – Why Your Home is not the investment you think it is. In recent months, the housing market, interest rates and the economy have been the focus of many news stories and are key issues in the political arena. Consumers have been inundated for years with visions of the American Dream and why home ownership is a great investment. As seen with the recent housing crisis, home ownership may not be right for everyone.

• If you bought in Rochester, N.Y., in 1980, you would have seen only a mediocre 4% annual growth for the next 25 years.
• If you bought in Dallas in 1986, as the oil boom went bust, your home wouldn’t have appreciated at all before 1998.

It is also important to look at the “net appreciation”.  Most people do not subtract all of the interest paid to the banks, maintenance, decorating costs, closing costs, taxes, and insurance from the appreciation.  In many cases, especially if you do not own your home for more than a few years, there is not true appreciation and in more and more cases, there is negative appreciation.  Many do not realize the real financial and practical advantages HHHunt residents experience every year when they decide to rent an apartment home at one of our communities. There are just a couple of points to consider and think about. Renting is a long term investment and very rewarding. Especially in the North Carolina area we are a respected and very diverse community. Be sure to take a look at our communities and our activities we have to offer. Our unique apartment homes at Abberly Place combine convenience, comfort, and technology for today’s lifestyle in our apartment homes. Our beautiful interiors are designed to optimize the way you live, work, and play. Contact us today to learn more about renting at Abberly Place, or feel free to stop in and take a tour of our community.

UPDATE: As of 17 Feb 11, all items are SOLD. Look for more deals in the future.

Dining Room table and chairs for sale. This was in our model so it has never really been used. Please visit www.abberlyplace.com to see furniture in the model.

* Photo above may differ from actual items being sold *

We are selling all three pieces including the glass top for only $100. We have a bedroom set that we will be selling soon... stay tuned for more information, call us at 877-567-9157 or stop by our office.

Apartments in Raleigh NC

It’s Turkey Time!!!

Baking a turkey can be fun.  You can turn this into a family event and family roast the bird.  Most of the larger family members don’t show up until the food is nearly ready to serve but for the immediate family who lives in your apartment with you, then can join in baking process.  Bake your turkey until the skin is a light golden color.  Then cover loosely with a foil tent during the last 45 minutes of baking.

The turkey is done when the thigh meat reaches an internal temperature of 180 degrees F. To get an accurate reading, be sure that your thermometer is not touching the bone.

This video will show you a bit more about roasting a turkey the right way.

Google has just made the announcement about Google Instant watch the video below.

Google Instant Search Engine

In 2010 the amount of digital information on the internet will reach over 1,000,000 times the information in the libraries of America.  Now that we’ve got your attention we hope that you will Try Google Instant.

Google is always searching for new ways to improve on search engine results. No, we don’t work for Google and we will not collect any residual benefits from your decision to Try Google Instant Now.  We simply like moving fast on the internet, that’s all.  You should like moving faster too.

I have the Abberly Place Premium wi-fi Package in my apartment but sometimes I like to go to the Club House or even Boarders right up the street from Abberly Place Apartments.  It doesn’t matter where I go, the internet is fast, fast and fast!  Thanks Google Instant.

Watch this video of Google Instant in Action

Don’t leave home without your renters insurance

You’ve moved in, set up phone service and changed your mailing address. What’s left to do? Get renter’s insurance to protect your precious belongings from unexpected perils like theft, flood or fire!

Renter’s insurance also covers your valuables kept in garage and storage’s. Our property owner’s insurance covers the buildings, not personal valuables inside, but for a low monthly premium you can insure yourself against future problems.

Renter’s insurance can cover hotel stays and eating out should it become necessary to do so due to not having access to your apartment. You can often work with the company that insures your vehicle to get a group deal and you will barely notice the increase. Please contact an insurance representative immediately for peace of mind.

Look at Liberty National and RentersInsurance.net for more answers and info

Abberly Place Apartments

Have you ever heard the expression “People hear what they want to hear?” For some reason, most people seem to immediately believe their friends and family when they are told that they should “stop throwing their money away on rent and buy a home”.

First of all, the majority of money that you pay towards a mortgage is mortgage interest (especially in the first few years of a mortgage) and all of this money goes directly to the bank (not to the principal). On most 30 year mortgage loans, it is not until year 19 or 20 that you are paying more towards the principal than to mortgage interest. I am a home owner and have yet to hear anyone tell me that I “should stop throwing all of my money away to the bank”.

Secondly, there is a lot more money “thrown away” on closing costs, maintenance costs, insurance, property taxes, landscaping, and decorating. For those that are continuing to choose to rent an apartment home at Abberly Place Garner Apartment Homes don’t be so quick to believe those well-meaning friends who tell you to stop throwing your money away. Most of you are throwing away much less money than those home owners and have a maintenance-free life!

But don’t take our word for it, do your own research. We’ll be right here with open arms. Facebookand Twitterare also great ways of connecting with us.

I was surfing around the Internet and I cam across this great website.  I don’t know if you are familiar with Success

Magazine but they have a very dominate online presence.  I found a great video by Dave Ramsey on Retiring Wealthy.  He began to talk about IRA’s and tax free money.  With 401k’s and compound interest investments can grow  really fast.  I’m interested in seeing what else he has to say.  Go over to the website now and see for your self.  You will enjoy the wealth of other video’s as well.  Happy Wealth Friday.

Dave Ramsey on Retiring Wealthy

Abberly Place on Facebook and @AbberlyPlace