WestWind Apartments Blog

Once upon a time, college students dreamed of graduating and then buying a home and having a mortgage. Not so anymore.

With an uncertain economy, and more people moving to take jobs where they can find them, renting is what this generation is doing. More and more college graduates are renting an apartment in a beautiful apartment communities, complete with swimming pool, fitness center, volleyball courts and other apartment amenities.

For the first time in our history owning a home has lost its luster for the young. Since 2008, the percentage of young people who think that owning a home is “better than renting” has fallen.

Renting an apartment in Roanoke, VA has acquired a sort of cool respectability. Empty nesters figured it out a couple of decades ago, when they began getting rid of their high-maintenance houses.
 
Some of the forces driving the change are cultural. People are getting married later and they travel light longer.

Many are renting apartments because mortgages are hard to come by. There’s no stigma to renting anymore, and there’s just so much to keep you interested and busy in an apartment community.

For more information on one  or two bedroom apartments in Roanoke, contact West Wind Apartments.

Original article The Daily Beast

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 Roanoke, VA 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 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!

Everyone makes New Year’s resolutions, but 85% of the time, the goals that are made on New Year’s Eve are not achieved. Why? Maybe the goals are too lofty, but most likely it is because you have not made a plan to achieve those goals.

Here are some common New Year’s Resolutions:

• Drink Less Alcohol
• Eat Healthy Food
• Get a Better Job
• Get Fit
• Lose Weight
• Manage Debt
• Manage Stress
• Quit Smoking
• Save Money
• Take a Vacation
• Volunteer

There is a right way and a wrong way to make a New Year's resolution. Here are a few tips to help you achieve your goals:

1. Tell your Friends

When you have a goal, and others are aware of that goal, they can help you achieve it. Often, one of your friends has the same goal, so they can join you. So, after you make your resolution, tell your friends in your apartment in Roanoke, VA about it.

2. Make a Plan immediately

Setting a goal without a plan is really just wishful thinking. In order for your resolution to have resolve, you have to have a plan to put it into action. If you're like most people, then you'll have a limited window of opportunity during the first few days of January to harness your motivation. After that, most people forget their resolutions completely.

3. Write Down Your Resolution and Plan

Formulate a plan, which you can stick to. It is always best to write your goals down, commit to your resolution and plan.

4. Be flexible and think long term

Nothing big gets accomplished in one day. New Year's resolutions are only a starting point. You have to revisit your plan. Give yourself reminders to work on your goals. But you also need to expect that your plan can and will change. You need to be flexible as life interferes. Sometimes even the goal will change. Recognize each step of success the whole way.

WestWind Apartment Homes would like to wish everyone a happy holiday season.

We also would like to remind everyone of our holiday hours. The Welcome Center will be closed Friday, December 22, 2011 thru Monday, December 26, 2011 re-opening Tuesday, December 27, 2011 at 9:00 am.

See Attached: Click Here.

It is the season of the candy cane. They’re a tree ornament and a gift tie-on. But there are other, uses for the candy cane too.
 
There are some terrifically simple ways to use the candy cane to sweeten some favorite treats. For example:

• Serve a candy cane as a stirring stick with a cup of hot cocoa or coffee.
• Crush a candy and sprinkle it on vanilla ice cream.
• Sprinkle them on iced Christmas cookies.
• Dip the curved end into melted chocolate and cool on a wax paper line tray for a new twist.

At our apartments in Roanoke, West Wind Apartment Homes, we have collected some of our favorite seasonal candy cane recipes. If you have cookie swaps in your future, see our peppermint snowball cookie and peppermint brownie, both are ideal. The fun cocktail recipe, candy cane martini, will be delicious at your holiday party, (and come in handy at the cookie swap too!)
 
Peppermint Snowball Cookies

Ingredients

• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 1/4 cups butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup white sugar, or as needed
• 1 cup finely crushed peppermint candy
• 3 tablespoons milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease baking sheets, or line with parchment paper.
2. Beat 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar with the butter, peppermint extract, vanilla extract, and egg in a mixing bowl at Medium speed until well blended and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to Low, and gradually mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt until well blended, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy using a wooden spoon.
3. Place the white sugar in a shallow bowl. Roll a small amount of cookie dough between your hands to make 3/4 inch diameter balls. Roll in sugar. Place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
4. Bake in preheated oven until light brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove and cool on racks.
5. Meanwhile, to make the glaze, stir the remaining 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar together with the milk in a bowl until smooth. Drizzle cooled cookies with the glaze, and sprinkle immediately with the remaining crushed peppermint candy

Peppermint Brownies

Ingredients

• 4 ounces Unsweetened Chocolate
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups granulated white sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 5-6 ounces of chocolate squares with peppermint filling, unwrapped
• 4 small candy canes, crushed

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray.
2. In the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water, melt the unsweetened chocolate and butter, stirring occasionally until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
3. In a large bowl with an electric mixer or whisk, beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla, peppermint extract, and salt until combined. Beat in the chocolate mixture. Gently stir in the flour. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
4. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the brownies comes out clean. Arrange the mint squares on top in one layer and return the brownies to the oven until they are just melted, about 1 minute. Evenly spread the chocolate with a spatula and sprinkle with the crushed candy canes. Cool completely before cutting into 2-inch squares.

Candy Cane Martini - Serves 1.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon superfine sugar
• 1 tablespoon hot water
• 2 ounces vanilla vodka
• ½ ounce white creme de menthe
• 1 teaspoon whole milk
• 1 small candy cane (for garnish)

Directions

1. In a microwave-safe cup, heat the sugar and water for 30 seconds or until the sugar dissolves.
2. Spread crushed candy canes on a piece of waxed paper.
3. Fill a martini glass with ice cubes, swirl it around, then tip out the ice. Fill a metal shaker with ice and add the vodka, creme de menthe, sugar mixture, and milk. Shake vigorously and strain into a martini glass. Decorate with the candy cane.

The housing market is stagnating right now in Roanoke and in other parts of the country and real estate brokers would have potential buyers believe that there is no better time than the present to buy a home. It is true, prices are down and mortgage rates are at all-time lows.

Unfortunately for the real estate brokers, many clients are not persuaded by that logic. Instead, in increasing numbers, they are choosing to rent instead of buy — unconvinced that the housing market has yet hit bottom. Would be buyers also understand that unless you plan to stay in your home for more than 10 years, buying a home may not be the right investment for everyone.

With apartments in Roanoke, VA, offering apartment amenities that can’t be found in homes, renting is a great option for many. There is also a broad mix of tenants at West Wind Apartment: young single residents and families and empty-nesters that no longer have homeownership on their wish list.

For information on beautiful one-, two-, and three bedroom apartments in Roanoke contact  West Wind Apartments.

We are so excited for the WestWind Apartments Holiday Bazaar being held in the WestWind Community Club House on Saturday, December 3, 2011from 5:00pm – 7:00pm.
 
Come and relax and enjoy with the neighbors. WestWind will be hosting a “Holiday Bazaar” and everyone is invited. There is no cost to attend. There will be vendors such as Lia Sophia Jewelry, Thirty-One Bags, The Gold Refinery, Scentsy, V. Lynns Premier Fashions   and many more!
 
Enjoy the party, and start (or finish) your holiday shopping! The holidays are fast approaching and we are excited to see everyone! Come stop by and shop for gifts or just come say “Hi”, socialize, and have some refreshments!
 
If this is an event that you would like to participate in, please let our Welcome Center know. We have plenty of spaces available and would love to help you showcase your products.

Looking for a few ways to burn a couple of calories this Thanksgiving before your feast  begins in your apartment in Roanoke? The Drumstick Dash has quickly become Roanoke's biggest family reunion with families coming from all over the United States.

Your participation in the Drumstick Dash provides food, shelter and clothing for the 350-plus men, women and children who seek our services every day.

Over 11,500 runners, walkers, dogs and strollers came last year and participated in the 2010 Drumstick Dash.

Not going to be in Roanoke on Thanksgiving Morning?

Even if you are not going to be in Roanoke, you can still run or walk the 5k wherever you are, wearing your 2011 DASH tee shirt.  Running the drumstick dash wherever you are will help others to eat!  Your participation in the Drumstick Dash provides food, shelter and clothing for the 350-plus men, women and children who seek our services every day.

We look forward to having you join us either to DASH in Roanoke or DASH-AWAY wherever you are!! Happy Thanksgiving from West  Wind apartments in Roanoke.

Info from Roanokeoutsider.com

You never know who or what you're going to see while out enjoying the great outdoors here in Roanoke, Virginia, but running into a dog sled probably isn't something you'd typically expect.  
 
But that's exactly what happened a few weekends ago.  And it is happening again in a couple more weeks.
 
Tina Gibson and Jenny Akers are passionate about dog sledding, and they're offering you an opportunity to teach your dog how to pull a sled (or scooter).
 
Details:

• Dates:   12/17
• Cost:      $20
• Where:  Randolph Park in Dublin
• More:     Formore information, or to register, contact Jenny Akers:  (540) 641-4496 or bluenorthernwind@gmail.com
• Friendly dogs with proof of rabies vaccination
• Class includes hands-on instruction, booklet, and sled use

Try out dog sledding, maybe this will be your new way to commute to work from your apartment in Roanoke, VA.

One of the most popular home ownership myths in Roanoke, VA is that owning a house is a huge tax break as compared to renting.  I don’t know how many times people have personally told me that they want to buy a home because they NEED a tax deduction!  I just shake my head in disbelief because I have done the math.  

If your mortgage interest and other qualifying expenses such as charity contributions aren’t more than the standard deduction, ($11,600 for joint filers in 2011), there is no tax advantage to owning a home as opposed to renting an apartment in Roanoke, VA.  Assume that you buy a $200,000 house with a 5% downpayment at a 6% interest rate.  Your mortgage interest for the year would be $11,336.  The Standard Deduction for joint filers is $11,600.  

In this example, there is NO TAX BENEFIT.  Even when there is a tax benefit, you most likely paid much more money to maintain the house than you are saving in taxes.  If your mortgage interest is more than the standard deduction and you choose to itemize, there is little to no advantage.  

For example, assume that your mortgage interest in 2011 is $15,000.  You would get to deduct an additional $3400 if you itemize BUT you spent $15,000 in mortgage interest to save $850 on your taxes (assuming 25% tax bracket).    

Don’t forget that you would also have all of the other expenses of home ownership that you would not have incurred when renting an apartment in Roanoke, VA in an HHHunt community.