In the American mind, renting has long symbolized striving rather than achieving. But as we climb our way out of the Great Recession, it seems something has changed. Americans are getting over the idea of owning the American dream; increasingly, they're OK with renting it.
Home ownership is on the decline, and renting is on the rise. But the trend isn't limited to the housing market. Across the board, Americans are increasingly acclimating to the idea of giving up the stability of being an owner for the flexibility of being a renter. This may sound like a decline in living standards. But the new realities of our increasingly mobile economy make it more likely that this transition from an Ownership Society to a Rentership Society.
The unsentimental fact about the American dream is that Americans never really owned it in the first place. For the past three decades, especially, consumers haven't so much bought their quality of life as they've borrowed it from banks and credit card companies.
Now consumers are following the example of corporations, becoming more efficient. And it starts at home.
Housing is the biggest single component of consumption in the U.S. economy and the source of much of our present misery. The typical consumer spends about 32% of his or her budget on shelter. In the last decade, that generally meant borrowing a lot of money to take "ownership" of a home.
During the boom, the homeownership rate grew steadily, peaking at a record 69% in 2006.
Ownership-boosters failed to note that homes purchased in 2005 and 2006 with no-money-down, interest-only mortgages weren't really bought. They were simply rented until the "owner" flipped them or walked away from the mortgage.
In the post-bust climate, renting has emerged as a much more economically efficient way to pay for housing. A one-year lease represents a far less onerous financial obligation than a 30-year mortgage. It's difficult to get into too much financial trouble as a renter. The homeownership rate has fallen from its peak in 2006 to 65.4% today.
For an increasing number of Americans it makes more sense to rent. According to Moody's, by late 2011 it was cheaper to rent than to own in 72% of American metropolitan areas, (such as the Charlotte area) up from 54% a decade ago. And the more people who do it, the more socially acceptable and desirable it becomes. The decline in the ownership rate means that about three million more households rent today than did at the height of the bubble.
It's tempting to view the rise of renting as an economic step backward. But many would argue the rise of renting is a sign of a system adapting to new realities.
The U.S. economy needs the dynamism that renting enables as much as, or more than, it needs the stability that ownership engenders.
And the rising popularity of renting is hardly contained to the housing market.
Finally, perhaps, Americans are absorbing a piece of wisdom from Thoreau: "And when the farmer has got his house, he may not be the richer but the poorer for it, and it be the house that has got him."
It is a fun weekend for those who live in apartments in Mooresville, NC who like beer and music. For beer and Bluegrass lovers, the second annual N.C. Brewers and Music Festival at Rural Hill is approaching.
The second annual North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival is at Huntersville’s Historic Rural Hill this Saturday, May 12. An afternoon and evening full of foot-stomping entertainment and foamy refreshment is part of the celebration of craft beer and fun along with a great bunch of musical groups.
Seven bands will provide live music for the festival from 12 to 10 p.m. This is the second year that more than 20 North Carolina-based brewers will show up with their custom-crafted concoctions.
Bands will begin playing at noon and continue throughout the afternoon and evening. Food and other merchandise will also be a part of the festival’s offerings, but the primary focus will be on the music and the beer. Free beer sampling which is included with the price of admission will begin at 12:45 and end at 4:15 p.m.
The 2012 version of the Brewers and Music Festival has met and exceeded organizers’ goals of being bigger and better than 2011.
Participating Breweries: Highland Brewing Company, NoDa Brewing Company, Birdsong Brewing, Four Friends Brewing, The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery, Lonerider Brewing Company, Big Boss Brewing, Natty Greene’s, Triple C Brewing, Westbend Vineyards, Kind Beers, Heist Brewery, Catawba Valley Brewing Company, Foothills Brewing, Red Oak Brewery and Free Range Brewing.
Low mortgage rates and more affordable home prices in the Lake Norman area are creating an interest in home ownership by those who live in apartments. However, potential buyers who are unprepared for the true cost of owning a home may be shocked by the bite home ownership can take out of their wallet in addition to their mortgage payments.
Inspection and Appraisal Fees
Before you purchase a home you need to pay for a home inspection, and an appraisal, possible even inspections for pests or radon. The costs of these inspections are borne by buyers and are a necessary protection to avoid buying a flawed property or paying too much.
Closing Costs
Buyers need to be prepared with the cash for anywhere from 2% to 4% of the mortgage balance depending on your area.
Taxes
As a homeowner, you'll need to pay property taxes, which are generally part of the escrow you pay into each month. Remember, even if you have a fixed-rate home loan, your property taxes could go up and increase your monthly housing costs.
Insurance
Your lender will require home insurance, the cost of which depends on factors including the construction materials of your home and the location. Even if you have renter's insurance, you'll find that home insurance costs more because you are paying for the ability to rebuild your home in addition to replacing your personal possessions. Insurance costs will rise over time, and you will need supplemental insurance if you live in a flood zone.
HOA and Condo Fees
If you buy a home within a homeowners' association or a condominium association, you'll be required to pay a monthly or quarterly fee. These fees can rise, or your association may need to charge a special assessment for projects such as repaving the parking lot or repairing a roof.
Utility Bills
Depending on where you live, your costs for electricity, gas and water could be higher when you move into your own home than when you live in an apartment in Mooresville, NC. You may also need to pay for garbage collection along with your Internet, cable and phone bill.
Furniture
While this is essentially a discretionary expense, most people who move from an apartment to a larger home need to buy at least some new furniture.
Lawn Care
Whether you handle your yard work yourself or hire a professional, you will have to pay something to keep your landscaping in check. Lawn equipment can be costly and you may need a leaf blower and other yard tools, too.
Maintenance
Home maintenance costs time and money. While you may be able to change your furnace filters, clean your gutters and keep your appliances running smoothly yourself, you may also need to hire a contractor to clean and inspect your chimney and to keep your heating and air conditioning system in top shape.
Repairs
While maintenance tasks can be predictable, the most costly part of homeownership typically comes with unexpected repairs such as replacing or repairing the roof, removing a tree, or paying for mold mitigation in a damp basement. The list of possibilities is endless, so homeowners should set aside savings for an emergency. Experts suggest budgeting for 1% or 2% of your mortgage balance as a yearly maintenance and repair fund.
The Bottom Line
Buying a home costs more than you think. If you don’t expect to stay in your home for at least seven to 10 years, contact Abberly Green Apartment Homes.
Everyone wants to tighten their wallets, save a little money and go green at the same time. Can you conserve resources and go green in your home even if you live in an apartment in Mooresville, NC? Of course. Even if you are living in an apartment you can go green. How?
Conserve water- if you are washing dishes by hand, fill a basin and do all of your dishes at once. Don’t run the water the entire time. Rinse all the dishes at once rather than one a time, which reduces running water. Of course when brushing your teeth, turn off the water until it is time to rinse. Everyone loves a nice long shower, but cutting down on shower time even by just one or two minutes can reduce your water use.
Change your light bulbs- CFL light bulbs conserve energy and last longer. Rather than turning light into heat, they use less wattage by only making light.
Compost in your apartment- There are under the sink compost containers where you can compost your garbage in your home with no odor. When the composter is full, grow some beautiful potted plants. In fact, houseplants add a little color, and also clean the air by cutting down pollutants in your apartment.
Most experts suggest setting your AC to 68ºF in the day and 60ºF at night. Believe it or not, setting it at 72ºF degrees will cost you 39 percent more energy.
Unplug your cell phone charger when you are not using them.
By creating good practices in energy and water conservation you develop good habits. Pretty soon turning off lights when you leave the room, not running the water while you’re brushing your teeth, and taking shorter showers become second nature.
Everyone loves to grill out. At Abberly Green Apartment Homes, apartments in Mooresville, NC we have beautiful grounds and areas for grilling. But there is another way too. Electric grills are great for apartment living. If you live in an apartment and you love to grill, an electric grill may be a great option for you. Not to mention the great seafood that is available for grilling in North Carolina!
Many people find, after moving to an apartment, that open flame grills are not convenient. If giving up grilling is not an option and you love that great summer time feeling of grilling on your deck or patio, consider an electric grill.
There are also some tremendous advantages to an electric grill. No lugging charcoal and you won’t run out of propane in the middle of cooking. Also, an electric grill is designed for fat run off, so the food you grill on an electric grill is healthier than traditionally grilled foods. Spark up the grill and celebrate the season in Mooresville!
Although you live in an apartment in Mooresville, NC , that does not mean you can’t have a garden and grow flowers, plants, vegetables and herbs. Spring flowers and vegetables grow great in a container garden too. Spruce up your balcony, and add color to your home with flowers and vegetable plants. When you do, you can also bring awareness to child abuse.
April is Child Abuse Awareness Month, and just in time for spring, Lake Normanresidents can purchase seeds from United Family Service to help raise awareness about an issue affecting thousands of children in Mecklenburg County each year.
In honor of Child Abuse Awareness Month, the Lake Norman office of the nonprofit organization recently partnered with Lowes to sell seeds to the community throughout April.
As you plant flowers, herbs and vegetables in your container garden this spring, think about children and families impacted by child abuse, and about the support United Family Services offers those children.
The United Way is hopeful that the Seeds of Hope campaign will have a major impact on preventing child abuse in the Lake Norman area.
Want to buy seeds?
All seed packages cost $5. They are sold at: • Horizon Eye Care in Mooresville. • The Village Store, Main Street Books and the April 21st Davidson Farmers Market in Davidson. • Dancing Leaf Spa, Kadi Fit, Progressive Pilate and Aquesta Bank in Cornelius. • Horizon Eye Care in Huntersville as well as at Earth Fare on April 28 only. For information, visit www.unitedfamilyservices.org.
You are in luck if you live in an apartment in Mooresville, NC. Plenty of activities fill the schedule this week around the area. Our calendar also includes eggs and a wide range of activities from bass fishing to theater.
Some of the world’s top professional bass anglers will hit Lake Norman this weekend for the three-day Bassmasters Southern Open, with boats leaving from Blythe Landing. Weigh-ins will be held the first two days at Blythe Landing, the final day at Concord’s Bass Pro Shops.
Discovery Place Kids in Huntersville has themed this week’s Fun Friday “Eggstravaganza,” with an egg hunt and Easter egg decorating, while the Historic Rural Hill Farm in Huntersville will hold its annual Community Egg Hunt on Saturday morning. In other activities this week:
The Davidson Public Library begins its “It Was a Book First” movie series on Wednesday with a free showing of “The Adventures of Tintin.”
The Birdnest in downtown Davidson will host a performance Friday night by the Mike Strauss Band with special guests Junestar. A portion of ticket sales will go to Habitat for Humanity.
FRIDAY, APRIL 6
Discovery Place Kids Fun Fridays, all day, Discovery Place Kids, 105 Gilead Road, Huntersville. This week’s DPK Fun Friday theme is “Eggstravaganza,” where kids can participate in an egg hunt and some egg-speriments, test their skills in an egg drop and decorate Easter eggs.
Global Café, 10 a.m., Cornelius Library, 21105 Catawba Ave., Cornelius. Learn about America’s history and culture while improving your English conversational skills. No registration necessary.
Preschool Storytime, 10:15 a.m., Davidson Library, 119 S. Main St., Davidson. Preschoolers engage with books and activities that encourage language and pre-reading skills. Hear stories, sing songs, and develop the skills needed to become a successful reader.
Toddler Storytime, 11 a.m., Davidson Library, 119 S. Main St., Davidson. Toddlers build language skills, participate in music and movement activities, and discover the fun of books. Explore letters, sounds, and new words through stories and activities.
Live music at The Birdsnest, 8 p.m., The Birdsnest, 102-B S. Main St., Davidson. Performance by the Mike Strauss Band with special guests Junestar. Tickets: $10, with a portion of each ticket sold going to Habitat for Humanity.
SATURDAY, APRIL 7
Davidson Farmer’s Market, 8 a.m.-noon, downtown Davidson, next to Town Hall. 2012 opening day for the Davidson Farmer’s Market. Local farmers and vendors selling meats, produce, dairy products, baked goods, and other items. Runs every Saturday through November.
Rural Hill Community Egg Hunt, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Historic Rural Hill Farm, 4431 Neck Road, Huntersville. The public is invited to participate in a day of free egg hunts and spoon races.
Science Saturday Book Club for Kids, 2 p.m., Davidson Library, 119 S. Main St., Davidson. This program, designed to support science literacy, features simple interactive science experiments based upon a book will be demonstrated. This month’s titles: “Scene of the Crime” and “Crime Scene Science.”
Sip and Shop at Wooden Stone Gallery, 4-6 p.m., Wooden Stone Gallery, 445 S. Main St., Davidson. Raffaldini Vineyards will be featured at the gallery’s monthly wine tasting. Tickets are $8 per person, and include a complimentary wine glass.
If you have just moved into your new apartment in Mooresville, NC you are probably wondering how to meet people. Well, this is the perfect time of year for getting outside and socializing with the neighbors. Apartments are the perfect place to make friends and meet people in your community.
Your apartment community has beautiful grounds, get outside and enjoy them. If you are new to the area and don’t know anyone, or if you just want to meet others, this is a great place to start. Every day, members of your apartment community are out and about enjoying the area. When people are outside relaxing and having a good time, they are more apt to socialize and open to meeting someone new. This is a great place to break the ice.
Get outside and enjoy the grill area. Grill up some finger foods or fun appetizers and invite passersby to have a taste.
If you enjoy cooking, or want to try some fun recipes, start a supper club. Put up a community post and see if there are any others who would like to join. Alternate each dinner night in different apartments within your community. Have themes if you’d like, such as seafood night, appetizers and wine night or Mardi Gras.
Be creative in how you try to meet people. There are surely others who want to meet the neighbors too.
You have probably heard by now that gas prices will only be going up and as we approach summer they may be as high as $5.00/gallon! If you live in an apartment in Mooresville, NC and you like to drive in and around Charlotte on your summer weekend, gas mileage is very important.
You can improve your car’s gas mileage. If you do them all, you can increase your gas mileage by 50%. When you bought your car you had a specified number of miles per gallon, but you may not be seeing that mileage today. Why?
Don’t neglect regular car maintenance. If it has been awhile since you have had a tune up on your car, schedule one! Be sure to keep up on your car’s regular maintenance. Regularly maintained cars get the best gas mileage. You will be pleasantly surprised.
Check your tire air pressure. Your tires can directly affect your gas mileage. As the temperature changes, so does the pressure in your tires. Regularly check that your tires have the required PSI. When the pressure in your tires is too low, your tires no longer work efficiently, they work like water balloons. With too much surface on the road, there is too much friction causing your car to work harder. Your gas mileage can be dramatically affected by poor tire pressure.
Believe it or not, changing your driving habits can affect your gas mileage. The way you drive affects how much gas you burn. Not planning to stop, revving up and slowing down and driving over the speed limit all use too much gas. By changing your behavior behind the wheel, you can increase the gas mileage in your car.
Enjoy the summer and enjoy the ride. Keep money in your pocket as gas prices rise, follow these tips to increase your gas mileage.
For all those basketball fans in our apartments in Mooresville, NC, don’t forget that March Madness begins on March 13th! Don’t miss a minute of March Madness, head to the city and watch the games with your friends at one of the best sports bars or restaurants in Charlotte. The following sports bars and restaurants offer food and drink specials and prizes not to mention their many large flat screen televisions for watching the games!
Strike City: Strike City features over 75 “mega, large, and standard” high definition televisions, with “no bad seats” for taking in March Madness. The establishment also features a bowling alley and a full-service restaurant.
Hickory Tavern: The tavern has been featured on ESPN’s list of the best sports bars in North America and has several locations within Charlotte. It offers specials every day, including those centering around the tavern’s craft beer selection.
Boardwalk Billy’s: Located right on the water, this raw bar and ribs establishment offers outdoor dining, trivia nights, and tons of food and drink specials ideal for watching a game, including chicken fingers, ribs, and beer and wine specials.
Fleming's Steak House: in the EpiCentre invites NCAA fans to stop by for a night of college hoops and some excellent specials. Before 7 pm, enjoy the regular "5 for $6" menu: five wines, five cocktails, and five appetizers, all priced at $6 each. After 7pm, order up "Two-Buck Chuck" sliders in a variety of combinations for $2. Toppings include Swiss and Peppered Bacon, Smoked Wisconsin Cheddar and Tabasco Onions, or Danish Blue and Caramelized Onions, all perched on a mini prime chuck burger. The "Two-Buck Chuck" menu is available Thur - Sun, March 25 - 28, only.
Andrew Blair's Bistro: The chefs have cooked up some specials for basketball fans as well. Try the corndogs made with boudin sausage; or an entrée of fresh N.C. Striped Bass or local Grateful Growers Pork Tenderloins.
At area Wild Wing Cafés: you can play a game that might win you a trip to next year's Final Four. Collect cards picturing each of the teams that make the Final Four this year, and be entered to win the grand prize. Plus you'll get $100 in Wild Bucks - that's a lot of wings! You receive one card for each game session you attend.
No big prizes at Rock Bottom Brewery, but plenty of plasma screens and Happy Hour prices from 11 am to closing.
Make this year’s March Madness events extra special by watching games at these and more of the best sports bars in Charlotte!
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In the American mind, renting has long symbolized striving rather than achieving. But as we climb our way out of the Great Recession, it seems something has changed. Americans are getting over the idea of owning the American dream; increasingly, they're OK with renting it. 
It is a fun weekend for those who live in 
Low mortgage rates and more affordable home prices in the 
Everyone wants to tighten their wallets, save a little money and go green at the same time. Can you conserve resources and go green in your home even if you live in an 
Everyone loves to grill out. At 
Although you live in an 
You have probably heard by now that gas prices will only be going up and as we approach summer they may be as high as $5.00/gallon! If you live in an 
For all those basketball fans in our 
