Questions to Ask When you Rent

Questions to Ask When you Rent
How is the apartment heated and cooled? Check the units to see what shape they are in. Also ask what utilities are included in the rent and which ones are your responsibility as a renter. What is the maintenance policy? What fixes are included in the rent and which ones are not. If there are repairs that are not included in the rent, find out if there is an extra charge and how much it is. There should be a prompt emergency contact and a non-emergency line as well. Who are the neighbors? Inquire if many children live in the building or if people with pets live around you. What parking is available and is it included in the rent? Ask if any special permits are required to park in the lot or in the streets around the building. Do all the appliances work? Check all the appliances and sinks to be sure they are working properly.

For apartments in New Jersey go to Raritan Crossing. They are pet friendly apartments and New Brunswick NJ apartments. Rentals near Metropark and apartments in Middlesex county. For apartments in central NJ this is the place for you.

Don't be afraid of color.

Don't be afraid of color.
A little paint, throughout the whole apartment or just on one wall, can make a world of difference in terms of how you feel about your space. It can really warm up the cold box, says Jeanie Engelbach, who has taught budget decorating tricks to New Yorkers and whose colorful apartment has been featured on HGTV's Small Space, Big Style.
The fact is, most people aren't afraid of color — they're so afraid of not getting their security deposit back that they're willing to live with white walls, she says. "If white is the color scheme, at least use a superior quality of paint," she suggests. But her heart is with color. "I enthusiastically embrace color because paint can always be re-covered," she says. Case in point: She has repainted her 850-square-foot Greenwich Village apartment numerous times (she's lived there for more than 12 years) and has effectively used color to divide the space into functional areas.
There are other ways to add color without the commitment of painting, says designer Ron Marvin, mini-space expert on HGTV's Small Space, Big Style. We're talking everything from couches to bed linens, dishes to lampshades. "Add a punctuation point of color to your room with pillows on your bed, sofa and chairs. Or change out the knobs on the kitchen cabinets and go with something colorful," he says
For apartments in New Jersey go to Raritan Crossing. They are pet friendly apartments and New Brunswick NJ apartments. Rentals near Metropark and apartments in Middlesex county. For apartments in central NJ this is the place for you.

Sensible Burglary Prevention Measures

Sensible Burglary Prevention Measures Start with the Basics
(ARA) - It is always a busy season for burglars. According to FBI statistics, the greatest numbers of home burglaries occur in July, with August a close second. In 2004, for instance, burglars entered a house, apartment or condominium every 14.7 seconds, making off with valuables worth an average of $1,607 each time.
Art Noparstak, marketing manager for Intermatic, Inc. and spokesperson for the national Burglary Prevention Council, an organization dedicated to the prevention of residential burglaries, states, "Sixty-two percent of all burglaries occur in daylight hours, and almost a third are made without forced entry. Don't make the burglar's job too easy."
To prevent burglaries, Noparstak offers the following advice:
* Keep all doors, windows and garage doors closed and securely fastened. Doors should have deadbolt locks with at least a 1" throw and reinforced strike plate with 3" screws. All windows should have window locks.
* Cut up cartons for TVs, computers, stereos, etc. Tie the pieces together so a burglar going through the garbage does not see any of your highly valuable household items.
* Do not leave ladders or tools lying around outside.
* Install a wide-angle door viewer (peephole) in your front door so you can see who is at the door.
* Don't put your name and residential address on your key ring. If you happen to lose it, a dishonest person could gain entry to your home.
* Use timers on lights, radios and TVs. Set light timers to turn on and off and random times of the day and night, making your residence appear occupied.
* Keep shrubbery trimmed away from entrances and walkways.
* When service or delivery people come to your door, ask for ID. If you're still not sure, call the police first and report the stranger. Next, call the company to confirm.
* Make a home inventory list, complete with photos or video. Engrave items with your ID to help the police identify your belongings. Store this list in a safety deposit box.
* Post signs in conspicuous locations that clearly indicate that the premises are protected by a burglar alarm.
"Consumers should also consider installing a burglar alarm around their home," says Noparstak. "It is a myth that burglar alarms need to be high-tech and cost thousands of dollars. There are many affordable options available, including window, door and table top alarms."
For apartments in New Jersey go to Raritan Crossing. They are pet friendly apartments and New Brunswick NJ apartments. Rentals near Metropark and apartments in Middlesex county. For apartments in central NJ this is the place for you.

Rethink Your Rental

Rethink Your Rental Make a rental space your own on a modest budget by creatively updating your current wares and adding a few new items to the bunch. Check our tips and inspiration below.
Living Room
Think of your apartment as your own -- ask your landlord for permission to paint (offer to repaint when you leave), hang plenty of art, and install draperies. If wall color is off-limits, rethink the furnishings. Use large pieces, even in small spaces, to create interest in place of paint. Trying changing the shape of the room by placing a room divider in a corner -- it allows the eye to flow evenly across the room rather than interrupt it with abrupt corners.
Apple green is stylish without being too trendy. Pair it with a neutral brown sofa -- this custom design boasts clean lines and didn't cost much more than a retail sofa. A $99 IKEA coffee table makes a modern statement (and adds precious storage) in the small space.
It's the little things that make a white-box rental a home, such as adding graphic accent pillows for the couch and a rug to cover up standard apartment flooring. Even something as simple as placing a table lamp on top of a stack of books sends the message that the space belongs to you, not your landlord. If your living room must double as a home office, don't let the work space overpower the room. Opt for spacious filing cabinets topped with an inexpensive sheet of melamine for lots of storage space and minimal impact on the rest of the room. The lamp is a $10.95 thrift store find with a new shade.
Looking for another deal? These floor-to-ceiling drapery panels are sewn from silk shantung found online for only $11 a yard.
Keep office supplies from taking over your work area by storing them on a vintage tray. Adding personal trinkets affords you a moment's distraction while checking e-mail or paying bills.

For apartments in New Jersey go to Raritan Crossing. They are pet friendly apartments and New Brunswick NJ apartments. Rentals near Metropark and apartments in Middlesex county. For apartments in central NJ this is the place for you.

Dos and Don'ts of Dorm Decor

Dos and Don'ts of Dorm Decor
Check out our firsthand knowledge of everything you must know about decorating your first dorm room.
By Kaelin Tripp
Buy RightDon't: Overpurchase for your dorm room. The room will be small, so buying everything you see may not be the best -- for your room or for your budget.
Do: Wait until you settle into your room to add the small accessories. While it's tempting to buy all the cool dorm frills, take your time to make those purchases. Plus, items will go on sale a couple weeks after school starts.
Pack Up WiselyDon't: Bring everything you own from home. Paring down your possessions, and your clothes, will make it easier to move into your new space.
Do: Bring the essentials. Remember, you are sharing a room with someone else so there isn't room for everything, especially when it comes to clothes. If you live close to school leave most of your winter clothes at home until Thanksgiving break. Then swap for your warm-weather wardrobe during spring break.
Avoid an Overly Matched LookDon't: Declare that you and your roommate must have everything matching. After all, you could have a new roommate next year, or next semester.
Do: Chat with your roommate before you head to school to choose a color scheme that suits both of your tastes. Then choose your own coordinating items. This makes it easy to incorporate your own personality into your part of the room. Choosing bold colors with large patterns will add life to the dull white walls of a dorm.

For apartments in New Jersey go to Raritan Crossing. They are pet friendly apartments and New Brunswick NJ apartments. Rentals near Metropark and apartments in Middlesex county. For apartments in central NJ this is the place for you.

Cottage Style Decorating on a Budget!

Cottage Style Decorating on a Budget!
By Kathy WilsonThe Budget Decorator
Cottage decorating is meant for real living, which makes it perfect for the budget decorator!
Cottage style is a relaxed and casual style, reminiscent of a small vacation cottage in the woods, at the beach, or in the mountains. There are no rules, except everything is usable, feet can be put up on the furniture, and charming is the word of the day. That being said, there are certain things a budget decorator can do to bring the cottage style into ones home.
*Add white through the room. If you prefer color on your walls, remember to add lots of white and light colored accessories to brighten. White painted furniture, white plates on the wall and white fabric would all be great contrasts. If you have white walls, add a hint of color to them with a wash of the palest pastels, and color in the fabric.
*Use lots of fabric in the room. Slipcovers, pillows, and tablecloths are all hallmarks of a romantic vacation spot.
Combine patterns. An easy way to combine pattern in the cottage style is to look for different patterns that all have a white background and similar color schemes.
*Use mismatched furniture. A room should evolve over time for maximum charm, just be sure that the furniture is all casual in nature, and tie it together by painting it all white, or using the same fabric on each piece.
*Keep clutter down to a minimum. Have a place for everyday items, and keep your accessorizing to your favorite pieces.
You can even change them out with the seasons, just don’t feel the need to display everything you own at once.
*Creative use of everyday items are hallmarks of the cottage style. A garden bench makes a great coffee table, a tin bucket is a perfect magazine rack, and a yard sale pitcher makes a terrific vase. Look around your house at what you already own, and see how you can repurpose things with charm.
*Everything old is new again…weathered finishes, faded florals, and furnishings with history are ideal fits into the cottage décor. A budget decorators trick to avoiding the high price of antique furniture, garden accessories or architectural elements…buy them new at a discount or home improvement store, and age them yourself! Lattice, decorative shelf brackets, or tin buckets can be painted and sanded to look 100 years old, at a fraction of the price. Do a google search for "faux antique finishes" and you’ll have all the info you need to create a one of a kind vacation home cottage décor!
For apartments in New Jersey go to Raritan Crossing. They are pet friendly apartments and New Brunswick NJ apartments. Rentals near Metropark and apartments in Middlesex county. For apartments in central NJ this is the place for you.