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Art Institute of Pittsburgh Student Wins $10,000 in ForRent.com’s Video Contest

ForRent.com^®, announced the grand prize winner and the top 10 finalists of its "If Only Your Apartment Furniture Could Talk" video contest.

Drum roll please.............................................................

The grand prize winner is Brendan Walsh of "Furniture Talk." Brendan is a 20 year-old student from Steubenville, Ohio, majoring in digital media production at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. His video gives viewers a "fly on the wall" point of view of the conversations their apartment furniture has when they're not around. One couch tells the story of his lazy owners and why they should win $10,000 to add more furniture to their apartment. Watch this video at http://www.winapartmentfurniture.com/video/view/26.

"Social media is my life," says Walsh. "In fact, I even created a Facebook group for my video submission to gain more views and votes. It's like a chain reaction. I tell 10 people, they tell 10 people, and it spirals."

The winning videos on WinApartmentFurniture.com were selected from more than 50 submissions created by ForRent.com enthusiasts from around the country. Each responded to the challenge to create a short video creatively telling ForRent.com, through the eyes and voice of their apartment furniture, why they should win $10,000. In addition to Walsh's $10,000 grand prize, the top 10 finalists will receive iPod Shuffles. These videos can be viewed at http://www.winapartmentfurniture.com/pages/finalists.

The finalists includes great videos such as ‘Small Apartment Sickness', submitted by Dane Boedigheimer of Riverside, CA, which was a great parody of Pee Wee Herman's Play House. The musical melodies of ‘Help Me Out Bro', submitted by Tyler Poppe & Leland Grant, and British sounding suicidal sofas in ‘Couch Talk', submitted by Alex Farnham, were among the top ten. Creatively speaking, ‘College Bound' by Michael Marencik, ‘Mikey' by Nick Kanellis and ‘Tiffany needs a dream house' by Jana Dowling really showed off their skills. And who could forget the ForRent.com lovers ‘Me and my mattress' by Ryder Darcy in San Francisco, CA, ‘I need my own place', ‘Get Discovered' and ‘ForRent.com-Redcat Film'. "I love it when a plan comes together."

"This contest provided a unique way for us to reach out to our brand community, allowing them to express their creativity and appreciation for ForRent.com and For Rent Magazine," said Terry Slattery, vice president and general manager of For Rent Media Solutions^TM. "We want to thank everyone who participated in the contest, for helping make it such a success."

‘Super Stoked' grand prize winner Brendan Walsh said, when asked what he was going to do with the $10,000, "First I have to pay out to my roommate and 2 friends that helped make it. We are poor hungry college students so we'll head over to the grocery store so we can eat real food and no more Ramen noodles!" Congratulations to all the winners!

Bring a Smile to Your Face-Vote for your Favorite Talking Furniture Videos

Saying our consumers are creative is an understatement! They are brilliant. The videos that were submitted to our “If Only Your Apartment Furniture Could Talk” video contest are comical, entertaining and witty. Sure to crack a smile on your skeptical face.

Just check them out! You’ll hear all the bad jokes from the change stealing, remote swallowing couch. Or join in the discussion as rental couches grumble about their lazy owners. And you’re heart strings will get strung in this true story of star crossed lovers in ‘Sectional Healing’ (gotta love the play on words there, also). And lastly, listen to the garage sale couches as they threaten to leave their owner in ‘Funny Talking Furniture’.

We could watch these amusing videos over and over again. But we wanted to share the wealth with you! So do the same and brighten someone’s day! Send them the link to www.WinApartmentFurniture.com

Only 6 more days left!

Win $10K in ForRent.com’s “If Only Your Apartment Furniture Could Talk” Video Contest

ForRent.com knows your apartment furniture has been through thick and thin. If only it could talk and tell your story, what would it say? Submit an original video to www.WinApartmentFurniture.com by June 15, 2008, creatively telling through the eyes and voice of your apartment furniture why YOU should win $10,000 towards new apartment furniture. Does your apartment scream FRAT house? Or has your couch seen better days (specifically those from the 70’s)? Then let us know! Grab your video camera, don your director’s hat and create a 2-minute or shorter original video. Acceptable video formats include MPEG, QuickTime and Real Media, among many others. Maximum file size is 100 MB.

 

From June 15, 2008 to July 6, 2008, the public may vote on those videos posted on the Website by visiting the Website and following the voting instructions.

On or about July 21, 2008 Sponsor’s internal review panel will choose one Grand Prize Winner and ten Finalists. The Grand Prize Winner will be that entry with the highest score, and the Finalists will be the ten entrants with the next highest scores, based on the following factors:

 

The total number of user generated Internet votes received (250)

Overall quality and appearance of video – voting by Sponsor Panel (250)

Creativity and originality – Voting by Sponsor Panel (500)

Promotion of ForRent.com and/or For Rent Magazine – Voting by Sponsor Panel (250)

 

***Internet votes shall be calculated at one point per vote, with a maximum of 250 points, regardless of the number of votes received.  In the unlikely event of a tie, the video with the earliest upload time will be deemed the winner.

 

The first 100 entrants to submit a video in compliance with all of the Official Rules will receive one ForRent.com Can Hugger. Ten finalists will each receive one iPod shuffle 1GB model. One Grand Prize Winner will receive a $10,000 AmEx gift card.

 

View Official Contest Rules here

ForRent.com Launches New Blog

We want to thank everyone for stopping by and viewing our blog! We are pleased to announce that we have moved to ForRent.com! That’s right; our blog is now hosted on our website. So we really are the ultimate resource for apartment seekers and renters alike. Whether you are searching for a pet-friendly apartment, condo, duplex, townhouse, loft, one, two or three bedroom apartment, we can provide you with over 50,000 listings nationwide. Or if you’re already renting your dream apartment, we have various resources to provide you with tips/advice on decorating & entertaining, organization, safety, recipes and more!

 

So check out our new location! ForRent.com’s new and improved Apartment Blog at http://blog.forrent.com/

 

Thanks!

America’s Best Cities for Couples

It’s no secret that rents are skyrocketing all over the United States. People are constantly looking at ways to save money as the cost of living increases. One thought I find extremely interesting is that couples are now ‘shacking’ up to save some money!!

 

According to the Census Bureau’s latest research, there were an estimated 6.02 million unmarried-partner households in the U.S. in 2006! Forbes.com researched these cities by collecting data for 40 of the largest metropolitan statistical areas for five different categories: marriages per 1,000 people, divorces per 1,000 people, starter-home affordability, income disparity and availability of couples or family counseling.

 

The round-up of the best cities for couples were:

 

1. Dallas

 

2. Houston

 

3. Minneapolis

 

4. Denver

 

5. Austin, Texas

 

 

This is interesting news on Valentine’s Day!! We’ve posted numerous blogs about the benefits of having a roommate, so why not make that roommate your sweetheart!

 

 

For more information about how these cities were selected, visit Forbes.com or Realestate.msn.

Why I LOVE Apartment Living

I’ve lived in numerous rentals. But I just LOVE living in an apartment; for me the reasons far out weigh any other living situation. Here are mine….what are yours?

      

Reason #1: Only Tied to a 1 Year Lease

Let’s say I change job and now my commute is a lot longer. I have the flexibility in an apartment to move a lot sooner than say, owning a home. And while some would prefer not to move around numerous places (for the shear hassle of moving things), others may prefer a change of scenery, which again is easier if you rent an apartment.

         

Reason #2: Who you gunna to call when something breaks/leaks?

GHOAST BUSTERS! Just kidding…..the maintenance personnel! They may seem like heroes when they come, but they don’t have those cool guns to zap rodents!?!  But that’s a big reason I LOVE renting an apartment! I don’t have to worry about calling a repair man and how much it’s going to cost me! I just call the maintenance number, or the leasing office, and get someone out there. Sure I may have to wait a day, depending on the severity of the situation, but I’m not paying $400 to get my toilet snaked either! J

            

Reason #3: Less Responsibility

Yes you’re paying rent, utilities and other items. But the responsibility of owning a home is much greater than renting an apartment. When owning a home you have to continually do maintenance to the outside (yard work, siding, and roofing) as well as periodically make updates to the inside (update appliances, re-surface the floors, etc.). If you’re not ready for that responsibility, you may want to consider renting an apartment!

            

So there are my top reasons why I LOVE apartment living! Sure, I’ve heard all the benefits of owning my own home, taxes, return on my investments, etc. But for me, it really boils down to these three reasons why I continue to rent! Eventually I’ll be ready to purchase my own home, but for now…..I’ll stick to living in my two bedroom apartment!

Top 10 Reasons You’ll LOVE Using ForRent.com

This is the season for love! And let us tell you why you'll love using our site.......

   

1. Easy to navigate site.
2. Searching for your next apartment can be done by searching close to military branches, colleges/universities, city/state, and property name or by zip/distance.
3. Great descriptions for you to get a feel for the communities.
4. Tons of pictures that will actually give you a better look at the apartment community.
5. A video of the apartment community AND surrounding area to give you more insight of the environment you are moving to.
6. Loads of floor plans available.
7. Room planner for majority of our floor plans. This allows you to arrange your furniture layouts prior to seeing the unit!
8. Multiple ways for you to contact the apartment communities such as phone numbers, email and texting services!!
9. Awesome Relocation Center (link) to help you on your move and getting settled!
10. The Apartment Living Blog (link) to provide you with tips and advice on apartment living!

 

So visit ForRent.com today! And let us help you find your perfect place!

    

   

FREE Insurance Quotes on ForRent.com

Recognized by their easy to use insurance resources, ForRent.com makes shopping for all your insurance needs a breeze.  A great deal of apartment hunters will need to find renters insurance before they can sign a lease. I know that while I’m shopping for apartments there are many communities that informed me I needed renters insurance-some even offered me a few business cards to find quotes!

    

But visiting ForRent.com is truly a one stop shop. Now, you’ve heard me talk about all the wonderful resources our Relocation Center  offers, but one thing I haven’t spoken about is our FREE Insurance Quotes.  Follow these easy steps and you’ll find the right insurance to meet your needs:

    

1. Visit ForRent.com’s website
2. Click on Relocation Center on the top menu bar
3. Under the Finance Center (middle of the screen) click on FREE Insurance Quotes
4. Start comparing and finding quotes for your area TODAY!!
5. Or of course you can be brought to the Insurance Quotes page by simply clicking on the links provided within this blog!! J

    

And if you are not in the market for renter’s insurance, ForRent.com also offers quotes on health, auto and life insurance too!

    

Hope this helps all of you!

   

Wanna save some money, get a roommate

According to USA Today, the number of renters are increasing. With the housing market and interest rates not the greatest, apartment rental prices are projected to rise about 4% this year and next!! Four percent! Don’t have an extra 4% in your budget……….get a roommate!

                     

I fortunately have a permanent roommate….he’s called a boyfriend. But if you are apartment hunting and noticing the rental prices are higher than you’d like, find a roommate in your area. This person will benefit you in more ways than just sharing the financial responsibilities of an apartment. Not only will they help you with the rent, utilities and perhaps food costs, they will also give you companionship and an added sense of security.  You may meet someone who will become a lifelong friend, plus you won’t have to dread being in an empty apartment. But the best part about living with a roommate is that you have the ability to save some extra money!!

                

So if you think this option is a practical solution for you, check out ForRent.com’s Find a Roommate section. You’ll be connected with potential roommates available in over a thousand cities nationwide!

            

Happy Apartment Hunting!

             

P.S.  If you have any positive roommate stories to share, please do so!

Top 5 Smartest Cities in the U.S.

Seattle, Washington made #1!

If you link intelligence with education, then Seattle is the smartest U.S. city! It has over 40 colleges/universities and nearly 20 libraries, which might explain why 52.7% of its residents have an undergraduate degree and 90%, have a high school diploma!

 

Do you think you are smart? If so, check out ForRent.com for apartments for rent in Seattle or one of the other five cities that made the list!

 

1. Seattle, WA
2. San Francisco, CA
3. Raleigh, NC
4. Washington, D.C.
5. Austin, TX

Source: CNNMoney.com