Moving Tips

Consider moving mid-week! It is typically less expensive to move during the week than during the weekend. Weekends are definitely the busiest days of the week for moving. Try to take time off work if possible.

Get multiple estimates!

Try to get at least three estimates from moving companies in person. On-line estimates might be appealing but be cautious. There is the possibility that the price might increase on moving day when they see the amount of items that you actually have. At that time it will be too late to find another moving company and you might be stuck paying extra.

Protect yourself from identity theft!

Make sure you change your address with your accounts online and with the post office. This is especially important when it comes to financial and medical information. Moving can be a stressful time and sometimes people may be too tired or distracted to handle important documents. Sometimes those documents get tossed into the garbage. Since you never know who may be going through your old mail, it makes good sense to get a paper shredder and use it for all of your mail that you think might even possibly have sensitive material!

Pack smart!

When you start packing up items from your home, start with the rooms in the order that upsets your daily routine the least. For example, your garage, basement, and living room should be the first to pack up. The last ones would be the bedrooms, bathrooms, and kitchen. If you have fine china or expensive glassware, it’s well worth the money it to buy foam envelopes designed specifically for the purpose of packing dinnerware. Using these special envelopes will ensure that you don’t experience heartbreak and grief when you get to your new home only to find great-grandmother’s china broken to smithereens.
Get a bucket and fill it with cleaning supplies. Use these in the home that you’re leaving or the new place you are moving into.


Lastly, see if you can turn moving into a party! Invite a small group of good friends to come during a 2 hour time frame to drop in and help load a couple of boxes into the moving truck. Order a pizza and open a bottle of wine – and spend some time hanging out!

Homeownership is a Top Priority

Americans believe owning a home is a good financial decision and a large percentage of renters say homeownership is one of their highest priorities for the future, according to a survey by the National Association of Realtors®.



The 2013 National Housing Pulse Survey also found that renters are thinking more about purchasing a home now than in past years, while the number of people who say they prefer to rent has steadily declined.

Homeownership definitely matters to Americans who realize the many benefits it provides to neighborhoods, families and the nation’s economy.

Due to high housing affordability and today’s interest rates it makes sense for people to consider homeownership over renting. In many parts of the country it’s cheaper to own a home than to rent one. It’s not surprising that renters recognize that owning a home has tremendous long-term benefits and is truly an investment in their future.

The survey, which measures consumers’ attitudes and concerns about housing opportunities, found eight in 10 Americans believe buying a home is a good financial decision and more than two-thirds (68 percent) said now is a good time to buy a home. Since the last survey in 2011, more renters are now thinking about purchasing a home, up from 25 percent to 36 percent, while those who say they prefer to rent dropped from 31 percent to 25 percent. Half of renters say that eventually owning a home is one of their highest personal priorities, up from 42 percent to 51 percent.

Attitudes toward the housing market have also improved over recent years. Nearly four in 10 Americans (38 percent) identified an increase in activity within their local housing market in the past year, compared to just 22 percent who reported a slowdown in activity. By contrast, in 2011 some 51 percent reported a slowdown in activity. There was also less concern than in the past about the drop in home values; a majority said housing prices in their area are more expensive than a year ago.


In addition to these improved attitudes about the housing market, respondents also showed an improved outlook about the national economy. Just under half (48 percent) said job layoffs and unemployment are a big problem, down from 61 percent in 2011. The concern over foreclosures showed a steep decline from 2011 when 47 percent characterized distressed properties as “very” or a “fairly big problem”; today only 29 percent say it’s a problem.

When asked for reasons why homeownership is important, respondents’ top reasons underscored basic American values and freedoms; they were building equity, wanting a stable and safe environment, and the freedom to choose where to live.

Different Ways to Come Up With the Down Payment on a Home

To be successful in purchasing a home today, you will need a down payment of at least 3.5 percent of the purchase price.

No more are the days of no down payment alternatives, down payment assistance and seller-offered programs to come up with the money needed to buy a home. Let's look at the ways you can come up with a down payment to make your deal happen.

401(k)/Retirement Loan: Typically, borrowed funds for a down payment are a no-go, but the exception is a 401(k) or equivalent retirement account (or current home equity line). If you can borrow money from your 401(k) for your down payment, this is accepted for obtaining a purchase mortgage loan. Note: Depending on the terms of your loan, this could be counted as a liability and factored into your debt-to-income ratio.

Gift Money: Gift money is simply that -- a gift from family or documented close relationship. The giftor needs to provide a  letter and paper trail for the monies they are gifting for the benefit of the buyer. In other words, they'll have to provide a bank account showing that they had the ability to gift the money. In short, gift monies cannot be funds sitting at home in a safe.

Sale of a Good: Believe it or not, you can sell a recreational vehicle and use the net proceeds from the transaction as your down payment. Let's say that you decide to sell your motorcycle for $10,000. You'll need to provide a full bill of sale -- as well as the bank statement depositing those funds, matching the bill of sale -- to your mortgage lender. As long as it's plausible and passes the litmus test and you can paper trail the monies from start to finish, you shouldn’t have a problem using those funds for a house purchase.

Trust Funds, Settlement Awards, etc. : If you acquire a large sum via an inheritance, settlement, lottery winning, trust fund disbursement, family buyout, all of these monies can be used for the down payment as long as the sourcing of the monies is fully documented with no stone left unturned. Matching of the amounts of monies used to the original deposits will be required when it comes time to secure the loan.

Line of Credit: Where a down payment lacks, enter strength in income. You can take out a line of credit or a personal loan, deposit the full funds into your bank account and after two months, the funds will be eligible for use in the transaction.

While a down payment is needed to purchase in the current real estate market, a proactive homebuyer should also have plans for the funds needed for closing costs. The same strategies listed above can also be used to procure funds for closing costs.

Closing costs generally run about 3 percent of the purchase price. So the total funds to close would be 3 percent of purchase price plus 3.5 percent down.

Take time to think ahead, if you don't have a down payment for a house, or your down payment is coming from more than one source, make sure that you talk to a lender upfront so they can help you navigate the best way to properly support and document your monies used. Doing this in the beginning will save you time and aggravation!

Improve Your Home Lighting

Effective lighting is a big factor in transforming a house into a home. When homebuyers refer to a place as comfortable or cozy, it’s a safe bet that the homeowners have made an investment in their lighting.


Here are five easy and low cost ways to light up your home:

Diffuse the light – Try to avoid harsh and direct light by using lamp shades for interior light sources and window treatments to help prevent glare from the brightest source of all - the sun.

Room Color - The color of a room will have an impact on your lighting scheme. On cold weather days the sunlight coming into your home can make things look flatter and bluer so you'll want to avoid darker colors for lamp shades and paint. The direction that your windows face will also effect the lighting in a room. It would be smart to test out different paint colors on the wall to see how they look throughout the course of a day.

Hidden Lighting – Sometimes the best lighting seems to come from unknown sources. Recessed lighting, spotlights and stylish fixtures can help take the attention away from the source.

Candles - Use candles and light the fireplace if you have one. One out of every five homebuyers say a working fireplace is on their list of must-haves, so show yours off!

Accent Lighting- Accent lighting can add a lot of texture to a room. Use it to highlight books and bookshelves, pictures, or glassware.