Abberly Village Apartment Homes

As home values fell again in 2011, more and more people are looking to renting as an affordable, flexible lifestyle option. In response to this news, Apartments.com conducted a national survey to more than 3,000 of its January website visitors to find out the reasons they are moving and why they are renting versus owning.

Supporting a growing trend, 33.6% of respondents looking for an apartment this year said they are previous homeowners (up from 20.5 percent in 2011). Respondents who said they are homeowners looking to rent, 26.3% are doing so because they believe renting is a more affordable option and 21.2% prefer the flexibility renting offers in choosing where to live. Apartments.com provides the five most popular responses why their website visitors are choosing to rent versus own in 2012:

• Renting is a more affordable option: (26.3%)
• Flexibility to live where I choose: (21.2%)
• To relocate for employment: (20.5%)
• Cannot afford to keep up with homeownership expenses: (10.5%)
• Lost home due to foreclosure and change in marital status: (less than 4% each)

"It's more important than ever for apartment seekers to be informed and savvy shoppers by utilizing all the online resources available to search for apartments within their budget," says Chris Brown, vice president of product management, Apartments.com.

More than 35% of respondents said they are moving out on their own, which may be a sign of an improving economy and job market, especially in the rental demographic.

The number one reason for moving in 2012 is for relocation for a job opportunity. However, the desire to have more space, to save money and to live in a more desirable neighborhood also topped the list.

Relocating to South Carolina’s capital? For information on renting an apartment in West Columbia, SC, we encourage you to contact Abberly Village Apartment Homes.

Market Watch- Wall Street Journal

Perhaps you are relocating to West Columbia, SC and you have just started the search for a home.  Regardless of where you are in your home search, consider some questions before you decide between renting and owning a home. Buying a home is a big commitment both financial and otherwise, so take the time to weigh pros and cons.

Here are a few questions you should ask yourself:

Will I own it for at least five years?

The  most important question you should ask yourself is whether you will own a home for a long time. People buy homes to increase wealth and five years, maybe even more today, is about the break-even point for earning appreciation in value. If you don’t plan on holding the property for longer than five or more years, don’t buy it! Renting a home is NOT throwing money away. Buying and selling quickly will usually leave you worse off financially.

Can I afford it?

It is more expensive to own a home than you think.  Even if the mortgage lender qualifies you for the loan amount, you need to make sure YOU can afford it. Consider home maintenance costs, child care expenses, health care expenses, expensive lifestyles and habits, on top of the monthly mortgage payment. So make sure that you can comfortably afford your housing payment, still pay your other bills, and still save at least a little more for retirement. Also, if you are not sure of your continued employment situation, don’t buy a home.

Do I know about the neighborhood?

Did you do adequate research, look at enough properties, and learn the neighborhoods. If you just moved into town or if you don’t know the area, rent an apartment in West Columbia, SC for a while. Get to know the city.
 
For information on Abberly Village in West Columbia, SC, contact us.

Excerpts from Onlinesentinel.com

There are many reasons to consider renting an apartment in West Columbia, SC. If your are relocating for a job or relocating for retirement, South Carolina is a dream location, it is the perfect place to call home.
 
West Columbia is a city convenient to mountains and beaches, with perfect weather all year round and gardens are always in bloom. A historic city in the South, you can have an active lifestyle with an affordable cost of living and fun-loving southern atmosphere.

Nearby West Columbia is Fort Jackson, the largest and most active Initial Entry Training Center in the United States Army. Colleges and universities, such as the University of South Carolina, are in our neighborhood as well as fantastic restaurants and an exciting night life. Living in West Columbia you can relax all day and play all night.

For more information on our one bedroom, two bedroom and three bedroom floor plans, contact Abberly Village.

The great thing about living in an apartment in West Columbia, SC is you can pick any football team you want to go to the big game. So even though South Carolina doesn’t have an official NFL team, you are still going to watch the big game, even if it is just for the commercials!

Are you going to host the party for the “Big Game”? How should you prepare for your Super Bowl Party?  Is there a set way that a Super Bowl Party should be hosted? Of course not. But if you are throwing a Super Bowl Party in your apartment, we’d like to help.

In your apartment there are certain things that you may do differently from hosting some other kind of party.   ForRent.com does a “great” job at giving the basics of what is expected to host a great Super Bowl Party in your Apartment at Abberly Village. Enjoy!

In today's real estate market it's not surprising if people are a bit gun shy about buying or owning a home. Some questions that potential homeowners are considering:

• What if I can't afford my mortgage in the future?
• What if my home loses so much value that I eventually owe more than it's worth?
• What if I have to move in a few years and can't sell my home?

If you've ever asked yourself these questions about home ownership, it could be time for you to look into renting versus buying a home. Believe it or not, sometimes it makes more sense to rent an apartment in West Columbia, SC rather than own. Here are 3 tips to help you figure out which option—renting or buying—makes the most sense for you.

• Evaluate whether you have a steady income to support paying a mortgage..
• Make a time line of how long you plan to stay put. If you anticipate staying in a home for only one or two years, it is unlikely that you will see a significant financial return on your investment.
• Crunch the numbers before making your decision. When buying a home, you have to take into consideration your mortgage payments as well as real estate taxes, insurance payments, and the maintenance costs. With renting, calculating month-to-month housing expenses is as easy as inquiring about the monthly rent and average utilities.

Bottom line: buying doesn't always make sense. For information on our apartment community in West Columbia, contact Abberly Village.

Original article - Home Goes Strong

It used to be that Americans wanted to own their own home, not so anymore. America is headed toward a future in which fewer people own their own homes. The effective homeownership rate stands at 62% percent, according to a 2010 report by the New York Federal Reserve.

As more people move from owning to renting, apartment vacancy rates have fallen fast, from 8% in 2009 to 5.6% in third quarter 2011. The trends on renting apartments in West Columbia, SC is no exception.

Those trends are just the beginning, the US is becoming a nation of renters and many project that home ownership will keep falling. And some experts say that could be good for the country.

This dramatic change, triggered by the 2008 housing collapse, has shifted people’s views of home ownership. The number of those who consider a home a safe investment fell from 83% in 2003 to 66% this year, according to a survey by Fannie Mae. In another poll last April, 40% of renters questioned said they plan never to buy a home. Another reason for this is that many baby boom retirees don’t want the burden of home repairs, rising property taxes and other responsibilities.

For more information on renting an apartment in West Columbia, SC contact Abberly Village.

Original article- the Fiscal Times

What a great week to live in an apartment in West Columbia, SC. Restaurant week is an eleven day celebration of the cuisine scene in South Carolina at hundreds of participating restaurants from January 12 through 22, 2012. You can see the menus of all the participating restaurants over the next few weeks on the Restaurant Week Website.

From fine dining to casual dining, participating restaurants will feature special menus items, promotions and discounts. You can sample our newest restaurants, revisit your old favorites and taste a variety of exceptional dishes being prepared by chefs.
 
Restaurant Week in Columbia is an exciting event that showcases the outstanding culinary scene throughout this exciting city. We hope you enjoy the most delicious week of the year in Columbia!

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

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

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

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

2. Homeowners’ tax deductions are overstated

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

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

3. Renting gives you flexibility

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

4.  Our superb service teams!

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

So you have begun "un-decorating" your apartment in West Columbia, SC and it is time to get rid of your Christmas Tree. Did you know your tree can be even greener even after it's dead.

Keep the Midlands Beautiful has organized recycling sites for Christmas trees this year. Trees will be ground for free and mulch from the recycled trees will then be available for free in mid-January.

Here is a list of approved Christmas tree drop-off locations. Trees can be dropped off until January 13:

• City of Columbia Compost Facility -121 Humane Lane, Columbia, SC. (Off Shop Road across from the SPCA). Open M-F, 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM.
• Clemson Institute for Economic & Community Development - 900 Clemson Road  Columbia, SC

Before loading the tree back on top of the car, make sure to follow a few simple rules to get the tree recycle-ready.

• Remove all lights, tinsel and ornaments.
• Remove tree from stand.
• Drop off trees only. No wreaths, garland or other greenery.
• Remove any strings, bags, wires or ties from the tree.

Once all the trees are collected, ASPLUNDH will grind them and gather the mulch. Mulch will be available for free from 9 a.m. until it is gone on Saturday Jan. 14 at:

• Clemson Institute for Economic & Community Development (900 Clemson Road across from Village at Sandhills)
• Seven Oaks Park (200 Leisure Lane; near the intersection of St. Andrews & Piney Grove roads)

It seems that during the holidays, everyone is snapping pictures. Pictures of trees, lights, presents, kids, and the family pet.   As time goes by, it is fun to revisit past fun holiday moments through pictures. Of course, the family pet must be part of the photo opp.  But what happens when you can’t quite your four legged friend to stay still long enough to take a quality picture?

It is a challenge but it is possible to come out with the perfect pet picture.  You should definitely plan ahead.   The more organized you are the easier it will be to control that furry family member.  Let the person that your pet is most comfortable with hold your furry friend. Of course, take as many photos as you can when trying to take one with a pet, one is bound to come out great.  Does your dog have a favorite toy, use that to try and get its attention. These are simple things that could make a difference.

Think about the location where you’ll be taking the pictures. Will it be in your apartment in West Columbia or in a public park somewhere. 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.

Happy Holiday’s from Abberly Village Apartment Homes.