Piney Ridge Apartments & Townhomes | Blog

Tips for Finding Your Next Apartment or Townhome Online

We’re all spending a little more time at home these days, and we’re doing much more virtually – including apartment shopping. Finding your new home online can be confusing, but we’ve compiled a list of tips to help you get the best information while browsing the internet. Start with a Budget . Before beginning your search, you should estimate how much you can afford for your apartment each month. Experts recommend anywhere from 25-30% of your take home pay should be allocated to housing. However, these recommendations are guidelines and may be higher than you’d like to spend depending on your circumstances. Check out a budgeting app like EveryDollar or YNAB to help you get started. Start Searching. Check out apartment communities in the areas you’d like to live – within the budget you just set. A great way to do this is to search “apartments near me” in the map app on your smartphone or by using Google Maps on your computer or device. Get an idea of the amenities and floorplans available within your budget in various parts of town. Start taking notes about options, locations, and floor plan sizes. Research the Neighborhood. Using tools such as Google Maps , WalkScore , and Address Report , you can get a pretty good feel for what an area is like. Be sure to see how far away the nearest grocery stores, pharmacies, and restaurants are. Map out your daily commute during your typical drive times using Waze . Once you’ve determined the best neighborhoods for you, it’s time to narrow your search down to just those communities within those areas. Be sure to check for school zoning, crime reports, and as much other information as you can find. Begin to Narrow Your List. Start taking virtual tours of each community on your shortened list. View images of the community on their websites, and search to see if there are any video tours available on YouTube or other websites. You’ll get a pretty good feel for the community before you ever leave your home. Check Out Online Reviews. See what other residents and past residents are saying about life at each community. The best places to check for reviews are on Google (it’s easy to see review when searching for the business in Google Maps), as well as ApartmentRatings.com . Create a Short List. After you’ve conducted as much research as possible online, it’s best to take your shortlist and drive through each community. While some places are offering tours during the pandemic, others may not be. Depending on your comfort level and the capabilities of the leasing team on site, you may be able to ask for a self-guided tour or a virtual FaceTime or Skype tour of the actual apartment you’re looking to rent. Apply Quickly. Once you’ve made your decision and found your new home, be sure to submit an application quickly. Most apartment communities lease homes on a first-come, first-served basis and you don’t want to miss out. Be sure to take advantage of online applications where possible.

The Value of Renting

The Value of Renting There are thousands of articles by financial experts that tout the benefits of purchasing a home, however, there can often be more value in renting than homebuying. Depending on your unique situation, renting a townhome or apartment can bring more value to your life and offer extra amenities and premium services that homeowners must pay for separately. We’ve broken down the benefits of renting to help you make the best decision for your lifestyle. 24-Hour Emergency Service – At all Rachuba communities, our residents receive complimentary 24-hour emergency service free of charge. This means anytime an urgent issue arises we’ll have a team member ready to help. According to Angie’s List , the average cost for handyman services is $83 per hour, during normal business hours, with plumbing services often costing more. Professional Landscaping – our community, including the front & back yards of our townhomes, is professionally landscaped. You won’t have to worry about mowing your own lawn or maintaining the grounds around your home. According to manta.com , the average cost of residential lawn mowing service is $36 per weekly mow. Renting at one of our townhomes can save you $144 per month! Outdoor Amenities – Whether renting or purchasing a home, community amenities are always an added benefit. Piney Ridge has great community amenities including outdoor dining areas, a playground, and dog park that our residents are able to enjoy at their leisure. ValetLiving Doorstep Trash Removal – With doorstep trash removal five-days per week at Piney Ridge, you receive the convenience of prompt trash removal without having to lug trash cans to the curb or bags to a dumpster. ValetLiving’s team of professionals quickly and efficiently remove trash to keep your home and the community clean. Amazing Customer Service – Our team of leasing and service professionals are always here to help, and that’s one of the biggest values in renting at Piney Ridge. We’re here to assist you with a smile when you need us.

How to Stay Fit in Your Apartment or Townhome

Being stuck in quarantine doesn’t mean you can’t stay in shape. There are lots of great local businesses streaming workouts, as well as apps and services that have been around for a while. To keep your downstairs neighbors happy, choose yoga, pilates, barre, low impact, and cycle classes (if you have a one in your home). Ground-floor and townhome residents have the benefit of adding in some more high-impact cardio and HIIT workouts. Here are our favorites. If you prefer working out to audio-only, or enjoy working out outdoors, Aaptiv is a great choice for you. From running to strength training and yoga, you can find a variety of coached workouts set to great music. One of the best-known apps out today is Peloton . With a huge class offering, you’ll never get bored or have to do the same workout twice. You can find cycling, treadmill, HIIT, dance cardio, yoga, and outdoor running and walking workouts. The app subscription is $13 per month, but there is a free trial period for you to test it out. If you enjoy following a guided program, Daily Burn can match you up with a program that fits your goals. Plans start at $19 per month, and live workouts are also streamed every morning. Yoga enthusiasts will love logging on to Alo Moves for their daily movement and intentions. Power yoga, vinyasa flow, barre, and restorative classes are on-demand when you want them. Merritt Clubs Eldersburg posts a weekly schedule of classes on their Facebook page. Be sure to like and follow their page to get notifications so you don’t miss a class! Gold’s Gym in Eldersburg has free workouts on demand using their Gold’s Amp app which can be downloaded in the AppStore or using Google Play. They also have Les Mills and Gold’s Gym on Demand available on their website. Freedom Fitness is live-streaming classes and you can try a class for free! Classes include Step, Muscle Pump, Zumba, and Yoga. Planet Fitness Westminster streams daily classes on their Facebook page. Downtown Yoga is offering Zoom yoga and barre classes, with several options available each day. Pre-register on their website or by using the MindBody App, available on the App Store or Google Play. Blackbird Crossfit recently launched the new Stay Healthy Carroll Facebook Group to help members of our community stay connected and stay fit. They’re also featuring online workouts for families on their Facebook page . Visit the iLoveKickboxing Facebook page for daily at-home classes that are sure to break a sweat and put a smile on your face! Free classes are being offered (online) by Athens Health Club . You can sign up for free, regardless of your membership status.

Emergency & DIY Maintenance for Your Apartment or Townhome During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Our team cares about the safety and health of our residents and staff alike. For that reason, we are currently handling only emergency service requests at this time. This article will explain what is considered emergency maintenance, how to place an emergency service request, and also share some tutorials to help you fix non-urgent issues. What Is Emergency Maintenance? Emergency maintenance issues are those that require immediate attention due to health or safety hazards. By placing an emergency service request, a member of our team will respond as promptly as possible. These issues include: Major flooding or pipe breaks Toilet backups & overflows Fire in your apartment or building Gas leaks Lockouts and entry door malfunctions No air conditioning or heat How to Place an Emergency Maintenance Request Contact our leasing team right away at [PHONE] to place your service request. Our on-call maintenance technicians will be paged promptly. Routine work orders can be submitted using our Resident Portal and will be addressed after social distancing restrictions are lifted. To access the Resident Portal, visit [property website], select Residents, then Maintenance. You will be prompted to sign in or set up your account. Once logged in, you will be able to submit your service request. Visit residentportal.com to view a series of tutorials that can walk you through this process. DIY Tutorials These tutorials show you how to fix common maintenance issues. Feel free to bookmark this blog page and refer back to it in the event you’re in need of maintenance during quarantine. Resetting A Garbage Disposal Turn Water Off to a Running Toilet How to Plunge a Toilet Resetting a GFCI Outlet How to Fix a Running Toilet

Supporting Our Fellow Eldersburg-Sykesville Businesses

Our Eldersburg-Sykesville community and the small businesses that provide services to our residents and teams here at Piney Ridge Apartments & Townhomes mean the world to us. During this time, we’re working to support our fellow local businesses and hope you will join us in doing so. Gyms & Fitness Centers · Planet Fitness is live-streaming daily workouts on their Facebook page each day at 7 PM. · All Merritt Clubs members have access to the Les Mills on-demand platform. Anyone can watch live streaming workouts from Merritt Instructors on their Facebook Page . · Athens Health Club is streaming workouts on their Facebook page . · Mad House Boxing & Sports Performance Gym is making Zoom classes available. Check out their Facebook page for class links and to reserve your spot. · Mid-Atlantic Gymnastics has a fun coloring book on their website and will be posting videos on their Facebook page . · Freedom Fitness is offering streaming classes online. Visit the schedule section of their website to reserve your spot and receive the link to access classes. Restaurants · Liberatore’s Eldersburg is open from 4-7:30 pm daily for carryout and curbside delivery . Place your food and wine order by calling (410) 781-4114. · New York J&P Pizza has fun family pizza-making kids available for just $8 as well as their standard menu for curbside pickup. Order online from their website or call (410) 552-4400. Check out daily deals on their Facebook page . · Big Belly Deli has its regular menu, as well as loaves of sourdough bread available for carryout and DoorDash delivery. Daily specials are posted on their Facebook page . · Oscar’s Alehouse has daily specials, posted on their Facebook page , as well as beer crowlers to go. · Smoky’s BBQ is open for carryout service. Call orders to (410) 549-2880 and then let them know when you arrive. A team member will bring your order out to your car. · Salerno’s Restaurant is open for deliveries. Watch their Facebook page for specials and “survival packages.” · The County Cork Wine Pub has curbside to-go food, wine, and beer Thursday-Saturday 3 pm-8 pm. Call ahead to (410) 970-8100 to place your order. · Glory Days Grill is open for carryout and you can order online right from their website. · Tony’s Japanese Restaurant is offering carryout from 11:30-8:30 daily. Call (410) 552-1599 to place your order, then call when you arrive to have your order brought out to your car. · Los Aztecas has carryout available, including margaritas and sangria! Delivery is available through DoorDash . For carryout, call (410) 552-8009. Also be sure to check to see if delivery is available on GrubHub, Uber Eats, or DoorDash for your favorite restaurant. Grocery Stores · Seniors & at-risk customers have special shopping hours at Aldi’s on Tuesdays & Thursdays at 8:30 am. · Martin’s Foods has very limited pick-up time slots available for online ordering. All deliveries will be contactless. Daily senior citizen hours daily from 6-7 am. Store hours have been modified to allow more time for cleaning and sanitizing. · Safeway has special shopping hours for seniors and at-risk individuals every Tuesday from 7-9 am. · Weis Markets has shutdown online ordering.

Organizations Offering Assistance in Carroll County During the COVID-19 Pandemic

We understand that during these unprecedented times that things may be harder than normal for our residents, neighbors, and community. We have compiled a list of area non-profits and businesses throughout Carroll County who are reaching out to serve the community in a variety ways. If you know someone in need of assistance, please share this list with them. If you’re able to donate or volunteer, each of these organizations have opportunities listed on their websites. The United Way of Central Maryland The United Way provides a variety of services including assistance with finding food, childcare, and other services. The organization can also help with paying housing and utility bills, prescriptions, and other necessities if you’re in need. You can reach the United Way by simply dialing 211, 24/7/365. The Hill Family YMCA in Westminster The YMCA of Frederick County is closed for recreation activities, however, is still open for childcare services for essential services. Meals are being served to area students who rely on schools for daily meals. Resources are being posted on their website for preschoolers , elementary & middle school students , high school students , and parents to keep kids engaged and healthy during this difficult time. Human Services Programs of Carroll County The Human Services Programs of Carroll County is providing modified services. Shelter services for homeless persons is still available and measures are in place to keep facilities clean and to allow for social distancing. Emergency Housing Services is still available by phone at (410) 857-2999 for anyone in need of rental assistance. If you’re in need of assistance with utility bills, please visit myohepstatus.org. You’re able to still apply for energy assistance at their office at 10 Distillery Drive in Westminster or by calling (410) 857-2999. Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland Meals on Wheels continues to provide meals to those in need. Precautions are put in place to protect meal recipients as well as volunteers. Apply online here if you’re in need of meal assistance. Together We Own It This organization works with children and families in the Carroll County area to break the cycle of poverty and mental illness. They are currently providing food and supplies to those in need. Fill out this form to apply for services. You can donate to Together We Own it by clicking here . Carroll Food Sunday Food distribution is available for those in need at Carroll Food Sunday located at 10 Distillery Drive in Westminster. Services are modified due to increased demand and to be compliant with best practices to protect against COVID-19. View their website and/or Facebook page for the latest distribution hours. Distributions are being split to handle increased demand by last name.