Abberly Crest Blog

It does not matter where you live, in Washington DC or in an apartment in Lexington Park, MD, If you suffer from insomnia, it can really take its toll. However, sleep aids are not always the answer. It may be where you are sleeping that is the problem. Here are some tips that can help you get a better night’s sleep.

As the days become longer, you don’t want those rays of early morning light to steal the last few hours of sleep you need. Blackout curtains or shades block out any light.

Keeping cool at night makes for better sleeping conditions too. People sleep better when it is cooler at night, so program your thermostat between 60 and 68 degrees. You will sleep better and conserve energy.

You need to be comfortable. A new mattress may be necessary for some, but sometimes all that is needed is a mattress pad. Pillows with polyester stuffing tend to wear out after a year, so try a new pillow too.

Sometimes, soundproofing is a good idea. Try a white noise machine which can replace the sounds of outside life and neighbors.

Did you know that you should not use your bedroom as a TV room or office? When you use your bedroom for other things, your brain associates your bedroom with activities other than sleeping, which may be what’s keeping you up all night. Give your brain the chance to wind down before bed and don’t use the computer or watch TV.

Fox news

So you have been sitting around your apartment in Lexington Park, MD trying to think of a great Valentines’ Day gift idea? Because nothing says I love you quite like a...

When it comes to Valentine's Day, gifts should come from the heart, and be about the person you love (or really like).

Remember too, Valentine's Day doesn't have to be about spending a lot of money, or any money for that matter. You can get right to your valentine’s heart with a hand written valentine card or homemade dinner.

A necklace from a local artist is a really wonderful idea. It is unique and pretty, just like your significant other.

Here are some Valentine's Day gift ideas, some are sentimental and some are more materialistic. Got more ideas, add a comment.

• A handwritten card
• A mix playlist
• Dinner, out or at home
• Of course the traditional flowers or chocolate
• Breakfast, (in bed maybe)
• Take a cooking class together
• A book for private time or game for together time
• A goldfish in a bowl.
• Manicure and/or pedicure, massage gift certificates
• Jewelry, make it unique, but that does not mean expensive
• A coffee mug from a local potter, and a pound of gourmet coffee
• Boxers or pajamas with hearts on them

With all the access to the shoreline we have living in apartments in Lexington Park, MD, we need to do our part to keep our shoreline clean. On Sunday, February 26, divers from Southern Maryland will be gathering at the Driftwood Beach in Chesapeake Ranch Estates in Calvert County to help do their part in helping the environment while making a difference locally.

You can help too, even if you don’t dive. This is an event to all who are interested in helping clean the beach. Volunteers will be diving and cleaning the shore line and beach to pick up debris and trash.

This is all part of an initiative by Southern Maryland Divers, LLC to do their part in helping the environment in a not so typical way as a part of Project Aware. For the dive, Southern Maryland Divers will provide hotdogs and hamburgers, sodas, hot chocolate, and coffee for anyone that participates as well as a shelter with a kerosene heater for those that dive. Southern Maryland Divers will provide tanks and rental gear free of charge for those that don’t have their own gear.

As a special for all participants, Southern Maryland Divers will be offering the PADI Project Aware - “Our World, Our Water” specialty for only $35. This will however require a short classroom session for those who choose to take it.

Original article - Baynet

Well, the Ravens didn’t make it to the Super Bowl. But you can still have a great party for the “Big Game”. How should you prepare for your Super Bowl Party?  Is there a set way that a Super Bowl Party should be hosted? Of course not. But if you are throwing a Super Bowl Party in your apartment in Lexington Park, MD, we’d like to help.

In your apartment there are certain things that you may do differently from hosting a Super Bowl Party.   ForRent.com does a “great” job at giving the basics of what is expected to host a great Super Bowl Party in your Apartment at Abberly Crest. Enjoy!

That is what smart money columnist advises. Forget the conventional wisdom about renting. It turns out that renting is one of the smartest investments you can make.

In fact when economists run the numbers they find that renters save an average of $560 every month just by choosing to rent over buying a house.

And don't worry about losing out on the investment potential of a house. Renting an apartment allows you to use your "down payment money" for other investments, which provide a higher return than real estate, even in a booming housing market.

As a case in point, a $100 investment in housing in 1985 would be worth $293 today, while that same $100 placed in stocks would be worth $1146 - nearly four times as much.

When you add up all of the potential liabilities of home ownership - hidden maintenance and insurance costs, rising property taxes and potential price drops - renting is a smarter choice from the start.
 
Live smart; rent from the leading apartment home community in Southern Maryland. For more information on apartments in Lexington Park, MD contact Abberly Crest Apartment Homes.

National Multi Housing Council

America is headed toward a future in which fewer people own their homes. The effective homeownership rate stands at 62% percent, according to a 2010 report by the New York Federal Reserve.

As more people move from owning to renting, apartment vacancy rates have fallen fast, from 8 percent in 2009 to 5.6 percent in third quarter 2011. Apartments in Lexington Park and all over Southern Maryland are not exception.

Those trends are just the beginning, the US is becoming a nation of renters and home ownership will keep falling. And some experts say that could be good for the country.

This dramatic change, triggered by the 2008 housing collapse, has shifted people’s views of home ownership. The number of those who consider a home a safe investment fell from 83% in 2003 to 66% this year, according to a survey by Fannie Mae. In another poll last April, 40% of renters questioned said they plan never to buy a home. Another reason for this is that many baby boom retirees don’t want the burden of home repairs, rising property taxes and other responsibilities.
 

For information on renting an apartment in Lexington Park, MD contact Abberly Crest Apartment Homes.

Original article- the Fiscal Times

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 Lexington Park, MD 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 in Lexington Park 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!

It is the New Year, and for the residents of our apartments in Lexington Park, MD this is the perfect time to get a fresh start. New Year’s Resolutions are the topics of conversation this time of year. But food may certainly give you a leg up in the luck department.

There are quite a few foods that are believed to be lucky and to improve the odds that next year will be a great one. What is interesting is that all over the world the foods eaten on New Year’s Eve consist of the same major categories: grapes, greens, fish, pork, legumes, and cakes.

Grapes
New Year's revelers in Spain consume twelve grapes at midnight—one grape for each stroke of the clock.

Cooked Greens
Cooked greens, including cabbage, collards, kale, and chard, are consumed at New Year's in different countries for a simple reason — their green leaves look like folded money, and are thus symbolic of economic fortune.

Legumes
Legumes including beans, peas, and lentils are also symbolic of money. Their small, seed-like appearance resembles coins that swell when cooked so they are consumed with financial rewards in mind.

In Italy, it's customary to eat cotechino con lenticchie or sausages and green lentils, just after midnight

In the Southern United States, it's traditional to eat black-eyed peas or cowpeas in a dish called hoppin' john.

Pork
The custom of eating pork on New Year's is based on the idea that pigs symbolize progress.

Fish
Cod has been a popular feast food since the Middle Ages. The Danish eat boiled cod, in Italy, baccalà, or dried salt cod, is enjoyed from Christmas through New Year's; herring is consumed at midnight in Poland and Germany; the Swedish New Year feast is usually a smorgasbord with a variety of fish dishes such as seafood salad. In Japan, herring roe is consumed for fertility, shrimp for long life, and dried sardines for a good harvest

Cakes
Round or ring-shaped baked goods have special emphasis at New Year’s.

If you are looking for a recipe to bring to a New Year’s Eve party in Lexington Park or somewhere else in Southern Maryland this weekend, bring some food with luck! Happy New Year from Abberly Crest Apartment Homes.

If you are searching for an apartment in Lexington Park, MD and you are on the go, take advantage of mobile technology to make your apartment search more efficient and more effective. Mobile search is available literally at your fingertips.

Check your toolbox
You may currently use mobile technology for everything from checking the weather to downloading movies, but have you thought about how you can go mobile with your apartment search? GPS and mapping tools simplify your search by pinpointing apartment locations that are located in Lexington Park or in a desired area. And many apartment communities and apartment search guides have Facebook pages where you can get a quick overview of what tenants are saying and what a community has to offer.

After find a potential apartment, use mobile technology to instantly go online where you can read reviews and compare apartment communities to others nearby. Use your mobile device to jot down notes electronically and take pictures. Then you can e-mail pictures and thoughts directly to your partner, roommate or friends.

No apartment search would be complete without submitting an application, which you can also quickly do from your mobile device once you find your dream apartment. That way other renters won’t beat you to the punch!

Socialize your search
Taking advantage of mobile technology can help you locate, preview and contact apartment communities. Before you sign the contract, you may want to go mobile to get opinions on your decision. Logging in to Facebook on your smartphone gives you quick access to your friends so you can post questions about your apartment choice and get immediate feedback.

Making a move and choosing a new apartment in Lexington Park can be challenging, so maximize your mobile technology to make decisions faster and get a jump on the hottest apartments on the market.

Original article – Moving Today

It is the season of the candy cane. Use them as a tree ornament and on gifts. But there are other things you can do with candy canes 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.

• 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

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.

• 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

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.

• 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)

• In a microwave-safe cup, heat the sugar and water for 30 seconds or until the sugar dissolves.
• Spread crushed candy canes on a piece of waxed paper.
• 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.

Enjoy the Holidays from Abberly Crest.