This post was originally written by Kerry Sugrue, former Social Media Specialist at Apartments.com. 

As much as we talk about the importance of recycling, the United States is the number one trash-producing country in the world.  This means that 5% of the world’s population generates 40% of the world’s waste! With this being National Recycling Week, I thought it would be fun to show you some ways to conserve waste and save money by repairing, versus replacing, your appliances.  The below infograph, from Part Select, shows the cost to replace some common appliances.  If you click on the buttons, possible symptoms and their fixes are shown.  Have fun playing around with this and maybe next time one of your resident’s dishwasher leaks, you can save some money by repairing it. Read More

This post was originally written by Kerry Sugrue, former Social Media Specialist at Apartments.com. 

Apartments.com is reaching more renters in more ways with the launch of our first-ever TV commercials. The Need an Apartment? themed commercials showcase awkward living situations, which many young and first-time renters can relate to. Airing during popular television shows on networks like ESPN, MTV and Comedy Central, Apartments.com is reaching millions of households. This marketing initiative is unique in the multifamily industry and we’re excited to be leading the way. Check out our first two commercials and let us know what you think. Read More

Facing tough financial hardships in response to medical bills for their son, the McLean family of Wichita Falls, Texas struggles to make ends meet.  With only a week left before they lose their apartment, they are elated by a surprise visit from Ellen’s Swaggin’ Wagon.  Watch their relieved reactions when presented with a check for $15,000, from Ellen and Apartments.com, to help them with their rent for the next year.

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This post was originally written by Kerry Sugrue, former Social Media Specialist at Apartments.com. 

Can you believe it’s October already? The leaves are changing, Pumpkin Spice Lattes are back and Halloween costume stores are popping up around the country. Like other holidays, this is a great time for you to have some fun around your apartment community! Here are some ideas to get your residents together for a spooky, good time: Read More

Shortly after welcoming their first child into the world, the Simonich family fell on hard financial times and has to relocate to Indiana for a job opportunity.  With a depleted savings and maxed out credit cards, the Simonich’s are struggling to make ends meet.  In this heartwarming segment, Keri Simonich, of Denver Colorado, is surprised with a call from Ellen DeGeneres and a visit from the Swaggin’ Wagon.  Watch the reaction from Keri, when she receives $15,000 toward free rent for a year from Apartments.com. 

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This post was originally written by Kerry Sugrue, former Social Media Specialist at Apartments.com.

With October right around the corner, the holiday season is closer than you think!  Be ready when your residents start having lots of packages delivered to the leasing office with this free Package Notice from MyMedia.  Easily remind residents they have a delivery waiting by putting this flyer in their mailbox, under their door or attaching it to an email. Read More

Apartments.com has crowned Arlington, VA resident, Jesse McLaughlin, as its 2011 Roommate of the Year in its third annual contest, which searches the country high and low for America’s best roommate.  Watch Jesse’s reaction as ABC breaks the news that he is the Roommate of the Year, winning FREE Rent for a Year plus $10,000!  Jesse’s winning video entry, entitled Roommating MVP, scored high points with both the American public and the Apartments.com judging panel.  Congratulations to Jesse and all the exceptional roomies who entered our contest!

This post was originally written by Kerry Sugrue, former Social Media Specialist at Apartments.com. 

October 1^st is one of the biggest moving days of the year and it’s right around the corner!  Having a solid resident retention plan is a great way to avoid the costs associated with big moving days.  Resident turnover can cost thousands of dollars once you factor in advertising, screening, leasing office time, maintenance, cleaning and everything else associated with finding the perfect new resident.  Here are a couple ideas for keeping your residents happy and living in your community. Read More

This post was originally written by Kerry Sugrue, former Social Media Specialist at Apartments.com. 

In a world where the phrase “I’ll Facebook you” has become an acceptable salutation, the line between personal and professional is starting to blur.  I have been noticing at our company, and others, that people are combining their business and personal networks on Facebook.  This practice is okay, as long as you take the time to understand online responsibility and your company’s social media policy.  Here are a couple tips for maintaining a versatile Facebook page: Read More

Today, I’m excited to announce the release of our annual Top 10 Best Cities for Recent College Grads list with Hartford-New Haven claiming the #1 spot! 

Faced with a sluggish economy, many college graduates who collected their diplomas in the spring are still looking for jobs and a place to live as summer comes to a close.  As competition for jobs soars, along with the cost of rent, there is hope for many of these newly minted graduates who know which cities afford them the best opportunity to jump-start their professional lives.  To help give these post grads a leg up, Apartments.com and CareerRookie.com—the collegiate job website from CareerBuilder.com—have revealed their 4^th annual best cities list to paint a realistic landscape of the current job market and cost of living in the most popular cities for young adults.  Read More