8 Moving Tips To Help Ease The Stress

Moving is definitely one of the most stressful experiences that families face. The average American moves once every five years. We move for a variety of reasons ranging from needing more space, to moving in with a spouse or moving for a job. While moving can be stressful, there are ways to make the process easier. Here are some tips to help you and your family move without the added stress.



1. Keep your paperwork in check – When you are organizing your move, there will be plenty of paperwork that needs to be completed and kept for future reference. It’s a good idea to group these all together in one folder so that you know they are safe and you can refer to them whenever you need to.



2. Start packing as soon as you can – Packing everything you own into boxes is a monumental task. By starting a few weeks before your moving date, you will get a lot more accomplished and feel more organized. To keep yourself from rushing around trying to get everything done in the days prior to your move, start by packing up things you have no immediate need for. Look around your home and take a visual inventory. Do you really need to keep your knick knacks and family photos out, or can they be safely packed early for their journey to your new home?



3. Book your moving company – If your move is local, renting a moving truck or enlisting friends can possibly work out just fine, even if it takes multiple trips. However, long distance moves, or moving a large home, will most likely require bigger plans. If you’ll be hiring a moving company, be sure to book early to reserve your date. Services range anywhere from simply hauling it to your destination, to full service moving companies that pack, load and unload everything for you.



4. Label, Label, Label – Labeling your boxes is the quickest way to make things easier at the other end. You could color code them or just simply write which room the stuff lives in on the side of the box. By doing so, boxes can be placed in the corresponding room in the new house and you don’t have to do too much reorganizing once the dust has settled.



5. Keep important things close at hand – Anything that you know you will need almost immediately in your new home should be kept close to hand. You could ensure that these things are always on the top of the boxes or pack a whole separate box of just these items. Important things could include bed linens, toiletries or the coffee pot.



6. Make plans for your children – Although you will want your children to be part of your moving experience; if they are too young then it may be best that they are looked after by a friend or family member for the day.



7. Think about your pets – Moving can be as stressful for animals as it is for you, so make sure your pets are comfortable during the process. Keeping them in a room to themselves with their favorite toy will help keep them calm while you are loading up the truck. Load animals into safe travel carriers and place them into the vehicle last.



8. Be Green – When gathering together your packing materials you should try and be responsible in the kinds of things you use. Plastic reusable boxes are great because you can borrow them and then give them back to be used again and again. Try to also avoid making multiple trips in your car. This is another reason why removal companies are so handy because you can normally do it all in one trip.

Speeding Up The Mortgage Process

Once you complete your application, it will be given to a processor within the mortgage company who will organize your paperwork and may verify your employment, bank balances, and other information.

Be sure to respond promptly to requests for information while processing is taking place.

Some of the most commonly requested items that may not have been collected during the application process include:

The final purchase contract for the house (if applicable).

If you're self-employed, the mortgage company may require your personal and business tax returns for     the previous two years and your company's year-to-date Profit and Loss statement.

Divorce settlement papers, if applicable

Updated account statements for listed assets in the application that may have changed in value.

Additional information about debts or credit report items that may have been delinquent or not accurate.

Evidence of your mortgage or rental payments, such as canceled checks.

An irrevocable gift letter if you are receiving a monetary gift from a relative.

The processor will be gathering up this information before presenting it to the underwriter. An underwriter reviews all the information in your loan file to determine if the application meets the lender guidelines. With approval, a lender should give you a letter of commitment, which is a promise from the lender to make a loan based on specific terms and conditions.

Save Money On Your Homeowners Insurance

SHOP AROUND!! Asking friends and family, and searching online are some of the best ways you can find homeowners insurers.

Get a range of prices from multiple companies. But don't consider price alone. The insurer you select should offer you a fair price as well as excellent service. Quality service may cost a bit more, but you buy insurance in case you need to make a claim, so it's important to get a company with a good reputation. Talk to a number of different companies to get a feeling for the type of service they give. Ask them what they would do to lower your costs. Check the financial ratings of the companies with AM Best or Standard and Poor's.

RAISE YOUR DEDUCTIBLE 

Deductibles are the amount of money you have to pay toward a loss before your insurance company starts to pay. Deductibles on homeowners policies typically start at $250. Increase your deductible to save!

HAVE MULTIPLE POLICIES FROM THE SAME INSURER 

Some companies that sell homeowners, auto and liability coverage will take 5 to 15 percent off your premium if you buy two or more policies from them.

WHEN YOU BUY A HOME... 

Consider how much insuring it will need. A new home's electrical, heating and plumbing systems and overall structure are likely to be in better shape than those of an older house. Insurers may offer you a discount if your house is new. Check the home's construction: On the East coast brick is better, because of its resistance to wind damage, and in the West frame is generally better, because of its resistance to earthquake damage. Choosing wisely could cut your premium by 5 to 15 percent. Avoiding areas that are in flood zones can save you potentially $400 a year for flood insurance. Homeowners insurance does not cover flood-related damage. The closer your house is to firefighters and their equipment, the lower your premium will be.

INSURE YOUR HOUSE, NOT THE LAND 

The land under your house isn't at risk from theft, windstorm, fire and the other perils covered in your homeowners policy. So don't include its value in deciding how much homeowners insurance to buy. If you do, you'll pay a higher premium than you should.

IMPROVE YOUR HOME SECURITY AND SAFETY

You can usually get discounts of at least 5 percent for a smoke detector, burglar alarm, or dead-bolt locks. Some companies offer to cut your premium by as much as 15 or 20 percent if you install a sophisticated sprinkler system and a fire and burglar alarm that rings at the police station or other monitoring facility. Before you buy such a system, find out what kind your insurer recommends and how much the device would cost and how much you'd save on premiums.

STOP SMOKING 

Smoking accounts for more than 23,000 residential fires a year. That's why some insurers offer to reduce premiums if all the residents in a house don't smoke.

CHECK INTO DISCOUNTS FOR SENIORS 

Retired people stay at home more and spot fires sooner than working people and have more time for maintaining their homes. If you're at least 55 years old and retired, you may qualify for a discount of up to 10 percent with some companies.

SEE IF YOU CAN GET GROUP COVERAGE

Alumni and business associations often work out an insurance package with an insurance company, which includes a discount for association members. Ask your association's director if an insurer is offering a discount on homeowners insurance to you and your fellow graduates or colleagues.

STAY WITH AN INSURER

If you've kept your coverage with the same company for several years, you may receive special consideration. Some insurers will reduce their premiums by 5 percent if you stay with them for 3 to 5 years; by 10 percent if you remain a policyholder for 6 years or more.