Blog
Mar
The original Amazon headquarters is for sale! By that, I mean the house that Jeff Bezos rented while he launched Amazon. TheRealDeal—a real estate news website—shares the details of this story.
Amazon’s HQ House
Jeff Bezos started Amazon in the comfort of his own home, just outside of Seattle. It’s much smaller than Amazon’s current headquarters, clocking in at only 1,500 square feet. Bezos began renting the home in 1994. The house is currently on the market for a whopping $1.5 million.
Alex Nitkin of TheRealDeal writes, “The last time the house went on the market in 2009, it sold for $620,000, or $720,000 in today’s dollars, according to the Seattle Times.” This house is a fantastic investment then! In only 10 years, the value of this house increased by over 100%.
$1.5 million for a 1,500 square foot house sounds ridiculous to most of us. However, the average home price in the area is even more expensive! Alex continues, “Its current $1.5 million asking price is still well below the $2 million median home price in the area, as a surge of Amazon workers has helped boost Seattle-area property values.”
The surge of Amazon employees to Seattle has raised property values there. Amazon recently announced that their HQ2—their second headquarters—would be split between New York and Virginia. Since then, plans for their New York HQ2 have been scrapped due to political reasons. Will property values go up in Virginia due to a surge in new Amazon employees? If what happened around Seattle is any indication, the answer is yes.
So, where does Jeff Bezos live now? He does have a home in the Washington, DC area. Alex continues with details on a couple of additional homes. He writes, “Bezos, the world’s wealthiest man with $132 billion to his name, now owns a waterfront estate in nearby Medina valued at $76 million. In 2017, he dropped $13 million on a four-bedroom home adjoining his 12,000-square-foot Spanish-style mansion in Beverly Hills.”
Featured photo and Amazon house is a screenshot of ZDNet by RPS Relocation
Feb
$1,200 seems like a lot of money. Have you ever held 12 $100 bills in your hand? I haven’t. Yet, we regularly spend that much, or more, in the form of rent each money. $1,200 may go far or not-so-far depending on what city you’re looking to live in. For this article, we’re going to explore how far $1,200 will go in Seattle.
1222 NE 65th St, Seattle, WA
How beautiful! This apartment is in the heart of the Roosevelt neighborhood within Seattle. It’s a walking distance from the local Whole Foods, bars, and restaurants. There’s only one catch: This is a studio apartment and it’s only 228 square feet. However, that might not be a big deal to many people, especially those who will be renting their first apartment.
Here are some features of this apartment:
- Balcony
- Flexible leasing options
- Laundry in unit
- Online rent payment
- Pet park
- Disability access
- High-speed internet available
- Club house
12508 Lake City Way NE, Seattle, WA
If you enjoy spending time outdoors on a rooftop, look no further than this apartment complex. City North Seattle features a shared rooftop experience that is accessible all year round. As you can see, there’s a large infrared heater for when it’s cold outside. And, there’s also a nice grill for when the weather is better. However, if you want to grill in the winter too, nothing will stop you!
The apartments in City North Seattle start at 467 square feet. That’s double in size from the apartments at 1222 NE 65th Street. The apartment units feature “lofty” 9-foot ceilings which give the rooms a larger feel. Some other features of living in City North Seattle are:
- Cats are allowed
- Laundry is in unit
- Includes a fitness center
- Landscaped courtyards
- Multi-level garage parking
- Flexible leasing options
- Bicycle storage
- Computer nook area
6717 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA
Meet Seattle’s newest apartment complex. This complex—a seven-story, mixed-use building with over 100 units—will be available to the public in 2021. And a unit can be yours for under $1,200/month! The units here start at 494 square feet, which isn’t bad for a new complex loaded with amenities.
There’s something special about this complex: It will feature what’s being called “The Nook”. This area will include a modern-looking fireplace, a library, and comfortable seating throughout. It will be visible from the street which will attract local passerby’s. Here’s a concept of what The Nook will look like:
The Nook will be located at the center of the apartment complex, allowing for maximum access for all guests. There’s another benefit to living in this complex: It will be walking distance from a soon-to-be light rail station! Some other features of this complex include:
- Pets allowed (including large dogs)
- Attached garage parking
- Gated entry and controlled access
- Deck and patio
- Disability access
- Bicycle storage
- Flexible leasing options
- High-speed internet access
- Business center
Living in Seattle
What do you think of these apartments? They are a good idea of what’s available to you if you wanted to live or relocate to this city. For $1,200, the square footage isn’t huge; however, a major benefit is being walking distance to so many hubs of restaurants, shopping, and transportation.
Speaking of money, how much will it cost you to relocate to Seattle? Use our free Moving Quote service to find out! You’d be surprised to find out that it’s possible to save up to 70%. Try it now!
Apartment photos are screenshots of Zillow by RPS Relocation
Featured photo is a screenshot of available Seattle apartments as displayed on Zillow
Feb
The crime rates in Dallas are decreasing. And that’s something to be celebrated! Numbers and statistics alone can be quite bland; however, plugging the numbers into various types of visualizations brings the numbers to another level. That’s exactly what Robert Mundinger has done. Robert—a resident of Dallas—shared numerous data visualization photos in a Medium article.
Dallas Crime is Decreasing
The numbers don’t lie: Crime is going down in the city. As a matter of fact, “the murder rate in Dallas has plummeted more than any other major city over the past 30 years”, writes Robert. These numbers are shown in the chart below.
As you can see, the murder rate is decreasing the most in Dallas, followed closely by New York City and then Houston.
Let’s take a look at the overall crime rate in Dallas. The next visualization shows the crime rates in major cities per 100,000 people. Robert writes, “Dallas is quite safe despite its large size. We have the 4th largest population on this list, but are 38th on the list in total crimes committed.” Check out the photo below (Dallas is at the bottom).
The general crime rate in Dallas is far below many other major cities. Even some lesser known major cities—St. Petersburg, Stockton, Durham—have higher crime rates than Dallas.
TheMap, by Robert Mundinger
The name Robert Mundinger may sound familiar to you. He’s the same person who created TheMap: a data visualization tool that displayed critical data for a specific, geographic area. We published an article about TheMap last November. Make sure you check it out!
Dallas continues to become a better and better place to live. And the low crime rate is only one of many features the city offers. If you’re interested in moving to Dallas, visit our Moving Quote for Dallas page to see how much it will cost.
Featured photo by skeeze on Pixabay
Dallas crime statistic photos are screenshots by RPS Relocation
Feb
What did you think of the Super Bowl this year? The Patriots won again, it was a relatively low-scoring game, and the halftime show was so-so (depending upon how much you really like Maroon 5). But for some people—some homeless people, in particular—this Super Bowl was like Christmas.
A YouTube star (Meir Kay) took some people off the street, at least for one evening, and threw them a Super Bowl party. The 3 1/2 minute video was posted to Facebook and details the evening. Check it out below.
Commenting on the Video
The video was an instant hit on Facebook, and rightfully so. One commenter, Teri Scivley, was so inspired by the video that she decided to do something similar in her area. She writes, “this video inspired me last year to have a Super Bowl Party for the homeless in my hometown. We had 160 to show up then and expect 150 tomorrow! Good deeds inspire good deeds.”
The homeless were taken off the streets and were granted access to a rooftop Super Bowl party. Part of this event was free food, which they were grateful for. Another commenter, Mike Bezak, noticed something about the homeless men before they started eating: They prayed in thanksgiving. Mike writes, “One thing that caught my eye was all the homeless men prayed before they ate. We have so much in our lives to be thankful for, we could learn a lesson from these men. Amen to them.”
On the night of the Super Bowl, in New York City, the temperature was in the teens. Not only did Meir Kay feed the homeless, but he also warmed them up as well. He did this by giving each homeless person a Patriots football jersey. Not every commenter on Facebook is a Patriots fan. Case in point: Michael Winchock shared a joke about the choice of attire. He wrote, “Haven’t these men suffered enough?? It’s just cruel to make them wear Patriots jerseys.” I’m not sure which team Michael roots for, but better luck next year!
Helping Others
Videos like this remind us that there are more important things than the Super Bowl. Don’t get me wrong: The Super Bowl is always a great time to spend a few hours. And the homeless men know this better than anyone after their chance evening.
The point is to do something good for people when they are down, whether they’re homeless or not. I’ll close with one more quote from a Facebook commenter. Tony McCready writes, “The only time you should be looking down on someone is when you’re helping them up.”
Featured photo is a screenshot by RPS Relocation
Facebook comment photos are screenshots by RPS Relocation
Feb
Dallas Area Residential Developments Are Adding Millions of Dollars in New Artwork
Jason C. 0 comments Dallas
Construction is booming in Dallas and residential areas are being developed. New high-rise complexes are finding expensive artwork placed throughout. Why? The answer lies with the type of tenants the complex wants to attract. Dallas News covers the story and some additional details on the artwork.
Commissioning Art of Dallas
Builders of new residential buildings don’t want off-the-shelf art; instead, they are actually commissioning quality artwork to display. This is because the art is meant to elevate the atmosphere of these buildings. Some of these new Dallas high-rises will have the highest rents in the city. Every part of the building—including the artwork—should reflect the high-class aura the developers strive to present to people.
Steve Brown of Dallas News writes, “The first thing visitors see when they drive into the new Park District project in Uptown Dallas is a monumental silver sculpture. By Dallas artists Brad Oldham and Christy Coltrin, the polished steel artwork called Twist was commissioned for the office and apartment high-rise project.”
Then, when people go inside the Park District, they are treated to a massive piece of artwork that was created by Ólafur Elíasson, an Icelandic-Danish artist. In addition, there’s a large painting by Jennifer Losch Bartlett, an American artist.
Steve Brown continues, “And, Crow Co. commissioned two large lobby paintings — Cypress Trees and Cypress Swamp — by British artist Billy Childish. They are an explosion of color and shape in the white marble lobby of the office tower.”
Scott Krikorian is a senior managing director for Park District developer Trammell Crow Co. He’s one of the people responsible for fostering this new approach to displaying artwork. Scott was instrumental in getting Billy Childish to create the paintings. “We believe Billy is a bright star in this. We want it to where if somebody walks in the building, they see the quality of the work”, said Krikorian.
Craig Hall Leads the Way
Original artwork isn’t necessarily new to developments. Case in point: developer Craig Hall started including this original artwork in Dallas building in the 1990s. At the time, he thought people might like it. He was right!
Steve Brown writes, “Hall is already working on plans to expand the art offerings at a new high-rise condominium tower and luxury hotel next door, where construction is underway.” It seems Hall hasn’t stopped including original artwork since he started doing it decades ago.
Hall noted that up-and-coming Mexican artist Pedro Reyes has been chosen to create a major sculpture for the area. The sculpture will be located in an urban garden between a hotel and residential area. This will give the sculpture maximum exposure.
British artist Clare Woods has also been commissioned by Hall. Clare will create a floral painting which will be displayed in the ballroom of a Dallas-area hotel.
Scott Krikorian and Craig Hall are among the many developers who are spearheading the campaign to include beautiful, original artwork in the Dallas area. These paintings and sculptures will continue to attract people which will further encourage the growth of the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Featured photo “Cypress Trees” (2018, by Billy Childish) is a screenshot by RPS Relocation
Paths (by Steinunn Thorarinsdottir) photo is a screenshot by RPS Relocation
Jan
ISP, Entertainment, & Technology Giant AT&T is Now An Apartment Landlord
Jason C. 0 comments Dallas, Moving News
AT&T is making moves in Dallas. Just 10 years after moving from San Antonio to Dallas, the technology company is purchasing the historic Interurban Building. Here’s where the story gets interesting: AT&T isn’t using the building for company operations; instead, they’re investing in the property which is a mix of residential and retail units. Dallas News covered the story and gave us more details about this purchase.
The Interurban Building
Long before AT&T came to Dallas, the Interurban Building was built. As a matter of fact, it’s been there for over 100 years.
Steve Brown of Dallas News writes, “The more than century-old brick and stone building was once the hub for North Texas’ electric railway system. It later served as a bus station with offices on the upper floors. In 2005, developers acquired the vacant historic building and converted it to loft apartments with retail on the ground floor. The building was sold by California-based Bridge National Partners, which acquired the property out of bankruptcy in 2011.”
Take a look at what the Interurban Building looked like in the 1940s below.
AT&T is Growing in Dallas
About 6,000 employees work at AT&Ts office complex in Dallas. Some of these employees likely already live at the Interurban Building. The purchase of the Interurban building is a further expansion for what AT&T is already currently doing.
The company has been renovating its four-block Dallas campus—Discovery District—since last year.
Steve Brown continues, “The surrounding construction includes 40,000 square feet of restaurants and retail space, a two-story food hall with balcony dining, outdoor gathering and performance areas, and a water garden.”
In total, AT&T is spending $100 million to redo and renovate the Discovery District and surrounding areas. With these renovations and the purchase of the Interurban Building, AT&T is having a great growth year in the Dallas area.
Featured photo by Wikimedia Commons
The 1940s Interurban Building photo is a screenshot by RPS Relocation
Jan
People are moving and U-Haul has the data. Are people moving within their respective states? Or, are there trends towards certain states on a large scale? U-Haul went through their records and shared their results for 2018.
A Spotlight on Texas
Texas is the grand winner when it comes to states people are moving to. As a matter of fact, this is the third year in a row Texas is the number one state people are moving to.
U-haul writes, “North Texas is truly bursting at the seams,” stated Kevin Flanagan, U-Haul Company of Northwest Dallas president. “McKinney, Frisco and the entire Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex has been growing substantially in recent years. Texas is gaining more residents than any other state. I think it is the most desirable state in which to live. Obviously, many U-Haul truck-sharing customers agree with me.”
Why is Texas gaining more residents than other states? Business opportunities are a big reason. Companies are moving to Texas and bringing their employees with them. Lower taxes is another reason.
States with high taxes—such as California—are losing residents to Texas.
How has the population migration to Texas changed since 2017? U-Haul continues, “Texas arrivals of one-way U-Haul trucks were up 5 percent compared to the state’s 2017 numbers, while arrivals accounted for 50.2 percent of all one-way U-Haul traffic in Texas to keep it the top state for netting do-it-yourself movers. Communities in and around the Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth and Austin-Round Rock metropolitan areas continued to see some of the largest influxes of U-Haul traffic in the Lone Star State.”
The Runner-up States
Florida, South Carolina, Utah, Idaho, Maryland, Vermont—these are the states people are moving to besides Texas.
U-Haul writes, “Florida ranked second for the third year in a row. South Carolina inched up one spot to No. 3, while fast-risers Utah and Idaho rounded out the top five states for growth.”
South Carolina, Utah, and Idaho aren’t staying stagnant on the list; instead, they’ve become even more popular in 2018 from the prior year.
The Losing States
Which states came in last? These are the states people aren’t moving to. As a matter of fact, people are moving away from them.
Illinois, Michigan, California, Louisiana, and Massachusetts were the big losers in 2018. U-Haul writes, “Illinois was 50th on the list for the third time in four years, outpacing No. 48 California and No. 49 Michigan for net departures among out-migration states.”
Illinois is essentially the polar opposite of Texas. Illinois is a high tax state and its balance sheet is negative with debt. Texas is a low tax state and is not drowning in debt. People want to move where the opportunities are. That’s why companies and the people they employ are moving to states like Texas and leaving states like Illinois.
The Data Tells a Story
U-Haul simply followed their own vehicles to get the data. Where are their trucks going? What states are they leaving?
U-Haul writes, “U-Haul Growth States are calculated by the net gain of one-way U-Haul trucks entering a state versus leaving that state during a calendar year. Migration trends data is compiled from more than 2 million one-way U-Haul truck sharing transactions that occur annually.”
It’s simple: More trucks entering a state than leaving the state means there’s a net gain in new residents. U-Haul is in the perfect position to compile this data because they own tens of thousands of moving trucks.
U-Haul continues, “U-Haul is the authority on migration trends thanks to its expansive network that blankets all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. The geographical coverage from more than 21,000 U-Haul truck and trailer sharing locations provide a comprehensive overview of where people are moving like no one else in the industry.”
The Full List of States
Read on to view the full list of states by popularity for 2018. These are the states people are moving to. Do you live in one of the top states? Note: The number in parenthesis is the ranking of the state in 2017.
- Texas (1)
- Florida (2)
- South Carolina (4)
- Utah (21)
- Idaho (14)
- Maryland (42)
- Vermont (10)
- Tennessee (5)
- New Hampshire (31)
- Maine (26)
- Delaware (18)
- Missouri (30)
- Wisconsin (20)
- Oregon (32)
- Ohio (34)
- Colorado (9)
- West Virginia (15)
- Nebraska (16)
- New Mexico (19)
- Washington, D.C. (28)
- Connecticut (8)
- Arkansas (3)
- Arizona (43)
- North Carolina (7)
- Nevada (33)
- Indiana (17)
- South Dakota (27)
- Virginia (13)
- Washington (6)
- Mississippi (23)
- Alaska (36)
- Kansas (38)
- Wyoming (22)
- Montana (25)
- Georgia (41)
- North Dakota (37)
- Minnesota (35)
- Rhode Island (39)
- New York (44)
- Oklahoma (24)
- Iowa (12)
- Alabama (11)
- New Jersey (45)
- Pennsylvania (48)
- Kentucky (29)
- Massachusetts (46)
- Louisiana (40)
- California (50)
- Michigan (47)
- Illinois (49)
Featured photo by Wikimedia Commons
U-Haul photo is a screenshot by RPS Relocation
Jan
What are the most popular destinations in major U.S. cities? Bars, restaurants, gyms—every major city has these establishments. Now, we have an idea of which ones people prefer the most thanks to Lyft. The rideshare company released their 2018 Lyftie Award Winners. The awards cover the most popular places in 45 cities. If you live in our around these cities, do the establishments look familiar?
Here’s the full list:
2018 Atlanta Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Dark Horse Tavern
Most Popular Concert Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Altanta Breakfast Club
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Waffle House
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: LA Fitness
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Buckhead
Only In Atlanta: Ponce City Market
2018 Austin Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Whisler’s
Most Popular Concert Venue: Stubb’s
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: South Congress Cafe
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Kerbey Lane Cafe
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: Castle Hill Fitness
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Rainey Street
Only In Austin: Barton Springs Pool
2018 Baltimore Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Max’s Taphouse
Most Popular Concert Venue: Royal Farms Arena
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Barcocina
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: The Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grille
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: Planet Fitness
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Uptown Towson
Only In Baltimore : Horseshoe Casino
2018 Boston Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Lansdowne Pub
Most Popular Concert Venue: Agganis Arena
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: The Friendly Toast
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Felipe’s Taqueria
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: CorePower Yoga
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Southie
Only In Boston: Fenway Park
2018 Chicago Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Sidetrack
Most Popular Concert Venue: Douglas Park
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Beatrix
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: The Vig
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: XSport
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Boystown
Only In Chicago: Navy Pier
2018 Cleveland Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Punch Bowl Social
Most Popular Concert Venue: House of Blues Cleveland
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: TownHall
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Dive Bar
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: Planet Fitness
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: East Bank Flats
Only In Cleveland: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
2018 Charlotte Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Ink n Ivy
Most Popular Concert Venue: PNC Music Pavilion
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Tupelo Honey
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Gin Mill South End
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: Charlotte Athletic Club
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Uptown
Only In Charlotte: Epicentre
2018 Columbus Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Standard Hall
Most Popular Concert Venue: Ohio Stadium
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Forno Kitchen & Bar
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Union Cafe
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: LA Fitness
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Short North
Only In Columbus: Hollywood Casino Columbus
2018 Dallas-Fort Worth Lyftie Award Winners
Most winners in Lyft’s 2018 list were in Dallas only. No standalone business locations from Fort Worth or other area cities made the list, so it’s odd they decided to say these were he winners for all of DFW.
Most Visited Bar: Backyard Dallas
Most Popular Concert Venue: American Airlines Center
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Pecan Lodge
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Whataburger
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: LA Fitness
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Uptown Dallas
Only In Dallas-Fort Worth: The Statler
2018 Denver Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Avanti Food and Beverage
Most Popular Concert Venue: Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Snooze an A.M. Eatery
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Lodo’s Bar & Grill
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: 24 Hour Fitness
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Lodo
Only In Denver: Union Station
2018 Detroit Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: The Apparatus Room
Most Popular Concert Venue: Ford Field
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Dime Store
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Lafayette Coney Island
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: Detroit Athletic Club
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Greektown
Only In Detroit: The Belt
2018 Honolulu Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Mai Tai Bar
Most Popular Concert Venue: The Republik
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Scratch Kitchen
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Chingu
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: UFC GYM
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Chinatown
Only In Honolulu: Diamond Head
2018 Houston Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Kung Fu Saloon
Most Popular Concert Venue: NRG Stadium
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Snooze, an A.M. Eatery
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Whataburger
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: LA Fitness
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Midtown
Only In Houston: White Oak Music Hall
2018 Indianapolis Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Kilroy’s
Most Popular Concert Venue: Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Milktooth
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Brothers Bar & Grill
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: LA Fitness
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Wholesale District
Only In Indianapolis: MIlitary Park
2018 Los Angeles Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: The Abbey
Most Popular Concert Venue: Hollywood Bowl
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Soho House
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: In-N-Out Burger
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: LA Fitness
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: West Hollywood
Only In Los Angeles: Santa Monica Pier
2018 Las Vegas Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: PT’s
Most Popular Concert Venue: Downtown Las Vegas
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Carnival Buffet at The Rio Hotel
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Pho Kim Long Restaurant
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: LVAC
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: The Las Vegas Strip
Only In Las Vegas: Caesar’s Palace
2018 Madison Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: The Old Fashioned
Most Popular Concert Venue: The Kohl Center
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: DLUX
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Red Rock Saloon
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: UW Natatorium
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Marquette
Only In Madison: Memorial Union Terrace
2018 Memphis Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: B.B. King’s Blues Club
Most Popular Concert Venue: FedEx Forum
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Tin Roof
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: Life Time Fitness
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Beale Street Entertainment District
Only In Memphis: Graceland
2018 Miami Lyftie Award Winners
Most Popular Concert Venue: Hard Rock Stadium
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Big Pink
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Mango’s Tropical Cafe
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: LA Fitness
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: South Beach
Only In Miami: Wynwood Walls
2018 Milwaukee Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Lakefront Brewery
Most Popular Concert Venue: Bradley Center
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Café Benelux
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Brothers Bar & Grill
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: Wisconsin Athletic Club
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Haymarket
Only In Milwaukee : Miller Park
2018 Twin Cities Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: The Saloon
Most Popular Concert Venue: US Bank Stadium
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Union Bar & Grille
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Stella’s Fish Café & Prestige Oyster Bar
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: LA Fitness
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Downtown West
Only In Twin Cities: Mall of America
2018 New Jersey Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Bar Anticipation
Most Popular Concert Venue: MetLife Stadium
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: The Cheesecake Factory
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Grasshopper off the Green
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: Planet Fitness
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Atlantic City
Only In New Jersey: SoJo Spa Club
2018 New Orleans Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Bacchanal Fine Wine & Spirits
Most Popular Concert Venue: New Orleans City Park
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Commander’s Palace
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Dat Dog
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: City Park
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Bourbon Street
Only In New Orleans: Cafe Du Monde
2018 Nashville Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Acme Feed & Seed
Most Popular Concert Venue: Ascend Amphitheater
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Biscuit Love Gulch
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Lower Broadway / Downtown
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: Downtown YMCA
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Lower Broadway / Downtown
Only In Nashville: Ryman Auditorium
2018 New York City Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Elsewhere
Most Popular Concert Venue: Forest Hills Stadium
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Smorgasburg
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Freehold
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: Planet Fitness
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Freehold
Only In New York City: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
2018 New York (Upstate) Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: City Beer Hall
Most Popular Concert Venue: The St. Joseph’s Amphitheater at Lakeview
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Stella’s Diner
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Falley Allen
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: LA Fitness
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Allentown
Only In New York (Upstate): Buffalo Riverworks
2018 Orange County Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Baja Sharkeez
Most Popular Concert Venue: Honda Center
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Mutt Lynch’s
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Goat Hill Tavern
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: 24 Hour Fitness
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Newport Beach
Only In Orange County: Disneyland Park
2018 Orlando Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Ember
Most Popular Concert Venue: Camping World Stadium
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Bahama Breeze
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Mango’s Tropical Cafe
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: LA Fitness
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Wall Street Plaza
Only In Orlando: Disney Springs
2018 Ottawa Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: The Lieutenant’s Pump
Most Popular Concert Venue: Lansdowne Park
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Daly’s Restaurant
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Heart & Crown Irish Pub
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: Movati Athletic
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: ByWard Market
Only In Ottawa: Carleton University
2018 Philadelphia Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Morgan’s Pier
Most Popular Concert Venue: Wells Fargo Center
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Parc
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Pat’s King of Steaks
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: Planet Fitness
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Center City
Only In Philadelphia: Eastern State Penitentiary
2018 Phoenix Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: El Hefe Scottsdale
Most Popular Concert Venue: State Farm Stadium
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Bottled Blonde
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: LA Fitness
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Scottsdale Entertainment District
Only In Phoenix: Talking Stick Resort
2018 Pittsburgh Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Tequila Cowboy Bar & Grill
Most Popular Concert Venue: Stage AE
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Eat’n Park
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Primanti Bros.
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: LA Fitness
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: South Side
Only In Pittsburgh: Giant Eagle Supermarket
2018 Portland Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: White Owl Social Club
Most Popular Concert Venue: McMenamins Crystal Ballroom
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Tasty n Alder
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Voodoo Doughnut
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: Multnomah Athletic Club
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Buckman
Only In Portland: OHSU’s Aerial Tram
2018 Richmond Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Southern Railway Taphouse
Most Popular Concert Venue: Innsbrook After Hours
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Maple & Pine Restaurant
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Southern Railway Taphouse
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: Gold’s Gym
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: The Fan
Only In Richmond: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
2018 San Antonio Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Sternewirth
Most Popular Concert Venue: Yanaguana Gardens
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Pearl Brewery
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Brass Monkey
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: Gold’s Gym
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Tobin Hill
Only In San Antonio: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
2018 Sacramento Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Faces Nightclub
Most Popular Concert Venue: Golden 1 Center
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Iron Horse Tavern
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: LowBrau Bierhalle
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: 24 Hour Fitness
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Lavender Heights
Only In Sacramento : The Shady Lady Saloon
2018 San Diego Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Mavericks Beach Club
Most Popular Concert Venue: Valley View Casino Center
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Breakfast Republic
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Mavericks Beach Club
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: 24 Hour Fitness
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Gaslamp Quarter
Only In San Diego: Petco Park
2018 Seattle Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Optimism Brewing Company
Most Popular Concert Venue: CenturyLink Field
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Portage Bay Cafe
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Big Mario’s Pizza
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: Washington Athletic Club
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Capitol Hill
Only In Seattle: Seattle Center
2018 San Francisco Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Emporium SF Arcade Bar
Most Popular Concert Venue: Golden Gate Park
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Tartine Manufactory
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: In-N-Out Burger
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: 24 Hour Fitness
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: SoMa
Only In San Francisco: Ferry Building Marketplace
2018 San Jose Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: The Patio
Most Popular Concert Venue: Levi’s Stadium
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Flames Eatery & Bar
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: 4th St. Pizza Co.
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: 24 Hour Fitness
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Santana Row
Only In San Jose: Tres Gringos Cabo Cantina
2018 Salt Lake City Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: The Sun Trapp
Most Popular Concert Venue: USANA Amphitheatre
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Red Iguana
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Beer Bar
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: Gym at City Creek
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Downtown Salt Lake City
Only In Salt Lake City: Powder Mountain Resort
2018 St. Louis Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Wheelhouse Downtown
Most Popular Concert Venue: Enterprise Center
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Pappy’s Smokehouse
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Broadway Oyster Bar
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: Planet Fitness
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: The Grove
Only In St. Louis: The City Museum
2018 Toronto Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Rebel
Most Popular Concert Venue: Budweiser Stage
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Mildred’s Temple Kitchen
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Belfast Love Public House
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: Myodetox Performance
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: West Queen West
Only In Toronto: CF Toronto Eaton Centre
2018 Tampa Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: Franklin Manor
Most Popular Concert Venue: Raymond James Stadium
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: The Cheesecake Factory
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: American Social
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: LA Fitness
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: Hyde Park
Only In Tampa: Armature Works
2018 Washington, DC Lyftie Award Winners
Most Visited Bar: El Centro D.F.
Most Popular Concert Venue: RFK Stadium
Most Visited Brunch Restaurant: Busboys and Poets
Most Visited Late Night Restaurant: Brixton
Most Visited Fitness Studio/Gym: Planet Fitness
Most Visited Late Night Neighborhood: 14th and U
Only In Washington, DC: John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Featured photo by Wikimedia Commons
Lyftie award winners photos are screenshots by RPS Relocation
Jan
Chris Pratt is Moving
Jason C. 0 comments Moving News
Parks and Recreation, Guardians of the Galaxy, Jurassic World—Chris Pratt starred in these films and shows. He went from being homeless to becoming a Hollywood A-Lister. Now, he’s moving. And it seems he’s doing much of the moving himself. He shares a post from his Instagram.
He writes, “I love moving!! Picking up heavy things and moving them into the back of a truck was my major in college! (Full disclosure Chris Pratt did not go to a moving college but he did went to community college for a hot second). Point being… Need a dryer moved? Call Chris. Almost nobody in LA even has a truck so every time they have something to move they call me. Hey Chris, you still got that truck? “Oh hell yeah!!! Now I have a brand new truck thanks to Chevrolet !” DM me with your location and what you need moved and I will be over very soon in my new Silverado. #sponsored #ad.”
Chris Pratt Knows How to Move
His first big move was at age 19. Chris moved to Maui, Hawaii, for an interesting reason at that age: He wanted to retire. When he was 19, Chris wasn’t famous yet; as a matter of fact, he didn’t even have any money. When Chris says he moved there to retire he really meant he went there to become a beach bum. And that’s exactly what he did.
He got drunk, smoked weed, and lived out of a van, or in a tent on the beach. To cover his expenses, Chris worked in a nearby restaurant where he met an actress (Rae Dawn Chong). She got him a small role, people loved him, and the rest is history.
In his Instagram post, Chris mentions the truck he had in college. Speaking of college, he actually went to community college for only a few months before moving to Hawaii.
I know very well how popular people with trucks are in college. Students move in, out and transfer to different dorm rooms during their best years. Having a friend with a truck makes life easier! And Chris alludes to the fact that he was a go-to for moving during his short stint in college.
Seeing Chris load his own and boxes and trash bags suggests he’s still the humble guy he was in his past. He’s a Hollywood star now; but at the end of the day, he’s just like everyone else.
Have you ever had friends or family help you with a move? Did they have their own truck? Or, was a moving company like U-Haul the best option?
Featured photo is a screenshot of Chris Pratt’s Instagram by RPS Relocation
Jan
The real estate market varies in each city around the USA. Some cities offer great deals such as cheap housing, large backyards, or ample square footage per apartment. Cities within a certain region of the USA generally share a similar average square footage per apartment. Today, we’re going to focus on the city with the smallest average square footage per apartment: Seattle. MYNorthwest covered the study that came to this conclusion.
Let’s read what they have to say.
RentCafe’s Apartment Size Study
RentCafe conducted a nationwide study to determine the average apartment sizes (by square footage) for various regions. Joseph Albanese of MYNorthwest writes, “According to a study by RentCafe, Seattle boasts the tiniest apartments in the United States — an average apartment size of 711 square feet. That’s smaller than Manhattan, Los Angeles, and other major cities.”
People who live in or near major cities know that better deals can be found outside the city. Chicago, DC, New York City, Miami, and other cities are infamous for having housing that’s small or not affordable. Seattle tops the list for smallest average apartment. Why?
In a nutshell, the answer is supply and demand. Median income is related to the average cost of renting an apartment. The supply of apartments must meet the demand based upon what renters can afford. In Seattle, that means smaller apartments.
Joseph continues, “RentCafe considered new apartments built in Seattle between 2008 and 2018. To put Seattle’s 711 square foot average into some perspective, Manhattan and Chicago both have average sizes of 733 square feet.”
There are a couple important facts here. One is that the study only considers relatively new apartments (those built between 2008 and 2018). Another fact is that apartments in Manhattan and Chicago have larger square footage than those in Seattle. It’s surprising to think the average apartment is smaller in Seattle than it is in Manhattan.
Seattle Apartments are Getting Larger
With apartments in Seattle, there’s good news and bad news. The good news is that average apartment size in Seattle is increasing; however, it isn’t increasing by much. As a matter of fact, the average apartment size only grew 4% from 2008-2018.
Here’s the bad news: Apartments in Seattle are getting more expensive. Joseph writes, “RentCafe notes that local rents shot up by 74 percent during that same time, from $1,186 in 2008 to $2,064 in 2018.”
As mentioned before, the average square footage of an apartment in Seattle is 711. To compare, the average square footage of an apartment in the Pacific Northwest region is 856. It would take Seattle decades to get to 856 square footage if sizes only rise 4% every 10 years. Speaking of regions around the USA, MYNorthwest also included a map of them.
The USA Map of Average Apartment Size
MYNorthwest included map put together by RentCafe. Titled “The Average Size of U.S. Apartments By Region”, this map shows 9 different regions around the county. It also lists the average apartment size overall in the country, which is 882 square feet.
Joseph shares another interesting fact from the data. He writes, “Nationally, rents for new apartments have gone up by 28 percent since 2008, while their sizes shrank by 5 percent. The average apartment in the US dropped by 52 square feet since 2008 (currently 941 square feet).”
The Southwest is the big winner when it comes to average apartment size. There, the average size is 975 square feet. The loser is California, which is considered a region due to its large size. The region of California has an average apartment size of 837 square feet. Seattle—the main focus on this article—has more than 100 less average square feet than that region.
Have you rented an apartment in a major city? How about Seattle? Let us know if your experience is in line with these average apartments sizes.
Featured photo by Johan Bos on Pexels
USA Map of Average Apartment Size photo is a screenshot by RPS Relocation
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