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<iframe src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/movotoblog/2013/06/nerd-cave/index.html" height="720px" width="587px" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0"></iframe></br><a href="http://www.movoto.com/blog/real-estate-tips/ultimate-nerd-cave/">The Force Is Strong With This Ultimate Nerd Cave</a> By Movoto

By now you know that we’re basically a big bunch of nerds here at the Movoto Blog. (Did our evaluations of Stormwind Keep from “World of Warcraft” or ranking of the nerdiest cities in America give us away?) So, as you can imagine, when we get to talking about what our dream houses would be like—we do an awful lot of thinking about homes here at Movoto—the discussion invariably turns to how we would make them as nerdy as possible without ending up with something that looks like Pee-Wee Herman’s house.

Our solution was two words: nerd cave.

You’ve probably heard of man caves. A nerd cave is like that, but for nerds. It’s a dedicated space we can do with as we please—in other words, make as nerdy as possible.

Our mutual admiration of the nerd cave concept understandably led to a detailed discussion of just what our ideal bastions of nerdom would contain. Since we’re a diverse group of nerds, we all like different things: hobbies, games, TV shows, movies, books, and so on. So we decided that if were were going to share an “ultimate nerd cave” concept with our loyal readers, we’d make it an amalgamation of our various likes.

Take a look at how we’d build the ultimate nerd cave if money was no object.

Seating and Furniture

The Iron Throne
From: HBO
Cost: $30,000

How could any self-respecting nerd not get this for their cave if not constrained by a budget? Sure, it’s 30 grand, but it’s the mother-loving Iron Throne from “Game of Thrones.” You know, just like that jerk Joffrey sits on looking all smug and jerky. Only it could be you sitting on it. We admit it doesn’t look very comfortable, but who needs their posterior to feel nice when they’re commanding ultimate power?

La-Z-Boy Legend Sectional
From: La-Z-Boy
Cost: $4,000+

We decided to compromise in terms of seating arrangements for those of us who prefer something a little more comfortable than the Iron Throne. Those who opt to park their rear ends on these luxury theater-style recliners from La-Z-Boy won’t be ruling the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, but they probably won’t need to see a chiropractor once they get up. Plush, replete with storage, and very recline-y indeed.

Nintendo Controller Walnut Coffee Table
From: Bohemian Workbench
Cost: $2,300

We think Movoto director of marketing Chris Kolmar’s initial reaction upon seeing this piece of furniture pretty much sums it up: “Holy crap that’s awesome.” Part piece of art, part icon of gaming history, this handmade glass-topped table might actually be able to draw attention away from your Iron Throne—for a moment, at least.

Star Wars Wampa Rug
From: Think Geek
Cost: $130

If man caves can have faux bearskin rugs, our nerd cave can do that one better with the pelt of a wampa, the abominable snowman of Hoth that takes Luke captive at the beginning of “The Empire Strikes Back.” With this in the room, you’ll be force-ing yourself to resist wearing it like a blanket and scaring those brave enough to venture into your sacred hideaway.

Total so far: $36,430

Wall Decor

Han Solo Frozen in Carbonite
From: Sideshow Collectibles
Cost: TBD ($2000 estimated)

Sticking with the “Star Wars” theme, no good nerd with unlimited funds would be able to pass up adorning their wall with a life-size replica of Han Solo frozen in carbonite. Unfortunately, Sideshow Collectibles, the company behind many a mind-blowing premium “Star Wars” collectible, hasn’t put a firm release date or price on this massive piece of decor but we’re willing to wait if it means making our dream room complete.

Alien Wall-Burster
From: 3dwizart
Cost: $1,200

Here’s just the thing to liven up your cave—in that anyone who sees it will immediately have a fight-or-flight reaction (mainly flight). Standing 7 feet tall, this 3D sculpture of H.R. Giger’s terrifying xenomorph from the Alien franchise looks like it’s bursting out of your wall. Sure to save on fiber drinks and laxatives.

Total so far: $39,930

Home Theater

XBR-65X900A 65-inch 4K 3D Ultra HD TV
From: Sony
Cost: $6,999

Movies and TV shows make up a big part of what shapes nerd kind, from the cinematic likes of “Star Wars” to televised classics such as “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” Watching them is going to play a big role in any world-class nerd den, and we want to do it in the best way possible. That’s why our room would have a huge, brand-spanking-new 4K resolution HDTV—that’s four times as detailed as current HD—that’s even capable of taking older materials and making it look sharper than a morgul blade. This Sony is absolutely bleeding edge.

FMP-X1 4K Media Player
From: Sony
Cost: $699

While current Blu-ray discs will look even better on a 4K TV like the one we picked, to really see the full potential of these next-generation sets we’re going to need real 4K Ultra HD content. That’s where devices like Sony’s 4K Media Player come in. It downloads 4K movies and TV shows from the Internet since current discs aren’t big enough to hold them. The selection will be slim at first when it hits later this year, but is sure to grow.

Total so far: $46,628

Gaming

Falcon Northwest Mach V High-End Gaming PC
From: Falcon Northwest
Cost: $3,300 and up

Nerds might play a lot of games, but we don’t play around when it comes to making sure they look and run as good as possible. That’s why our ultimate nerd cave would be equipped with a top-of-the-line gaming PC like this rig from one of the best names in the business (connected to our 4K TV). It’s not cheap, but it can run anything you throw at it without breaking a sweat, remaining able to handle the latest games—and otherwise avoid obsolescence—longer than lesser systems.

Dream Arcades Vision 32 Multi-Game Arcade Machine
From: Dream Arcades
Cost: $3,199 and up

Just like there’s no better way to play cutting-edge games than on a blisteringly fast PC, the experience of playing retro games doesn’t get any more perfect than on an actual arcade machine. Dream Arcades makes a number of authentic coin-on cabinets updated with modern features such as LCD displays, including the V32, a unit with dozens of classic games pre-installed and designed to work with your own PC if you wish. For added authenticity, we’d have our own custom tokens made.

Marvel’s The Avengers Pinball Machine
From: Stern Pinball
Cost: $5,699

Since we’re building an arcade in our cave, we had to include the coin-operated video game’s counterpart, the pinball machine. While many pinball manufacturers have gone belly up, Stern Pinball is going strong, making and releasing new tables such as our pick: “The Avengers.” This dazzling machine features modern digital scoring and effects, bringing Earth’s mightiest heroes to life—check out that huge Hulk!—for a breakneck game.

Sultan Gaming Table
From: Geek Chic
Cost: $12,950

Rounding out our gaming setup is the Rolls Royce of tabletop play. To call the Sultan a “just a table” would be like saying the Taj Mahal is “just a building.” When it comes time to play your favorite RPG or board game, this masterpiece of handcrafted wood opens to reveal a luxurious gaming surface and individual stations for each player. And yes, there are cup holders. Anyone who leaves a water ring on this beauty is officially out of the group.

Total so far: $71,776

Odds and Ends

Speaking of beverages, our room’s going to need a cool place to keep ‘em. We chose this glass-fronted one (Danby, $199). Since we’re going to be too busy watching movies and playing games, we also needed a cleaning droid—aka the Roomba—to keep our retreat from non-nerdiness spic and span (Roomba, $549). Then, of course, we budgeted $2,000 for some awesome art, toys, collectibles, and gizmos (unfortunately this was off the table).

The grand total for our little slice of Nerdvana: $74,524. Hey, we did say price was no object.

Of course, we’re not factoring in all the priceless experiences we’re bound to have in our geeky Shangri-La, nor the copious amounts of Cheetos and Mountain Dew that’ll be fueling our adventures. Now we just have to find a house to put it all in.

This post was written by Randy Nelson

Randy spent the last dozen or so years writing about video games for publications like PSM and Nintendo Power, but now he's decided to get "serious." That's why he's helping create a blog that wraps houses in bacon and explores the history of toilets, naturally.

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<a href="http://www.movoto.com/blog/real-estate-tips/third-hand-smoke/" alt="Buy WoW's Stormwind Keep"/><img alt="Buy WoW's Stormwind Keep" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/movotoblog/2013/06/images/thirdhandsmoke-2-20130606.png" title="Third-Hand Smoke is Ruining Your Home" /></a>

There’s no disputing that smoking tobacco is dangerous. There’s enough evidence that, by now, most people should know that smoking causes cancer. Still, there are a variety of different ways people can be exposed to the chemicals found in cigarettes that lead to cancer—the most common of which is second-hand smoke. There is, however, another type of exposure that has started to make its way into the public mind in the past several years: third-hand smoke.

There are few smokers in the Movoto office, but as real estate professionals we do know that those looking to buy and sell homes might have to deal with houses that were affected by third-hand smoke. If you don’t know what it is, here’s Movoto’s guide to third-hand smoke and housing.

We’ll start with the basics: a literal definition of third-hand smoke.

What is Third-Hand Smoke?

Third-hand smoke is a term created by a research team from the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center. It refers to the chemicals that remain on the surface of objects after they’ve been exposed to second-hand tobacco smoke. In other words, third-hand smoke is the residue that is left after the smoke clears out; it can be found on carpet, counters, and clothing. Both smokers and non-smokers can be at risk of tobacco-related illnesses through contact with these substances, whether through inhalation, ingestion, or touch.

What Can Third-Hand Smoke Do to You?

Researchers argue that after second-hand smoke clears from a room or confined area, its various components—specifically chemicals—coat surfaces after a short amount of time. Some have argued that these chemicals can react with nitrous acid to create carcinogens found in tobacco products. If you aren’t familiar with the term, carcinogens are substances that are linked to cancer.

According to the New York Times, researchers found 11 carcinogenic compounds that could be in third-hand smoke including:

• Hydrogen cyanide
• Butane
• Toluene
• Arsenic
• Lead
• Carbon monoxide
• Polonium-210

Nonetheless—and this is important—research into third-hand smoke and its health effects is still ongoing. In other words, the full effect of exposure to the substances that have coated your house or car (or other objects) isn’t fully known. This means that while some have argued that third-hand smoke is worse for you than second-hand smoke, there’s still more testing needed.

How Long Does It Take for Third-Hand Smoke to Leave?

We searched long and hard for a clear answer to this question. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to find a source that specifically states how long third-hand smoke can stay in an area. However, according to this document, third-hand smoke can linger on surfaces for hours and even days. In other words, turning on a fan or airing out a room doesn’t cut it. Studies have shown that second-hand smoke takes at least two hours to dissipate.

How Does Smoking Affect Housing?

The simple answer to this is that smoking in your home is going to hit you in your wallet. A survey of Ontario real estate agents showed that smoking in your home can lower its value by up to 29 percent. To be clear: if you had a home worth $100,000, smoking in it can drop the price tag to $71,000. That is a huge price difference.

Here’s another example: According to the U.S. Census, the median sale price of an American home in 2010 was $221,800. This means that smokers could lose about $64,000 on average.

The Canadian survey goes on to state that 44 percent of real estate professionals believe smoking lowered a home’s value. Of these professionals 32 percent said smoking lowers a home’s value by by 10 to 19 percent, while another 32 percent of those surveyed believed it lowered the value by 20 to 29 percent.

In addition, the survey found that 88 percent of brokers believe it was more difficult to sell a home in which someone has smoked. More interesting, 27 percent of brokers stated that buyers are unwilling to purchase a home in which someone has smoked.

How Do You Remove Third-Hand Smoke?

Now that you’re good and scared (or at least well informed), you probably want to know how you can remove third-hand smoke from your home, car, or other spaces. You shouldn’t worry. It’s not difficult, but it can be time consuming—and it might be expensive. Like most things, you will get what you put into trying to rid your third-hand smoke. Here are some tips:

• Thoroughly clean walls with very hot water mixed with detergent.
• Paint your walls with as much as three layers of paint.
• Steam clean your carpet. Even better, remove your carpet.
• Wipe down all flat surfaces—smoke residue isn’t limited to walls.

The dangers of smoking and residual effects such as second-hand and third-hand smoke is easy to see. It harms your health. But if this isn’t a deterrent, think of how much it hits your wallet, and we aren’t even talking about the cost of cigarettes. Smoking decreases the value of your house. Thankfully, you know of a solution–even if its a difficult one.

This post was written by David Cross

+ David Cross is a writer for Movoto and former journalist. He attended Ohio State and Florida State universities.

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<iframe src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/movotoblog/2013/06/NYC/index.html" height="720px" width="587px" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0"></iframe></br><a href="http://www.movoto.com/blog/real-estate-tips/20-things-about-new-york-city/">20 Things You Should Know Before Moving to New York City</a> By Movoto

1. Honking Horns are a New Yorker’s Ambien

At first, you’ll move to New York City and the sound of traffic will keep you up. But then, a strange thing happens: The traffic begins to soothe you. “It’s like the ocean, no?” you’ll explain to your bewildered mother. Then, when you go visit your parents in the ‘burbs, the sound of silence will literally freak you out. “Am I about to get murdered?” you’ll lie awake thinking—as you count the hours until you’re back in the city.

2. Stars: They’re Just Like Us! (Really, We Mean It, Just Pretend They’re a Nobody!)

Don’t stare at them, don’t smile knowingly at them, don’t even quickly glimpse at them—and for God’s sake don’t ask for their autograph. You’re a New Yorker: You don’t freak out over star power.

3. This is What $1,600 a Month Gets You (No, Really!)

For the privilege of living in the Upper East Side, you’ll pay $1,600 for this room with just a twin bed and fax machine.

4. “Cozy” Means You Can Reach Your Fridge From Your Bed

Ads for an apartment on Craigslist often say “cozy.” At first, you’ll think this means a nice little one-bedroom, maybe with some exposed brick or a fireplace. Nope: It means you can probably touch your fridge from your bed. Seriously, there are hundreds of apartments in this city that are 200 to 300 square feet. Sometimes you’ll have to shower in your kitchen or store your clothes in the oven. And many of them cost upwards of $1,000 a month.

5. This is Your Outdoor Space

If you want a patch of grass to call your very own in NYC, expect to pay at least $400 per month more in rent. Meet your new “private outdoor space,” the fire escape.

6. Tuesday is the New Friday

In New York your job is your life—10 hour days are the norm (even if you’re just an assistant). This means that by Tuesday, you’re exhausted and in need of a cocktail (or seven). The good news for you is that NYC has one of the best bar scenes on Earth (we have a cocktail named after our most famous borough, Manhattan)—and you never have to worry about drunken driving (woot subway!).

7. Your Bodega Guy Doubles as Your Therapist

Without a car, going to the grocery store is a hassle.So New Yorkers get almost everything they eat and drink from their corner bodega. This means your bodega guys sees it all—that 3 a.m. bottle of cheap Chardonnay you’re using to console yourself after another bad date, your affinity for Chubby Hubby and Cool Ranch Doritos after a long day at work. It won’t take long before the two of you are on a first name basis—and it won’t take long after that ‘til you start to dish on your problems. After all, with the rent you’re paying, it’s not like you can afford a real therapist.

8. You Will Never Eat a Bagel Anywhere Else Again

Sure, pizza in NYC is incredible, but there are (albeit only a few) better slices in America (ahem, New Haven). But when it comes to bagels, we rule. Soft on the inside, crusty on the outside, and slathered in cream cheese, mmmm.

9. You’ll Never Set Foot in the DMV Again… Because You’ll Forgot How to Drive

Driving in NYC is best left to the taxi drivers. The traffic is insane, no one obeys traffic lanes and you can forget about parking for less than about $20. You’ll take the subway or taxis everywhere—and pretty soon, you’ll come to love it (just read on your iPad and chill until you’re deposited at your destination). Years go by, and almost by accident, you wonder if you’ve forgotten how to drive—but you don’t really care.

10. You Will Eat Whatever You Want—and Not Gain Weight

NYC has some of the best food on earth—at all price points. You can easily spend $500 at Per Se for one of the best French meals of your life or $2 for a slice of pizza that will blow your mind. And you can get pretty much any type of food delivered anytime you like. You’d think all these delicious eats would make the pack on the pounds, but they won’t—you literally burn them off because New Yorkers walk everywhere (that restaurant’s one mile away—no problem!). Oh, and thanks to Mayor Bloomberg, you’ll be forced to look at the calories on menus of any chain restaurant, so you can forget about your appetite after that!

11. Black is the New Black

We follow fashion like Anna Wintour is looking over our shoulder (because she literally is), but no matter what “new” colors hit the runway, black will always be our first love. We cheat with the occasional pink or red or blue, but we always go back to black.

12. Manhattan is Simply “The City” (There Are No Other Cities!)

To everyone from the rich bankers to the cab drivers, Manhattan is “The City.” No explanation needed.

13. You Won’t Blink at Paying $30 for a Spin Class…

Spinning, yoga, Pilates—the notoriously thin New York woman takes these calorie-torching, body-buffing courses seriously. So not only can you expect to pay $20 to $30 per class—you can expect to get waitlisted for the class.

14. …or at Paying $14 for a Cocktail

The cocktail will come with organic juice or special ice or a sprig or something or another—and that’ll make you rationalize that $14. Seriously, the price tag will barely even register. Because compared to your dinner tab, it’s really nothing.

15. Seamless is Your New BFF

Seamless, an online service that will deliver you food from one of a zillion restaurants (you do it all online! you don’t even have to talk to anyone!), is every New Yorker’s BFF. Seriously, there are days (too hot, too cold, too rainy) when you will order both lunch and dinner from there. (It’s OK, we all do it.)

16. You’ll Learn to Make Your Job Sound a Lot Better Than it Actually is

Go to a party, bar, event (or just leave the house) and the first question anyone will ask is “what do you do?” Most likely, you have some boring job in finance or law that will literally make the other party’s eyes glaze over. So you’ll “enhance” what you do so it seems like you get paid handsomely to save lives or launch businesses or whatever. They’ll do the same.

17. You’ll Begin Judging People Who Pronounce Houston Street Wrong

There are eight million people living in NYC, and we’re literally living on top of one another. So sometimes we just don’t want to see another tourist. And one of the surest signs you’re a tourist (other than the usual suspects like wandering with a map around Times Square or taking the “Sex & The City” bus tour) is that you pronounce Houston Street like the city in Texas. It’s pronounced HOUSE-ton. This may seem trivial to you now, but give it a few months.

18. You’ll Start Reading the Tabloids

You may not be a fan of the national tabloids, but move to NYC and you will start reading the New York Post or the New York Daily News. No seriously, you will try to resist buying a copy with your morning coffee, but it will be impossible. Who can resist those crazy headlines?

19. Brooklyn is the New Manhattan

It used to be that Manhattanizes scoffed at the thought of “going over the bridge.” And yes, there are still some who do. But Brooklyn is having its moment; it offers some of the best restaurants in the five boroughs (seriously, just try getting a ressie at Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare), its art scene is world class (hello Williamsburg), and plenty of celebs call it home (Maggie Gyllenhal, Solange Knowles and Michelle Williams, to name a few). How times have changed: Some Brooklynites scoff at the thought of “going over the bridge.”

20. We Complain (A Lot), But Wouldn’t Live Anywhere Else

NYC has got arts, culture, music, and restaurants that rival anywhere on Earth, but it’s expensive (the cost of living is 70 percent above average), smelly (it’s possible that a solid quarter of New Yorkers refuse to wear deodorant on the subway), and if it starts raining you can’t get a cab and flimsy umbrellas at the bodega will suddenly cost $15. And we New Yorkers complain about all—but we wouldn’t have it any other way.

This post was written by David Cross

+ David Cross is a writer for Movoto and former journalist. He attended Ohio State and Florida State universities.

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</iframe></br><a href="http://www.movoto.com/blog/real-estate-tips/12-of-the-newest-tech-gadgets-around-the-house/">12 of the Newest Tech Gadgets to Have Around the House</a>
Let’s give a big pat on the back to technology for making our lives easier. Sure, it’s also taken over our lives—ahem, Facebook… and Twitter… and Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, Foursquare, and the like.

Despite our obsessive tendencies (which are our own faults), at its core technology has the ability to make your day better, easier, and faster. And with the advent of mobile we can do these things from the palms of our hands from anywhere in the world—as long as there’s a signal.

I’ve gathered the must-have gadgets homeowners need in their lives. These purchases—and sometimes splurges—are surefire bets to change lives. They’ll make you feel pretty cool as well. Just imagine the look on your guests’ faces when the lights in your home pulse with different colors to the beat of your music. Do I have your attention now?

What Makes a Home Gadget Great?

I based my roundup of at-home technology around a few requirements:

• Necessity
• Functionality
• Price
• Wow factor
• Genius factor (also known as the “Duh, why didn’t I think of that?” factor)

I’ll be the first to admit that not all home gadgets are must-haves. A 3D TV is a perfect example. It scores big on the “wow factor,” but not so big on “necessity” or “price.” But if it’s wi-fi enabled and interacts easily with your Netflix, it might get a couple brownie points for “functionality.”

Right now the biggest trends are integration and automation. That means technology that will send you a tweet when the laundry is done. Or a gadget that gives you the ability to unlock your door from your mobile device. Or a setting that allows the room temperature to automatically adjust when you come home from work. Part of leading a “better” life is living a life with more freedom. Is there some sort of robot out there that will do my laundry and then fold it for me? Not yet? Somebody get on that.

Do I Need These Gadgets?

Because so much focus is on interactivity and connectivity, it’s up to you to program many of these gadgets in the best way possible. It’s great because the technology is totally customizable. But it also means that you have to get comfortable with a little bit of tweaking, hacking, and experimenting.

Don’t just get a new gadget because you can. Get it because you’ll truly use it on a daily basis. Think of the problem areas in your life right now and decide if this technology can provide a solution. Maybe some of these gadgets provide a solution to a problem you didn’t even know you had – that’s OK, too. Just don’t get too caught up in the hype.

What If I Can’t Stand Technology?

You don’t want to be the last person to adapt. A lot of this at-home technology is fairly simple to use. You don’t have to go full-blown Tony Stark and automate your entire existence. Start small and work your way up. You can do it. And if you have a question about technology, just Google it.

1. Nest

Source: Nest
This “learning thermostat” will save you energy and money—once you recover from the $249.99 investment.

2. AT&T Digital Life

Source: AT&T
Automate your home security via your mobile device with AT&T’s new keyless entry system. Add-ons include water detection, video cameras, and an energy use manager.

3. Philips Hue

Source: Flickr user John Meyer
These wireless bulbs light up, dim down, or shut off whenever you want them to. Set the mood or keep your home safe all from a mobile app. The three-pack starter kit is $199.95.

4. FitBit Aria

Source: Flickr user Justin Grimes
This “smart” scale interacts wirelessly with your Fitbit activity trackers and dashboard for total fitness management. At $129.95, it’s a bit of a splurge.

5. Modern Lanterns

Source: Kickstarter
These battery-operated cordless lamps look like their traditional counterparts but can be moved with ease.

6. Belkin Kitchen Mount for iPad

Source: Belkin
Belkin has an array of mounts that will help you keep your iPad near while cooking dinner, including a kitchen cabinet mount for $49.99 and a fridge mount for $39.99.

7. U-Socket

Source: FastMac
The “outlet of the future” looks normal, but it includes two USB ports perfect for charging all of your iDevices. And it’s only $24.95.

8. iTouchless Sensor-Controlled Fully-Automated Toilet Seat

Source: iTouchLess
This $189 seat cover automatically opens when approached. With a wave of the hand the seat will rise as well.

9. Cube 3D Printer

Source: Cubify
Staples is the first big box retailer to bring 3D printing to the masses. For a cool $1,299.99, you can make just about anything you could possibly need.

10. Lockitron

Source: Lockitron
This $179 device slips over your deadbolt and can then be unlocked from your mobile device. It even has a built-in knock sensor that will notify you when someone’s at the door.

11. Ninja Blocks

Source: NinjaBlocks
This wifi-enabled mini computer costs $199 and can be “hacked” to detect things like motion and light, and then communicate that information to you via text, tweet, and more.

12. Smart Herb Garden

Source: Kickstarter
This Kickstarter-funded project takes indoor gardening to a whole new level. Add water, plug it in, and watch your garden grow.

This post was written by Aubre Andrus

Aubre Andrus is a freelance writer from Chicago who's into all things tech, travel, and geek. She also writes children's books on the side. Visit her website at www.aubreandrus.com.

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Unless you want a giant neon sign hanging from your forehead that reads “I am not from here.”

2. It is known as the “Crescent City”.

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Because of its moon-like shape hugging the Mississippi River.

3. Two words: The food.

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Okay here’s some more words: In New Orleans beignets have been a staple of Creole cuisine, and is the basis for one of the city’s most popular dives: Cafe du Monde. The delicacies were even named the Louisiana state doughnut back in 1986. Unfortunately not every state has named their own doughnut. Call your local congressman today to rectify this egregious matter.

4. Speaking of which, in New Orleans it’s not a “sub,” it’s a “poboy.”

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5. The term “Dixieland” originates in the city.

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Dixieland referenes the Old South and the style of jazz performed by early New Orleans performers. It’s since been used as a name for pretty much every middle-of-nowhere rinky-dink theme park ever.

6. Most of the buildings and architecture around today actually have more of a Spanish history.

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Due to a city-wide fire that spread in the 1700s under Spanish rule, most of the earlier French buildings were lost.

7. Guinness officially named the nearby Lake Pontchartrain Causeway the longest continuous bridge in the world.

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See, even Louisiana can have nice things.

8. The New Orleans Superdome is one of the largest enclosed arenas in the world.

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It’s so big that condensation inside it can allegedly make rainstorms within the dome. You can stop reading here and just pack your bags now, really. It doesn’t get much cooler than that.

9. Mardi Gras may not have originated here (it actually got its start in Mobile, AL) but it sure as hell stayed.

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10. In fact, the Endymion Krewe has more than 2,500 members and sees about 15,000 guests to its parades every year.

Source
Of it’s circa 80 parades per year, their parades are the largest the city sees.

11. The motto of the Endymion Krewe is “Throw Until It Hurts”.

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Meaning you are guaranteed to get cool stuff hurled precariously close to your face at any moment.

12. Endymion has also been grand marshaled by many a famous face, such as Marisa Tomei, Dan Aykroyd, Kevin Costner, Kelly Clarkson, and Maroon 5.

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13. Speaking of famous people, a ton of them were born in the city.

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They are known to return every now and then for a visit, including Reese Witherspoon, Harry Connick, Jr., and Ellen DeGeneres (who was actually born right outside the city in Metairie).

14. Lee Harvey Oswald, president JFK’s assassin, was born in New Orleans in 1939.

Source
This factoid is meant to counterbalance all the positives on this list; otherwise, the world may step into chaos.

15. History question: During the Civil War, what was the largest city in the Confederate States of America? You guessed it: New Orleans.

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Like most Southern cities, it has a storied and bloody history that shows how it’s grown over the years, but also one that can’t be ignored. Just avoid asking everyone which side their great grandparents fought for.

16. It was New Orleans where voodoo was first introduced into the United States.

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In fact, in the 1800s Voodoo queens became central figures in the culture. In New Orleans, Marie Laveau gained prominence amongst these figures. She was an oracle, performed exorcisms, and overthrew the other queens in the city. Because of this influence she is remembered to this day. Fun fact: her tomb in the New Orleans cemetery even warrants more visitors than Elvis Presley’s in Tennessee. That’s a legacy.

17. Vampires and werewolves and fae-folk… oh, you get it.

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HBO’s uber-popular southern paranormal drama “True Blood” takes place in the fictional town of Bon-Temps, LA and throws a gallon of supernatural paint at the wall to see what sticks. What does this have to do with New Orleans? Not much, but it’s probably the most recognizable popular culture representation of a Louisianian town and is hard to ignore because of it. Just don’t let the were-panthers scare you off.

18. Louisiana is 1 of 2 states in the U.S. that does not have counties.

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Instead, the state prefers the term “parishes.” Unsurprisingly, New Orleans is situated in Orleans Parish.

19. The city was originally founded by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville for the sole purpose of being safe from hurricanes.

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An act that would today earn him his own facepalm gif.

20. The French Quarter, known as the heart of New Orleans.

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A popular tourist stop for shopping and street vendors. It’s actually the small square area that Bienville first founded when he discovered the area. Thirteen city blocks long by six deep – the original boundaries of New Orleans.

21. Alcohol is practically given away in the city and can be found at any time of day.

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Bars stay open day and night, and because of the city’s festivals happening throughout the year, most bars give patrons little to-go cups for their favorite poisons. Inebriation, ahoy!

22. Like gambling? Thank New Orleans.

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The city was the place where both craps and poker were invented.

23. The first opera in the U.S. was performed in New Orleans way back in 1796.

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They may not be popular nowadays but this early form of performance art is easily traceable to having influenced the influx of the theater arts in the US, including the myriad interpretations of Shakespeare’s plays stateside and the eruption of Broadway throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

24. The New Orleans Saints won their first Super Bowl in 2010.

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I’m not a big sports guy, but I got out of pretty much all my classes the day after, so I’m with everyone who consider this to be a generally cool thing.

25. Treme (pronounced tre-may).

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Once known as the “Back of Town,” is one of the oldest neighborhoods in New Orleans and is widely known as a racially mixed area. It’s an integral center of the city’s African-American and Creole culture. HBO made the polarizing TV show “Treme,” chronicling life of a cast of characters living in this lesser off section of the city. Sorry, no joke here. Have you seen “Treme?” They mean business on that show.

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</iframe></br><a href="http://www.movoto.com/blog/real-estate-tips/25-things-you-need-to-know-before-moving-to-new-orleans/">25 Reasons to Move to New Orleans</a>

This post was written by Mitchel Broussard

Mitchel is a (fairly) recent college grad from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette where he swears he made a name for himself by graduating cum laude and receiving the Doris B. Meriwether Scholarship for an outstanding underclassman two years in a row. Which probably isn't nearly as impressive as it sounds. In his spare time he likes to ponder humanity's existence, question the meaning of life, and play video games.

Cook Realty

Scott Williams from Cook Realty does a fantastic job covering everything from real estate trends to local events in the Sacramento area. Graphs and photos accompany almost every post, and informative infographics are used to help simplify home price trends and—explain why “owning a home is still the dream.”

Sacramento Real Estate Reflections

Modern and clean are the first two words that come to mind when visiting the Sacramento Real Estate Reflections blog from Klassen & Associates. It’s not only visually appealing—the site contains some valuable information. The latest post simplistically works through Sacramento’s biggest housing question: Is Sacramento in a real estate bubble? Keith Klassen maintains the posts’ quality and variety, which had us wanting more.

Hayes Realty Group

Frequently updated and timely posts make John Hayes’s blog at Hayes Realty Group a great online destination to learn about the buying or selling process. Articles are organized in categories to help visitors find exactly what they are looking for.  This blog also features videos of beautiful property listings for a well-rounded online experience.

Nate Perkins Real Estate

The blog over at Nate Perkins Real Estate is a great resource for viewing homes listed on the market. This past month, a new home search tool was added so that buyers can find just the home they are looking for. With over 15 years of real estate experience, Nate has extensive knowledge of the industry and it shows on his blog.

Sacramento Real Estate Voice

Genea Riede of Riede Real Estate makes good use of her time in the car. Real estate reports and market trends are creatively put into short videos while Gena is driving to and from appointments. These videos are then posted on her blog at the Sacramento Real Estate Voice. This is an incredibly useful way to quickly gain knowledge on the Sacramento real estate market.

Sacramento Real Estate Blog

Erin Stumpf has done a great job of incorporating social media into the Sacramento Real Estate Blog. It’s no wonder why Erin has over 1,400 Twitter followers (@erinnstumpf), as she even uses this social tool to negotiate short sales! Her blog and Twitter feed are both great ways to view new listings and learn about buying or selling property in Sacramento.

Roy Modar Real Estate

Some of the best parts of the Roy Modar Real Estate blog are its articles on housing design trends, such as cork flooring and recycled glass countertops. Roy does an excellent job keeping his posts short and to the point. For information on home design trends and quick market updates, this is the blog to go to.

This post was written by Sally Olsson

Sally works to make sure Movoto’s blog articles are placed all over the web for everyone to enjoy. When she has a break she daydreams about miniature pigs and eating ice cream.

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<iframe src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/movotoblog/2013/04/live-with-parents/home.html" height="650px" width="600px" frameBorder="0"></iframe></br><a href="http://www.movoto.com/blog/real-estate-tips/how-living-with-your-parents-makes-you-rich/">Live With Your Parents, Buy A House</a> By Movoto

I have four primary life goals:

1. Get married
2. Have kids
3. Buy a house
4. Retire

And I’m just now realizing I can’t buy a house without saving for a downpayment. I wish I’d lived in my parents’ basement the last four years. I’d be $85,000 richer. That would put me in downpayment territory already, even in crazy expensive San Francisco.

Instead, I wasted all my money on rent, food, and TV. Not only that, but I have kept a detailed spreadsheet of everything I have spent over the past 4 years so that I can relive the pain all over again. Using that spreadsheet I created a breakdown of the money I washed away.

I’ll guide you step by step through all the money you can save by living at home for 4 years. You’ll be able to buy a home in no time.

Rent – Making My Landlord Rich Since 2009

I’d put up with a lot to save $1,000/mo on rent, including the mental anguish of seeing my parents every day. My rent is on the high side because I have had the “privilege” of living in Los Angeles and San Francisco after graduating college, the second and third most expensive cities in the country.

Thinking of my current situation, I would happily trade hipsters for my parents. God, I hate hipsters.

Food – What’s better: Microwave Dinners or Mom’s Home Cooking?

I’ve averaged about $339/mo on food and drink, but mostly food. Of that, maybe $250/mo has been on groceries that my parents could have been buying for me instead.

If I lived at home my mom wouldn’t only buy my food, she’d cook it, which is worth even more money. Not to mention, my mom’s a helluva cook. She made me pancakes every day before school.

Now, I eat frozen Trader Joe’s pizzas three times a week. If I’m feeling spicy, I throw an egg on top.

TV, Internet, & Phones – Powering My iPoopPad Gets Expensive

My NFL Sunday Ticket, Plants vs. Zombies, and Android phone habits are expensive. I’m talking $230/mo expensive. I don’t even splurge for Netflix, Hulu Plus, or HBO.

How much did those things cost when I was living at home? Nothing. I could play Angry Birds on high speed WiFi while watching the Giants win the Super Bowl for free.

I will say that I can at least piggyback off of my parents HBO subscription from outside the house. Life wouldn’t be complete without “Girls” and “Game of Thrones,” em-i-rite? And, for the record, Lena Dunham does not get naked too much.

Living Supplies – Have You Ever Noticed Girls Use a lot of Toilet Paper?

I only recently noticed this phenomenon. My fianceé has been working from home the past month and she has ploughed through our TP stash.

Even at normal toilet paper run rates, general living supplies (Cleaning the house, toilet paper, paper towels, shampoo, etc…) run upwards of $130/mo.

The bulk of that expense isn’t in toilet paper; it’s in the cleaning cost. Exec charges $117 to clean a one bedroom apartment. They do a better job of cleaning than my mom (she never remembers to put my LEGOs back in the right position), but let’s call them the same for arguments sake.

Car & Health Insurance – For as Cute as that Gecko Is, He Isn’t Cheap

I spend about $100/mo on health and car insurance.

If I lived at home, Obama would have my back on health insurance (I can stay on my parent’s plan until the end of the year).

My parents picked up the car insurance tab in high school, so they’d still pick it up for me now. And they would probably get a better rate on car insurance than I get now.

Let me just put this out there, I might be 26, but I’m a boring old man. I go to sleep at 10 p.m., watch HGTV, don’t drink, and eat pretzels. My high school guidance counselor called me “vanilla” during my college prep meetings.

Geico should be charging me $10/mo, not $75/mo.

Utilities – That’s Alright, That’s Ok, I’ll Pump My Own Gas One Day…

Keeping the lights on adds up over time. Electric, gas, and water cost me about $75/mo. And that’s with trying to be energy smart. San Francisco never gets really cold, but it never actually gets warm either, so the heat could be on at all times.

If I lived at home, I’d stick the thermometer at 70 degrees and let the parents deal with it. Instead, I wake up freezing and rarely put the temperature past 65. So not only am I poorer, but I’m also cold. What’s the upside of being independent again?

Laundry – The One Chore I Still Happily Pay Others to Do

All that time your mom spends lugging around your laundry is worth (only?) $35/mo.

Personally, I hate doing laundry; more so than doing the dishes (And you can ask my fianceé how much I hate doing the dishes). I hate laundry so much I farm it out to the awesome people at Wash1SF. They have a fantastic service called wash and fold where they wash and fold your laundry. Magical.

At $1.25 per pound, it costs me $35 a month to have someone else do my laundry.

The Road to Riches Runs Through Mom and Dad

All told, living at home saves you about $1,800/mo. If you invested that money at 4% instead of spending it, at the end of four years, you’d have over $85,000.

It’s not mooching; it’s investing.

Economist’s Notebook: Why four years out of college?

Two reasons:

1. That’s typically the amount of time between graduating and not losing eligibility for health care through your parents
2. I just turned 26 and am three months away from hitting the four year mark. And, lucky for me, I have kept a pretty detailed log of how much money I’ve spent over the past four years.

This post was written by Chris Kolmar

+ Chris Kolmar is the Chief Economist at Movoto. He enjoys developing new real estate tools, reading about real estate, and Diet Coke.

Movoto ranked the top blogs based on performance in five categories including:

• Variety of posts: The author is not afraid to mix it up between writing about market trends as well as local entertainment
• Frequency of posts: Updated and timely posts help make a real estate blog relevant to the current market
• Design: The blog is visually appealing with pictures and a tidy format
• Usability: Visitors can easily navigate the blog to find their interests
• Social media: Blog readers are able to share blog posts and have conversations about the blog via social media

CandysDirt

Our most recommended read in Dallas real estate blogging is CandysDirt. Blogger Candy Evans and her team add a fresh voice to the Dallas real estate market with in-depth analysis of the market alongside DFW’s latest modern homes and national celebrity listings. What most impressed us was the array of local, timely content on the blog each day. The team does a superb job providing a destination for what they call the “truly real-estate obsessed.” Our favorite feature was the option to “Ask the Expert” anything you want to know about real estate.

• Variety of posts: 5
• Frequency of posts: 5
• Design: 5
• Usability: 4
• Social media: 4

Nu Home Source Realty

Nu Home Source Realty publishes a blog for each of their five metro areas. Out of all of the real estate blogs in Dallas, we thought Nu Home Source Realty offered the best posts about what makes the DFW metro a great place to live. If you’re a potential home buyer considering moving to Dallas, this blog may very well convince you that Dallas is the city for you.

• Variety of posts: 4
• Frequency of posts: 5
• Design: 4
• Usability: 5
• Social media: 3

Dallas Luxury Realty

Dallas Luxury Realty stocks their blog with the latest DFW luxury housing developments, market statistics, and tips for homeowners. The site is clean and easy to use, while it’s easily accessible local property listings make searching easy for the reader. Social media tools are also integrated with each post to allow easy sharing of relevant information.

• Variety of posts: 4
• Frequency of posts: 3
• Design: 4
• Usability: 3
• Social media: 3

VIP Realty Platinum

The VIP Realty Platinum writers take a data-driven approach to blogging with emphasis on statistics. The team presents analysis of real estate trends, tips for buying and selling a home in Dallas, and market statistics through an easy-to-read text design. The company could increase social media engagement by providing a link to their regularly updated Facebook page. We found their market insights to be commendable, while regular updates and new content helped VIP Realty Platinum earn a spot in our top blogs.

• Variety of posts: 3
• Frequency of posts: 4
• Design: 3
• Usability: 4
• Social media: 4

DFW Urban Realty

The top condo and apartment specific blog on our list, DFW Urban Realty features an apartment or condo complex in the Dallas metro area each week. We found these weekly features to be a more informative look at the units offered than a normal listing would provide. The blog occasionally also writes about awards given to suburbs in Dallas.

• Variety of posts: 3
• Frequency of posts: 3
• Design: 4
• Usability: 4
• Social media: 3

Congratulations to Movoto Real Estate’s chosen Top Real Estate Blogs in Dallas!

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This post was written by Zack Mirsberger

Spreading the latest Movoto creations across the web, Zack is always looking for new ways to introduce people to the lighter side of real estate. In his time off, you’ll find him trying to break out of the Midwest in search of mountains.

• Variety of posts: The author is not afraid to mix it up between writing about market trends as well as local entertainment
• Frequency of posts­: Updated and timely posts help make a real estate blog relevant to the current market
• Design: The blog is visually appealing with pictures and a tidy format
• Usability: Visitors can easily navigate the blog to find their interests
• Social media: Blog readers are able to share blog posts and have conversations about the blog via social media

The top six Chicago blogs provide current real estate market statistics in an easy to use and visually appealing manner. We scored the blogs on each component using a scale of one to five, with five being the highest score. Without further ado, here’s the best real estate blogs in Chicago:

YoChicago

YoChicago has it all. Joe Zekas publishes several articles a day about Chicago’s real estate news and trends. Visitors can quickly scan for pertinent information on the site with it’s user friendly-design. In addition, each post allows for comments and social sharing. One of the best features of the site are the informative property listing videos. While the articles are short and simple there is plenty of information available on a variety of topics and it’s all easy to find with YoChicago’s search tool.

• Variety of posts: 5
• Frequency of posts: 5
• Design: 5
• Usability: 5
• Social media: 5

Dreamtown

Dreamtown

• Variety of posts: 5
• Frequency of posts: 4
• Design: 5
• Usability: 5
• Social media: 5

Getting Real

The Getting Real blog is focused on stating facts on the Chicago real estate market without sugarcoating anything. This surprisingly blog is the place to go to for real estate news and extensive market analysis. Blog writer and president of Lucid Realty, Gary Lucido, posts to his blog a couple times a week with a mixture of articles about market trends, featured homes for sale and even some tips for buyers or sellers. This blog does a fantastic job at relaying information in an easy-to-digest format. Follow Lucid Realty on Facebook where they post their blog articles and additional information.

• Variety of posts: 5
• Frequency of posts: 5
• Design: 5
• Usability: 4
• Social media: 4

Chicago Metro Area Real Estate

Fran Bailey blogs for Chicago Metro Area Real Estate. About once a week Bailey announces the market trends for the diverse neighborhoods in the Chicago metro. These posts include graphs and an explanation of what the trends mean for both buyers and sellers. Her other posts cover property listings, and she does a good job at informing visitors about how to get more information if interested. The blog’s design is straightforward with more updates on social media.

• Variety of posts: 5
• Frequency of posts: 4
• Design: 5
• Usability: 4
• Social media: 5

Carpe Diem Real Estate

The Carpe Diem Real Estate blog has great tips for buyers and sellers. Ron Goldstein’s posts are insightful guidelines on what to expect when buying or selling a home. His articles display appealing photos as well as helpful links to further information. Articles are typically posted on a weekly basis, but they are worth the short wait. While social media is not a huge part of the site, visitors can connect with Goldstein on Google+ or Linkedin.

• Variety of posts: 5
• Frequency of posts: 4
• Design: 5
• Usability: 4
• Social media: 3

The Chicago Real Estate Local

Scroll through lots of great property listing pictures and videos at The Chicago Real Estate Local. The writers behind this blog, Eric Rojas and Bob DePalma, started back in 2005 so they have quite a bit of real estate blogging experience. While the blog design is minimal the pictures and virtual home tours make up for it. Even though social media is not connected to the blog and it can be difficult to find particular information their performance as top producers in sales for Chicago shows these guys are experts in the field. They were even featured on an HDTV episode of House Hunters!

• Variety of posts: 4
• Frequency of posts: 4
• Design: 4
• Usability: 3
• Social media: 3

Congratulations to Movoto real estate’s Top Six Real Estate Blogs in Chicago!

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This post was written by Sally Olsson

Sally works to make sure Movoto’s blog articles are placed all over the web for everyone to enjoy. When she has a break she daydreams about miniature pigs and eating ice cream.

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<a href="http://www.movoto.com/blog/real-estate-tips/how-to-survive-in-your-home-during-an-emergency/‎" target="_blank"><img alt="How to survive in your home during an emergency" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/movotoblog/2013/03/images/How_To_Survive_In_Your_Home.png"/></a>
 

This post was written by Chris Kolmar

+ Chris Kolmar is the Chief Economist at Movoto. He enjoys developing new real estate tools, reading about real estate, and Diet Coke.