America, It's Time to Vote! Who do You Think Deserves to be Crowned Apartments.com Roommate of the Year?
National Online Video Contest Heats Up As 10 Finalists are Announced, Competing for A Chance to Win the Grand Prize of Free Rent for One Year Plus $10,000 in Cash
CHICAGO, June 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Apartments.com today unveiled 10 exceptional roommates who have been chosen as finalists in the second annual national Apartments.com Roommate of the Year Contest. After receiving entries from around the country, Apartments.com is now inviting America to weigh in by voting for their favorite roommate at http://www.roommateoftheyear.com. The voting stage is open now through July 30, 2010 when the votes will be tabulated, narrowing down the competition to five fabulous roomies, one of whom will be named the Apartments.com Roommate of the Year and win the grand prize of free rent for one year plus $10,000. The four runner-up winners will each receive $500. When casting their vote, the public is asked to judge the finalists' videos with equal weight on originality and creativity, overall wow factor, persuasive argument and style and production.
According to a recent Apartments.com survey, 60 percent of renters currently live with a roommate or plan to move in with one, which makes finding the right person to live with an important decision for the majority of renters. Tammy Kotula, public relations and promotions manager for Apartments.com, says, "The whole concept of what makes someone a fantastic roommate really resonates with renters today. With the added incentive of free rent for a year and $10,000 cash, renters from around the country flocked to our website to sign up and check out how they could throw their hats into the ring."
In 2009, Keaton Davis of Hockessin, Delaware and a student at Trinity University in San Antonio beat out stiff competition to be named the first ever Roommate of the Year by Apartments.com. To capture those unique qualities that make a great roommate exceptional, Davis composed an original rap and created an eye-catching video, singling him out as the Apartments.com Roommate of the Year.
"As our 2009 Roommate of the Year can attest, this contest can be life changing," Kotula continues. "Keaton Davis is using his grand prize winnings to move to New York City where he will work in network television and continue to pursue his dream of becoming a filmmaker. So, you can be assured our finalists will be out there drumming up public votes and support for their entries to try and edge out the competition!"
The public can view videos and vote for their favorite roommate now through July 30, 2010 at www.roommateoftheyear.com. Visitors to the website can vote for their favorite video once a day every day until the end of the voting stage. Upon conclusion of the public voting stage, one grand prize and four runner-up winners will be determined—by a combination of public vote (60%) and a third-party judging panel (40%).
Meet the 2010 Apartment.com Roommate of the Year Finalists:
One of these fantastic finalists will become the Roommate of the Year, winning the grand prize of free rent for a year plus $10,000, and four other lucky, loveable roomies will take home runner-up prizes of $500 each. The 2010 finalists for Apartments.com Roommate of the Year are:
The Loveable Compulsive Category This category celebrates the roommate that manages the household while still maintaining his/her sanity. |
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He cleans well. VERY well. In fact, he's so clean you can eat off his toilet...and he does! Watch Jack McCarron experience all this and more as he demonstrates his ability to handle any mess with exuberance and come out smelling like a rosebud-lined trash can. OH YEAH! Log on and cast your vote for cleanliness. Submitted by Jack McCarron of Portola Valley, CA. |
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The Purr-fect Pet Owner Category These roomies make their four-legged cohabiters feel right at home by being a best roommate—and friend—to their pets. |
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The thought of potential future roommates used to scare Kathryn, until she met Charlie. Charlie is smart. He's funny. And, he happens to be the cutest dog—at least in Kathryn's world. Kathryn shares their story, demonstrating the responsibility she takes as a pet owner as well as Charlie's ability to talk. Girls get this: Charlie's even man enough to say "I love you!" Log on, witness their special bond for yourself and vote! Submitted by Kathryn McGonigle of Phoenix, AZ. |
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Meet Abby, an adorable rescued pup, and her Purr-fect Pet Owner Suzanne as they give a creative glance into the rhythm of their daily lives. Sharing clothes, playing, eating, even recycling together, Suzanne and Abby were destined to be roommates—saving Suzanne from being lonely and Abby from being euthanized. If you agree with Abby that Suzanne is the best, cast your vote today! Submitted by Suzanne Marshall of Venice, FL. |
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The Environmentalist Category This category is for the roommate who takes unique measures to make living green a priority. |
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He recycles empty cans…brings groceries home in re-usable bags…even unplugs electronics when not in use. It's a super-hero! It's an energy-saving star! It's Super Green Man! He may look like any ordinary renter, but this apartment super-hero is a true friend to not only his roommates but also to the environment. He tends his own organic garden and shares the yield with his roommates, uses natural light and keeps his engine running lean and mean by walking instead of driving—see how cool it is to save roommates some green by going green, then cast your vote for Hasan Adbullah of Raleigh, NC. |
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The Possession Obsessed Category This category is for the roommate who's got "the goods" that other roommates want to share. |
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This possession obsessed collector is quite a find from a roommate perspective. David scours the streets of Brooklyn, NY, where he lives as a student, seeking treasures in other people's trash. At first, his roommates were leery of this collection obsession, complaining about lack of space in the apartment. However, David is able to convince them of the merits of his ways by refurbishing items to resell or by recycling the items and using them instead of having to purchase necessities. This enables him and his roommates to live free, off the collected and refurbished items. See how they make it happen and cast your vote today. Submitted by David Krawczyk of Roanoke, VA and Brooklyn, NY. |
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The Grab Bag This category is for people who possess special roommate qualities that don't fit the other categories. |
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Ryan just hates it when conversations go on and on in a meaningless, seemingly endless spiral…especially when he's got important work to do: tell the world why he should be Roommate of the Year! At the helpful suggestion of a friend (in a driveway bathtub…seriously!), Ryan decides to set his stellar roommate talents to music. When it comes to proving his roommate-worthiness mettle, he's on fire. If you agree with Ryan's mom—who endorses Ryan as the best—log on and vote today! Submitted by Ryan Kelly of Springfield, MO. |
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Who wouldn't want a roommate that cooks and cleans and even vacuums the cat house? Tune in as songstress Ashley Slaton illustrates her many roommate talents in this original song. Through her earnest tune juxtaposed with ironic visual representations, Ashley paints a real world picture of what it means to be Roommate of the Year. Far from fantasy food, her mac 'n cheese platter resonates with anyone who's ever cared enough to share a box with a roomie. Take a listen and cast your vote today! Submitted by Ashley Slaton of Houston, TX. |
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This summer's blockbuster entry tells the tale of best roommate Ryan Anderson in movie-trailer fashion. Complete with menacing music and overly dramatic drama, this video showcases Ryan's star roommate qualities. Packed with emotion and super-charged with energy, Ryan pulls out all the stops hoping to create the feel-good-entry of the year. If you think this video rates a win, log on and cast your vote! Submitted by Ryan Anderson of Scottsdale, AZ. |
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This original music video walks the eclectic, electric streets of Los Angeles as Sean Marin pleads his case for why he is a Super Star Roommate. Going through the week, day-by-chore-filled-day in this catchy song, Sean makes it clear that he is all about being a great roommate. Log on, listen and vote! Submitted by Sean Marin of Los Angeles, CA. |
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You CAN pick your roommates…so why wouldn't you pick someone named Da Best? This rip-roaring rap shows you the facts. From cooking food that is super delicious—did you know broccoli and chicken are wicked nutritious? – to cleaning and being chillax, Andrew says it all in his original song. Is he totally tuned into what it takes to be Roommate of the Year? Log on and vote today! Submitted by Andrew Prestler of Kokomo, IN. |
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To view the finalist videos and cast a vote for the Apartments.com Roommate of the Year Contest, visit www.roommateoftheyear.com.
About Apartments.com
Apartments.com (www.apartments.com) is the most visited national apartment Internet listing subscription service with more than 50,000 unique addresses representing more than three million rental units from managed properties, newspaper classifieds and for-rent-by-owner properties. With personalized searches, highly visual ads featuring "Walk Through Video," "Apartments.com Anywhere" mobile solutions, 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 Web site's foundation of solid partnerships with the local newspaper and television station Web sites of more than 1,000 newspaper affiliate and strategic partners across the country include Yahoo! Real Estate, AOL Real Estate, Univision (www.univision.com), 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. Additionally, Apartments.com owns and operates Apartment Home Living (http://www.apartmenthomeliving.com), a leading social media apartment Web site distinguished by a "live for fun" community experience, proprietary lifestyle matching and local living guides to help renters find their perfect place to live.
SOURCE Apartments.com
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