In the American mind, renting has long symbolized striving rather than achieving. But as we climb our way out of the Great Recession, it seems something has changed. Americans are getting over the idea of owning the American dream; increasingly, they're OK with renting it.
Homeownership is on the decline, and renting is on the rise. But the trend isn't limited to the housing market. Across the board, Americans are increasingly acclimating to the idea of giving up the stability of being an owner for the flexibility of being a renter. This may sound like a decline in living standards. But the new realities of our increasingly mobile economy make it more likely that this transition from an Ownership Society to a Rentership Society.
The unsentimental fact about the American dream is that Americans never really owned it in the first place. For the past three decades, especially, consumers haven't so much bought their quality of life as they've borrowed it from banks and credit card companies.
Now consumers are following the example of corporations, becoming more efficient. And it starts at home.
Housing is the biggest single component of consumption in the U.S. economy and the source of much of our present misery. The typical consumer spends about 32% of his or her budget on shelter. In the last decade, that generally meant borrowing a lot of money to take "ownership" of a home.
During the boom, the home ownership rate grew steadily, peaking at a record 69% in 2006.
Ownership-boosters failed to note that homes purchased in 2005 and 2006 with no-money-down, interest-only mortgages weren't really bought. They were simply rented until the "owner" flipped them or walked away from the mortgage.
In the post-bust climate, renting has emerged as a much more economically efficient way to pay for housing. A one-year lease represents a far less onerous financial obligation than a 30-year mortgage. It's difficult to get into too much financial trouble as a renter. The home ownership rate has fallen from its peak in 2006 to 65.4% today.
For an increasing number of Americans it makes more sense to rent. According to Moody's, by late 2011 it was cheaper to rent than to own in 72% of American metropolitan areas, (such as metro Raleigh) up from 54% a decade ago. And the more people who do it, the more socially acceptable and desirable it becomes. The decline in the ownership rate means that about three million more households rent today than did at the height of the bubble.
It's tempting to view the rise of renting as an economic step backward. But many would argue the rise of renting is a sign of a system adapting to new realities.
The U.S. economy needs the dynamism that renting enables as much as, or more than, it needs the stability that ownership engenders.
And the rising popularity of renting is hardly contained to the housing market.
Finally, perhaps, Americans are absorbing a piece of wisdom from Thoreau: "And when the farmer has got his house, he may not be the richer but the poorer for it, and it be the house that has got him."
If you live in our apartments in Garner, NC you should know we have a Susan G. Komen Walk/Run Team. If you haven’t signed up yet, there is still time! The Susan G. Komen foundation raises significant funds and awareness for the fight against breast cancer, celebrates breast cancer survivorship, and honors those who have lost their battle with the disease.
Who are you walking or running for? Are you doing this for your mother, your sister, your grandmother, or your friend? Whoever is your inspiration, the Abberly Place Susan G. Komen Walk/Run for Breast Cancer awareness team welcomes you to the movement that will end breast cancer forever. If you have signed up already, thank you. If not, there is still time, the walk is on June 9th in Raleigh.
Do you need more information about the walk or do you need to register? Please go to the website, www.komen.org/race.
Don’t forget, if you sign up as part of the Abberly Place Team, you will receive the T–shirt from the Susan g. Komen organization as well as an Abberly Place Team T–shirt. The fee is only $25, and that money helps raise awareness for this important cause. Not to mention the fun we will all have!
The Triangle area of North Carolina is a beautiful community with amazing job opportunities. Not to mention, there are so many things to see and do.
The Best Place to Live and Work in the Nation, the Best Business Climate, the Best Place in the US for Educational Opportunities, these are just a few of the many national and international accolades that Raleigh and the Research Triangle have received from publications that include Money, Fortune and Time Magazines.
A recent survey showed an astounding 96% of newcomers with children said they would move to the area again if they had it to do all over again.
“With a population aeound 300,000, Raleigh may be a city, but it lives like a small town, with shaded pedestrian streets, more than 153 park sites, historic cobblestone streets with period lighting and sidewalk cafes." Greenwich Post.
While relocating can be challenging, at Abberly Place, we can help. We can help you find an apartment in Raleigh, NC in our beautiful community, with many amenities at the right price.
Father’s Day is quickly approaching. Since you live in North Carolina, one of the best states for golf in America, and most dad’s love golf… Here's are a few of the best public and semi-private courses in theRaleigh area. The Triangle’s top three universities offer public access to beautiful and challenging courses of the caliber usually reserved for private clubs.
Finley Golf Course at UNC
Located just south of campus in Chapel Hill. Greens fees range from $30-$82 depending on day of the week and time of play. Great deals are available for weekday and twilight tee times.
Duke Golf Club/ Washington Duke Inn and Golf Club
This rolling golf course, located on the Duke campus, travels into and around the Duke Forrest. Meet after the game at the Washington Duke Inn. This is a Robert Trent Jones course. Triangle residents receive special rates.
Lonnie Pool Golf Course at NC State University
An Arnold Palmer designed course with great views of the Raleigh Skyline and NC State's Centennial Campus.
The Preserve at Jordan Lake Golf Club
This semi-private club has won a number of awards including Golf Week’s "One of America's 100 Best Residential Golf Courses." Winner buys lunch or dinner at the Grille after the game.
Falls Village Golf Course
This Raleigh course give the feeling of playing in the great outdoors with no one else around.
It’s Memorial Day weekend this weekend; the official start of summer. Are you looking for a place to enjoy the outdoors near Raleigh? If so, try Jordan Lake. Jordan Lake's 46,768 acres are not only a popular source of recreation. They also provide the water supply for surrounding cities, and fish and wildlife conservation.
Imagine fishing in a cove, or just relaxing and listening to the sounds of the water rippling by. Picture the surface of the lake glistening, water spraying your face. Take a boat if you have one. You’ll hear the laughter of children, smell burgers roasting over a charcoal fire, and feel a cooling breeze blowing through.
Jordan Lake is part of the New Hope River Valley, now home to the corporate world of Research Triangle Park. This has been the site of a broad range of cultures for more than 10,000 years. Archaeologists have explored the remains of 450 prehistoric and historic sites in the area and have uncovered many Native American artifacts.
With almost 14,000 acres of water, all this and more is yours to discover at Jordan Lake. The North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation operates nine recreation areas on the lake — Crosswinds Campground, Ebenezer Church, Parker's Creek, Poplar Point, Seaforth, Vista Point, Robeson Creek, New Hope Overlook, and White Oak Recreation Area. Whether you're looking for fun in the sun or an evening under the stars, Jordan Lake offers it all. All of this is conveniently located in Chatham County, 21 miles southwest of Raleigh off US 64. Enjoy!
Step aside New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. When it comes to living the good life,Raleigh has it all: from high-tech jobs to good education and economic stability.
Raleigh does not have the same cultural splendors of New York, the financial clout of Chicago, or the ethnic diversity of Los Angeles. But it does have plenty of attractive qualities of its own.
Such as its high-tech industries which have established Raleigh as an anchor of the famed Research Triangle. Then there are its high-profile universities, led by North Carolina State, which have cemented its reputation as an educational center. Also, its status as a state capital, which has brought political prominence and economic stability.
And now you can add this: Raleigh is the major metropolitan market that offers the best quality of life in the United States, according to a new study by Portfolio.com/bizjournals.
The study compared the performances of the nation's 67 biggest metropolitan areas in 20 categories. The highest scores went to well-rounded markets with healthy economies, moderate costs of living, light traffic, impressive housing stocks, and high-powered educational systems.
Raleigh earned first place, edging out two metros that are substantially larger, No. 2 Washington and No. 3 Minneapolis-St. Paul.
Several factors pushed Raleigh to the top of the list:
It’s growing at a rapid pace. No major market is expanding as rapidly as Raleigh, whose metropolitan population has increased by 37 percent since 2000.
It has a vast inventory of new homes. More than half of the places to live in the Raleigh area have been built since 1990. Las Vegas is the only other market above 50 percent for new homes.
It has an impressive supply of high-level jobs. Forty-four percent of Raleigh’s workers hold management or professional positions, surpassing all but three markets.
It has a well-educated workforce. Raleigh, at 41 percent, ranks sixth in the share of adults holding bachelor’s degrees.
Four reasons for Raleigh’s No. 1 rank are listed above. The other reasons include its large percentage of young adults and its historically low unemployment rate.
Portfolio.com/bizjournals analyzed the 67 metropolitan areas that have populations of 750,000 or more.
Did you know that portfolio.com ranked the Raleigh area as #3 on its list of Best Markets for Young Adults? They based this rank on growth rate, cost of living, percentage of college educated, etc. They asked the question: where is it good to be a young adult? And the answer came back to them: lots of places, starting with Austin, but number 3 is Raleigh, NC.
The Southwest is the new frontier for young Americans, the area of the country where 20 and 30 year olds have the best chance of establishing themselves in a recessionary economy.
Five Southwestern metropolitan areas, led by Austin, rank among the nation’s 10 best places for young adults. And, Washington, Raleigh, and Boston are the three runners-up in the study’s rankings of the best places for young adults.
Portfolio.com/bizjournals analyzed the 67 U.S. metropolitan areas with populations above 750,000, searching for qualities that would appeal to workers in their 20s and early 30s. The study’s 10-part formula gave the highest marks to places with strong growth rates, moderate costs of living, and substantial pools of young adults who are college-educated and employed.
Raleigh was ranked on top for many reasons. This is the fastest-growing major metro in the nation. The population of the Raleigh area is increasing by 3.9 percent per year. That’s more than triple the pace for the typical market which is 1.2 percent. Another North Carolina metro, Charlotte, placed at 28 in the rankings.
More than fresh vegetables, it’s a family adventure. Considered one of the best and most modern markets in the U.S., you can enjoy 75 acres of indoor and outdoor specialty shops, restaurants and a garden center, with fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses and gift products from across the state located right here in Raleigh.
Inside the Farmers Building there is 30,000 square feet for North Carolina farmers to sell fresh produce, plants, and other specialty items produced on local farms straight to you. Plants are available now and local fruits and vegetables are sold throughout the growing season. This is where you can find the freshest and widest variety of produce and plants in the area.
You can also enjoy unique shopping in the Market Shoppes. There is plenty of room to shop in this 15,600 square foot enclosed climate controlled building. Of course you can expect to find farm fresh produce here as well as meats, cheeses, and bakery items, but did you think you would find crafts, custom picture framing, a market grill, and N.C. wines? There are also a wide variety of specialty shops with old-fashioned candies, N.C. gifts, soaps, and lotions.
This is one of five Farmers Markets owned by the State of North Carolina and is designed to serve North Carolina farmers, both large and small. This. More than fresh vegetables, it’s a family adventure. Farmers Markets is located at 1201 Agriculture St., Raleigh, North Carolina, (919) 733-7417
If you are relocating to the RaleighNorth Carolina area, you are in luck. Of all of the cities in the South, this one is close to the top. With a great climate you will enjoy warm summers and mild winters. Not to mention, there are both mountains and beaches within traveling distance! Whether you enjoy sitting in the sun listening to the waves or the quietness and beauty of the mountains, you will find both when you move to Raleigh.
Raleigh, the "City of Oaks," is the capital of North Carolina and has much to offer in great college sports teams: NC State, Duke, and the beloved Carolina Tar Heels. The professional sports teams include the NHL Carolina Hurricanes and NFL Carolina Panthers. Downtown Raleigh is broken up into 5 districts and is all the rage for night clubs, dance clubs, and bars, plus terrific restaurants. With many things to see and do, the free hybrid electric bus service can connect you to museums, dining and shopping.
So if you are a hiker, or sports fanatic, enjoy nightlife or a good restaurant you will love Raleigh and Abberly Place Apartment Homes. 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. We offer residents many community amenities and proximity to Raleigh, while providing comfort and scenery at home. The mountains are a few hours west and the ocean a few hours east, both make for great weekend trips and the city has so much to offer. Welcome to your new home, Raleigh.
When you are changing apartments, or relocating for a job, one of the biggest challenges is selecting theright apartment. It is difficult to anticipate future needs right now, but you do know how you feel at the end of a day, what you like to do on weekends, and the feeling you want when you get home from work and it is time to relax. There is no exact answer to what you will need in the future, no one has a crystal ball that works, but at least there are some key factors that you should keep in mind when you are looking.
The first thing is you need to consider is your monthly budget. Setting your budgetfirst helps narrow down your options. This way you can avoid wasting time on random apartments that don't suit your needs.
The next is location, location, location. And, whether you have kids or not, area activities and the neighborhood are big factors; can you easily drive to area shopping, dining, and sporting events? Also take into consideration your commute. Abberly Place is minutes from downtown Raleigh. Frequently named one of the best places to live, Raleigh boasts an abundance of outstanding restaurants, dynamic nightspots, cultural entertainment, recreational opportunities, sophisticated retail and Southern charm. Although you might be too busy when you first move in to take advantage, you will want to explore soon enough.
Even if you have a vehicle, it is important to know if there are activities within walking distance from your new home. North Carolina has wonderful weather, mild winters and warm summers, and you will want to take advantage.
Speak with the apartment staff. You need to decide by looking at your potential new home, get the feel for what may be your new environment. Make an appointmentand pay a visit. You will want to see what amenities are offered and what kind of community exists at your new apartment home. The 9 foot ceilings, gorgeous crown molding, two resort-style pools and state-of-the-art fitness centers at Abberly Place will make you feel luxurious and what a great place to come home to.
At the end of the day, your satisfaction about your move will depend on what thelocation and the neighborhood community has to offer. Not only the interior of the apartment itself, but also the broad array of services and amenities available for your enjoyment. Make an appointment to visit Abberly Place today.
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In the American mind, renting has long symbolized striving rather than achieving. But as we climb our way out of the Great Recession, it seems something has changed. Americans are getting over the idea of owning the American dream; increasingly, they're OK with renting it.
If you live in our 
The Triangle area of North Carolina is a beautiful community with amazing job opportunities. Not to mention, there are so many things to see and do.
Father’s Day is quickly approaching. Since you 
Imagine fishing in a cove, or just relaxing and listening to the sounds of the water rippling by. Picture the surface of the lake glistening, water spraying your face. Take a boat if you have one. You’ll hear the laughter of children, smell burgers roasting over a charcoal fire, and feel a cooling breeze blowing through. 
Did you know that portfolio.com ranked the Raleigh area as #3 on its list of Best Markets for Young Adults? They based this rank on growth rate, cost of living, percentage of college educated, etc. They asked the question: where is it good to be a young adult? And the answer came back to them: lots of places, starting with Austin, but number 3 is 
Inside the Farmers Building there is 30,000 square feet for 
Raleigh
