Blog Posts

There's an App for That

For better or for worse, technology is a part of our lives these days. Luxury Apts WNY provides online payments and an online resident portal for members of our apartment communities. Today we are sharing some apps that can make your life easier all around. We have suggestions for apps to help you out in the car, in the kitchen, and in the town. Read on to learn more. In the Car Check out Waze a community-driven navigation map that is more than just navigation. Members provide real-time updates to the maps to indicate traffic jams, road construction, and even gas prices, and it’s not just for major freeways, highways, and arterial streets; even side streets right here in WNY can be included. In the case of heavy traffic and long delays, Waze will reroute you in the most efficient manner. Available for iOS and Android In the Kitchen There are a multitude of pantry-supply lists , such as this one from the Food Network, which you can use as a base for creating your individualized pantry. Keep track of what you need to pick up at the grocery store by using one of these handy apps . We especially like the Out of Milk app (available for both Android and iOS ) because with it you can include an ongoing home pantry list. We also love this Allrecipes Dinner Spinner . Wouldn’t it be nice if there was an app that could just scan what you already have and then make a shopping list of what you need for your recipe? Thankfully, someone had an idea. Just scan the barcodes of what you’ve already got and you’re ready to get the rest. For Your Finances Venmo is a handy app for moving your money around without carrying cash. Send or receive money with a few simple taps. All it takes to set up is a phone number or email. Sending money is free with a variety of payment methods. Find out more about Venmo today. Sometimes you just need to split up the expenses in a group venture, and it can get tricky trying to remember who owes whom how much — enter Splitwise , an adaptive app that keeps track of it all down to the penny. It’s free to use and is compatible via the web, iPhone, and Android.

Luxury Apts WNY Winner of 2018 Top Rated Apartment Awards

At Luxury Apts WNY we do it right! Proof? Once again we have been recognized as being among the 2018 Elite 1% properties in the nation for online reputation for the fourth consecutive year. This year, not just one, but two of our properties! Both StoneGate Apartment Homes and Renaissance Place Apartments have earned this distinction. Not only that, but all four of our properties, Windsong Place Apartments, and Autumn Creek Apartments joining Renaissance Place and StoneGate, have garnered awards as well, being noted by ApartmentRatings.com as being among the 2018 Top Rated Award Winners . Being recognized with these awards is a compliment to the caliber of people who make our apartment communities their home. We could not do this year after year without your vote of confidence! How the Rankings Work The Elite 1% ORA™ Power Ranking The Elite 1% ORA™ Power Ranking is an annual ranking developed by J Turner Research based on a monthly online reputation research of over 101,000 apartments, across 19+ review sites and Internet Listing Services (ILSs). J Turner Research is an independent market research and online reputation management company exclusively serving the multifamily industry. To be included in the 2018 rankings, properties had to register a minimum ORA™ (Online Reputation Assessment) score of 89 and have at least 12 online reviews to be included in this ranking. For properties with the same ORA™ score, the property with the higher number of reviews ranked higher. The ORA™ score, based on a scale of 0–100, is an aggregate compilation of an apartment’s ratings across 19+ review sites and ILSs. StoneGate scored 94 and Renaissance Place scored 89. The national average score is 61.56. The ORA™ score serves as the industry standard to measure and benchmark a property’s or company’s online reputation. Top Rated Award Winners ApartmentRatings.com is one of the most searched websites when it comes to apartment hunting, and they strive to “provide transparent and honest information that enables renters and property managers to improve the evolving concept of ‘home.’" According to the website, they are the largest online source for renters’ reviews of apartment communities. Based on those facts, criteria for the 2018 Top Rated award includes the following: 10+ total reviews 5+ reviews in 2018 70% or greater overall recommended score We invite you to take a minute and add your review, too. First you may want to take a look at our blog post that provides a recap about why reviews are important , with tips for writing an effective review. Here’s where to leave your reviews for Renaissance Place , Windsong Place , Autumn Creek , and StoneGate . Thanks for being a wonderful part of the Luxury Apts WNY family, and for making our community your home. Here’s to another great year of apartment living.

Be a Good WNY Neighbor

A few months ago our blog post was all about getting to know your neighbors . Today we are following up that post with one focused on how to BE a good neighbor in your WNY apartment community. Take a few minutes to a self-evaluation to gauge how you are doing at being a good neighbor. These are some things to keep in mind. Be Friendly. It’s one of the easiest things to do to open the avenues of friendship. A smile and a cheery hello is an easy thing to do that will help create a positive energy and build rapport with your neighbors. Take part in community activities offered in our apartment communities and get to know your neighbors. Be Responsible. If you have a pet, take care of it. Be aware that not everybody loves animals. Minimize potential complaints by promptly scooping the poop, dealing with loud barking, and teaching your dog not to jump on people. This is definitely a case where prevention is worth a pound of cure. Be Clean. Keep shared space clean, and make sure your personal belongings don’t overflow into communal areas. Do your part to make sure trash is bagged and ready for removal. For some additional ideas, check out these 12 Things Good Neighbors Always Do by Apartment Guide, which includes additional ways to be a good neighbor. Being a good neighbor can be a bridge to building friendships. For some people friendships come more naturally, for others it can be more difficult. Doing some of these simple things can help to make it more natural. Let things flow and enjoy the feeling of community between neighbors. Do you know your neighbors? How do you make friends with those who live nearby? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for taking the time to read the Luxury Apts WNY blog post today!

First Apartment? We've Got Tips

Welcome back to the Luxury Apts WNY Blog! If you’re new to WNY, this may be your first experience living in or perhaps looking for an apartment. If that’s the case, this post is for you (and even if you are a veteran of apartment living, you, too may benefit from reading this post). We’ve got thoughts about Budget Is Important The general rule of thumb is to only spend about 30% of your income for housing. While you can fudge somewhat on this amount, definitely don’t go anywhere near the 50% mark. It’s possible to make that work, but it means cutting out many of the things that make life enjoyable. So if you don’t already have a budget, take the time to track your spending habits, and figure out where you’re at, and how much you can comfortably spend on housing. Apps like Mint or You Need a Budget can help you with this step. Consider Your Commute Where you live in relationship to where you work, go to school, or spend the majority of your time is important. Take into account the amount of time you will spend commuting from your apartment to the places you need to be. Do a test run, so you know what you’ll be looking at. If public transportation factors into the equation, be sure to understand the logistics. Use the interactive maps on our Luxury Apts WNY property websites to help you figure out your travel times. First Apartment Needs If this is your first apartment, having some basic items on hand will make your experience much better. We like this comprehensive list from rent.com (which you can print out, too) of items for your apartment . Be aware of the apartment rules and guidelines. Take time to read and understand all of the terms in your lease. If you have questions ask in advance. Don’t forget to do a change of address form for mail USPS . Take some time to get to know the amenities and services we provide, and welcome to WNY. We know you’ll enjoy living here.

How to Get On Top of Your Finances

The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to take stock of your life, including taking a look at finances for the coming year. Budgeting and finances probably don’t, by themselves, sound like your idea of an appealing new year activity. But staying on top of your finances so you can go out into town (or even out of the Western New York area), spend wisely, and have fun without stressing about your bank account! Learn some simple but effective principles for getting and staying on top of your finances in today’s Luxury Apts WNY Blog post, and remember we offer online payments to make your life easier when you live in our apartment community. Keep track of your income. Knowing exactly how much money you have to work with each month automatically puts you in the proper mindset for spending wisely. It’s easy to know that tomorrow is payday and hope that your expenses and bills go through, but it’s also easy (and better for you) to check your bank account and know that you can spend confidently. Knowing where you’re at is just as important as knowing where you want to be! Know where every dollar is going. As you start to form your financial goals, you should start a plan for getting there. Develop that plan by giving every dollar in your bank account a name. Nowadays we have plenty of resources at our fingertips for keeping track of finances. Mint is a great budgeting app to see what’s normal for your current habits, to check your credit score and investments, and to practice easy budgeting. GottaBeMobile suggests this and 12 other best budgeting apps you can use. Pay off your debts. This is often easier said than done, but paying off your debts is an important step to staying fiscally responsible and to set yourself up for a better financial future. Make it a goal to pay these off as quickly as you can; use this handy debt snowball calculator to plan how to do it. The longer you’re in debt, the more you’ll have to pay in the long run, especially if you have debts that accrue interest. Plus, the freedom of being debt-free is one that will take a lot of stress off your shoulders. Prioritize that. You deserve it! Create an emergency fund. Start your saving habits by first starting an emergency fund. Hard times do come, unfortunately, but you don’t have to be caught completely off guard. Dave Ramsey suggests creating a fund of 3 to 6 months’ worth of emergency savings . This may take a while, but do what you can every month so you can reach this goal. You never know when it could come in handy. Save. Saving is important for your short- and long-term goals. Get in the habit of saving so you’re constantly working for something good — whether that’s a car or even a nice pair of shoes! Saving also teaches you to value each dollar. It’s easier to be responsible with your money in your day-to-day purchases when you know how hard you’ve worked for it! What are your best budgeting tips? Let the rest of the apartment community know by leaving a comment. We hope these tips help!

Tips for Sending Packages this Holiday Season

December is the time of year when holiday packages are at an all-time high, and we know members of our apartment community may be boxing up and wrapping up gifts to send across the country. Today Luxury Apts WNY is sharing some tips to help you get your packages on their way so they arrive in good condition and on time. Hand-deliver When Possible Sending cards can get expensive. Taking photos, getting them printed, and buying stationery, envelopes, and stamps all cost money. So if you have time and people who live nearby you can deliver to, make a note of that on your list. This is also a good time to greet people you may not see often. Shipping Dates Be aware of the mail by dates for the places you are sending packages to so you don’t end up paying for expensive expedited service. If you’re shopping online, have your gift sent directly to your recipient. Gift wrapping is often available, too. Pack Smart If you’re sending packages, be sure to use boxes that fit and stuff extra space in your box with packing material that is designed for the purpose like bubble wrap (no newspaper needed). Be heavy on the tape you use, especially on corners or weak spots of your box. Write the address and your return address (especially the zip code!) legibly. And ask a mail office employee if you have concerns about how long your package will take to ship. Track Your Packages Tracking or rerouting your packages can ease the stress of receiving packages because it lets you know when to expect your things. Track through whatever service (USPS, FedEx, or UPS) you’re using. Tracking helps you know when to adjust your schedule so your things aren’t waiting in the mail center for too long, and rerouting can be a lifesaver if you end up making last-minute changes to your holiday plans. We hope these tips will help you get gifts to your friends and family in a timely fashion. We’re pleased to offer parcel alert at our WNY apartment communities.