Decorating on a Budget is Top Priority for Many Renters

Chicago, IL - April 24, 2007 - (PRLEAP.COM) A recent survey conducted by Apartments.com indicates interior design and home décor is a hot topic for renters. According to the survey, ninety percent of renters will decorate when moving to a new apartment; of these renters, eighty-one percent will decorate within the first three months of their move.

The biggest decorating challenge facing thirty-eight percent of survey respondents is staying within a budget. Other renter decorating challenges include: not having enough space (23%), need help with organization (12%) and unsure of what colors to use (12%).

The Apartments.com survey found that the majority of renters, sixty-five percent, plan to spend $500 or less on their decorating budget while eighteen percent of respondents will spend between $500 and $1000.

But decorating does not have to break the bank, as Eva the Shopping Diva, shopping expert and blogger from ShopLocal, gives this shopping advice for renters decorating on a budget:

• First try a small yet important room, like the bathroom. Simply hanging a new shower curtain with a gorgeous pattern can really change the look of the room. Add a great bath mat that compliments the pattern and a new look is born.
• Re-covering old dining room chairs or a worn-out ottoman are easy ways to subtly change the style of a room. Select a fabulous fabric and use a staple gun to give old furniture a new life.
• Wall decals are a snap to apply and if you get tired of them you can easily peel them off. You can get very creative with this great alternative to wallpaper.

Renters can find additional decorating resources, including ideas and advice for organizing, decorating on a budget and tips for decorating small spaces, in the “Decorating” section of Apartment Living on Apartments.com (http://living.apartments.com).

As part of its monthly “What Renters Want” research series, Apartments.com surveys renters on various topics. For more information on these surveys or to receive a copy of additional survey results, please contact Lisa DeVries at ldevries@apartments.com.

About ShopLocal

ShopLocal, the leader in multi-channel shopping services, offers a complete suite of solutions connecting retailers and consumers online and in-store. The company’s Web site, ShopLocal.com, provides consumers choice and control in their shopping experience by offering the most comprehensive selection of timely online and in-store offers on one easy-to-use site. With ShopLocal.com, consumers can find millions of products and up-to-date weekly sales, deals, and coupons for consumer electronics, apparel, groceries and more.

ShopLocal powers multi-channel shopping for hundreds of newspaper Web sites and other leading local and shopping sites and is owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE:GCI), Tribune Company (NYSE:TRB), and The McClatchy Company (NYSE:MNI). For more information, visit www.shoplocal.com.

About Apartments.com

Apartments.com is the most visited national apartment Internet listing subscription service with more than 50,000 unique addresses representing more than two million rental units from managed properties, newspaper classifieds and for-rent-by-owner properties. With personalized searches, highly visual ads featuring 360-degree virtual tours, professional photography, and comprehensive community listings, Apartments.com makes it possible for renters to access apartment rental inventory from across town or across the country. Leads from highly qualified ready-to-rent prospects are delivered to Apartments.com customers, increasing closure rates and decreasing the average cost of leasing an apartment. The site’s foundation of solid partnerships with the local newspaper and television station Web sites of more than 190 affiliate and strategic partners across the country include the Chicago Tribune (www.chicagotribune.com), The Washington Post (www.washingtonpost.com) and the Los Angeles Times (www.latimes.com). Apartments.com is a division of Chicago-based Classified Ventures, LLC.