Pack Early

A common mistake for somebody who is moving is that they don’t pack early enough The logic used to defer packing is, “ I need to use all my things so I can’t start packing yet.” The reality is that most people only use a tiny fraction of their possessions. Start packing the vast “rarely used” majority. An example would be to organize your sweaters, winter-wear, and holiday decorations first if you are moving in the Summer. Save yourself the time consuming task of searching for cheap moving boxes by shopping on-line. MovingDayBoxes.com delivers to most addresses in the country in one to two business days, and offers free shipping on all orders of moving supplies, inlcuding wardrobe boxes. Moving boxes are hard to find, asks a friend for a referral or shop on-line.

Take More Time and Don’t Rush
However much time you think you’ll need double that estimate. The dog will get sick, the carpet cleaner will be late, the mover’s are delayed by rain, things will happen that you don’t anticipate, make sure to put in some wiggle room and extra time in your schedule. Moving is stressful, adding to the stress by not allocating enough time will make the experience very unpleasant.

Be Weary of Movers That Quote Suspiciously Low
There are a lot of charlatans in the moving business, if a quote on a move is very low compared to several others that is a red flag, not a bargain. Investigate if your prospective mover is a memeber in good standing with the American Moving and Storage Association, and check their record on the Better Business Bureau web site

There certainly is if you are a new home buyer.  This is the perfect time for the first time buyer.  First of all, you don’t have to worry about selling a house that may be undervalued.  Secondly, housing prices and interest rates are at the lowest they have been in years.

New home buyers will lead the real estate market comeback.  Like any big purchase there are some simple steps you should take to assure you make the right choice.  This isn’t something to jump into and you need to do your homework.  Here are my  4 tips for any new home buyer:

Figure out the REAL cost and what you can afford – When you find a place you love, it can be easy to jump right in and want to make an offer.  You need to figure out what you can afford first.  You need to take into consideration the costs that aren’t included in the housing price.  How much do you have to spend on fixing it up?  What are the property taxes/condo fees?  Heating costs?  Is the cost of your commute increased?

Get a Home Inspector you can trust – You absolutely need to get a home inspector to check out any house you are thinking of making an offer on.  They are trained to spot problems you haven’t even thought of.  They will tell you about anything that needs to be fixed or could be dangerous/costly down the road.  Sometimes if an inspector finds a big problem, the current home owner may fix it at no cost to you.  You need to do your homework on home  inspectors as well – get references and  check to see if they belong to a provincial or industry association.  ??Make sure it is the right home for you! – If the cost and inspection is looking good on a house, it doesn’t mean you should dive right in.

Is the house really right for you? -  If you have children or plan on it – does it have enough bedrooms?  Is the backyard big enough for your dog to run?  Are there quality schools close by?  Is the neighbourhood friendly and clean?  A good rule of thumb is to find a house that meets most of your needs for the next 5 to 10 years or can grow and change with your needs.?

Find a GREAT Real Estate Agent – This is possibly the most important step you can take on your home buying adventure.  You agent’s job will to be to help you find the ideal home, write the offer of purchase and negotiate on your behalf to get the best deal possible.  They can also provide you with important information about the community and help you arrange things like a home inspection.  Basically an agent is there to help guide you through the above three points.  

If you follow these 4 tips you are well on your way to making an educated and smart first home purchase.  The key step is to find an agent you can trust and feel comfortable with.  If they don’t mention any of the above tips when you are dealing with them then they might not be the best choice for you.  Take your time, do your homework, make an offer and then sit back and enjoy the thrills of home ownership.

Kari Clark is dedicated to providing all of her clients with professional, honest and educated real estate services.

Kari will provide her clients with a comforting and knowledgeable presence that will do what needs to be done, to meet your requirements.

She will play advocate on your behalf and make sure she finds your ideal home!

Learn more about Kari HERE

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/moving-and-relocating-articles/how-do-i-buy-my-first-home-981858.html

Breathe deeply, drink some soothing herbal tea and follow these 10 money saving tips to ease that stress and help make your move a little more Zen.

1 – When: Sometimes circumstances dictate the time frame of your move, but if that’s not the case for you, then avoid the summer season and ends of the months.  With schools closed, most families schedule moves during the summer to avoid affecting the children’s education.  Leases often lapse at the end of the month.  Moving companies charge more to move customers during these peak periods.  A March move somewhere around the 14th or 15th can save some pennies.  

2 – What: You can also fatten your wallet by knowing what you need and what you don’t.  Avoid those bulky pieces of furniture and piles of old clothes that aren’t worth keeping; moving companies charge by weight, so eliminating unnecessary items will keep the price down.

3 – Do It Yourself: A good rule of thumb when calculating moving costs is: everything you need done will cost you more money.  If you can dismantle bulky items like beds or entertainment centers, you can shear the price by a nice margin.  Even disconnecting washers and dryers will save money.  BUT, be careful, there’s a reason why doing these things often costs more.  Sometimes a professional is required.  So, if you choose to DIY, then make sure you can do it correctly.

4  –  Use What You’ve Got: Boxes, tape, packing paper – these things all cost money, and while they are often necessary, you can save by using some items you already own.  Those suitcases and duffel bags that are coming with you can easily be packed up with some clothes, linens, towels, sheets etc.  If you are bringing the Armoire or dresser, see if it can be secured and placed neatly in the truck upright.  If so, you can just remove the drawers while full, move the lighter piece of furniture and strap it down in the truck.  Then you can put those full drawers back in and use tie-downs to keep the drawers from opening during transit.

5 – If You need It, Don’t Skimp: Buying moving supplies is inevitable.  This is a case of more is less.  You will most likely need more boxes and tape and other items than you think, so buy more and in bulk.  It’s cheaper that way, and you won’t have to make several trips for individual and pricey items, adding gas to the expense.  You can also return or recycle unused items.

6 – Keep What You Need: If you are arriving several days before your belongings, which can often be the case, there are certain items that you’re going to need.  Avoid spending cash on toiletries and cleaning supplies that you’ve already got and will be using before the truck pulls up.  Keep these things with you and put that money back in your pocket.

7 – Efficiency Saves: Be thorough.  Label any boxes that need to be unloaded first and coordinate your boxes according to rooms, either by color or with labels.  If movers can unload boxes directly to their proper destination and keep the process organized, the unloading will be quick, smooth and efficient, saving you money now and time later.

8 – Insurance Pays: It just makes sense to get moving insurance.  It will protect your valuable items against accidents.  Bare in mind, however, that moving insurance will not cover any boxes not packed by a professional moving company.  Money can be saved simply by speaking to your insurance agent to make sure your Home Owner’s Insurance Policy doesn’t already cover your move.

9 – Planning Makes Perfect: When checking out your new place, get measurements and floor plans.  Then you can measure your furniture and map out your furniture within the rooms.  This pre-planning will allow you to leave behind anything that won’t fit and also help the movers to put things in proper places.  All this will save money and time.

10 – Questions, Questions, Questions: Never be afraid to ask questions.  If you don’t know something or are unsure about a particular policy…ask!  Moving companies want your business and will work with you to make sure you’re getting every service you want for a price that you can afford.

With these tips, you can bring down the cost and – hopefully – the stress of your move.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/moving-and-relocating-articles/10-ways-to-save-on-your-move-982034.html

Moving to a new home is exciting and stressful. The mental impact of a move can cause stress due to leaving loved ones, financial strain and fear of the unknown. The physical aspect of a move can also be tough, as moving a whole household of belongings takes days if not weeks of heavy lifting. The many aspects of moving combine to make it a milestone definitely worth preparing for. Most people move quite often during their 20’s. During that time switching college dorms, home rentals and moving in with significant others is common. So many people gain a lot of practice in the process of moving in their younger years. There are many lessons that can be learned from moving often.

Reusing boxes

People often save their moving boxes for their next move. While this choice is economical and convenient, reused boxes can cause more frustration than you might realize. Carefully inspect pre-used boxes before you load them. Take a look at the integrity of the cardboard and the wear and tear of the sides. If the box seems weak, toss it out. Having a box collapse during lifting and transport is beyond frustrating, and can damage your valuable items.

Fill Boxes Completely

You might be tempted to fill boxes only halfway, to keep them lightweight. However, boxes that are only half full are more prone to being crushed. And boxes that are filled to the brim are more likely to rip open. So fill boxes reasonably full to avoid damage.

Labeling

Moving is not a pleasant process for most people. Quickly throwing things into boxes without labeling them makes things go faster – but it makes unpacking a nightmare. Take time to organize your items and put them in labeled boxes. Label with a sharpie with “Bathroom” “Kitchen” “Christmas” etc. You will be so thankful you took the time to organize and label your moving boxes when you unpack. Your new home will be ready to live in quickly.

Start Early

There are many areas of your house that you can begin packing far ahead of time such as items in storage. Christmas decoration, summer patio furniture, garage items like tools and other less used items can be packed up to a month before the move. If you break up the moving process in to a few evenings per week, the task of moving will seem much less overwhelming. By the official move date, the last items will be your clothes, dishes, refrigerator items and toiletries. So plan ahead, and moving will be stress free.

Choose Strong Boxes

The moving boxes you choose can make your moving process much easier. Strong corrugated boxes and kraft boxes are great for most household items. Finding affordable boxes is easiest when you choose a wholesale shipping and packaging supplier.

Miller Supply Inc is a wholesale shipping supply company located in Southern California offering boxes, shipping tape, labels and other wholesale packaging products.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/moving-and-relocating-articles/tips-for-a-low-stress-move-982353.html