You just graduated your final year of official education, whether it be a technical school, undergraduate institution, graduate school or beyond. With one walk across a stage, a hand shake and a piece of paper, you walk off that stage thrown right into the mix of the real world. And while it’s obviously an exciting time, there are a herd of unanswered, downright scary questions, like where do you go now? No more college dorm assignments, set meal plans and times, and certainly no more 8:15 a.m. classes! Nope, you’ve officially traded all of that in for a real-world, big boy or girl job. So where do you begin?

The best bet is your living situation, something that should be planned and searched out long before graduation. Assuming you have a post-graduation job in place (this does not mean the usual summer-camp or table-bussing routine), that is what you will work your living arrangements around. Be open to anything, such as different apartment styles, locations and layouts. Keeping your options wide open is a crucial part to a first apartment, townhouse or home. You never know what you may find you actually like if you keep an open mind!

Things to consider:

• Proximity to work, cities, restaurants, nightlife, sporting events, malls and more. Finding something close to most of what you’re interested in could meaning saving hundreds on car expenses such as gas, maintenance and insurance. And never count out public transportation!
• What does the apartment come with? Will the apartment be fully furnished, or is it staged for photos and open houses?
• Are you living with a room mate? Moving can get lonely, especially in large cities. If you choose to find a room mate, be sure to choose wisely! Sometimes a best friend won’t necessarily make the best room mate
• Number of bedrooms/bathrooms, outside space, parking, pool. Is there a pet policy? All the fun stuff…
• Don’t be afraid to bring mom and dad along for the apartment-searching process, or any older siblings or friends. They’ve been in your shoes before and should be a great resource to have. You can never be “too cool” for mom and dad.
• Imagine yourself living in the apartment. As you walk around can you picture waking up, hanging out and living in the space and area?
• Money matters. While your first apartment may not be prime real estate, do the best you can with the budget you have. If you search hard and know what you want, you can find a suitable pad without breaking the bank
• See what’s available for on-campus resources. Many universities can give recommendations to students searching for apartments in the area. It never hurts to ask!
• Make positive sacrifices. You aren’t going to find everything you imagine for your ‘dream apartment’ to have. Consider what is most important to you in a living space, and search in order of importance.

Whether you’re searching for your very first apartment, or looking to move or upgrade your current living situation, keeping these tips in mind should make the experience that much easier and smooth.

-Benjamin Sawicki

Photo courtesy of (1) collegefashion.net

Check out some of Aspen Square’s prime college-area apartment listings:

• Carlyle Court: Orlando, FL (University of Central Florida, Full Sail University, Le Cordon Bleu)
• Campus Edge: Fresno, CA (Cal State University Fresno)
• Chardonnay Ridge: Modesto, CA (University of Phoenix)
• Stadium View Apartment Homes: College Station, TX (Texas A&M)
• Abbey Glenn Apartments: Waco, TX (Baylor University)
• Collins Crossing: Carrboro, NC (University of North Carolina)

Aspen has been very busy this year with purchasing more and more properties! We want to welcome these new communities to the Aspen Team!

In January of 2013, we purchased Pemberly Palms (formerly known as Kyle’s Run) located in Vero Beach, FL. This community is located just minutes from Florida’s pristine beaches, Downtown Vero Beach, McKee Botanical Gardens, museums and many expressways! Our residents enjoy the benefits of being in a prime location while being able to come home to a serene community away from all the hustle and bustle.

In March of 2013, we purchased The Overlook as well as Stadium View, Carrington Lane, and The Crossing at Auburn Hills Apartments.

The Overlook is a resort style, adult community located in Waco, TX. It is known as Central Texas’   premier 55+ living location. It is a lakefront community tailored for the independent and active adult. It is in a great location just minutes from The Central Texas Marketplace Shopping Center, Richland Mall, Downtown Waco, World Class Medical Facilities, fine dining, shopping and entertainment venues.You will find all that enhances life at your fingertips with high-end finishes and the utmost attention to every detail.

Stadium View is centrally located in the heart of Aggieland, Stadium View offers the best in student living! We have everything you need to make your college experience a success including an amazing location, minutes away from campus and Kyle Field and spacious floor plans. Choose to live overlooking our beautiful pool or reserve a tranquil home featuring a savannah view all just steps away from campus. Whether it is close proximity to school or the convenience of having these desired amenities within walking distance, Stadium View offers something for everyone. 

Carrington Lane (formerly known as Oakhurst Apartments) is located in beautiful and historic Ocala, Florida. Nestled into a quaint wooded area, our residents enjoy a peaceful, serene atmosphere that accentuates on our country environment. Our unique floor plans offer spacious one, two and three bedrooms that you can design to fit your needs and lifestyle. It is located just minutes from College of Central Florida, Historic Downtown Ocala, Silver Springs, The Paddock Mall and The Historic District. There are many superb shopping, dining, and entertainment destinations to choose from. This beautiful community is surrounded by quaint neighborhoods, main street access to grocery stores and great restaurants.

The Crossing at Auburn Hills (formerly known as Seville Pointe) is located in Pontiac, Michigan. The Pontiac area is an ideal location for business, shopping and housing. The Crossing at Auburn Hills is one of the fastest growing suburban communities in Southeast Michigan! Our residents enjoy the atmosphere of a quaint community with all of the amenities of a metropolitan lifestyle. The Crossing offers many wonderful amenities for you and your family and friends to enjoy. A resort-style swimming pool, racquetball court, fitness center, aerobics/yoga room, playground are just a few to name! 

In April, 2013, Aspen purchased Manor Six Forks located in Raleigh, North Carolina. Manor Six Forks is a luxury apartment complex filled with unparalleled amenities. You can enjoy your daily workout in our fully equipped gym and finish with stretching in our relaxing yoga studio without having to leave the building. Experience an intricate, cosmopolitan oasis in the heart of Midtown Raleigh. Located just inside the belt-line, Manor Six Forks is close to everything you desire. With easy access to I-440, I-40, and I-540, we are just minutes away from RTP, Downtown Raleigh, shopping and dining districts, and major area universities. Shop, dine, play and work, all just moments from where you live. While we focus on healthy and social living, we don’t lose sight of the luxury that sets us apart. From front desk concierge services and personal trainers to soaking tubs and scenic views, you’ll always be surrounded with fine details. More than just an apartment, Manor Six Forks is your resort-style haven!

So if you are looking for an exquisite place to live in any of these towns, please be sure to check us out! Go to www.aspensquare.com for more wonderful apartment communities located in 15 states!

With spring just around the corner, I know you all must miss the beautiful outdoors as much as I do. Why not decorate your home with some house plants to bring the outdoors inside!? Living in an apartment can sometimes limit you on your decorating, but this simple idea for potted plant clusters could work in a home anywhere! First you will need some pots and then you can choose your plants! 

Here are some tips for creating your own plant clusters:

1. Be sure to choose different plants with different characteristics, in order to keep it more interesting to look at and more decorative.

2. Place the plants in odd numbers and varied sizes in order to get a sense for all the plants in a cluster.

3. The pots are just as important as the plants; it is up to you how you would like to decorate! You could use the same style and color in all of them, or let your creativity flow and choose different pots with different characteristics. You could even use baskets or wooden or even glass containers as your planters!

Photos Credits: First photo, on left: http://www.bhg.com, Second photo, on right: http://www.houzz.com

Be sure to check out all the great apartment communities that Aspen Square has to offer! Check out some of Aspen’s properties:

• Florida Apartments
• California Apartments 
• Texas Apartments
• Massachusetts Apartments

In addition to an entirely re-designed website, Aspen has been very busy with purchasing many new properties! We want to welcome these new communities to the Aspen team!

In October of 2012, we purchased The Club at Carolina Stadium (formerly known as The Rapids) located in Columbia, South Carolina as well as Township Court (formerly known as Liberty Square) located in Saginaw-Township, Michigan.

The Club at Carolina Stadium offers many amenities including a playground.

In November of 2012, we purchase Hidden Hills at Oakdale West (formerly known as Wapehani Hills) located in Bloomington, IN as well as Pebble Creek Apartments located in East Lansing, MI.

Hidden Hills at Oakdale West offers residents newly remodeled kitchens.

In December of 2012, Aspen purchased Bear Creek Apartments located in Naples, FL; The Grove at Flynn’s Crossing located in Ashburn, VA; Bluffton House Apartments located in Bluffton, South Carolina; as well as The Lakes at Port Richey (formerly known as Lake Forest Apartments) located in Port Richey, FL.

Bear Creek offers a beautiful resort-style swimming pool.

Finally, in January 2013, Aspen purchased Kyle’s Run Apartments located in Vero Beach, FL.

We look forward to providing the residents of these new properties with the same top notch customer service and quality maintenance that we’ve been providing for over fifty years at our residential communities located in over twenty states throughout the country.

Our blog has been under construction for the past few months, and we are now happy to announce that it is now back up and running and with a full blown make-over! Thanks to our graphic designer, Ellie Petrov, the Apartment Talk blog now mimics the colors and branding of Aspen Square’s website!

We hope you all enjoy our new and improved blog as well as our new website. Stay tuned for more articles and news about Aspen Square’s Apartment Communities!

In July 2012, Aspen Square Management, one of the nation’s largest privately held real estate investment and property management companies, became the proud new owners of Oakwood Village, now known as “Amber Lakes” located in Winter Park, FL.

We look forward to providing the residents of Amber Lakes with the same top notch customer service and quality maintenance that we’ve been providing for over fifty years at our residential communities located in over twenty states throughout the country.

The Gulf Shores Beautification Board exists to preserve, protect and expand the urban forest; to guide and enhance through environmental stewardship the aesthetics of the City by providing and planting trees, by directing development through ordinances and by educating citizens. As part of their love for a beautiful environment, The Beautification Board recognizes a local property every 3 months and presents them with a “Landscape Beautification Award”.

On Tuesday, July 31 Aspen’s own The Villas at Bon Secour received the Landscape Beautification Award. They were fascinated by our beautiful landscaping on the premises. “Villas at Bon Secour would like to thank everyone involved for making our property what it is today. All of us at Villas were honored today to accept this beautification award presented by the Gulf Shores Beautification Association. We could not have done it without our landscaping team! They have worked countless hours and without a doubt always put their heart into what they do best! Also, Thank you to our residents for caring so much about our community, without you our Villas wouldn’t be where it is today” says property manager, Jessica Woodard.

Our homes are a place to escape to, where we can be who we want to be and feel happy, and decorating them to our own individual taste is so important to ensure this is possible. Volga Linen understands this and believes that there has never been a better time to think outside of the box, mixing their classic items with more unique options. Here are our top five useful but unusual home furnishings!

Coat Pegs

Everyone needs coat pegs to hang outside wear on, but don’t stick to plain wood when there are a whole host of brighter options available to cheer up practical spaces. Stars, cars, elephants, hands or even photo-holding hooks to match coat to owner – the options are endless to inject a bit of fun into your hallway!

Funky Footstools and Pouffes

Even if you’ve gone for a classic, neutral theme throughout your home, the easiest way to add splashes of individuality is by introducing a few choice items throughout. Footstools and pouffes covered with a funky material take up little space, but can make a big statement. Choose one with storage and it becomes both a useful, as well as brightening addition to any living room.

Seating

Why sit your bum on an uninspiring beige chair or conventional brown sofa when you can have hot lips or marsh-mallow-inspired comfort? Sofas and armchairs have moved on a lot since your Nan’s day and if you can carry it off, they are the best way to make a bold statement about who you are.

Mirrors

Mirrors are not only a practical necessity to ensure you are ready to face the world, but also a great way to open up spaces and shed some light into a room. But don’t opt for a plain inconspicuous frame hung in the hallway; instead make your mirror the main feature. Opting for an opulent design in shiny chrome placed above a cabinet dressed with vase and flowers will do wonders for both your hallway and your reflection!

Let there be Light

Old dusty lampshades hanging from the ceiling may be out of sight and mind, but you’re missing out on a whole new way to inject color and individuality quickly and easily into your environment. From sleek modern designs in bold colors, to the decadent romance of chandeliers, lamps can be a truly artistic way to inject that je ne sais quoi into your home.

Volga Linen believe that every home, no matter if it is big or small, should be decorated with care and attention to detail so as to best reflect the owner. From classic essentials to unique accessories, every space can make us happy to be in it, but some require just a little more of our thought and attention. Here are some tips to ensure your small space works for you.

Clear Division

Just because you are confined to a small area it doesn’t mean you can’t distinguish different usage. If one room is both your lounge and your dining room, separate them by choosing a bold colour scheme for accessories on each side and stick to it religiously. If there is an archway dividing the space, don’t be afraid to change the wall colour. As long as your chosen palette complements each other, it will work wonderfully.

Color

Neutral colors are best when decorating a small area so as to create as much of a feeling as space as possible. But opting for beige throughout can feeling uninspiring so paint your walls in soft pastel shades, introducing bright accents in limited but strong ways. Curtains in bold materials, wooden surrounds painted in peacock blue and artwork that makes a statement; these will all help to bring out your personality from a pale background.

Accessories

In a small space it’s all about introducing a select amount of carefully chosen accessories that best reflect your personal style and life. Choose vibrant lighting, decoupage storage boxes and table-tops with family photos, or frame a select few and accessories with colorful borders and gems. Bright scatter cushions and throws will ensure your sofa is the centre of attention, welcoming your guests into a comfortable space.

Inventive Storage

One of the most important things to realize when decorating a small space is that you must make the most of every spare centimeter. By ensuring all of your furniture has dual usage you can de-clutter easily, creating a sense of style and space. Choose dining tables and sofas with integrated draws, use a large chest as a coffee table and always consider storage potential when purchasing new items of furniture.

Illusion

A wonderful way to create the illusion of space in the confines of a small area is to bring it alive with mirrors. They bounce any available light around the room, create a feeling of depth, and chosen well, look wonderful too. From a wall of mirrored tiles to an ornate dressing table with a three-way, don’t be afraid to make a statement with this hugely versatile accessory.

The state of Connecticut’s largest solar thermal project was dedicated on June 4^th 2012 at Hillside Terraces Apartments in Vernon, CT. This newly installed state-of-the-art, 80-panel system was designed and installed by C-TEC Solar of Simsbury, CT. 

“We chose C‐TEC Solar because of their excellent reputation,” explained Pat Keane,

Director of Operations for Hillside Terrace Apartments. “Their onsite project management was excellent and they finished ahead of schedule. We are projected to save over $10,000 annually in energy costs, which will help keep our rents competitive. And, because of rebates and incentives, the system will pay for itself in less than five years.” Mickey Toro, owner of C‐TEC Solar added, “By working with the Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (CEFIA), we were able to access all the State and Federal rebates available for the client, which made the cost of the project very attractive.”

Good for the environment and good for the wallet

According to the Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (CEFIA), this project is expected to produce approximately 480,000,000 Btu annually (equivalent to 3,460 gallons of home heating oil). This will avoid the production of over 71 tons of carbon dioxide ("greenhouse gas") and 1,000 pounds of smog‐creating pollutants every year. Because solar thermal technology uses approximately 70% less energy than traditional hot water heating systems, commercial properties like Hillside Apartments as well as homeowners are realizing tremendous environmental and financial advantages.

About CTec Solar

C‐TEC Solar, located in Simsbury, Connecticut is one of the most experienced solar contractors in the state with 30 years of industry expertise. Fully licensed and insured, C‐TEC Solar provides complete turnkey and financing solutions for clean technology and alternative energy projects. C‐TEC Solar specializes in Photovoltaic (PV) and Solar Thermal systems for residential and commercial applications. With an industry leading technology approach, C‐TEC Solar effectively manages both small‐ and large‐scale clean energy projects from inception to completion, saving customers time and money for a greater return on investment.

About Hillside Apartments

Hillside Terrace Apartments feature spacious 1 & 2 bedroom apartment homes with

open floor plans, fully applianced deluxe kitchens with dishwasher, breakfast bar,

and a large walk in closet in the master bedroom. It’s a pet friendly community that

offers 24‐hour emergency maintenance and a friendly management team.

Sources: http://www.ctecsolar.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=185%3Ac-tec-solar-saves-vernon-apartment-complex-more-than-10000-annually-on-its-energy-costs-with-a-solar-thermal-hot-water-system&catid=45%3Alatest-news&Itemid=176