By Relocation.com
When you sign a lease agreement, most likely you’ll be signing on for a set period of time, such as six months or one year. That means you’ll have to stay on for this amount of time or risk breaking your lease.
While many people do intend to stay long-term in their apartments or homes (after all, moving all the time can be costly) there are some unforeseen circumstances where you might be forced to break your lease before it us up, such as illness, job loss or other emergencies. If you absolutely have to break your lease agreement, here are some of the things you should consider.
Alternatives:
Before you try breaking your lease, there may be other things you can do first. You can ask your landlord if you can transfer the lease to someone you know (and have them move in and pay off the remaining rent for the lease term) or find a sub letter, who will be your responsibility for the time of the lease. In many cases, landlords hate breaking lease agreements because they don’t want to lose the income from the rent and/or don’t want to be bothered with having to look for tenants. If you make it as easy as possible for them, you may be able to get out of your lease unscathed.
Circumstances When You Can Legally Break Your Lease
There are three main circumstance wherein you can break your lease without penalty:
1) If the apartment or whom suffers serious damage through natural disasters, crime or other instances through no fault of your own.
2) If you suffer serious health issues which require you to live in an assisted living facility.
3) If you are called into active military duty after you’ve signed your lease
In these three cases, you can legally break the lease and your landlord cannot go after you for penalties.
Landlord Deficiencies:
If your landlord has been deficient in his or her duties, then you can also break your lease since he or she is not keeping up their end of the bargain. For example, if you’ve repeatedly sent requests for repairs and they ignore you, or if they’re supposed to pay for the utilities but haven’t (or have been keeping the payment for themselves if you give it to them) then you have just cause to break your lease. Make sure you keep good records (like written or e-mailed requests for repairs, etc.) so you can make your case, in the event that you have to go to small claims court or have been served with other legal documents and actions.
If you just want to break your lease because you want to move somewhere else, because you can’t pay or perhaps going through a divorce or separation, you may find it harder to break your lease. However, first talk to your landlord and offer the aforementioned alternatives, that way you can have a peace of mind when you coordinate other aspects of your move like locating moving companies.
Is your closet a mess? Check out these tips to help you get organized!
By Relocation.com
Storage can be small to almost non-existent in a small apartment. Your closet, whether it is used for clothes or other things, is mean to keep things in place and out of sight in order to keep your room clutter free. However, most people just pile their things into a closet, without thought of what it looks like. It is important to keep the inside of your closet neat as well. You’ll be able to keep your things neat and clean, as well as maximize your space so you can fit more inside. Here are a few tips so you can get started on getting your closet organized.
1) Clear it out.
If your closet is so full you can barely close it, then it’s time to get rid of some things. The easiest way is to start emptying your closet and placing things in piles or boxes – those things you should keep and things you should give away. Be impartial and practical when you decide on what to keep and get rid of. If you haven’t worn it in a year, chances are you’ll never wear it again. If you’re waiting to lose those 10 pounds to fit into your old jeans – don’t! Give it away and buy new, slimmer jeans if (or when) you do lose that extra weight.
2) Use every inch of your closet.
Are you using every available bit of space inside your closet? Shelving is important to make use of vertical space, and if you don’t have any built it, you can easily find stacking shelves that you can place inside so you can fit more items in. Look as every nook and cranny to find ways to add more storage. How about the closet doors? You can attach hooks to your closet door and hang shoes, scarves, belts, ties and bags.
3) Organize visually.
Use your eyes to organize. What does this mean? First, you should keep the things you need often at eye level, so you can easily get to them without disturbing the closet’s organization. Next, organize things by color. That way, if you’re looking for a particular red shirt or yellow dress, your eyes will be drawn to that particular corner of your closet and you can quickly get to it. The same can be said of organizing shoes. Keep them in clear boxes so you know what’s inside, or else, take a photo and place it outside the box so you know which is which.
With these organizational tips, you can easily maximize your closet space and keep your things in order. With a neater and orderly closet, you’ll be able to access the things you need easily and keep you space from being cluttered, which may also make moving that much easier.
Check out our tips before you move in with a roomie.
By Relocation.com
Living with a roommate is both exciting and daunting. You might have grown up having your own room, or sharing a room with a sibling, but living with a complete stranger is a task that should never be taken lightly. Conflicts arise only when things are unclear. Sometimes anything petty, like eating his or her food, or leaving dirty dishes in the sink can cause many fights. An important piece of advice: keep communication lines open and be clear about everything with your roommate from the very beginning. This helps to avoid such conflicts and misunderstandings.
Here are some areas where rules must be set so that you and your roommate can maintain a good relationship and keep peace and harmony around your shared apartment.
Personal and “public” stuff.
This must be clear between you and your roommate: which among your stuff is available for common use and which is restricted. Do you share your books and CDs? Will you allow your roommate to use your kitchen utensils? Are you sensitive about the use of your shaver? These are some of the issues that must be addressed.
Visiting hours.
Your apartment building may set their own time for this, but you and your roommate must also agree with regards to your own apartment. Issues to address include: What time is considered to be available as visiting hours? Who may be accepted as visitors? How long can guests stay over?
Entertainment.
Some people love loud music while others don’t. Some like TV, while some hate it. Be sure to have an agreement as to how loud s the music can be played inside the room at up to what time should the television turned on. You might have to battle on who takes control of the remote.
Housekeeping schedule.
If you don’t have any experience in housekeeping, it may be a pain. This time it’s a necessity for both of you to keep it clean. Your mother won’t be around to pick up after you. Make an agreement on the assignment of tasks and a schedule: Who deals with cleaning the floor, putting out the trash, dishes? The important thing is to be fair.
Lights out.
It is important to set a time for the lights out so both of you may properly manage the time. You may follow different timelines for your stuff, so plan your schedule. Say, activities that may need lighting should be done early on so that you will not need to go beyond your scheduled lights out time.
Bills payment.
There are cases where you may have to pay for some bills like water, electricity, as well as cable and internet. Since you might be sharing the use of these, be clear on how you would split the bill for each.
Kitchen and toilet supplies.
Have an agreement on how you will purchase or use your toilet or kitchen supplies. You may decide whether you should take care of buying your own supplies or just splitting the cost of those between each other.
It will save you a lot of trouble if you can arrive at a consensus on the areas enumerated above. Make sure that you always have an open line of communication with each other. Be proactive and take time to discuss problems with your roommate as soon as possible. Both of you should be able to live in peace and harmony.
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By Relocation.com
When deciding to rent your home or apartment there are numerous questions and a screening process that potential tenants should have. Before you advertise your place you should know exactly what you want in a tenant, and what the rules will be.
Of course you are going to run a credit check and a background check on anyone who fills out your application. But before you even get to that point, there are questions you can ask any potential renter that may help you decide if you even want to get to an application. Get a feel for their answers, such as hesitations or just a gut feeling you may have that they are not being totally honest with you.
• Ask them their full names. If they just want you to call them by their first names, this might indicate they have something to hide.
• Ask them where they work, and if you can contact their employer. Obviously you want tenants that are employed, and if they are not willing to let you talk to their boss, maybe they don’t have one.
• How many people will be living in the apartment or house? Are there children and if so, how old are they? You don’t want a family of eight moving into your one bedroom apartment.
• Do they smoke? If they do, will they be smoking outside? Smoke can really mess up the walls and any furnishings you might have.
• Why are they moving? Does their answer sound reasonable?
• Explain that you will need to contact their landlord. If they have a bunch of excuses why that is not a good idea, that will be a huge red flag.
• Do they have any pets, and if so, what are they? If you have a no pet policy, this should be explained upfront.
• Ask for their social security number. They should have no trouble providing it.
You will probably want to think of some other questions on your own that pertain to issues you may have. Just remember that there are certain things you can’t ask. Be sure and check out the laws for the Fair Housing Act. The more information you can get upfront, the more time you will save screening out people who are just not right for your rental property.
Donotrent.com integrates real estate rental reviews and through social networking features where they can search and post reviews of apartments, rental homes, student housing, vacation rentals and more. Donotrent.com is also a trusted partner of Relocation.com, a complete moving resource where consumers can receive competitive moving quotes.
The newest user review and social networking website donotrent.com went live late November 2010. The review platform is based on tenant experiences, past or present, renting apartments, on or off campus student housing, rental homes, vacation rentals and more. The site allows users to search and post reviews in every city in the United States. Users can also post pictures of the apartment and rate it using a unique 5-star rating system that ranges from “Not That Bad” to “Absolute Nightmare.” Although the name, donotrent.com, implies and actually encourages negative reviews, users can also post positive reviews. “The reviews that users post are meant to help future tenants become more aware of possible issues and ask the agent or landlord tough questions before they sign a lease,” says Cerny, a Chicago based real estate professional and co-founder of the site. Landlords are welcome to respond to posts about their properties if they believe a review is inaccurate or if a problem has been corrected.
It happens all too often, an interested party walks through a beautifully furnished unit with an agent or landlord and decides to sign a lease because everything looks perfect. It is very obvious that the agent or landlord is not going to mention that they receive numerous noise complaints about the neighbors throwing parties all the time or that the unit has a mold problem in the kitchen ceiling which they continue to simply paint over. Donotrent.com allows users to easily share their experiences in order to help future tenants make an informed decision about signing a lease after they read the apartment reviews. The goal is to make leasing agents, landlords and property managers more accountable by disclosing more information to prospective tenants.
Besides the review side of the website, it is built around a social networking core, which includes a conversation forum, public blog and a classified ads section. The main difference between donotrent.com and their competition is that they appeal to the next generation of internet users with numerous social networking features. Unlike the competition that has dated features and no social networking, donotrent.com uses Facebook connect along with the AddThis sharing service. Both of these features will allow users to stay connected with friends by sharing posts and messages instantly on their favorite social networking sites.
The layout and review system of donotrent.com is similar to the popular review site Yelp. The main difference is that its niche is rental property reviews and not reviews of every single business in the world. It will only be a matter of time before we start to see other review sites startups that focus on niche markets since quality on a specific topic, business or interest will always trump quantity.
For more information regarding this website, please visit http://www.donotrent.com.
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Before you rent, make sure to check out our pre-rental checklist
By Relocation.com Staff
Is it safe? Is it clean? Are the essentials located nearby? Those are the types of questions to ask before you pick a new place to rent and before selecting moving companies. Here a list of things to watch for when you’re looking at apartments for rent or homes for rent.
Outside the Apartment:
Do you feel safe in the neighborhood and the surrounding area? That’s the first and most important question by far, and is always the first question to ask yourself.
If you visit the apartment during the day, think about how will feel coming home late at night, or early in the morning. If the thought makes you scared, move on. No amenities or cheap rent can compensate for the feeling of insecurity.
As part of this, ask your neighbors about safety, and check in with the local police about crime statistics.
Is the building close to major roads and public transportation? Do trial runs for how long it would take to reach your work, your daycare, or other frequently visited placed.
Is the building clean and well-kept? Are entryways and hallways well lit? Are unsavory types hanging about? How the building is kept up is a pretty good indicator of the vigilance of the apartment manager.
Is the laundry nearby? If you don’t have a car, it better be close, preferably in your building. Picture yourself trudging there every week or so and ask yourself how you feel about that.
Where are gas stations, supermarkets, restaurants, banks, drug stores, dentists and gyms – is the distance friendly or far away? If you’re on public transit, figure out how long it will take to get to these various places that you might visit often.
Inside the Apartment:
Before signing a lease and moving, make a quick check of the apartment, not only the appearance and cleanliness, but see that things actually work. Don’t take anything for granted – something that doesn’t work now you’ll have to deal with right away when you move.
Bathroom: Check the water pressure in the sink and shower, and flush the toilet to make sure it operates properly. Also, make sure the hot water works.
Walls: If the building’s near a road, can you hear the traffic? Can you hear the neighbors next door? If near an airport, how is that noise?
Appliances: Check the fridge, the heating and air conditioning, the stove and oven and any other appliances that might be in the apartment.
Windows: Make sure they open and close easily, and make sure there are no holes or cracks in the glass.
Electricity: With any switch you see, try it out to make sure it works.
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Be sure to refer to our checklist before you move into your new apartment!
By Relocation.com Staff
Congratulations on your exciting new apartment! Before you start calling moving companies, it’s important that you make a thorough check of your apartment before moving in. To help you, we’ve put together the following easy and quick safety checklist of the things to look for.
• Look for the nearest fire extinguishers. One should be centrally located for you to access; know where it is. If you can’t find them ask your landlord where they are.
• Check for smoke alarms. Go through the apartment and do a smoke alarm inventory. Do they have one in each room and hallway? If you’re missing any, ask the landlord about them. If they’re there, talk to the landlord about when the batteries were last replaced, and test them every month.
• Before moving day, ask about having the locks re-keyed.
• Install deadbolts on exterior doors.
• Consider renters insurance to protect your belongings and your personal liability.
• Is the oven and broiler clean? This can be a fire hazard if not.
• If you have a balcony with sliding doors, that’s an easy way for burglars to break in. Ask your landlord about installing anti-lift and anti-slide devices on them, especially if you live on the ground floor.
• Check the paint. Is it chipped? Broken? Worn down? Ask about the paint and whether you can re-paint the walls, add pictures, etc?
• Look for the outlets. See how many there are and test to see if they work.
• Test the water. Turn on the water in the kitchen and bathroom and perform a simple test to determine that hot is hot and cold is cold. This is also a great way to test out the water pressure.
• Open the fridge and freezer to determine the level of coldness.
• Be especially careful with basement windows. They should have extra protection, such as metal bars or be made of burglar-resistant glazing to discourage intruders. For fire safety, however, they should have quick-release mechanisms to allow for a quick escape in case of fire.
• Make sure your windows have keyed locks or security pins or nails in addition to standard locks.
• Don’t place anything valuable items near windows or glass doors; it’s much easier to break into by simply breaking the glass.
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EasyRoommate.com's new iPhone App - Designed to make searching for roommates even easier.
By EasyRoommate.com
In the past, they always said that technology would make our lives easier and give us more time for the simply things in life. Unfortunately, it seems as the more advanced we get, the less time we have for ourselves, with most of us becoming accustomed to the fast paced world that is our lives. In the past, looking for a new place to live meant picking up a newspaper, opening the classifieds and making phone calls. Now, the classified sections of most newspapers are not as packed as they used to be, where most renters are relying on online advertisements to get their rooms rented. So instead of having to pick up a newspaper, you now have to be in front of a computer to find your new room to rent.
Handheld devices like the iPhone and others have taken the search on the go with you, so you do not need to find the time to sit in front of your computer to search for a roommate anymore. You can search through online classifieds, as well as online roommate services while sitting on the bus, or waiting for your lunch to be served. Some companies are taking this step further, actually providing specific apps to assist you in your search, like the EasyRoommate iPhone app, which puts all tools of the main search directly in your hand, with a few additional options the site doesn’t even provide.
In the end, the argument can be made that technology has actually made our lives move faster than we like. Although, no one can argue that it hasn’t given us the tools to keep pace with it.
October 14th, 2010 by
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Justin Timerlake's NYC Loft - Listed for sale at $5.25 million. (Photo Credit: Modlin Group)
By Serena Norr
Mr. Sexy Back aka Justin Timberlake seems to have no real estate or financial issues in sight. Before the sale of his current NYC loft-style condo was completed (listed at $5.25) Timberlake purchased a new NYC penthouse for $7.65 (at the Soho Mews). Citing lack of privacy as the reason for the move, the new penthouse includes three-bedrooms, an ultra-luxe 4,000-square-foot shared courtyard and private parking. We’re not sure how much privacy Timerlake will get – especially since the address has been published — but the new building does have a 24-hour security team as opposed to his current pad that only had a part-time security team. The Beat also reported that Patricia Cornwell (the crime novelist) recently purchased a luxurious two-floor penthouse at the Fairmont Battery Wharf for $6.5 million. A quasi-hotel – the condo features 24-hour cleaning services and an on-site gym and restaurant. Stay tuned for next week’s Beat — we have a special haunted house edition in the works…
Pics from Lenny Kravitz's New Orleans home - Listed at $775,000 (Photo Credit: The Real Estalker)
• Lenny Kravitz’s New Orleans Cottage for Sale
Lenny Kravitz recently placed his New Orleans cottage on the market. Purchased in 1994, the 220-year-old French Quarter cottage with its weathered exterior was originally purchased for $360,000 that is now listed at $775,000. Many of the design elements are created by Kravitz including an enhanced and dramatic main living space with gleaming hardwood floors and silvered wallpaper. The modestly-sized and narrow 1,725-square-foot home also includes sleeping loft for guests, sleek marble counters, central air, a small courtyard that is described as “metro chic,” two bathrooms and one bedroom. Kravitz likely did not live solely in this property since he owns properties in the Bahamas, Paris and Brazil.
• Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones Purchase a Colonial Mansion
Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones recently purchased a Colonial mansion in Bedford, New York. Sold to the couple for $5.25 million, the Westchester mansion includes five-bedrooms, 5½-bathrooms, a pond, pool, guesthouse and three-car garage that is situated on 5.7 acres. The couple reportedly rented out the 6,300-square-foot home before they decided to purchase it.
Justin Timberlake's kitchen - Loft listed for sale at $5.25 million. (Photo Credit: Modlin Group)
• Justin Timberlake Lists NYC Apartment and Buys Another
Justin Timberlake recently purchased a new penthouse from the new building Soho Mews – a pair of buildings designed by architects Gwathmey Siegel & Associates – before he completed the sale on his Tribeca loft. Located in the heart of Soho, the 2,598-square-foot penthouse, purchased for $7.65 million, includes three-bedrooms, parking and a 4,000-square-foot private garden. The reason for the quick sale? Timberlake reportedly wanted more privacy from the paparazzi that frequently set up camp outside of his home. The Tribeca 3,000-square-foot loft still on the market is located in the Pearline Soap Factory and is listed at $5.25 million. The listing through the Modlin Group states the loft has 11-foot ceilings, plenty of light and an open kitchen with “restaurant quality appliances by Wolf, Sub-Zero, and Miele.” The Pearline Soap Factory is also noted for having one apartment per floor and key-locked elevators.
Patricia Cornwell's new home - Purchased for $6.5 million. (Photo Credit: The Real Estalker)
• Author Patricia Cornwell Buys Boston Penthouse for $6.5 Million
Crime novelist Patricia Cornwell recently purchased a 4,553-square-foot penthouse in the North End area of Boston. The modern four bedroom, 4.5 bathroom condo, located at the Fairmont Battery Wharf development includes on-site security, 24-hour housekeeping services, valet parking, an on-site gym and a restaurant located on the lower level of the complex. The duplex-style penthouse itself has a circular staircase, fireplace, hardwood flooring, large windows, stainless steel appliances and granite countertops. The property was sold to Cornwell and her partner for $6,500,000. It was also reported that Cornwell purchased another two-bedroom property for $1,650,000 in another area in Boston.
Jesse James' Kitchen - Condo recently reduced to $999,999
• Jesse James Reduces Price of Condo
In June, we reported on this Sunset Beach home that Jesse James placed on the market following his quickie divorce from Sandra Bullock. And now it seems that property is still on the market but for a reduced price. This three-bedroom, 3.5-bath condo was originally listed for $1,290,000 – that is now listed for a little under a million for $999,999. The Mediterranean home itself, encompassing 2,634-square feet and two floors, is actually quite gorgeous. There an elevator, a rooftop deck, a quaint kitchen with modern appliances, a media/game room, an office, a guest room, a fireplace, a modern kitchen, an island bar and a three-car garage with a built-in space for tools and storage – not to mention being located right next to the beach!
If you have any questions, comments or inquires, please contact me at editorial@relocation.com.
By Serena Norr
What would you do if you had $312 million dollars? Most people would invest or travel or save or buy a nice piece of real estate. But if you are Greek billionaire Constantine Alexander-Goulandris you wouldn’t use the money for all of those luxurious items, but rather, use it to purchase a penthouse in Monte Carlo. Dubbed as “the world’s most expensive penthouse,” Alexander-Goulandris’ new pad includes six bedrooms (three of which include a theater, kitchen, dressing room and two bathrooms) and a sprawling backyard that we are guessing would be ideal for late-night and opulent parties. Back in NYC, we learned that Kelsey Grammer and his new girlfriend took a peak at 200 Eleventh Avenue (the very building that Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban recently purchased). The $5.95 million-dollar property includes massive windows to view the Hudson and beyond, three bedrooms and the much talked about Sky Garage. We’ll keep you posted on that exciting sale. In NYC, Yankees star Derek Jeter is also on the Beat for listing his 70th floor condo for $20 million. Jeter’s pad is currently empty, but we are thinking that he little to worry about, especially since he has homes in Florida, New Jersey and Upstate NY.
View Grammer can take in daily if he purchases this Chelsea apartment - Listed at $5.95 million. (Photo Credit: Pudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
• Kelsey Grammer Eying Hudson River Property
Kelsey Grammer of “Cheers” and “Fraiser” fame has recently been making an appearance in the gossip columns for splitting with his wife, having a new (pregnant) girlfriend, and what we care about the most: his search for a new property with said girlfriend. Although, Grammer rents in the West Side of Manhattan it looks like he may be looking to settle down at 200 Eleventh Avenue (the very building where Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban reside). Overlooking the Hudson River, $5.95 million-dollar property includes three bedrooms with a master suite and 3.5 bathrooms as well as 2,364-square-feet of living space (more than enough for Grammer and his growing brood). The fifth-floor duplex also includes a private elevator that leads to the living room and a modern kitchen with stainless steel appliances. Also included with this hot property is the one-of-a-kind sky garage, an automatic car elevator that will go directly to Grammer’s swanky pad.
Judge Judy's home - sold for$2.25 million. (Photo Credit: CurbedNY)
• Judge Judy Sells Penthouse for $2.25 Million
Judy Sheindlin better known as the fearless Judge Judy recently sold her Sutton Place apartment. Originally listed a year ago at $3.15 million, the price was lowered to $3.15 million and finally sold for $2.25 million. The undisclosed buyer will enjoy quite the penthouse – which includes two floors, an outdoor terrace, a fireplace and three bedrooms with walk-in closets. The Judge and her husband won’t be without a home – it was reported that they already purchased a new two-bedroom co-op for $6.75 million dollars [City File].
Jerry Garcia's family room - home listed for$3.9 million. (Photo Credit: Zillow.com)
• Home of the Late Jerry Garcia for Sale
According to Zillow.com, the Marin County home of the late Jerry Garcia is on the market for $3,995,000. A very different home that what we would expect from Garcia, the five-bedroom, six bathroom home has a Mediterranean-feel, open floor plan and numerous windows. The 7,189-square-foot home also includes an outdoor swimming pool, a personal gym, a master suite with a sauna and a private deck. The new buyer will also enjoy views of the Berkeley Skyline and Mount Tamalpais and being near San Francisco.
Backyard of the most expensive penthouse - sold for $312 million. (Image Credit: Housing Watch)
• The Most Expensive Penthouse Sold for $312 Million
According to Housing Watch, the most expensive apartment was recently sold for $312 million in the equally opulent Monte Carlo. Greek billionaire Constantine Alexander-Goulandris purchased the property – dubbed La Belle Epoque – that includes six-bedrooms (three of which include a theater, kitchen, dressing room and two bathrooms), a library, spa and sprawling gardens. The home also features immaculate décor that underwent a $40 million-dollar remodeling project since the home damaged was damaged in a fire – where the previous owner, Edmond Safra, died.
Derek Jeter's condo on the 70th floor - listed for $20 million (Photo Credit: The Real Estalker)
• Derek Jeter Lists Manhattan Penthouse for $20 Million
Just as DJ’s teammate, Alex Rodriquez, is looking for a new pad Derek Jeter is selling his luxurious home-in-the sky. Located on the 70th floor, the penthouse purchased in 2001 for $12,600,000 was recently listed on the market for $20 million. Now the elevation is a bit steep for us, but if you’re willing to live that high up (not to mention pay 20 million) you can look forward to 5,425-square-feet of living space, four bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms; not to mention a bare apartment to decorate. The condo also includes 16-foot ceilings, an eat-in kitchen, a library, laundry facilities and an 84-square-foot storage facility which will also be sold to the new owner. Jeter is no stranger to real estate; he is building a mega mansion in Tampa, Florida, he owns a mansion in Marlboro, New Jersey and an historic mansion in Greenwood Lake in New York.
San Francisco -- One of the Top Towns for Vegetarians. (Image Credit: www.nps.org)
By Joann Pan
These days being a vegetarian isn’t as hard as it used to be, but we say that from a big city standpoint. We’re not quite sure how it is for folks in small towns. Here in NYC, instead of getting a burger, there’s always an option for pizza or salad. Instead of having a sausage sandwich for breakfast, there’s always an option to get some sweetly caked waffles from a food truck. With a plethora of stands, kiosks and restaurants in New York City [average rent for a two-bedroom apartment $5,286: Figure provided by www.mynewplace.com]that seem to take up every nook and cranny of our beloved city, it’s actually hard to eat meat every day (and not that hard to eat meat ever again) when there’s so much vegetarian food around—from the cheap and delicious falafel sandwiches on St. Marks, avocado rolls in Midtown, to the meat-shaped tofu Asian place that we enjoy when we visit the beloved borough of Queens. Our vegetarian food tours of our hometown have inspired us to see what’s available in other hometowns across the U.S. This is for you current veggies or wannabe vegetarians out there: Relocation.com’s Guide to the Best Vegetarian Towns in the U.S.
Austin, Texas [average rent for a two-bedroom apartment $1,239: Figure provided by www.mynewplace.com]
Wow—who knew that there was such a big vegetarian metropolis in the southern state of Texas where the beef and poultry are abundant. Personally, without having taken a trip to out West, I only know of Texas from the old-time cowboy movies and from trying out a Texas-style steakhouse in Queens (pre-veggie days). From doing vast research online; we found out that Austin vegetarians love living animal-friendly in their city. They are really proud of the fact that they can ride their bicycles (Austin is also one of the greenest cities in the U.S., according to USAToday.com) to get to a dozen vegan trailers and cafes with ease. Some of the mentionable restaurants are: Counter Culture (we hear that their Jackfruit Philly is delicious), Korean vegetarian restaurant Koriente and Casa de Luz (picture lush green decorations and pebbled paths leading to the most peaceful meal you’ve ever had).
Portland, Oregon [average rent for a two-bedroom apartment $1,626: Figure provided by www.mynewplace.com]
Goveg.com and Relocation.com love Portland, Oregon—who recently named it “America’s Best Vegetarian-Friendly Large City” and the top city people are relocating to (in respective order). They say Portland is a big city (much like NYC) that persuades people to eat vegetarian with convenient veggie meals on wheels, amazing animal-free meals at star restaurants and vegan desserts you can only have here. Such as something called a Voodoo Doughnut that sells many vegan options that includes the “Fruit Loop Donut,” which you can imagine looks like something out of your childhood breakfast bowl and the “Old Dirty Bastard,” which actually doesn’t look how it sounds—it’s a doughnut with chocolate frosting, crumbled Oreos and peanut butter drizzle. And when we looked up vegetarian places in Portland we came up with over 1,035 restaurants, carts and bistros that include popular digs such as Vita Café in Alberta Arts District, Paradox Café in Southeast Portland, and Swagat Indian Cuisine in Alphabet District.
San Francisco, California [average rent for a two-bedroom apartment $3,969: Figure provided by www.mynewplace.com]
San Francisco the city by the bay is a perfect location for vegetarians because of the plethora of vegan restaurants and organic food markets. I can even say that the vegetarian establishments can outnumber the city’s large number of cafes. PETA lists it in spot number seven on a list of “The Most Veg-Friendly Cities in North America.” I believe it should be higher on the list. There were over 2,777 restaurants that came up as vegetarian when we did our own search. Some of the most popular vegetarian/vegan restaurants we know of are: Weird Fish in the Mission neighborhood, Greens in Cow Hollow, Enjoy Vegetarian Restaurant in Inner Sunset, The Plant Café Organic in Cow Hollow (we seriously recommend the green curry) and Golden Era Vegetarian Restaurant in Civic Center.
Asheville, North Carolina [average rent for a two-bedroom apartment $827: Figure provided by www.mynewplace.com]
Asheville is different than the big vegetarian cities we’ve featured because it’s a small town nestled in the back woods of North Carolina. Asheville was once named “the Happiest City in America” by Self Magazine; probably because of all the vegetarian eateries and pleasant neighbors that the city has to offer. Asheville veggies love the Sunny Point Café and Bakery that serves amazing tofu chorizo, we hear, and the best mussels in town. After dinnertime, head over to the Crispycat, where you can buy and taste the very first candy bar of its kind made from fully organic ingredients. There is the chocolate sundae flavor, mint coconut flavor and the toasted almond bar, all made from real organic ingredients.
Of course, we have only skimmed the surface of the best vegetarian-friendly towns in the U.S. What are your favorite vegetarian cities? Let us know where you had the best vegetarian/vegan meal—we never pass up the opportunity for a good food story.
Here are other lists for the best vegetarian towns:
• North America’s Most Vegetarian-Friendly Cities [GoVeg.com]
• Top 16 Best Vegetarian Cities in the USA [Vegetarian-Restaurants.net]
• The Most Veg-Friendly Cities in North America [PETA]
Joann Pan is a freelance writer and photographer based in New York City. She has interned and contributed to Buffalo Spree Magazine and Racked NY.
Be precise, your room and roommate search will be easier.
By EasyRoommate.com
Searching for a room or roommates is a bit more complicated than trying to find an apartment rental. Apartments are easy, you find a place you like, and if you qualify for it financially, it’s yours (most of the time). With room rentals, and when trying to find a roommate for your spare rooms, you have to deal with other issues like different personalities, sharing bills and groceries — all in a small space. Before any lease is signed, you will have to meet your new roommate. Here’s are some tips to find the house mate of your dreams.
Nice to Meet You:
The meeting phase is usually toward the end of the room/roommate search, so how do you get there efficiently? Your first step is to start searching on a roommate service that specializes on room and roommate matching. When you are entering your information on what and who you are looking for, be precise. When you’re looking for a room, if you are a smoker, enter it in your information as a smoker, if you have a pet that will come along with you, put that in as well. These specific attributes are important to note because they are not compatible with every person, however, there are people that would be a perfect match for you. Be sure not to leave any information unanswered; this will only waste your time and those of the renters.
Be Specific With What You Want/Don’t Want:
When renting a room out, the rules are the same, if you do not want a smoker, put down no smokers allowed if you don’t want pets, put that down as well. Of course, smokers and pets are the primary examples I am using, but this applies to any aspect of your search. Some people don’t believe in this, where they put a very broad search criteria or advertisement, and wait for people to contact them. Does this work, yes, if you are willing to get numerous phone calls and emails of people that don’t match what you really want. Would you rather get 50 people contacting you, but then have to spend the time to turn 40 of them down, or get 10 contacts in which they are all good possibilities? Think of the time you will save yourself, and those searching.
Make a Roommate Contract:
Now that you have narrowed down your possible rooms and roommates, what do you do now? You should establish some basic guidelines — much like a contract — that you will discuss with potential roommates. Discuss their work hours, how the bills/rent will be paid, who will clean and on what days, talk about guests and what time they can come over, appropriate noise levels, etc. Again, these are just examples, but the key point is to bring up anything that you would be against right upfront before you actually sign a lease. It is better to discover that you will not be compatible roommates before are actually living together.
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Night View of the Brooklyn Bridge and Lower Manhattan
By Serena Norr
Often dubbed “the Greatest City in the World,” New York City is a cultural melting pot that millions of people call home. Within this prime locale, residents have access to fine dining and nightlife, ethnic cuisine, museums and galleries, Broadway shows, sporting events and recreational parks and facilities.
With all of these unique amenities, it’s no wonder people from all over the world are moving to New York every year. However, once you relocate to NYC there is the issue of finding a place to live. There is no shortage of housing options in NYC with luxury apartments, two-family houses, buildings, condos and coops, brownstones, and even some houses with property; however these places don’t come without a sizeable price tag. In fact, when you move to NYC you will quickly find that locale determines the price of real estate. Due to these high-rentals (and desire for space), many people have moved away from Manhattan, opting for a two-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn, as opposed to a studio in the Lower East Side. This real estate shift has greatly altered what neighborhoods are desirable in NYC; however the high-end Manhattan real estate shows no signs of slowly down with new development deals and luxury condos throughout the city.
From new commercial developments to residential brownstones on the market to celebrity deals, there is always something exciting happening in the NYC real estate scene. On the beat of the real estate industry are some extraordinary NYC bloggers that are on top of the latest industry news and trends and whose sites feature in-depth articles ranging from tenant’s rights to real estate taxes. Here are some of Relocation.com’s favorites:
Created by Jonathan Butler in 2004, Brownstoner covers Brooklyn’s real estate market, latest news, new housing developments and renovation projects. This also includes covering housing issues in Brooklyn, buying tips and pictures of houses, and listings of apartments, coops and condos on the market. The site has grown tremendously since it began that also includes a directory of services, a community forum, restaurant guide, links to various renovation blogs and a sister site called Brownstoner Philadelphia.
A free listing resource, How to Rent in NYC features no broker fee and no fee apartments. The site also includes a renters section where users can write reviews about their landlords, as well as place to read past tenant’s experiences. Created by Alicia Schwartz, the site also features a directory of no fee management companies and landlords, a helpful question and answer segment for renters, rental articles and a listing of moving companies to get you to NYC.
Covering all of Manhattan, NYC Blog Estate features current real estate listings, recent developments and informative articles about the industry. Users can also navigate their way through the site based on the neighborhood they are interested in. The site also has a buyer and seller section where interested parties can post their home or apartment for a direct sale.
A self-professed “real estate solider,” Property Grunt features the latest news on Manhattan’s real estate industry. The daily blog also provides commentary pertaining to current issues such as crooked real estate transactions, taxes and housing issues, problems with landlords, housing reports, tenant’s rights and pictures of local real estate developments.
A print and online edition, The Real Deal features daily content about real estate news, commercial developments, foreclosed properties and expensive deals throughout the NYC area. Stories can also be broken down by neighborhood and users can share their tips about real estate to the website’s editors. The site also has an event section and listing of offices, retail spaces and commercial properties for sale.
The New York Observer’s blog-The Real Estate covers stories about high-end real estate transactions, building developments, tenant experiences and market reports. They also showcase “it’s free to look” area where users can check out luxury apartments and condos on the market.
Published by the Heddings Property Group, the True Gotham blog delivers content that pertains to the inner workings of the real estate industry. Taking an open and honest approach, the site features market reports of transitions in Manhattan, industry news, podcasts and videos and a residential listing section.
As mentioned, in our Best Real Estate Blogs in Los Angeles post we are fans of Curbed and their network of websites. The New York addition — aptly named Curbed NY— follows a snarky and direct approach to covering the latest news and headlines of the NYC real estate market. The site also features celebrity homes on the market (Olsen twins home for $.45 million is just one example), real estate gossip and developments, commercial real estate news, real estate construction and a link to their flickr site showcasing gorgeous photos of real estate around the city. Sellers can also list their home and buyers can search through homes on the market at the Curbed Marketplace.
A comprehensive real estate site, Urban Diggs analyzes the Manhattan real estate market through the use of macro economics to determine real estate trends and investment strategies. Created by Noah Rosenblatt, the site provides in-depth articles, a user discussion section, charts of current trends and insider tips. The also site covers renovations, mortgages, inventory and features a contractor directory.
Everything is coming up green, which also rings true for the real estate industry. Green Buildings NYC not only covers the real estate segment, but design and construction projects in the greater NYC area. The content on the site is organized by neighborhood where users can discover the latest news and articles on green building and sustainability on office spaces, commercial real estate, architecture projects, environmental issues, energy efficient buildings, alternative energy sources, lawn development and much more. Through the site users can also learn about local events, engage in a community forum, locate jobs and search for green real estate listings.
