All About the Hip Hop Music

Hip hop music as we all know is really popular these days. It all started in the 1970’s from the South Bronx of New York City. There are a lot of sub culture music styles that are involved with Rap music. Let us know more about hip hop in the following listed details:

Brief history:

During the 1970’s, New York City’s African American Puerto Rican community created the Rap music genre. It is actually a style that came up while trying to add rap music and other instruments like synthesizers, drum machines in live bands. Rappers are the main subject of the hip hop though there are more to it than just rapping. It began with its simple music versions that were modernized and evolved throughout the years.

Styles and Techniques:

Hip hop music or Rap music is not just music at all. It is composed of other things, not only the music itself. If we talk about being in a hip hop culture and community, you will be in a lot of transformation and changes. For example is their fashion statement. Hip hop has brought along a new type of clothing to all artists on the rap music industry including the people listening to it. It is what the people on the Bronx have come up with, but the a little edge into it. We can see most of the artists wearing baggy clothes, with much ‘blings’ in their accessories. It is all part of the hip hop community transformation.

The language is also a bit different. Black people from the Bronx have a certain style or slang in their language. They are more of the baroque style of speaking, and they have added that style in their music’s. Rap music are consists of songs that are written for people that wants to express their feelings in an edgy way.

Graffiti:

Even the graffiti has been transformed by the hip hop music society. It was used in the earlier years as a form of expression for the political activists. Now, hip hop people created it into a way for them to express their way of life, thoughts with the current society, and all other issues. It can be seen throughout the Bronx where it originated.

Famous artists:

1. Run-D.M.C.

2. Public Enemy

3. Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five

4. Beastie Boys

5. 2pac

6. Eric B and Rakim

7. N.W.A

8. Wu-Tang Clan

9. Jay Z

10. De La Soul

11. Outkast

12. A Tribe Called Quest

13. Notorious BIG

14. Nas

15. Eminem

17. LL Cool J

18. Boogie Down Productions

19. Dr. Dre

20. Afrikaa Bambaataa

21. Kanye West

22. The Roots

23. Gangstarr

24. Ice Cube

25. EPMD

26. Salt-N-Pepa

27. Slick Rick

28. Big Daddy Kane

29. Snoop Dog

30. Pete Rock and C.L Smooth

Those are the major information we should know about the rap music genre. Try listening to some of their songs to know more about what this type of music is all about.

Kitchen Furniture Manufacturers – Enriching Your Kitchens

Ever wondered what kind of intense pressure Christiano Ronaldo must be going through every time he walks on to the field while playing for the hugely popular Manchester United? I know it’s the wrong kind of comparison, but kitchen furniture manufactures are almost always put in similar kinds of unenviable situations. After all, they have been entrusted with the onerous task of resurrecting our stolid kitchens. Wherever they go, their impeccable reputation precedes them. A reputation, which has been painstakingly built on years of selfless service to homeowners across the globe.

Excellence that speaks for itself

One look at furniture created by leading kitchen furniture manufacturers, and you know that you’re looking at something special. The obsession with excellence, emphasis on cutting edge design, unmatched craftsmanship and complete attention to every possible detail, is unmistakable. Then there are those numerous innovations in terms of style and color that make the furniture look almost like an esoteric yet priceless work of art. Be it kitchen dining furniture, kitchen island furniture, kitchen storage furniture or an array of functional cabinets, nothing comes close to the tireless service rendered by kitchen furniture manufacturers. Giving a fresh lease of life to every kitchen is their credo, and it’s clearly espoused in their work.

Wood and more

If you are on a singular mission of adding oodles of aesthetic value to your kitchen, then there’s nothing to beat wood kitchen furniture. That’s a secret every kitchen furniture manufacturer will tell you. Wood kitchen furniture, be it chairs, tables or even stools has the power to add immense value to any space. Unique and distinct in every possible way, each piece of furniture is sure to fill you with not contained enthusiasm and glee. But what if the thought of being Eco-friendly provokes you? Then there are other options that can be explored. Several manufacturers make fabulous looking furniture from medium density fiber board, particle board and laminates. This kind of furniture is enduring, practical and very affordable. Considering that the radioactive stocks of this furniture rarely last, you must consider it rather providential to get something for your kitchen. It’s all that you need to make cooking an absolute delight.

E-commerce and furniture

The emergence of the Internet and the consequent information explosion has revitalized and energized the kitchen furniture industry all over the world. These manufacturers make use of the Internet extensively to offer tailor-made solutions to their clientele. Its just not kitchen furniture that is selling like hot cakes but integrated kitchens, custom-made kitchens, kitchen cabinets and many more food storage alternatives. These manufactures are sure poised for a great leap forward in the near future.

Kitchen furniture manufacturers with their innovative ideas, refreshingly different design and impeccable execution have managed to carve a niche for themselves in the hearts and minds of customers. They have developed an uncanny ability to understand the client’s requirements perfectly and find flawless solutions for them. Only they can ensure the perfect balance between fashion and function, always.

Decor Ideas For Classic Home Furniture

Classic home furniture is elegant or traditional. It doesn’t have to be boring or predictable. These are simply quality pieces that you spend a little bit more money on just because you will get a lot of use out of them. You can also style them in a lot of different ways to make them feel different. Here are a few tips for picking up these kind of furnishings.

When you go shopping for classic home furniture your really going to want to focus in on the overall style of the piece. This is super important simply because the shape is really what determines the design. In this case you want to go with more of a timeless or traditional look. This will keep it from becoming dated quickly. Plus, you’ll always be able to change up your specific design style just by changing out a few pieces in the room. This can really save you a lot of money. You’ll need to find a bridge between the over the top look of theme decor and the clean lines of contemporary decorating. This will give you a lot of design durability.

Another aspect that you want to consider when buying these pieces is to go with a material that won’t easily become dated. You will really want to get a high quality wood. Often times, this is what really makes the piece. Plus it’s a way to add a subtle color palette to your room. This means staying away from more vibrant fabrics and wood tones. You really want to go with something that has an enduring style and then put your personal stamp on it through smaller touches.

There are several different aspects in the classic style. You could go with a classic country, traditional elegant look, or a more casual feeling. It’s just a matter of what the word means to you and how it works within your specific lifestyle. This will really tie in with your overall color palette as well as your price range. For instance if you wanted a classic contemporary look then you could focus on a dark almost black wood. If you want a country look then go with an oak in a medium or light tone. For a traditional beach cottage theme find furniture that has a whitewash look. For a formal feeling you would go with a mahogany tone. There are several different types of classic home furniture; it is just a matter of finding the ones that you can really live with.

Home Furniture Construction: Signs of Furniture Craftsmanship

Home furniture construction is every bit as important as its looks – perhaps even more so. Most home furniture manufacturers offer much the same type of furniture, with not a great deal of intrinsic difference between their overall design and appearance. It is how furniture is made that matters, because you want it to be comfortable, hard wearing and last a long time.

The standard of furniture craftsmanship employed is very important, whether you are purchasing a table, cabinet or sofa. Here is what to look for in your own home furniture before you part with a single cent:

The Construction

You can always tell how well a furniture manufacturer builds it furniture by checking a drawer. Just one drawer is all it takes to make a fairly accurate judgment. Remove the drawer and check the joints. There should be dovetail joints all round, signifying strength and durability. The front joint should be hidden dovetails, so they don’t show on the outside face.

Inspect the outside and inside of each drawer to make sure everything has been properly smoothed down, and its contents are unlikely to be snagged. The sign of good furniture craftsmanship is that even the outside surfaces of the drawers, including the bottom, have been properly smoothed and finished. They should also open smoothly, preferably with a central drawer guide rail to prevent any lateral movement.

Rails and framework should be fitted using proper carpentry joints: cross rails using dovetails or pinned mortise and tenon joints. Mortise and tenons should be used on the main frame of chests, cabinets and armories. The wood finish should be added in steps. This should begin with a preservation coat and then the staining and finishing coats added.

Back panels should not be stapled – these frequently loosen, and the furniture could be weakened. In fact, if the correct jointing techniques have been employed in home furniture construction, the back panels should not be needed for strength – the frame should be strong enough itself. Nevertheless, panels should be attached using screws and corner blocks. An important aspect of taller furniture is that it has been tested for stability. You don’t want a tall chest tipping over when you pull out a filled top drawer.

Furniture Craftsmanship in Upholstered Furniture

Here again the strength of the frame is all-important. You sometimes find upholstered home furniture construction given less attention than that of cabinetry because it is not so visible. However, the frame should at least be constructed from a properly jointed hardwood frame, and not just from plywood panels nailed together as you sometimes find. A well-built frame provides a solid base for the springing and other upholstery, and your chairs and sofas will last a long longer because of it.

The base of the seat should first be correctly webbed and then sprung using steel springs of the right size for the depth of the seat. The springs should be properly secured to a solid wood frame and tied together so that the seat is comfortable to sit on. They should then be covered with canvas or synthetic burlap, and then stuffed using a suitable natural or synthetic stuffing material before adding a final cotton batting that acts as a base for the cover.

The External Covering Fabric

The cover fabric should be hard-wearing, meeting industry standards for upholstery fabrics and also meet any fire-resistance regulations applicable. The cover should be properly tacked to the frame, although it is common these days simply to use a staple gun. The cushions should be filled comfortably, some preferring a coil sprung filling wrapped in a layer of foam or batting. Whichever type is used, the internal fiber should be effectively secured and distributed evenly.

Finally check the overall appearance of the furniture. If your upholstered furniture has been manufactured using proper standards of home furniture construction, it should look good, feel completely stable and also be comfortable to sit on. The covers and cushions should fit correctly, and be neatly sewn, and the seat should offer support at the front edge and not sag.

Home furniture construction is very important, and without being sure that proper standards of good furniture workmanship have been employed in its manufacture, you should not expect it to last. While furniture hand-crafted from solid wood and the best materials can be expensive, you should assess that against the cost of replacing poorly made furniture that fails to last.

Settee Beds Usually Are a Popular Choice in Children’s Home Furniture

One of the most well-liked home furniture choices these days, is the couch bed. Couch beds provide a chance to save some space, but are extremely practical and create versatility in living spaces. Lounge beds tend to be the very best solution for bedrooms having restricted room that should have both a bed and lounge in them. While typically utilized in tv rooms, settee beds tend to be now becoming rather popular for youngsters rooms mainly because of their doubling up abilities. Settee beds are a exciting and practical option for kids room home furniture.

It’s pretty common know-how that kids tend to be a disaster waiting to take place. If you want to give them a massive amount of room to play you’ll need to keep home furniture in child’s rooms to a minimum and you realize they’re going to litter the room with toys and other things. Naturally, a bed is an essential piece of the room and it is significant footprint can take up a large amount of precious space. That can leave very little space for studying and playing.Older kids will need different home furniture in the daytime. If they have a sofa they are able to sit comfortably to do the stuff they take pleasure in. Much of the time a bed is of no use throughout waking hours and basically uses up space without being used all through the day.

In several instances a settee bed for a kids’ space is the ideal answer, allowing youngsters to utilize and take pleasure in their personal space very easily. At times moms and dads don’t think about it nevertheless a couch can turn out to be a important component of a kid’s room after they get to a particular age. When growing youngsters start to read a large amount of textbooks they need a comfortable place where they can sit and concentrate. Typically when a bed is used as a reading area it can lead to a child to feel sleepy and become powerless to focus on just about anything but sleeping. In the event that your kid has a settee she will be able to use it a great deal for quite a few more purposes and have fun also.

An additional fantastic feature of utilizing a lounge bed in a kids’ room is it saves a large amount of space. Then you may have the room you will need to fit in a wardrobe or different useful furniture. With out the added in clutter of extra home furniture a space seems larger and is more comfy and helpful when they need to have room for work, amusing pals and sleepover get-together. You are able to discover a sofa bed for a child’s room in virtually any coloring, type or layout you want. Numerous of the styles we discover for general use will moreover be very good for use inside a kids’ room as well. Kids will generally prefer the convenience of an upholstered sofa. There are also kid’s couch beds made to work with particular themes in case you plan to generate a themed room for your little one.

The Facts About FHA And VA Home Loans & Refinancing

Government-Backed Loans – Government loans refer to those loans that are guaranteed by one of two federal agencies. The two types of government loans are: Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans, and Veterans Administration (VA) loans. The advantage of financing using FHA loans are that they are easier to qualify for and allow a borrower to finance more of the loan amount than non-government loans. Whereas with a Conforming loan a borrower may only be able to finance 80% of the loan amount, a FHA loan allows a borrower to finance 97% of the loan amount. FHA loans are recommended for those borrowers who are first-time buyers, have little money to put down, have a short credit history, or are having trouble qualifying for a Conforming loan. The two main advantages of financing using VA loans are that the VA allows borrowers to finance 100% of the loan amount, and that, the VA only requires proof of veteran status to qualify for the loan. The only drawback to government loans is that mortgage insurance is required at all loan to values (LTV), unlike Conventional and Jumbo loans where payment of mortgage insurance is determined by the amount of equity a borrower has in his home.

VA Loan Information

VA loans are designed to provide assistance in purchasing a home for United States Veterans. A benefit of a VA loan is that you can purchase a home with no down payment. In addition, it is slightly easier to qualify for a Veterans Affair loan when compared to a regular loan.

Many people for who actually qualify for a VA Loan are not aware of it.

Who qualifies for a VA Loan?

The following table shows what type of service (and for what duration is required in order to be eligible for a VA Loan:

Wartime

Service during:WWII-09/16/40 to 07/25/47 Korean-06/27/50 to 01/31/55 Vietnam-08/05/64 to 05/07/75 Persian Gulf-8/2/90 to undetermined. You must have at least 90 days on active duty. Plus, you must have been discharged under other than dishonorable conditions. If you served less than the standard 90 days, you may be eligible if discharged for a service connected disability.

Peacetime

Service during periods:-07/26/47 to 06/26/50 & 02/01/55 to 08/04/64 & 05/08/75 to 08/01/90To qualify for a VA Loan, you must have served at least 181 days of continuous active duty. Plus, you must have been discharged under other than dishonorable conditions. If you served less than the standard 181 days, you may be eligible if discharged for a service connected disability.

Other questions about VA Loans:

1) Is the spouse or children of a veteran eligible?A spouse is eligible if the veteran died as a result of a service connected disability or died while on active duty. The children are not eligible. 2) Who makes the loans?Private lenders make the loans. However, the VA guarantee protects these lenders against loss. The guaranty will allow lenders to make loans without other requirements (for example, a down payment). 3) Can I get a VA loan if I have been foreclosed on in the past?Yes. The best way to find out how to qualify for this is to contact a mortgage specialist. They can give you advice on what you can do to ensure you can qualify for a loan.If you are considering a VA Loan, remember that there are still a variety of different mortgages. A mortgage broker can be a useful tool to help find the most appropriate mortgage for your purchase. If you plan on living in your home for a long period of time, you may want to consider the traditional fixed-rate 15- or 30-year loan. Another option is to choose an adjustable rate mortgage and consider refinancing again in a few years. Short-term mortgages include balloon mortgages and one-year adjustable rate mortgages.

Is an FHA loan the best home loan for my situation?

You have many decisions when choosing which type of loan is best for your situation. Is the FHA loan the best? What about a VA loan? When is a Conventional loan better than an FHA loan?

A mortgage specialist can analyze your situation, and help you determine which loan is best for you. In many cases, there are other loans more beneficial than an FHA loan. Although in some situations, FHA loans are the best choice.

About the FHA Loan program. With an FHA Loan, your home loan is insured by HUD. The FHA Program is designed to help give home buyers the opportunity to qualify for a mortgage, when they may not otherwise qualify. HUD assumes some of the risk on the loan. The requirements are not as high for an FHA loan as they are for Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac Loans. Plus, a borrower can purchase a home with only 3% down. In some cases a borrower can qualify for gift programs which allow them to purchase a home with no money out of pocket. There are a variety FHA loan programs that you can take advantage of. A mortgage specialist can give you advice as to which is best for you.

Oak Furniture – A Durable and Affordable Choice For Home Furniture

Most of us change the style of our home from time to time, but if you choose to keep furniture for years and generations to come, you may consider searching for the right oak furniture that fits the style of your home. It is also possible to get access to a more durable option and at the same time get it for an affordable price.

Now, if you opt to purchase furniture as a form of investment for a long period of time, then this is one of the best options you may look into when it comes to furniture. Oak wood shows very much authenticity when it comes to styling the house with an ambiance that is closer to nature, and this is what people loves more about oak.

Furniture made form oak brings light to the whole room. It is more of an art piece rather than a craft. You can place this type of wooden furniture almost anywhere in the house. This is because oak furniture ranges from bedroom frames, dining and breakfast sets, wardrobes, computer desks, chairs, and even lamp tables. These furniture can either fit the corners of the room or may serve as the centerpiece that you and the people around the house will surely love.

Surely you want the home where you live in to be a place that you can admire and feel more comfortable as you come home from work. If this is the case, then it will be a best choice for you to purchase oak furniture for your home rather than go for other types of furniture that is not such a perfect match to the surroundings of your home.

Aside from style and various furniture designs, oak wood is definitely known for its durability, and this is the reason why more and more people opt to get this wooden furniture rather than spend their money on those which they have to replace from time to time. Oak wood is known to withstand wear and tear. The wood doesn’t even decay that easily and it is resistant to any kind of stains and even in the change of weather. So if you opt for a cheaper cost on maintenance, this is definitely an excellent choice in furniture.

Why Do People Have Different Fashion Styles

The term fashion style simply refers to the way a particular person wears her/his clothes, shoes, bags and other accessories. It can also be determined by the types of clothing items that she/he wears in a given situation. Fashion styles may differ from one person to another because of so many reasons. It can because of a person’s age, taste, gender, budget, the situation or the environment.

To start with, a teen’s fashion style is definitely different from an adult. Teens are more prone to be influenced by magazines, famous celebrities, movies and their friends compared to adults. They also love to wear more colorful clothes and accessories which are in contrary to what adults wear. Adults prefer to wear clothing items with conventional color particularly when they are at work because such clothes are formal to look at. They also differ on their hair styles or on how they get their hairs done.

It is another fact that every person has different tastes not only when it comes to foods but also in clothes, shoes, bags, hair styles and accessories. There are people who love to wear different types of accessories like bangles, charm bracelets, necklaces and rings that match their outfits and there are those that are not brave enough to make a loud fashion statement. These people are the types that just want to keep everything simple but elegant. This simply proves that they have different fashion tastes and perceptions.

The gender of a person is another factor that sets a big difference in terms of fashion styles. It is evident that girls do not wear the clothes that boys wear. The same things apply to grown up women and men. This is basically the most obvious reason for such difference.

On the other hand, budget is another factor that contributes to the difference of people’s styles. Basically, people who have bigger budgets allocated for their fashion styles can buy the clothes that they really want while those that are on tight budgets, they can just use their initiatives and creativeness to come up with something fashionable and stylish.

The situation or the environment can also affect a person’s fashion style. Even if a person prefers a simple style, it is unavoidable that he/she has to be in events where he/she must dress up, wear crazy costumes and step out from his/her comfort zone. These events may refer to Halloween parties, masquerade balls and other gatherings. In these events, a person has to fit in the environment and dress up according to the theme of the gathering.

Being fashionable and stylish does not always mean that a person should follow the latest fashion style. Sometimes, it means that you have to be different and find the particular fashion style that fits him/her perfectly. And besides, why should a person base her/his fashion style on other people, magazines and movies when he/she can create her/his own?

First Time Travel Info For the Philippines

Before traveling to the Philippines one must be aware that this is a tropical country and therefore you need to have tropical gear and such. The Philippines is known history as the Pearl of the Orient and the Gateway to Asia. It is the only Christianized nation in Southeast Asia, most of its neighbors being Muslims or Buddhists.

Definitely before traveling to the Philippines you will need your travel documents in order. Should you be coming from another country which is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, then you will not need a travel visa and you can enter and stay in the Philippines from two to eight weeks without any visa. Tourists from Europe and from Australia and the United States may stay in the country for up to 2 months without a visa, but this is granted on a case to case basis.

Going back to the part where the Philippines is a tropical country, you can expect the country to be hot and humid, especially in the summer months of March to June. The monsoon months begin starting in July to December, but it usually rains strongest near August. Traveling to the Philippines around December to February is the coolest time when Siberian winds travel from Northern China and hit this island archipelago.

The medium of exchange in the Philippines is called the Philippine Peso. This is due to the country’s almost four hundred years of being a Spanish colony and strong ties to Mexico in the past. Thus expects a lot of Spanish type architecture, traditions like the siesta and fiestas when you travel throughout the country.

When traveling in the Philippines, travel light. Bring along light clothing made of cotton if available. It is not uncommon to see tourists in the capital city of Manila wearing beach shorts and flip flops. The weather is more than agreeable to this kind of clothing.

Plenty of hotels of international quality are found in the main cities of Manila in the north, with Cebu and Davao in the south. These three cities are the main hubs of tourism and commerce so they should always be included in one’s itinerary. There are adequate bus and air systems to ferry you back and forth within and through these cities.

Within the main cities the traditional jeepney is a popular mode of transportation, much like a small bus invented and adapted from the World War 2 soldier transport. However due to the heat, it may be more convenient for the new visitor to take a taxi around the cities. Taxi fares begin at roughly 50 cents for flag down rates and 25 cents for every kilometre.

The main cities of Manila, Cebu and Davao are centers of tourism where you can book your other travels to the 7,000 islands of the country whether you want to go to beaches, forests and the like. One is encouraged to visit the museums, shopping malls and nightspots to get a taste of a country that some have called the only Latin American country in Southeast Asia.

Free Move Apartment Locating Companies – Know the Truth!

We all are attracted to the word “free”, and the idea that we are getting something for nothing. There are many legitimate free offerings available to consumers in a wide variety of settings. For instance, Apartment Locators truly do offer a valuable service to all renters who are searching for an apartment, and the service is completely free to the renter, saving them countless hours driving around visiting thousands of properties, and very probably missing out on the best deals and the best apartments.

However, there are also many companies who use the word “free” to lure in customers, and then they may or may not actually deliver the product or service that they initially promised. They get past this deception by writing so many loopholes into the fine print of their advertisement that they can always excuse their lack of delivery. So caution is always in order when you are trusting any company who promises to give you something important for free.

Moving is a very stressful time for many. Often there are deadlines to be out of your current apartment by a certain time. There are items to sort and boxes to pack, and to pack carefully to avoid anything from being broken. Then there is the careful loading and the careful unloading and the unpacking and placing and sorting. You have to allow time to clean the old apartment before you turn in the keys, and you have to be sure you are stopping by the new apartment during business hours so you can obtain the keys to your new home. You have utilities to disconnect and new utilities to connect. A lot is happening at once, and there always is the concern that perhaps you have forgotten something important. You already arranged your schedule to have the day free for moving. You got all your affairs in order, and now you are just waiting for the moving company to arrive. The LAST thing that you need is a glitch over some small detail in fine print that causes your moving company to not show up and deliver that “free” move that you were counting on and planning for.

That is exactly what happened to a friend of mine very recently. She used one of those apartment locating companies in the Dallas, TX area that supposedly offered a “free” move. I wont mention names here, but it is a well known company. Anyway, she gets home from work and has all of her items packed and ready to go. It’s a Friday evening, and she has had the move scheduled with the movers for weeks. She has to be OUT of her apartment by midnight THAT night. They are suppose to come at 7:00 pm, so there is a bit of a time crunch but that’s the only time the movers had available. They finally show up, take a look at her small 1 bedroom apartment and tell her “The free move only covers 2 hours worth of free moving. It looks like you have more items than we can move in 2 hours” (fine print), and they leave!!!! My friend is panicking. She is a single lady who lives all by herself and has to be out of her apartment in just a few hours. If she lives in a small 1 bedroom and had too many items for them to move, it makes me wonder exactly who they COULD move?? Anyway, my friend calls me at 8:00 desperate and crying. I rally up our other friends and we manage to find a U Haul place that was still open and rent a truck. We all go over and move her that same evening. She got out of her apartment in time, and she got a free move all right, but it wasn’t from the company who promised her the move. She did everything she was suppose to do, wrote their name on the Leasing Application as the Locating Company who referred her to the new apartments, and THEY GOT PAID FOR THE REFERRAL, yet they did NOT deliver the move that they promised.

It turns out that many of these “free move” companies have fine print that limits how long they will give you for the move. And what happens if the move happens to go over that time. Do they just leave? Evidently. Or, if they look over your items and feel the job might take longer than the allowed time, they may not even START the move. Another thing to beware of in the fine print….not only may there be limits to the time they will allow, but they often limit the types of items and the number of items they will move. For instance, if you have a one bedroom, they sometimes have a very specific list of the only items they will move. For example: 1 couch, 1 coffee table, one dining room table, 4 dining chairs, a bed, a dresser, a nightstand, 2 lamps, a few boxes (they often will only agree to move a small number of boxes) and many times that is it!! If you have a 2 bedroom, they may increase the list by adding another bed and dresser. But what if you happen to have an item that is not on their list…..such as a desk, or a curio cabinet, or a piano, or an aquarium, or a chest of drawers or an extra table or a loveseat, or a recliner, or a few more boxes than they allow? Do not be surprised if they leave all items behind that are not on their restrictive list, and you are just stuck figuring out what to do with them yourself. If it’s enough items, or items that are large enough, you may end up having to rent a truck or UHaul anyway, or call friends who can come help you.

Another friend of mine recently told me that something similar happened to him that happened to my first friend. He was using one of those apartment locating companies that offer a “free” move. He said they were calling him every day while he was looking for the apartment, trying hard to convince him to move into one of the few places they had recommended. Each day they called to check if he picked a place yet and if he put their name on the Leasing Application of any apartments yet. Finally he did pick a place, and he did put there name there as the Locator who referred him. After that, an interesting thing happened. He could never get a hold of anyone at the apartment locating company again! Once they found out he picked a place and wrote them down (their check was guaranteed), they never called him after that. They wouldn’t return his calls and he couldn’t find a real live human in the company to speak with in order to schedule his free move. He ended up having to hire another moving company in the end. The “free” move locating company got paid their money and they never delivered the free move.

How are the “free move” locating companies different from all the other Apartment Locating Companies? Well, there are some definite differences that you should be aware of. First of all, let’s establish the fact that most Apartment Locating companies do not need to offer a “free move” to lure in customers. It has been shown that their superb customer service and the expertise they offer will save the average renter $500-$700…..which is much more valuable than the cost of a 2 hour move. Plus, they truly help you find the BEST and most awesome apartment home. Another clear difference is this: Not all of the apartment communities out there will work with the “free move” locating companies. In fact, many of them will not. This is because of a combination of reasons.

For one, some of these “free move” companies do not have the best reputation. Secondly, some of the apartments do not feel that they actually earned the commission that they are wanting the apartments to pay them. Some of those free move companies simply have a website where you log on and search for yourself. They only will show you information on the limited number of properties that will actually work with them and pay them. Once you pick a place, you log on again to the website and tell them which one you picked and then the computer is suppose to schedule the move. Not all of the companies are identical, but this is the procedure for some. A real human is not even actively involved in helping you with your search in many cases. Many of the apartments feel that just putting a website online alone does not merit earning a commission. Anyone can have a website. In fact, the apartments already have their own website. Although there is nothing wrong with a Locating Company having a website (in fact, all of them do), the problem arises when the locator ONLY communicates through their website and are predominantly a dot.com business.

The apartment complexes don’t want to pay a dot.com for setting up a website and then only delivering what they promises part of the time. They want to pay Apartment Locators who have a brick and mortar office, who have actual live Agents who work there and who deal one-on-one with the potential renters, assisting them to find their new rental home with customized, individual lists of apartment information. Many times these Locators even escort their clients to the properties. If the client has a unique situation, the Locator can tell them which properties are most likely to work their their particular circumstances. They know who has the best specials out there, or who has the specific amenities that the renter is seeking. The renter can actually call their Locator and speak to them and ask questions and develop a working relationship.

What is the disadvantage for YOU, the prospective renter, when not all the apartments will work with the “move free” locating companies? The problem arises in that the “move free” companies are only going to recommend to you the particular apartments that happen to work with them. This means that you may not find out about the property who is actually the one that matches exactly what you want and has the best special. They will only display information for the properties who will pay them. When you work with a traditional Apartment Locator who works with ALL the properties in the City, you can be confident that you are getting the whole picture and will honestly be told about all the properties who have the best specials. This is a distinct advantage that real brick and mortar Apartment Locators have over the so-called “free move” locators. Most traditional Apartment Locators work with All the reputable apartment and town-home communities. It doesn’t matter to them which one you pick in the end as long as you are happy, because ALL of them will pay the Locator and work with the Agent. They have no need to try to steer you to one particular property over another. Their job is to recommend who has the best deal and seems to be the best match for you.

So, go with the Locating Company that is going to give you the best long term deal and the home that you will be the most happy with. These type of Companies should have years of experience and contracts with almost ALL the apartment communities in your area of interest. For instance, in the Dallas Fort Worth area of Texas (DFW), there are over 3000 apartment communities. Apartment Locators in this area should have brick and mortar locations with multiple Locators onsite who are all Licensed Real Estate Agents, and familiar with DFW. Listen to these comments made by a local DFW Locator: “I give my cell phone number to each client because I want them to be able to reach me any time they need my assistance. I’ve even had them call me while they were sitting in the chair at the leasing office at one of the apartments I referred them to, to ask me a question. I truly am their advocate, an expert on their side to make finding their new apartment as quick and easy and successful as possible. I work with them all the way through their move and have even assisted many people who were relocating from other states and were not able to come here in person to DFW to see the properties first. They relied on me to be their eyes and ears and select the best property for them and arrange all the paperwork so that their new place was ready and waiting when they arrived.” Try getting THAT kind of service from a “free move” company website.

Instead of opting to go with a “free move” Company that may or may not actually deliver their free move, and may or may not tell you about all of the choices you truly have at your disposal, go with a reputable and experienced live Apartment Locating Company who can save you $500-$600 average on your overall lease by telling you about specials you may not have ever discovered otherwise and give you complete information on all the awesome properties available.