How to Choose a Place to Live when Relocating

When you are planning to relocate to a new city you are excited with the possibilities your future has in store for you. Once the excitement settles in, you realize you need to find a place to live! If you’re fortunate enough to visit your future city and gather information while you’re there, this is all the better. While, for some this may not be an option and you will have to gather information long distance, by internet and by phone. Here are tips on how to choose a place to live when relocating to a new city.

Find resources you know first: People relocate for a variety of reasons, whether it for career, to live closer to family or to start life in a new location.  Whichever is your reason try and gain information through resources that you have already.  These could be your future employer – ask about housing information, demographics about the city, etc…. If you already know people where you are moving, ask them to send you online links to popular city information and have them help you look for a place to live.  When all else fails, the internet can be a great resource to start looking for anywhere in the world!

How to choose a type of dwelling: Your personal living lifestyle and your future city’s real estate opportunities will help dictate where you can live. If you are moving to a metropolitan area, you may like urban living but the price tag may be expensive for your budget.  While if you’re moving to a rural location, transportation and other factors will need to be assessed before choosing your location. Decide if it would help you to visit the city and talk to Realtors before you make this big decision. This will help you see the neighborhoods and choose what type of dwelling fits your lifestyle and budget.

Look for moving specials: Housing developers and apartment leasing companies are always offering incentives to move into their establishments.  If you’re working with a Realtor they can help you find these great buys. If you are looking on your own, focus on the type of dwelling, then the area of the city you’re looking for. Online, you may be able to find internet specials for new move ins. Specials can range from bonus items added to your new home being built or discounts in your monthly rent.  Also pick up/order apartment and housing guides in your future city that will advertise specials as well. Upgrades on finishes, superior lots and other incentives can leave you in a prime position for moving specials.

• Family preferences may sway your decision: If this is a family relocation consider family factors such as schools, daycare centers, doctors, and local resources to your home. A local Realtor would be best to ask about these options to save you time and energy in researching.   If you are relocating for a job, ask your future employer if they can recommend housing areas for you. They can be a good resource, as they will have your best interest in mind.

Deciding to relocate to a new city can be one of the most rewarding experiences you have.  The decision as to where you live, what kind of home you live in and the amount of resources will be lifestyle choices you will need to consider. Use these tips as a guide and strongly consider using a Realtor, friend, or relative that already lives in the city to help you. What are you waiting for? Your future city is waiting on you!
Freshome reader’s have you recently relocated cities? Are you yet to move and are nervous about choosing a place? Tell us your experience, we’d love to hear.

Simply Genius: Letto Zip, the Bed That Almost Makes Itself

We have to say we are usually very foreseeing when it comes to the new designs that are being created, but we really did not see this coming. Letto Zip comes from Florida Furniture and is a dream came true for all those people who dislike making their beds in the morning. Its appearance can be changed by simply zipping and unzipping its stylish cover. This has a major effect on the overall room design, while in the same time being very practical for the user who can prepare the bed in a fast and simple way. The furniture piece is highly modern and elegant, perfect for a large variety of contemporary interiors. With a soft and slightly curved frame, this looks like a comfortable dreamy bed. Letto Zip comes in three charming color-combinations: white-red, gray-red and white-blue. Looks inviting?- via The Design Blog

How to Decorate around your Flat Screen Television

You and your living room are happier because you have just acquired a flat screen television.  Although, you seem to be having a small problem, everything around the television seems not to work. The furniture no longer faces the right direction, the wall art is being blocked, and the armoire you’ve placed the television in is too big.   These are all common decorating dilemmas when you acquire a flat screen television.  Read on to see how you can keep that television and make the rest of your room look beautiful around your new addition to the family.

Plan for space: One of the beautiful advantages to having a flat screen television is the ability to view it from many angles of the room. This same advantage is its disadvantage when it comes to placing furniture in the room.  The challenge is that you can’t have obstacles that are within the line of sight of the television.  Stand back in all angles of the room and assess what furniture is too tall and plan for space around it. Another trick is to stand at the television and look back at the room. You will easily see what is obstructing the view and space.

Highlight the wall: Your television can blend or it can be the focal point.  Most people want it to be the focal point as it costs a lot of money, and you want everyone to see it! For you, painting an accent wall that your television is hung or placed in front of will draw emphasis to this wall.  If you are one that would like the television to blend, consider housing your television in a piece of furniture that can be closed, such as an armoire or entertainment center.

Viewing height: Depending on the height you choose to view your television will dictate how to add artwork or decorative items around it. For those that want it stand mounted on a low console, you will be able to optimize more of the wall behind it for artwork.  While if you decide to mount it on the wall, the television can compete with artwork – which can be distracting. For larger rooms that have a long viewing range, a wall application will work better. While smaller, narrower spaces will benefit from the lower console.

Hanging artwork: If you have high ceilings, artwork placed above the line of television sight viewing is a good idea.  Consider making the artwork simple, and more abstract. Artwork that has physical content will cause television viewers to concentrate on the artwork. For shorter ceilings, but longer walls, consider putting small collections of artwork, paintings, photographs etc… to the side(s) of your television.  Whichever you design preference, try to let the television compliment the space, or be left on its own.  For visual interest for wall mounted televisions add wainscoting or build decorative architectural niches into the wall.

Your flat screen television can be a welcomed addition if you can determine how to decorate around it. Before you buy your television take these tips into consideration.  Remember, the smaller the room, the smaller television that is needed. Often time’s people buy too large of a television for the space, and viewers can get headaches, and the picture will also appear pixilated if the viewing distance isn’t enough. Placing a flat screen television above a fireplace or on an accent wall will give visual interest that may need additional décor. You decide and make your television a welcomed addition to your home. Freshome readers tell us your experience with decorating around your flat screen. Has it been easy or a huge headache? We’d love to hear your comments.

A Massive Display of Modern Living : Brentwood Residence

Brentwood Residence is an impressive residential project from Belzberg Architects, a company with quite a few amazing works. Located in a picturesque landscape near the Santa Monica Mountains, you are looking at a good example of contemporary architecture which meets our idea of Los Angeles modern living. The exterior of this house consists of asymmetrical volumes, creating unexpected angles of sight. Large floor to ceiling windows establish a strong indoor-outdoor connection  A large oak tree is the focal point of the site, an imposing “pillar” which the architects took advantage of by creating an outdoor entertaining area together with a tennis field. The residence also features a generous pool with inviting patio furniture. Avant-garde furniture, fresh decorating ideas, art objects and a warm color palette- all create a dreamy interior design, worthy of discovering step by step.- via Arch Tracker

The Perfect Boys Bedroom by Perianth

This may seem like a room filled with “clichés”, meaning that everything that crosses our mind when we think of a boy’s room can be found here. But in this case, the “clichés” lead to a dream place of half-manly retreat. This bedroom from Perianth belongs to an apartment in New York whose owners wanted a boys’ room that would keep their children busy for a significant part of the day. A rock-climbing wall, a mini basketball court and a punching bag are just a few of the features of this cozy bedroom. Plenty of shelves can be found all throughout this interior, perfect for storing the books needed for school and the action figures from various collections. This place is so diverse that even a grown-up could be entertained in here for a couple of hours. We challenge you to look through the pictures and find anything “boyish” that is missing from this room.