WestWind Apartments Blog

It's a rainy Thursday and you don’t want your friends and family who are looking for a new home to be left out in the rain do you? Refer them to WestWind Apartment Homes and not only will they be rewarded with a new home in the perfect community but you will be rewarded with a neighbor you know and a referral bonus!

WestWind apartments in Roanoke, VA is excited to be participating in Relay For Life this year! We want to make a difference by teaming up to participate in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. There are so many ways that you can help us reach our team goal.

Our team will camp out overnight and take turns walking around the track to raise both money and awareness to help the American Cancer Society create a world with less cancer and more birthdays. We will be hosting events on the property of WestWind Apartments, selling Luminaries’, foot steps and suns. Click 'HHHunt Relay for life' for the link to easily donate from the comforts of your apartment home or office!

If you have any questions, please contact the WestWind Welcome Center at 877-631-8327.

Perhaps you are relocating to Roanoke, VA 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 first and most important question you should ask yourself before you consider buying a home is whether you will own it 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 necessarily 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. Lenders don’t take into account home maintenance costs, child care expenses, health care expenses, expensive lifestyles and habits, etc. 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 to Roanoke or if you don’t know the area, rent an apartment in Roanoke for a while. Get to know the city.
 
For information on West Wind Apartments in Roanoke, VA, contact us.

Excerpts from Onlinesentinel.com

Your WestWind Team would like to say Thank You to all who came out in the cold on Saturday to Warm Up With WestWind.

(Click on the images above to enlarge)

Remember that every month we have a new event that is free and fun for our residents. If you have an idea for an event let us know, because we always love to hear your ideas!

Your WestWind Team would like to remind everyone about our monthly FREE resident social event this Saturday, January 14, 2012 from 5:00 – 7:00pm at the Clubhouse.

We will be serving warm delicious refreshments! We would love to see everyone there!

 

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.