Diane's Keaton's Spanish-style home on the market for $10.95 million-Image from The Huffington Post
By Serena Norr
Yet another week of real estate buzz-Tina Fey, Will Ferrell, reality starlet Teresa Giudice and Diane Keaton are the talk of The Celebrity Beat. And with an Upper West Side condo on the market, a Spanish-colonial home for sale and a New Jersey foreclosure it’s easy to see why. Check out the Beat and let us know what property peaks your interest.
Will Ferrell recently purchased a loft in the West Village (13th street to be exact) for $4.2 million. In contract since March, the 2,699-square-foot loft features three bedrooms, two bathrooms, an open-aired study with a fireplace, maple hardwood flooring and a newly remodeled kitchen and bathrooms. Purchased by trustee Matt Lichtenberg, this luxurious New York City property was built in the 1890s that was converted into condos in 1998.
Purchased in 2005 for $1.9 million, Fey and her husband recently put their Upper West Side condo on the market as they upgraded to a $3.4 million five-bedroom condo in the same neighborhood. Now selling for $2.3 million, the 1,873 square-foot condo features two bedrooms with a private bathroom and two additional bathrooms with a 31-foot entrance way. The condo also appears to have some lovely hardwood floors, French doors, a guest bedroom, a fireplace, an eat-in kitchen and its own laundry facilities.
Real Housewives of NJ “reality star” Teresa Giudice has recently reported as having $11 million dollar in debt, ranging from home foreclosures and bankruptcy The old spending more than you make is to blame here with reported earnings of $79,000 per year and $104,000 in credit card debt, fertility payments, car payments and real estate debt of $2.6 million. Zillow.com via the New York Post is reporting that her Towaco, New Jersey home (valued at $616,000) is going through the foreclosure process as Giudice and her husband have not been making mortgage payments.
Academy Award-winning actress Diane Keaton has reduced the price of her home from $12,995,000 to $10,950,000. Although we still can’t afford such luxurious digs, her impressive casa is sure to draw in a buyer, especially as Zillow.com noted “her hobby is buying historically interesting homes in California and renovating them.” Designed in the 1920s, the 9,000 square-foot Spanish Colonial home features seven bedrooms, nine bathrooms (wow!), an entryway converted into a library, a courtyard with a fountain, media room, a den, a pool and Keaton’s design touches featured throughout the home.
Now that you’ve moved into your new home, unpacked the boxes and started to settle in by putting everything in its proper place, it’s time to get to know your new neighborhood and meet your new neighbors.
Getting to know your community is very important, especially if your family was upset the second the moving company arrived. Not all your neighbors will be like Mr. Rogers, so take the time to get to know them. Whether they’re noisy, pleasant or always getting into your business, these people will define how happy you’ll be in the years to come.
Although it might be a little difficult to get the process going, it can actually be a lot of fun and a great way to learn about the amenities of your new location. There are several places to begin, such as your child’s school or your local community center, but the Internet and local businesses are also great resources. The main thing is to get out there, make an effort and we promise that you be on your way to having a beautiful day in your new neighborhood.
Start with Family and Friends. If you’re fortunate enough to have family and friends in the neighborhood, then take advantage of that direct connection. These are people that already know the best schools, supermarkets and how to get around the area, so don’t be afraid to pick their brains. This is also a great opportunity to meet their friends, as well as a way for them to show you around in your area. Chances are that they’ll be more than happy to show you the ropes!
Community Events and Publications. Most towns and cities, regardless of size, have a local newspaper or community board available. These provide great events and activities, such as fundraisers, picnics and parent conferences that could help get your search started. Because of the scheduled meetings, forums and contact lists, this is the simplest and most organized way to meet those living in your neighborhood.
Social Networking and the Internet. These days, the Internet makes meeting new neighbors easier than ever. Social networks, such as Facebook, Meetup.com and Twitter, bring together neighborhoods with a common interest, cause and skill. Although joining these requires a more proactive approach (researching groups, participating in forums, etc.), it’s the best way to find local “niche” groups. There is something for everyone, including knitters, actors, writers and Karaoke singers.
Coffee Shops, Bars and Small Businesses. Despite the Internet, coffee shops, bars and even laundromats are still the most effective and best spaces to meet new neighbors. That’s why it’s important to walk around your new community and learn about the businesses that keep it running. These aren’t just resources that you share with others; they’re also the life of your neighborhood. You’ll be surprised at how much you could learn by just waiting in line, enjoying a favorite drink or even finishing several loads of laundry.
Hosting Your Own Party. Often the Internet, community events and newspapers don’t get you the results you want, which means that you’ll have to take the matters into your own hands. If this is the case, then go ahead and have your own soirée, such as a housewarming party. Invite other families, co-workers, and the few people that you’ve already met from your new neighborhood. More than likely, these people will bring along other friends and before you know it, you will have a large network of people under your roof. Usually, all it takes is for you to open your home so that others could do the same.
Give It Time. Like all communities, your new home has an identity and personality of its own. Large cities, for example, have a different beat than the smaller towns. That’s why, regardless of what approach you decide to take, remember that meeting new neighbors does take time. You’ll find that some people are very easy-going and open, while others just aren’t that simple. However, continue to participate and remain vocal in the community, and you will soon be attending children’s birthday parties, school rallies and other cultural events.
Annie Rice's Home Listed at $3.3 Million-Image from the LATimes.com (Photo Credit: Jeff Atkins)
By Serena Norr
Welcome back for another addition of The Celebrity Beat: Relocation.com’s real estate report. This week James Bond and Jon Stewart purchased new homes; while Anne Rice and Jesse James are looking for sellers. From duplex lofts to homes on the beach, which space peaks your interest?
Double 007 just scored a luxurious 1,121-square-foot pad for $1.9 million. The penthouse (purchased in cash!) is located in the über hip neighborhood of TriBeCa that includes one bedroom and two bathrooms. According to the Real Estalker, this hefty price tag means that Mr. Craig is paying about $1,700 per square foot, along with monthly condo charges of $2,265! The duplex loft features three terraces, a dining area with 20-foot ceilings, hardwood flooring, a balcony and two closets (one of which is a walk-in).
According to Housing Watch.com, political satirist and “Daily Show” host, Jon Stewart recently purchased a new home on the Navesink River in Red Bank, New Jersey. The 4,999-square-foot Victorian home features 1.3 acres of land located on the river with what we all can assume features some amazing views of the nearby landscape. Other details include a wrap-around porch with a deck, a swimming pool, two-car garage and a boat house.
Author Annie Rice has listed her six-bedroom home for sale. Built in 1995, the California residence features an outdoor pool, a garden with fruit trees, an air-conditioned garage, a separate dining area and an updated kitchen, seven bathrooms (yup, seven!), a private living area for a housekeeper or maid and a detached two-bedroom home for guests with a full kitchen. Rice is selling her home for a smaller pad, but stated that “I’ve loved it here in Thunderbird Heights with views of the valley and the mountains.”
Much has been mentioned about motorcycle manufacturer and reality star, Jesse James from the tabloids. Mr. James is also causing some buzz within the real estate industry as his $6.75 million dollar beachfront home was recently placed on the market. The two-floor Mediterranean-inspired casa features four bedrooms, a media/game room, an office, a guest room, a fireplace, a modern kitchen, an island bar and a three-car garage with a built-in space for tools and storage. The home also has a built-in security system and an outdoor area with a swimming pool, tiki torches, waterfall and a waterslide!
This gated mansion can be yours for $4.5 million- Any takers?
By Serena Norr
Oh, what to do when you when you have millions of dollars? Travel around the world, eat in fine restaurants and real estate investing comes to mind and for some people, like celebrities these purchases are the norm. At Relocation.com, we are fascinated, part disgusted and semi awe struck by these luxurious extreme homes (eight bedroom condos and in-home movie theatres anyone?) and recently launched a real estate only blog called The Celebrity Beat. Every week we will cover real estate news, a rundown of recent purchases, homes for sale and foreclosures-stay tuned!
• Uma Thurman Selling Greenwich Village Townhouse-Listed for $14.2 M
According to Zillow.com, Uma Thurman aka the lady that killed Bill is reportedly selling her Greenwich Village townhouse. This 5,086-square-foot luxurious pad has seven bedrooms, 6.5 bathrooms and an urban garden complete with a Buddhist sanctuary. Those not so keen on walking up and down stairs may not be into this place (of course if price was no option) since the home has no elevators and five floors. But the media room, spacious dining area and the rooftop deck may change your mind.
• Conan’s $29. 5 Million Home May Have a Seller
Much has been covered of Mr. O’Brien’s late night woes, but perhaps making $29.5 off of his duplex will have him laughing all the way to the bank. This sprawling super-sized duplex (the 17th and 18th floors were combined in 2004) includes seven bedrooms, three terraces, two libraries, and 8½ bathrooms, according to a listing by John Burger, a broker at Brown Harris Stevens. An unidentified buyer is intended to make this sale, which if it does follow through will be the most expensive real estate sale to date at the art-deco apartment complex, the Majestic.
• Kanye West’s Home on the Market for $3.9 Million
Producer, rapper, quasi political communitarian, Kanye West’s Hollywood Hills condo is on the market for $3.995 million. His modern pad is modest (at least for celebrity standards) with three bedrooms and 3.5 baths. But then again, there are built-in computers in every room, an in-home movie theater and room with a pool that makes it out of the norm.
• Billy Joel Purchases $3.3 Million Townhouse
The piano man recently purchased a 1,607-square-foot townhouse in the lovely neighborhood of Nolita. This $3.3 million home features bedrooms and two bathrooms, complete with handcrafted architecture from old NYC and an uber modern kitchen (stainless steel and modern appliances). It is speculated by CurbedNY.com that the apartment was purchased for his daughter.
• Julianna Margulies sells Santa Monica home to Ed O’Neill
Al Bundy bought that nurse from ER’s Spanish-style home for $3,350,001. This pricey Santa Monica, California abode features a spacious office, a library with built-in shelves, three bedrooms, 2 1/2 bathrooms and a swimming pool. There is also a separate guesthouse with its own bedroom and bathroom.
Let’s Get Physical: Where are the Healthiest Cities to Live?
By Serena Norr
A wise person once said: “Your health is your wealth.” Although this can’t more true, living in major metropolitan area such as the great (and stressful) New York City makes it rather challenging to stay on top of the healthy game – both physically and mentally.
Regardless of what stressors plague their way into our lives, we try our best by eating well, exercising and staying mentally stimulated (oh, do we try!). But despite what we do, some geographic locations are prone to induce stress and affect our health more than others.
While some cities are major detriments to our health, there are others that actually encourage healthy living; ranging from those with numerous outdoor parks and facilities to those that focus on eating healthy from local resources. Centrum and Sperling’s Best Place recently uncovered the healthiest cities to live; ranking how they stack up in the categories of mental, lifestyle, activity, health and diet and how they contribute to ones overall well-being. From the looks of this survey, cities in California are leading the pack, with Indiana not doing so well—which oddly enough is one of the most affordable places on our buy vs. rent report. Check out what healthy spot would be ideal for your next relocation.
1. San Jose, California — As the third largest in California, San Jose is renowned for its spacious gardens and parks (Almaden Quicksilver County Park, Alum Rock Park and Kelly Park, to name a few), outdoor festivals and cultural attractions such as the San Jose Museum of Art and the Tech Museum of Innovation. Being the number one healthiest and cleanest cities, San Jose residents rank highest for health, diet and lifestyle. And its no wonder, since residents have access to numerous outdoor trails for walking, running, camping and mountain climbing, as well as other recreational sports that encourage exercising outside. With rents averaging $950-1,200, according to apartments.com and two-bedroom homes at $450,000, San Jose, California is also an affordable moving destination.
2. Washington, D.C. — As the nation’s capitol there is never short of something to do in Washington, D.C. According the cities website-Washington.org, D.C. is the number one city for walking, which is a great way to discover the areas historic monuments and museums. Residents also rank the highest for mental health and diet, along with affordable living that features modern and historic neighborhoods. Homes average $330,000 and increasing in sales of 2.36 percent in March, 2010, according to ziprealty.com.
3. San Francisco, CA— On top of being number three on Sperling’s list, San Francisco, California residents were recently surveyed by the Kaiser Family Foundation for the state of their health and wellbeing. The results? 71 percent of residents reported being in excellent or good health. And it’s no wonder why with a city that encourages walking, biking and running up and down its uphill and windy streets. Activities don’t fall short here either with golf, trips to Fisherman’s Wharf, the Yerba Buena Gardens or simply taking in the views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Rents range from $1,000-1,200 for a two-bedroom apartment, according to apartments.com and homes average $799,000, according to zip realty.
4. Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA— It’s not all rain and coffee (although this is part of the Seattle, Washington experience) in the Seattle-Bellevue-Everett areas of Washington. This healthy city is renowned for their outdoor activities— biking, fishing, running and exploring— that is also considered one of the cleanest cities to reside. Residents can also enjoy the Space Needle, visits to the Pike Place for fresh fish, local fruits and vegetables, walks to the waterfront and exploring the areas many zoos, sporting facilities and wildlife trails at the Northwest Trek.
5. Salt Lake City-Ogden, UT — This outdoor lover’s paradise is home to the historic temple square, national parks (The Bonneville Salt Flats, Kennecott Copper Mine and Miller Motorsports Park) and attractions such as The Utah Museum, the Historic Temple Square of Natural History and Great Salt Lake. A healthy culture, Salt Lake City is also all about outdoor recreation where residents can enjoy skiing, golfing, biking, hiking, camping and extreme sports such as scuba diving, rafting, paragliding and skydiving to keep you busy and very active. The average two-bedroom rental in Salt Lake City, Utah is $804, according to mynewplace.com.
6. Oakland, California — Another California City-are we starting to see a trend? Oakland, California ranks very high on the list for its healthy lifestyle choices and activities available to its residents. Visits to Peralta Hacienda Historical Park, Preservation Park and local attractions (Chinatown, Oakland Museum of California and the Chabot Space and Science Center) are a part of life in Oakland; along with access to healthy dining options, farmer’s markets and walking that keep residents fit. Apartments average $895 for a two-bedroom place, according to mynewplace.com and homes averaging $895,000, according to zillow.com.
7. Sacramento, California — The state capital, Sacramento, California ranked very well in the lifestyle, activity, health and diet categories, which is apparent by the areas attractions that includes historic buildings, museums, and recreational parks (Old Sacramento national and California state historic park). Residents can also take advantage of the areas natural surrounding area by biking, hiking, camping, golfing and partaking in numerous recreational sports throughout the year.
8. Orange County, California — Much as been chronicled about life in “The O.C” by reality shows, but little is discussed of the high quality of diet, lifestyle, activity and metal health in Orange County, California. With 42 miles of coastline, numerous beaches and recreational parks that include historic sites and open spaces, for biking, camping and hiking. Recreational activities such as surfing, running, tennis, volleyball, basketball and golf also keep residents of the O.C. healthy and active. All the healthy amenities are great, but real estate in the area is a bit steep, averaging 1.5 million for homes, according to zillow.com.
9. Denver, Colorado — Residents of Denver, Colorado have access to historic western and cultural attractions (Denver Art Museum and the Denver Zoo) and natural beauty to hike, raft, horseback ride and camp. The Mile High City also has affordable rentals with $978 for a two-bedroom apartment, according to mynewplace.com.
10. Austin-San Marcos, Texas — Dubbed the “live music capitol of the world,” Austin, Texas is also one of the healthiest cities for its high ranks in physical activity. The area also has the highest number of gyms and health clubs in the U.S, along with being a biker friendly area and one that is very eco-conscious, aptly named the “Greenest City in America,” by MSN. The city also has affordable apartments with the average two-bedroom rental at $1,065, according to apartments.com.
And now for the low-ranking cities…
1. New Orleans, LA
2. San Antonio, TX
3. Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
4. Cleveland-Lorain-Elyria, OH
5. Orlando, FL
6. Columbus, OH
7. Detroit, MI
8. New York, NY
9. Las Vegas, NV-AZ
10. Indianapolis, IN
Night View of the Brooklyn Bridge and Lower Manhattan
By Serena Norr
Often dubbed “the Greatest City in the World,” New York City is a cultural melting pot that millions of people call home. Within this prime locale, residents have access to fine dining and nightlife, ethnic cuisine, museums and galleries, Broadway shows, sporting events and recreational parks and facilities.
With all of these unique amenities, it’s no wonder people from all over the world are moving to New York every year. However, once you relocate to NYC there is the issue of finding a place to live. There is no shortage of housing options in NYC with luxury apartments, two-family houses, buildings, condos and coops, brownstones, and even some houses with property; however these places don’t come without a sizeable price tag. In fact, when you move to NYC you will quickly find that locale determines the price of real estate. Due to these high-rentals (and desire for space), many people have moved away from Manhattan, opting for a two-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn, as opposed to a studio in the Lower East Side. This real estate shift has greatly altered what neighborhoods are desirable in NYC; however the high-end Manhattan real estate shows no signs of slowly down with new development deals and luxury condos throughout the city.
From new commercial developments to residential brownstones on the market to celebrity deals, there is always something exciting happening in the NYC real estate scene. On the beat of the real estate industry are some extraordinary NYC bloggers that are on top of the latest industry news and trends and whose sites feature in-depth articles ranging from tenant’s rights to real estate taxes. Here are some of Relocation.com’s favorites:
Created by Jonathan Butler in 2004, Brownstoner covers Brooklyn’s real estate market, latest news, new housing developments and renovation projects. This also includes covering housing issues in Brooklyn, buying tips and pictures of houses, and listings of apartments, coops and condos on the market. The site has grown tremendously since it began that also includes a directory of services, a community forum, restaurant guide, links to various renovation blogs and a sister site called Brownstoner Philadelphia.
A free listing resource, How to Rent in NYC features no broker fee and no fee apartments. The site also includes a renters section where users can write reviews about their landlords, as well as place to read past tenant’s experiences. Created by Alicia Schwartz, the site also features a directory of no fee management companies and landlords, a helpful question and answer segment for renters, rental articles and a listing of moving companies to get you to NYC.
Covering all of Manhattan, NYC Blog Estate features current real estate listings, recent developments and informative articles about the industry. Users can also navigate their way through the site based on the neighborhood they are interested in. The site also has a buyer and seller section where interested parties can post their home or apartment for a direct sale.
A self-professed “real estate solider,” Property Grunt features the latest news on Manhattan’s real estate industry. The daily blog also provides commentary pertaining to current issues such as crooked real estate transactions, taxes and housing issues, problems with landlords, housing reports, tenant’s rights and pictures of local real estate developments.
A print and online edition, The Real Deal features daily content about real estate news, commercial developments, foreclosed properties and expensive deals throughout the NYC area. Stories can also be broken down by neighborhood and users can share their tips about real estate to the website’s editors. The site also has an event section and listing of offices, retail spaces and commercial properties for sale.
The New York Observer’s blog-The Real Estate covers stories about high-end real estate transactions, building developments, tenant experiences and market reports. They also showcase “it’s free to look” area where users can check out luxury apartments and condos on the market.
Published by the Heddings Property Group, the True Gotham blog delivers content that pertains to the inner workings of the real estate industry. Taking an open and honest approach, the site features market reports of transitions in Manhattan, industry news, podcasts and videos and a residential listing section.
As mentioned, in our Best Real Estate Blogs in Los Angeles post we are fans of Curbed and their network of websites. The New York addition — aptly named Curbed NY— follows a snarky and direct approach to covering the latest news and headlines of the NYC real estate market. The site also features celebrity homes on the market (Olsen twins home for $.45 million is just one example), real estate gossip and developments, commercial real estate news, real estate construction and a link to their flickr site showcasing gorgeous photos of real estate around the city. Sellers can also list their home and buyers can search through homes on the market at the Curbed Marketplace.
A comprehensive real estate site, Urban Diggs analyzes the Manhattan real estate market through the use of macro economics to determine real estate trends and investment strategies. Created by Noah Rosenblatt, the site provides in-depth articles, a user discussion section, charts of current trends and insider tips. The also site covers renovations, mortgages, inventory and features a contractor directory.
Everything is coming up green, which also rings true for the real estate industry. Green Buildings NYC not only covers the real estate segment, but design and construction projects in the greater NYC area. The content on the site is organized by neighborhood where users can discover the latest news and articles on green building and sustainability on office spaces, commercial real estate, architecture projects, environmental issues, energy efficient buildings, alternative energy sources, lawn development and much more. Through the site users can also learn about local events, engage in a community forum, locate jobs and search for green real estate listings.
Buy or Rent? The 10 Best Cities in the U.S for Both Markets
By Serena Norr
The great debate lives on: Should you buy or rent? Both sides of the discussion are very passionate about their stance. Renters scuff at the idea of buying due to an inability to put down a sizeable down payment or perhaps they live in an area where renting is favorable to buying a home. Buyers, on the other hand don’t understand why anyone wouldn’t want to own their own property in order to build a home for themselves or their families, as well as own a piece of real estate that may increase in value over time. This friendly debate has seen a bit of a shift with the upturn of the economy where some renters can now afford to buy due to foreclosures and financial assistance from the $8,000 tax credit for new homebuyers. Whereas, some homeowners have been forced out of their homes and can now only afford rent.
Of course, the complexity of the housing bubble isn’t so black and white. Location also plays a huge factor in an individual’s decision and ability to buy or rent. For example: in New York it is cheaper to rent than to own; whereas in Boston the market is stronger for buyers. As this paradigm continues to flip, we at relocation.com won’t be taking any sides; but we can offer a list of the best cities (area amenities, price, thriving job markets and real estate growth) for both markets. Now if we could just solve the mortgage crisis, we would all be one big happy family.
10 Best Cities for Renters
1. Columbus, Ohio: According to apartments.com, the average rental in Columbus, Ohio is $837 for a two-bedroom apartment—pretty amazing deal for the largest city in Ohio and home of Ohio State University. Real estate is also expected to pick up, but for now it is certainly a renters market.
2. Indianapolis, Indiana: As the largest city in Indiana, Indianapolis is experiencing a steady job market that is also renowned for its job market within the manufacturing industries and home of the Indianapolis 500. Residents of this Midwestern area also have access to numerous cultural attractions such as the Indiana State Museum, the NCAA Hall of Champions and the White River State Park. Renters can also look forward to affordable apartment prices with an average monthly rent of $751 for a two-bedroom apartment, according to mynewplace.com.
3. San Antonio, Texas: As the second largest city in Texas, San Antonio has cultural ties to Mexico and the U.S. where residents can see a rodeo or check out exciting cultural attractions such as the Alamo and the River Walk. The area is also home to major universities and research centers such as South Texas Medical Center. The area is also ideal for renters where months rents average $850 for a two-bedroom apartment, according to apartments.com.
4. Salt Lake City, Utah: The average two-bedroom rental in Salt Lake City, Utah is $804, according to mynewplace.com. This outdoor lover’s paradise is home to numerous ski resorts, golf courts and national parks and attractions such as The Utah Museum, the Historic Temple Square of Natural History and Great Salt Lake.
5. Austin, Texas: Dubbed the “live music capitol of the world,” music and Austin, Texas are often mentioned in the same sentence, which is evident by the numerous musical festivals (South by Southwest and Austin City Limits Music Festival) that are held here. Austin is also the corporate headquarters of Whole Food Market, Dell and recently a new office for Facebook. The city is also a biker friendly area and one that is very eco-conscious and not to mention affordable with the average two-bedroom rental at $1065, according to apartments.com.
6. Charleston, South Carolina: An exciting southern city, Charleston, South Carolina features numerous recreational amenities such as beaches, campgrounds, museums (Gibbes Museum of Art and the Charleston Museum) and an historical downtown area. The area also boosts a mild climate throughout the year to enjoy an outdoor lifestyle. What’s even better is that you get all of this for a monthly rate of $ 825 as stated by mynewplace.com.
7. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: As the largest city in Oklahoma, Oklahoma City is renowned for its livestock industries and oil production. This western city is also home to the Ford Center to check out a basketball game or a concert, the American Banjo Museum and Oklahoma City Museum of Art. Renters will also love the price of $665 for a two-bedroom apartment, according to apartments.com.
8. Sacramento, California:Sacramento, California is known as a lively area for its recreational amenities (Sacramento Zoo, national parks, museums and marina). There is also favorable rent in this area of $934 for a two-bedroom apartment, according to mynewplace.com.
9. Tucson, Arizona: Dry, arid climates are in the norm in Tucson, Arizona where residents can enjoy outdoor adventures such as rock climbing, hiking at one of the areas numerous parks and nature reserves. New construction is also promising for renters with an average two-bedroom apartment at $723 a month, according to apartments.com.
10. Denver, Colorado: If surrounded amongst natural beauty and access to historic western attractions aren’t enough, cheap rents are sure to entice you to move to Denver, Colorado. According to mynewplace.com the average rent in the Mile High City is $978 for a two-bedroom apartment.
10 Best Cities for Homebuyers
1. Boston, Massachusetts: A vibrant college town, Boston, Massachusetts is the home of Harvard, Boston University and the Boston Conservatory of Music. The area is also experiencing a strong housing market with a 2.17 percent increase in home sales and an average single family home priced at $359,900, according to ziprealty.com.
2. Atlanta Georgia: Dubbed the Sun Belt for its hot temperatures, Atlanta, Georgia is the headquarters of CNN, the Coca-Cola Company and Delta. Not just a mecca for big business, this area is a hot market for homebuyers with the average single family home costing $146,500, according to zillow.com.
3. Baltimore, Maryland: Centrally located in Maryland, Baltimore is a vibrant seaport city situated along the Patapsco River. The area also has a downtown commercial district and nine surrounding neighborhoods for your pick of a suburban or city environment. According to ziprealty.com, the average home is $194,000 whose area is experiencing a steady increase since January 2010.
4. Minneapolis, Minnesota: The average single-family home in Minneapolis, Minnesota aka the Twin Cities is $184,000 , according to zillow.com along with a 2.33 percent sales increase in March, 2010 that makes this area favorable for buyers. In addition to affordable homes, the job market is seeing a slight increase, along with area amenities such as the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden at the Walker Art Center, recreational parks and parks and historical tours that makes for an ideal (and affordable) location.
5. Washington, D.C.: As the nation’s capitol there is never short of something to do in while living in Washington, D.C. Exploring the White House, Arlington National Cemetery and the Smithsonian Museum are just some of the many area attractions residents can take advantage of. This area also has a combination of modern and historic neighborhoods that is favorable for buyers with homes averaging $330,000 and increasing in sales of 2.36 percent in March, 2010, according to ziprealty.com.
6. Sacramento, California: Famous for the home of the gold rush in the 18th century, Sacramento is now a thriving city situated along the Sacramento River. The area is also the state capitol of California that is a hub for parks, modern museums and music (Crocker Art Museum and the Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra), theatre (Sacramento Theatre Company) and colleges (Sacramento State). Buyers can also look forward to affordable housing prices with homes averaging $239,900, according to ziprealty.com.
7. Charlotte, North Carolina: Known as the “Queen City,” residents of Charlotte, North Carolina have access to numerous artistic and cultural attractions such as the NC Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, the Discovery Place: a hands-on science museum, a vibrant financial center located in downtown Charlotte and historic neighborhoods. On top of all that buyers can score a major deal with the average price of home at $148,900, according to zillow.com.
8. Dallas, Texas: With a motto like: “Live Large, Think Big,” Dallas surely lives up its credo with its diverse culture, modern restaurants and access to one of the largest arts districts in the U.S (the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Dallas City Arts Festival, and Shakespeare Festival of Dallas are just a few of the many cultural offerings.). This vibrant city is also very affordable with the average home at $189,750 and a steady increase in sales at 2.57 percent, according to ziprealty.com.
9. Jacksonville, Florida: The largest city in Florida, Jacksonville is sure to please sun worshippers but will also be favorable to individuals who seek a diverse area whose job market is steadily rising. Jacksonville is also home to the largest park system in the country, according to coj.net, along with beaches and a vibrant downtown area. Home buyers will also love this area for its affordable home prices. In March, 2010, the average home in Jacksonville was $165,000, according to ziprealty.com.
10. Las Vegas, Nevada: Hit pretty hard by the housing market, real estate in Las Vegas is starting to see signs of growth with a 1.19 percent increase in home sales in March 2010, as opposed to the -4.95 percent loss in December 2008. This dessert city is sure to be exciting for residents (and not just cause of the Vegas Strip), but an area that features natural beauty, an arid climate and established neighborhoods whose homes feature modern amenities and access to great schools. Houses typically range from $169,900 and new construction is promising for this dessert city.
As the second largest city in the United States, and the largest city in California, Los Angeles is renowned as a hub for glamour and entertainment, amazing weather, fine dining, attractions and breathtaking beaches.
This “City of Angels” is also home to some of the most immaculate real estate properties in the world with seaside residences, homes situated in the mountains, über modern architectural wonders and green design concepts. Although these housing options are plentiful, the area was hit pretty hard by the declining housing market, causing market price to plummet and foreclosures throughout the city. However, this area is now starting to see signs of growth with the rebound of home sales. Forbes magazine even named Los Angeles one of the top 10 metro areas in the U.S that is easing from the recession. Good prospects are up ahead and relocation.com is very excited to cover these Los Angeles bloggers who are on the pulse of what’s happening in this (once again) burgeoning real estate market.
As part of the popular Curbed network, the Curbed LA edition covers anything and everything real estate throughout all of the neighborhoods in the City of Lights. This up to the minute blog is certainly on the beat of what is going on in the market through their informative, but fun articles. The site also features breaking real estate news and deals, developments in architecture, home improvement and design concepts and real estates listings, accompanied by gorgeous pictures.You can also find restaurant reviews and everything about LA fashion on its sister sites-Eater LA and Racked LA for the complete LA experience.
Covering the Westside of Los Angeles and Downtown, the Los Angeles Real Estate Blog features the point of view of real estate broker-Keller Williams and his first hand insight of this residential real estate market. Since the blog covers Downtown, most of the listings feature apartments, condos and coops, along with location information (restaurants, area amenities, etc) room features, floor plans, pictures and even YouTube videos that give users an interactive tour. The site also provides informational articles such as green living, analysis of home growth in certain areas and parking in LA with a dead meter.
Crafted by the Valerie Fitzgerald Group, Los Angeles Real Estate Talkcovers the market in Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Brentwood, Malibu, Santa Monica and the Westside of Los Angeles. This luxury real estate blog showcases the latest buying and selling trends and listings, as well an a great resource for informational articles about home inspections, construction sites, loans, mortgage rules and tax credits. Buyers and sellers should be sure to check out the blogs resource page, where they can check out a payment calculator, moving checklist, budget calculator, closing costs, and understanding investment, among many other informational (and free!) resources.
The Malibu Real Estate Blog gives users the “low down” on high end real estate from techy/real estate agent, Michael Gardner. Auctions, listings and pictures, sales and real estate developments throughout Malibu are all covered on the site through Gardner’s straightforward tone. He even lists his cell phone number, so that users can call or text him directly with their listing information or any questions.
A Manhattan Beach real estate blog, the Manhattan Beach Confidential lists properties on the market and compares current asking prices to its previous sales, which gives buyers a comprehensive analysis on property values and real estate trends. The reviews also include open house times, location information and a straightforward review of a homes appearance. Recent posting such as: “First, there’s that exterior, with its hard-on-the-eyes adornments. It just doesn’t work” are just some of the brutally honest remarks regularly found on MBC.
Blogger/real estate broker, Irina Netchaev breaks down the real estate market in Pasadena through her site, Pasadena Views. This informational resource covers architecture, home sales, real estate market reports, as well as information about loans and mortgages. Home owners can also list their homes here, or buyers can search through the up-to-date free listing section. The site also features foreclosures, market statistics and profiles on Pasadena’s neighborhoods such as average home price and amount of time a place is listed on the market. The site also has a personal touch with Irina’s real-life stories of the buying/selling market, advice and insider secrets.
Covering Bel Air, Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Los Angeles, Malibu, the Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica and Westwood, the Los Angeles Real Estate Voice provides a neighborhood-by-neighborhood breakdown of real estate listing and housing news. The blog also features these areas through their own profile pages, as well as through lifestyle articles covering local restaurants, where the best schools are and an interactive video section where experts give their opinions on real estate in these markets.
Looks like brighter days are coming for Los Angeles, as the market is showing signs of some real change. Check out some of these blogs to stay up-to-date on current trends, real estate listings and industry news as they happen—we know we will!
While co-ops and condos have maintaince fees, houses located in housing developments have homeowners’ association fees. These could be either new homes, or exsisting ones.
The Homeowners’ Association collects the fees, as they are the legal entities created to maintain common areas and enforce deed restrictions. Shortly after you move in, you will receive the Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions (CC&R’s) which should clearly state what needs to be adhered to in order to maintain the quality and value of the properties located within the community.
Restrictions can include parking on street (including your moving truck on moving day), landscaping approval or types of plants allowed, fence restrictions, pool restrictions, erection of basketball hoops or tree houses, storage of boats and RVs, number of pets and age requirements of residents.
If you are looking to buy a home in a community with a HOA, you should request a copy of the CC&R’s; ask about any CC&R’s recorded against the home; find out what the current dues are; find out how often the dues have been raised during the history of the HOA; and determine if there are term limits for the Board, and if Board members have attended training sessions in efficient HOA management.
NEW YORK, December 2, 2009 – They’re called “jobbies” — a blend of job and hobby — and the people who pursue them are “hobbers.” They allow us to do what we love with a paycheck (albeit it modest) attached. Many individuals who have found themselves without a “regular” job thanks to the sour economy are taking a fresh look at their professional lives and challenging themselves to pursue work that is more aligned with their passion and curiosity. This kind of soul searching brings with it a number of practical questions, including where to put a stake in the ground to launch this new chapter.
According to Relocation.com’s founder Sharon Sharon Asher, people who are starting fresh often narrow the field of possible locations by considering what resources a community offers that sync with their own interests. “Affordable living costs, a vibrant learning community and a solid foundation of small businesses and entrepreneurial enterprises are attributes that ‘hobbers’ may find most attractive,” says Asher.
Here are a few highlights of several “jobby”-friendly communities:
Athens, Georgia: Known for its beautiful, historical neighborhoods, warm Southern hospitality and, thanks to University of Georgia, a rich intellectual life, Athens provides an invigorating blend of college town, artist community and vibrant music scene to those seeking to set down new roots in a place with broad possibilities.
Gainesville, Florida: Home to the Florida Gators (and yes, also the real deal: Florida ‘gators), Gainesville nurtures a host of small startup companies surrounding the venerable University of Florida at Gainesville. Lovely older neighborhoods, affordable home prices and an easy Southern graciousness make Gainesville a worthy place to find or invent a “jobby.”
Austin, Texas: Selected as the No. 2 Best Big City in “Best Places to Live” by Money magazine, Austin’s vibrant music culture, strong ties to its universities and entrepreneurial setting (its nickname is Silicon Hills) make the city one of the top candidate for hobbers. In addition, in 2009, Forbes designated Austin as one of the least stressful large metro areas (it’s relaxing just reading that sentence). “Keep Austin Weird” is the unofficial slogan for the city.
San Diego, California: Although not an inexpensive place to live, San Diego entices new comers with its mild climate, burgeoning life sciences industry, well respected universities and overall mahalo beach-focused way of life.
People often complain about ‘hidden charges’ on their move.
While I sympathize with them, I’m also reasonably sure that somewhere in their estimating process, the moving companies either told them about extra charges for their move, or spelled out these charges in their contract.
I’m also reasonably sure that these charges weren’t highlighted in glittering gold or shouted from the mountain-top.
For example, I got a pitch from a moving company the other day via voicemail. The company went through an extensive list of things they include in their base rate. Then at the end of the call, she said: “The only things we charge for are non-reusable packing material like tape, shrink wrap, moving boxes and bubble wrap.”
In other words: most everything for packing.
Most people either don’t catch this, or they assume these charges won’t amount to much.
Then comes moving day, and they spend a couple hundred bucks on packing materials.
So when you’re planning your move, read your estimate thoroughly. Here’s a list of particular items to look for:
Packing materials: It’s often just moving boxes, tape and shrink wrap, but if you haven’t done a good job packing, this can quickly add hundreds of dollars to your moving costs. The contract should have what isn’t covered, and how much the items cost (See this article for more on moving-day packing charges.)
Moving blankets: Most companies don’t charge for this item, because they’re reusable. However, some have taken to charging RENTAL fees for them. Look for this charge.
Shuttles: If you’re in a big city, the moving company probably can’t bring a moving van into your neighborhood, and will need to shuttle stuff in a smaller truck.
Charges for stairs: You need to do two things before you move: Make sure the moving company knows about stairs at your new and old homes. And check the contract to see if they charge for stairs, and how much they charge.
Long carries: If the movers have to walk a long distance from your house to the moving van, they’ll charge for it. Just like stairs, make sure the moving companies know the layout of your new and old homes, and look for these charges in your contract. (Also, if you’re making a local move, you’re paying by the hour anyway, so you shouldn’t be paying this charge.)
Gas surcharges: Companies can levy a gas surcharge when prices are high.
Travel time: What constitutes travel time for the mover?
Credit card charges: Some moving companies levy a fee for paying by credit card. However, major credit card companies like Visa and Mastercard do NOT permit merchants to do this. Check your credit card’s policy on it. If they forbid their merchants from doing it and you got charged anyways, dispute it to get the fee reversed (a fee can be significant on something as pricey as a move).
This last one isn’t a charge, but it’s a huge annoyance: Your delivery window.
Make sure you know when you will get your things. And be wary of anyone who gives you a specific day.
For long distance moving, it’s impossible to be precise for when you’ll get your items: there are the hazards of the road, and the movers might be making stops on the way to pick up other items to fill their truck (this is a common part of moving and nothing to fear).
However, it’s very important to check your contract.
The moving company must give you a window of when you’ll get your things. And if you don’t get your things within that window, it should spell out any compensation that is due to you for hotel rooms, etc.
Check closely: I heard from a reader who said they found the delivery window buried in a section about furniture disassembly.
I don’t know if it’s true, but it should hammer home the point:
It’s not the moving charges that will kill you — it’s the packing charges.
That’s right: moving boxes, shrink wrap and tape. (Yes, tape.)
If you’re doing your own packing, you probably don’t think you need to worry about packing — you did it all yourself, right?
But you probably didn’t box some things that need to be boxed. You probably didn’t use shrink wrap on upholstered furniture. You might not have taped your boxes securely enough.
The movers will want you to do all this because they want to keep your belongings safe during the move, and make your move more efficient.
And if you haven’t done it, they’ll do it for you on moving day — and they’ll charge you for it.
Now, not all moving companies will insist on billing you for your packing materials. But some will. When you get estimates from movers, you need to ask them what’s considered extra, and what is not.
If packing materials are extra, and you’re packing yourself, you need to make sure we’ve done a thorough enough job to avoid extra charges come moving day.
If you’re packing yourself, here’s what the movers will insist on:
* Anything that can go in a box, should be in a box — it’s easier to carry, and it’s much more efficient for the moving company to load into a moving van. See more tips on what needs to go in a moving box.
* Shrink wrap is the clear film that movers use on items that are too big to go in boxes, but still need to be protected during the move. This includes upholstered furniture. See this article on what needs to be shrink-wrapped.
* Moving tape can be expensive — some readers have told me they’ve paid up to $10 a roll. The movers will use this to seal any boxes they packed, as well as any boxes you packed if you didn’t use enough of it. See this article for other reasons movers might use tape, and what kind of tape they use.
This saran wrap-like substance is used by moving companies to protect items that won’t fit in boxes and can’t be pad-wrapped (ie, protected by moving blankets).
First off, do your movers even charge for it? Many companies, particularly the van lines, do not. Moving companies don’t use much of it, so stretch wrap is a minor expense and they don’t pass the cost on to the consumer.
However, some companies do charge for this. And it can be hefty – I heard from one woman who said she got charged $1 a yard. Compare that to a large roll that you can buy yourself for 5 cents a yard.
If your moving company does charge, you can wrap items yourself to save on the expense (whether they charge for it should be broken out on your contract; I’d also ask specifically WHAT materials they charge for).
The world of moving has its own arcane and confusing language:
* A tariff sets how much a moving company charges for a move.
* The contract you receive for your move on moving day is called a ‘Bill of Lading.’
However, your confusion about relocation terminology can start even before you start searching for moving companies.
For instance, what’s this thing called a ‘van line’?
In its simplest terms, think of a van line like a franchisor. Much as McDonald’s has franchisees that own and operate the actual restaurants independently, van lines use ‘agents’ in the same way — an agent is a van line franchisee that operates on a local level.
Moving companies that are not part of a van line are labeled ‘independents.’
There are advantages to using a van line:
* A van line agent can tap into van line’s tractor-trailers for long distance moving, which usually means greater precision in delivery dates, and fewer chances that your items will be offloaded en route and bundled together with another shipment headed toward your destination.
* Also, the van lines are pretty thorough on enforcing quality control at their agents, so an agent that gets a lot of complaints can be kicked out the van line system. You’ll be less likely to face a scam operator on the van line level.
However, because of the overhead associated with a van line, a van line move can often cost more than a move from an independent.
The van lines will say, of course, that the advantages outweigh the disadvantage of cost.
There are about 20 van lines around the country, including the biggies like United, Mayflower and Atlas, with agents nationwide in most larger cities.
To save money on their relocation, many people are doing their own packing.
However, this can be a source of confusion and problems with moving companies when it comes to moving day — and it could cost you.
Moving companies want to be able to move things as quickly as possible out of your house and get it on the moving truck. Once on the truck, they need to be able to load thSAe truck like they’re putting together a puzzle so your items fit snugly.
The easiest way to do this is by using uniform, sturdy moving boxes.
Not only does this make the move go more smoothly and efficiently, it also cuts down on the risk of damage to your items, because a box is just a more stable way of moving things with less risk of dropping it.
So if it can go in a box, put it in a box.
If it’s not in a box, the movers will box it for you on moving day – and charge you for it, creating a sometimes hefty extra charge you hadn’t planned for.
We’ve created a list of items that customers often incorrectly leave unboxed. It’s generally anything that cannot be stacked evenly when loading the truck — for example, a statue that cannot be square with the stacked boxes.
* Clothes: Many people will put these in trash bags. They need to go in boxes. Trash bags easily rip and create a mess and they don’t stack neatly in the moving van.
* Stools and furniture small enough to fit into a box
* Lamps and shades
* Throw pillows and bedding
* Small rugs
* Fireplace equipment
* Tools
* Pictures and paintings
* Curtains and window treatments
* Children’s toys
* Vases and planters
Also, don’t try to pack items in small boxes. Some customers will pack things in shoe boxes, or they’ll pack collectibles like figurines into their original packaging.
It’s fine to do that, but those small boxes are a hassle for your mover to carry, they’re easy to drop, and they can’t be stacked neatly on the moving van. So consolidate them into a larger moving box.
Is if having rotting Chinese drywall isn’t bad enough, now beleaguered homeowners are facing the prospect of losing their homeowners insurance policies.
The Wall Street Journal reports that insurance companies are starting to not renew some homeowners policies because of the drywall, which emits sulfide fumes and causes corrosion of electrical wires and plumbing.
While it might seem unduly harsh, the insurers say they shouldn’t be responsible for any damage that results from rotting drywall, and that if policyholders don’t replace the drywall (which can cost a staggering $80,000 to $100,000), their policies won’t be renewed.
“[Drywall] corrosion leads to a likely future claim for a covered peril such as fire or a water leak,” which would be the responsibility of the insurer to repair, said an insurance company spokesman.
Homebuilders who used the drywall in new homes have started allocating funds for homeowners to replace it. As many as 100,000 homes built mostly in 2006 and 2007 may be affected by the drywall, which has been alleged to also cause health problems for homeowners.
The lesson of Chinese drywall really points up the importance of home inspections for people who are undertaking a relocation. It’s not only the things that you can see that are a problem; more often than not, it’s the things you can’t see.
Maybe your next customer will FIND you on Twitter or Facebook, but they probably won’t HIRE you until they’ve read a few reviews about your services.
And if you’re not trolling the review sites and responding to reviews, you’ve got a gaping hole in your marketing plan.
Most small businesses overlook this simple fact in the hyperventilating over Facebook, Twitter and the like.
Many people don’t think of online reviews as social media, because they can’t engage in the type of back and forth and outreach that you see on most social media networks.
That’s slowly changing, as more online review sites allow companies to comment on reviews. Most notably, Yelp allows it.
So small businesses, and most especially moving companies, can now take part in the conversation about their business in a way that was impossible before. If it’s a positive review, they can thank the reviewer. If it’s negative, they can explain their side of the story — and apologize if they were at fault.
Either way, it demonstrates a company that cares enough about their customers to take the time to reply to what a customer has written about their experience with a company.
Companies should also be actively encouraging their satisfied customers to submit reviews — good reviews are gold for a moving company, particularly heartfelt, obviously genuine ones.
I was recently reminded of this when a Relocation.com customer wrote a review about a moving company she used through our network. It shows that a satisfied customer can not only shower you with kind words; they can also become an advocate for your business.
So if you’re experimenting on Facebook and Twitter, that’s great — it can be a great way to find customers.
But those customers won’t choose you just based on a cool-looking Facebook page: they will search for online reviews about how you’ve treated previous customers. So get involved in the conversation and see what customers are saying about you.
Twitter and Facebook get the customer in the door; a review gets them to buy.
(I’ve removed the moving company’s name because we haven’t yet launched our reviews section.)
“Let me begin by saying my MOVING experience. I am a woman alone who is almost 70 years old and was leaving the residence where I had lived for more than 35 years to start over in a part of the country, in a town where I did not know anyone, and from the very first interview, the movers treated me with the greatest respect and never once tried to take advantage of my vulnerability as a woman; as a senior citizen, or as a woman alone.
“Quite the contrary, because I was a senior citizen, a woman and a woman alone, the staff did everything they could to assure that my move would go smoothly — and it did. After interviewing more than 40-50 moving companies which in and of itself was a nightmare, I finally narrowed my choice down to three, and even gave a $200 deposit to one, and actually was requested to pay the second one $2,100 in full. However, at the 11th hour based on several factors which seemed very unsettling to me about both companies, in the final analysis I felt there would be a negative outcome if I went with either of them.
“I was so pleased with everything about the movers that by the time the move was over, we were like family; and unbeknown to the staff, I am the founder, President and CEO of “A Woman’s Corner” and the Executive Director of www.awomanscorner.com, and decided to negotiate to have the moving company be the official movers posted on the AWC website www.awomanscorner.com so women all over the country could hire a moving company with the confidence to know that they would be treated with respect and dignity, and would not be taken advantage of.
“1. I moved from New York to Virginia, and I liked the fact that the movers were a small/mid-sized company that does all of their own moving, and does not subcontract or outsource their long distance moves to other companies.
“2. The movers gave me a quote on the telephone based on the Inventory List that I gave them, and then followed-up with an on-site in-home interview which they conducted on a Saturday afternoon because it was the only time I was available.
“3. Their salesman gave me a binding quote of $1900 which they honored, although they spent considerably more time than was anticipated; and the second quote was only $100 more than the initial telephone quote, although the inventory list was significantly more than I submitted online.
“4. The moving company provided extra boxes, wardrobe, mirror and other essential boxes needed at the time of the move at NO ADDITIONAL COST, as well as packed the mirrors, electronics, clothes and many other incidentals that I neglected to pack in my haste. Although I would encourage customers to disconnect their own electronics and take responsibility for the cords and sensitive items — bear in mind that they are movers are not electronic technicians or computer geeks.
“5. Because my move was a six hour drive, and would involve getting caught in rush hour in the Washington DC metropolitan area, the movers arrived at my apartment at 7:00 AM so they could complete the packing, load the truck and be on the road at a reasonable hour so we would arrive at our final destination by early evening.
“6. Because I had a shipment going into storage, which I would have otherwise had to hire a small truck to pick-up after they dropped it off at my Virginia destination, the movers dropped the shipment off at my storage unit for me at no additional cost.
“7. Several hours into my drive to Virginia, the sales personal who booked the move called me to assure that everything went well and to inquire if he could be of any other assistance, and assured me that he was only a telephone call away?
“8. At the end of the move as a token of my appreciation I gave the driver a 20% tip to divide amongst the crew which I hope expressed in some small way my sincere and extreme satisfaction that I felt for their efforts and a job WELL done.
Looking for a new job – particularly when you don’t have a current job – is not a lot of fun.
Fortunately, there is a way to lessen the pain a bit, at least financially.
As you continue your job search, you are able to deduct certain job-hunting expenses. Most people know that they can deduct moving expenses for moving; I bet few realize they can also deduct these sorts of expenses.
1. Who Qualifies
If you’re a banker and wanna be a baker, you’re out of luck. The IRS only allows deductions for job searches related to finding a job in one’s current or previous occupation. It’s the nature of the job that matters; if you’re a journalist (ahem) who worked at a newspaper and now are looking at online opportunities, that’d qualify. However, looking at a marketing position would not.
It also doesn’t matter if you’re working a part-time position in another field while looking for full-time work in your chosen field; this is likely grounds for deducting job-hunting expenses.
However, you can’t deduct expenses if you’re looking at a job after graduating college (it’s considered a new occupation), or you’ve had a long period of time off for things like travel.
2. Expenses That Qualify
Some things you can write off:
* Headhunter or employment agent fees
* Travel expenses for interviewing, which includes 50% of meals while out of town. This includes airfare and lodging, but the primary reason for the trip MUST be job-hunting.
* Any expenses to do with resume preparation – a professional to help prepare them, paper costs, and postage costs.
* Driving expenses for interviews and such get the standard IRS business mileage allowance of 55 cents per mile.
* If you’re researching starting a business, that’s also an allowable deduction.
Some things you can’t deduct: Anything you might normally pay for if you weren’t searching for a job, like any personal health expenses (haircuts), or Internet or cellphone costs.
3. To get the deduction
You have to itemize the expenses as ‘miscellaneous itemized deductions.’ And these expenses (which also include other expenses like investment expenses and tax preparation services) must exceed 2% of your adjusted gross income.
In other words, you need a pretty significant amount of job hunting expenses to qualify. However, if you’ve been out of work for awhile, you might meet it because your income is lower than usual. Also, the first $2,400 of unemployment compensation benefits received in 2009 is not included in your AGI.
For more information, talk to your accountant or talk to the IRS.
Being transferred for work, or just accepted a new job in a new town?
Take some negotiating tips from a Microsoft executive who scored a pretty sweet relocation package.
Microsoft business division president Stephen Elop got a cool $4.1 million in relocation expenses for the fiscal year ended June 30. It included the usual goodies (movers, etc.), but also the sweetener that the company would take his Silicon Valley home off his hands if he couldn’t sell it himself.
Such relocation deals, while not uncommon, are becoming rare except for the upper echelons of management. It’s pretty clear why: In today’s housing market, corporations, relocation companies and moving companies that offer this service have lost of ton of money buying employee homes that have plummeted in value.
In fact, more and more employees are simply being handed a lump sum to handle their move, rather than having the company, or an outside firm, arrange it for them. Just too expensive.
And if you’re moving to take a new job, particularly if you don’t have a lot of negotiating power, you might be totally on your own for relocation costs. But depending on your situation — particularly if you don’t have a job currently — you might be completely fine with that.
But back to Microsoft’s Elop, who buy all measures did pretty well. Microsoft said it would buy Elop’s old house at a price equal to the average of three independent appraisals if he were unable to sell the home in a preset time.
If the average appraisal came in below what Elop originally paid and adjusted for home improvement projects, Microsoft agreed to pay the difference. He also was given a “tax gross up” – a reimbursement from Microsoft on any individual income stemming from the real estate sale.
Because the California real estate market tanked, Microsoft ended up owning Elop’s house, later selling it at a price “significantly below” the original purchase price. In addition to the $4.1 million in relocation expenses, the filing says he received a $1.2 million tax gross up.
It’s the big question — OK, the only question — in real estate: have we hit bottom?
Hard to say for sure, but recent data from a Relocation.com survey, coupled with recent economic data, indicate there’s light at the end of the tunnel. In our September survey, more renters took the plunge to become homeowners. Granted, it was modest: this group increased from 14% to 17% from the previous survey in June.
However, an increase is an increase, and although this group doesn’t get much press, it’s important for the health of our real estate market.
The ‘move up’ crowd gets a lot of attention in the housing market. These are the folks who own currently but are looking to move to a better home or better neighborhood. This group’s been basically frozen because they can’t sell their home, or get enough for their home, to move up to a new home.
That’s created a cascade effect that’s kept much of the market frozen. So if the renters get off the sidelines and start buying homes, which in turn frees up those sellers to buy a new home, that’s a great sign, and one that bears watching.
Other findings:
* 70% of respondents said homes are more affordable today than in recent months.
* 69% indicated they believe the economy is improving
* 19% cite declining home values as a primary reason for this improvement.
* 26% of survey respondents took advantage of these more affordable prices to move to a bigger house or neighborhood, down 24 percentage points from our June survey.
* Moving due to job loss or foreclosure stabilized at 7%.
* There’s been a 16% increase in respondents who said they hired a professional moving company, which may be another indication of an improving economy.
It recently consulted a group of demographic and relocation experts and compiled its list of magnet cities for youth, and most of the obvious candidates are there: New York, Washington, D.C., Austin and the rainy redoubts of Seattle and Portland.
‘Post-Recession Boomtowns,’ is how the Journal described them.
But it had a glaring oversight: ‘stretch’ cities. Most of the list are the obvious and safe, with large populations and solid economies.
That probably helped exclude a lot of cities that might have qualified, like, for example, ANY city in the South, and just a couple in the Southwest.
The article notes that Naples, Florida had been listed as a popular relocation destination for youth earlier this decade, but that its pummeling in the economic crisis helped keep it off the list.
Same probably goes for any city in Florida, as well as most large cities in California.
However, isn’t the very pummeling of a city a reason for youths in particular to take a look, particularly as a ‘post-recession boomtown’? The Journal’s list seems to focus on cities that are doing well now, not that might do well in the future.
For example, Portland probably wouldn’t have made this list a decade ago — it was dirty, gritty and didn’t offer much economic opportunity.
But you might say that very reason it’s on the list now is that it attracted youth. That youth helped revitalize the downtown and made it a much more inviting place to live. Inevitably, that helped attracted businesses that wanted to tap into what’s now an enviable lifestyle for people of all ages.
So when you’re looking to move, also take a look at the cities that are in the dumps. You’ll find cheaper housing and a cheaper overall standard of living, and perhaps less competition for entry level jobs as your peers flock to the more popular cities.
And if you’re intent on being an entrepreneur, you’ll probably find local government that would love to give you some financial assistance.
Make your decision for moving based not entirely on how things look now, but how they might look in the future.
Here’s the top 10 (er, 11 – there were some ties that apparently couldn’t be decided by a coin flip).
1. Washington, D.C.: Thank God for the stimulus — what happens when that ends?
1. Seattle (tie): I hear it rains there.
3. New York City: Financial industry not as hard-hit as expected, but let’s wait to see what greater government regulation (or more accurately, enforcement) does to it.
4. Portland, Ore.: See Seattle
5. Austin, Texas: I imagine even Austin is getting tired of making everyone’s top 10 list (including our own Best Places for a Fresh Start).
6. San Jose, Calif.
7. Denver: If you can’t work, you can at least ski (if you can afford to ski).
8. Raleigh-Durham, N.C.: Another fave on the top cities lists.
9: Dallas: Buoyed by oil, it will continue to do well.
10: Chicago: You don’t see this on many lists, and I don’t know why — great econ and Olympics tie should help.
10: Boston: Also not a city you see much on these lists.
Hiring moving companies isn’t easy — or cheap. However, it’s generally easier than moving it all yourself, so if you’re hiring movers, here are some ways to save.
Pack It Yourself: A moving company’s packing services performed by the mover are often as expensive as the transportation cost itself. Even if you are having your goods packed by the mover, there are some ways of saving money. Items that are nonbreakable such as linens and bedding can be packed easily without the risk of damage — maybe pack these, and have the movers handle the breakables, it’s a good way to save money. This is called a partial pack of your goods.
Seasonal Considerations: You will save money if you can be flexible on your move time. Avoid June, July, and August – those are the most expensive months to move because of greater demand for full-service long distance moving companies. Year-round, try to play your move during the middle of the month — costs are higher at the beginning and the end of the month because of the large number of apartment leases that have month-end dates. If you have some wiggle room with your move-in times, that can also save you money because the moving company may be able to combine shipments; however, ask yourself how long you can go without your stuff.
Save on Packing Luggage and duffel bags are perfect for packing sheets, towels and clothing. Also, the bottoms of wardrobe boxes are great for bulky, lightweight items. Use that space. Be wary of packing tips that might save you money but won’t protect your stuff – for example, using wadded up newsprint instead of bubble wrap. You might save a few dollars, but in the end, is busting something worth it?
Stock Up Make sure you have plenty of boxes and materials so you don’t have to keep making trips to buy more. If you’re buying from moving companies, you might be able to return the boxes you don’t use. Most everyone underestimates how much they’ll need; don’t make this mistake, be sure to get enough.
Storage Notes: If you have stuff at a storage unit or at another location, move those items to your home to avoid extra pick-up charges. Most items that need to be disassembled can be done so by the moving company. However, other items such as exercise equipment, outdoor gym and play sets require extra labor, and will cost you more. Whenever possible, disassemble and reassemble these yourself.
Time is Money Color-code the boxes according to the room they belong in so they all end up in the same place, saving time for both you and your mover.
Taxing Times Your moving costs could be tax-deductible. Keep all receipts for the taxman.
Are You Insured? Moving insurance is cheap and usually worth the cost — the basic protection you get from the moving company is exactly that, basic.
Do You Really Need That? Most long-distance moving is based on the weight of your shipment, so do you really need to move those heavy items? Check areas of your home for items that have not been used for a long time and simply dump them – if you don’t use them, why pay for them to be moved to new place where you won’t use them all over again? Sell it on eBay, sell it at a garage sale, or donate it to charity and take a tax write-off.
Know What You Own: Decide what items you want to ship and what will simply be thrown away. And keep in mind that if you change the number of items you move, the total cost of your move will change. Inform the mover of any changes — effective communication is a key factor for a successful move.
Ask — Politely: If you want to save money, chat with your moving company when you get moving quotes. With the economy, many moving companies are pretty desperate for your business, and will suggest ways to cut your move costs. But don’t go crazy — scam moving companies will cut your costs to zero if it means they can get your job and scam you. Make sure the cost savings make sense.
When a group of movers complained to local politicians at an Oregon town hall meeting about a recently passed law, they got a rough lesson in politics.
The movers were objecting to Senate Bill 2817, which forbids moving companies from using rental trucks to haul household goods.
Intended to crack down on rogue moving companies that don’t have their own trucks, it also penalizes movers who might use rented or leased trucks to meet demand during peak seasons or don’t keep any fleet at all — it’s expensive to keep a fleet of trucks year-round, particularly for the small moving companies that were complaining at the town hall.
Aside from the fairness of the law, the whole episode offers a mirror into how government sometimes works — and why people feel so alienated from it.
According to a report from Southern Oregon Mail Tribune, when the smaller movers asked how they could fight the bill, State Rep. Dennis Richardson was candid:
They probably can’t, because the law has already been passed.
But he did offer some tough-love hindsight.
“You needed a lobbyist,” Richardson said. “You needed someone who was specifically looking out for you.”
Politicians everywhere lament about the plight of small-business owners.
But so often, that voice often goes unheard — because it’s never sought out unless you have the resources to pay someone to be your voice. Which is exactly what small-business people (not to mention much of the general public) often lack the resources to do.
It’s my experience that people who are moving come in three distinct varieties:
1. ‘We don’t need no stinkin’ plans’: These folks just kinda wish their move happens but put off planning til the day before moving day. It never ends well.
2. ‘Please don’t scam me’: These folks are mostly concerned about finding a good moving company, but they don’t put much effort into the rest of their move. They don’t get scammed, but they don’t enjoy an efficient move.
3. ‘The Planners’: They plan every aspect of their move to the finest detail. These meticulous folks might be annoying to the less organized among us, but they get the job done.
I recently came across a book that would appeal to The Planners, as well as the ‘Please don’t scam me’ group (the non-planners will never be bothered with reading a book on relocation).
Jodi Velazquez’ book Slick Move Guide is a nice read because it doesn’t overwhelm you with tips and guidance, yet it gives you just enough information to help you succeed in every facet of your move.
Finding Movers: A comprehensive backgrounder on the moving industry, and how to go about finding moving companies you can trust. Her ’25 Questions for the Moving Companies’ is particularly good.
I doubt many people will actually ask all 25, but even if you ask a majority of them, you’ll know a great deal about the company and it will help you make an informed decision. I also think it serves as a good checklist to use after you a choose a moving company, to ensure you’re aware of all the particulars of your move.
Packing: A lot of good tips, with ‘green-friendly’ advice specifically marked as such, with a ‘Things to Buy List’ that’s particularly thorough and helpful. There’s a wealth of information on how to pack a variety of different items.
There are also storage tips (which are useful because most moves involve storage), checklists to track your progress planning your move, a very helpful ’10 things to do before moving day,’ and a list of items to take care of at your new home.
What I like most about the book is that it includes real-life examples from the author’s move. That’s critical: it’s much easier to learn from someone else’s experience (both successes and failures), and in that, Velazquez’ book is a winner whether you’re moving, or know someone’s who’s moving.
Citing data that shows a slowing reduction in shipping volumes, the American Moving & Storage Association (AMSA) says the moving industry might be flashing the same signals as other industries that the economy could be on the mend.
“Although shipments overall remain significantly below historical levels, we saw much less of a reduction in shipment volumes in June, which in turn was less than the declines during the first five months of the year,” said Linda Bauer Darr, AMSA president and CEO. “In fact, shipments by our members for non-Defense Department moves for the federal government were actually up 14% from June 2008.”
The figures are from the summer issue of AMSA’s Industry Trends. The summer issue also says the drop in the average shipment weight since the industry’s peak year of 2006 has been greatest for individual household goods moves, and for non-defense federal government personnel (GSA) moves.
However, AMSA notes that the weight decline in the GSA segment may be caused by “split moves” when one spouse does not immediately join the other in their new location, which could occur when they are unable to sell their house or find a new job due to the economy.
Industry Trends, published quarterly, offers an overview of current trends and business activity within the sector, and offers data on shipment volume, both aggregate and regional; demand factors; timing; inbound/outbound data; and market-specific trends and outlooks. Industry data is based on information submitted confidentially to AMSA by its member companies.
“We’d be doing a lot better if these guys weren’t skimming from us,” Ron Montanez, director of operations for Aaron’s Reliable is quoted as saying in the article.
Unlicensed movers in Chicago enjoy the same advantages that unlicensed moving companies do nationwide: much lower operating costs because they don’t have insurance and don’t have the expenses of obtaining a license; fewer regulators enforcing existing laws; and shippers so enthralled with saving money that they’re willing to take their chances.
The situation is exasperated by a chilly economy, as more folks with a truck and a pair of arms get into the business.
From the Tribune: “An out-of-work carpenter named Tom is one of them. He wouldn’t give his last name but said he started posting a few weeks ago after carpentry jobs dried up and he needed another source of income. He had what’s needed to be a mover: able body, pickup truck and Internet connection.”
The authorities are trying to keep up with what seems like a spate of unlicensed movers. They’ve ticketed 80 movers in the six-county Chicago area, which is up from 65 in all of 2008 and more than any year in recent history, according to the Illinois Commerce Commission.
Of course, going with an unlicensed mover brings up all sorts of issues, well catalogued by sites like movingscam.com.
However, I rarely hear about one of the biggest risks of all when you go with the unlicensed, uninsured fly-by-nighters: they don’t have Worker’s Comp. And if you’re moving to a new home, you might not have purchased homeowners insurance or renters insurance yet.
So if a mover hurts himself at your place, you could be on the hook for a huge legal bill.
If you’re one of those on the opposite side of the equation — you want to rent a home — here’s a quick list of things to look for in a rental home. Even though you’re just renting, you’re still investing in a community, and there are some important things to consider:
• The quality of the neighborhood and area schools as well as school bus routes, schedules and stops. If you have kids, find out if their school schedule fits your own.
• Check crimes rates in the area, as well as the sex offender registry.
• Is the new place convenient for your work, and does it have ready access to services and businesses that you frequent?
Here’s what to check on the house itself:
• Who’s responsible for general maintenance and utility bills, you or the landlord?
• Can you get the landlord easily if there is an emergency? Some homeowners who rent are doing so because they are moving out of state. Check to see if that’s the case.
• Do a background check on the homeowner just as they’d do one on you, say experts — you’ll never know what secrets may be in their financial closet. You don’t want the house to get foreclosed on, leaving you having to find a new place. Make sure whoever you’re renting from is current on their mortgage — and looks set to stay current.
• Check for environmental hazards like lead paint, asbestos and mold, particularly older homes. Don’t assume that the landlord has done those checks for you. And don’t assume any defects you see in the house will be fixed in the months ahead — make the fixes a condition of your signing the lease.
• Go over the lease carefully, particularly the section about breaking your lease. Also, be sure to check out renters insurance — your landlord’s insurance won’t cover you for most things.
It’s crunch time, do or die: You have to move this weekend and you haven’t done anything. You need to start packing but you don’t know where to begin, and the whole thing seems completely overwhelming. Take a deep breath — we’ll show you how to pack like a pro.
Divide your clothes into four categories:
1.) Clothes you will use before you move
2.) Clothes you will definitely be wearing in the weeks after you move
3.) Clothes that are off season
4.) Clothes that you are ready to donate.
Pack up the donation clothes first — be aggressive here, when was the last time you wore that ugly olive sweater? Purging your closet of the things you don’t wear anymore will give you a feeling of progress and the positive momentum to keep moving forward.
Pack up the clothes that are off-season and the clothes you won’t be wearing in the next two weeks next. Leave the clothes you will be wearing in the next two weeks in the closet and pack those the day of the move.
Order some affordable moving supplies that can be delivered for free the next business day. On average, somebody who is moving spends two and half hours trying to locate moving boxes, comparing prices and picking up the boxes. Save yourself this step get the boxes delivered for free.
Pack dresses, suits, and pants that can’t be wrinkled in wardrobe boxes. This is important because if an important garment is thrown in a regular moving box, they can be so thoroughly wrinkled that they make become hard or impossible to un-wrinkle.
A common novice mover mistake is to purchase many extra-large boxes. This is a mistake because as you fill an extra-large box they often become too heavy to carry. A good rule of thumb is to use as small a box as possible and use more of them. Small boxes also won’t obscure your vision as you are going down stairs or walkways.
Make sure to put your mattress in a heavy-duty mattress bag. Mattresses tend to get very dirty and grimy during a move. They are dragged from spot to spot because they are difficult to carry.
Lastly, enlist friends to help you. Perhaps somebody can watch your pets and/or kids the day of the move and Don’t forget to keep your cell phone charger handy often this gets packed into a box early on and when you need to talk with your mover they can’t reach you because your phone is out of batteries. Good luck!
People mulling a relocation, whether it’s for a new job or to moving to a place with better job opportunities, face a dilemma — sell their home at a loss, or not move.
That’s bad. This nation needs for people to go to where they can find fruitful employment — that’s good on an individual level, and for the economy as a whole.
And now there’s an indication of a willingness to take a different step to facilitate a relocation: The Wall Street Journal has an interesting article about how more homeowners are willing to rent out their home. Even if the rent they’ll make is less than the mortgage, they hope that home prices will rebound enough in the longer term to offset those rental home costs.
Renting out a home is not an inexpensive affair.
If you’re using a property management firm to oversee the property, you’ll pay them a fee from 3% to 12%, and you’ll pay more to insure the place (about 25% higher than a homeowners policy). You’ll also still have the costs of upkeep, and the rental income can affect your tax situation.
However, more are willing to take on those expenses to get on with relocating their lives.
And it’s great for renters — they now have more options beyond just an apartment.
Loading a rental truck often looks like a rugby scrum gone bad: all the helpers wildly throwing stuff in the truck, making the packing inefficient, and exposing your stuff to damages because of shifting in the truck while you’re moving.
Many people look to save a buck by eschewing moving companies, but it’s all for naught if your stuff is destroyed or you have to make two trips because of lousy loading.
There’s an easy fix: Have one person in charge. It’s their job to direct where items go on the truck. They should stand in the back of the truck as helpers bring in items, and then decide where they go in the truck.
While you might mock this person for not having to do as much heavy lifting, they’ve actually got the most important job of the bunch: their work will ensure that you get everything loaded in the truck, and that it all shows up at your new home in one piece.
Here are some tips to keep in mind as you load the rental truck:
Your First Steps
To make everything more efficient, get everything you need to load your truck before you begin actually loading.
Make sure all the moving boxes you’re putting in the truck are fully packed — top to bottom and side to side. If there’s empty space, fill it with enough paper so they don’t get crushed if other items are stacked on them in the truck.
Stretch-wrap sofas to protect them from dirt, or punctures. Also do mattresses and other soft items, or buy boxes or mattress bags for them.
Have enough padded materials (moving blankets) on hand to wrap furniture for protection. Wrapping furniture makes it easier to load tightly in the truck without hurting it. Try to load stuff tightly to prevent items jostling against one another during the move.
Loading It
Start loading at the front of the truck or van and work your way toward the back.
Stack items from floor to ceiling, and try to fill every space needs to be filled so no items shift during transportation. Boxes should be used as filler for open spaces.
Put heavy items lower on the truck, with lighter items on top of those.
Pack each ‘row’ fully (floor to ceiling), before moving on to the next row.
You might need to disassemble some things to ensure safe transport, like removing legs from tables. Don’t get lazy on this point, you could cause some real damage.
Sofas and some other pieces may be placed on their ends to achieve a tightly loaded truck, but you will need to be sure to place the items next to items that will not cause damage. And if the fabric, they need to be wrapped.
If you don’t use the entire truck, secure the back of your shipment with loading straps to keep things from sliding backward. When you rent your truck, make sure these things are available.
If you’re moving locally, you’ll pay by the hour for a certain number of workers — many local moving companies charge around $90 an hour for 3 movers, but that varies around the country, of course, based on local labor costs.
As far as how long it will take, a good rule of thumb is one hour per room, using bedrooms, living rooms, family rooms, kitchens, and other whole rooms. The other areas usually even out, with the main rooms not always taking the full hour. Loading generally takes twice as long as unloading. Please note: Transit time will count toward the total, so be sure to keep that in mind.
The only way you’ll know for sure how much you’ll pay is to call local moving companies for moving estimates. Based on the stuff you need to have moved, they’ll give you a better sense of the costs you’ll be looking at.
I wrote a few months about Richard Florida’s assertion that Western cities that in the past have enjoyed huge influxes of folks from the ‘Rust Belt’ face significant challenges in this recession.
“About 20 percent of private industry growth in the United States was tied to real estate and construction. In the Phoenix area, almost 36 percent of growth in the private economy during that period — more than $34 billion worth — came from real estate and construction.”
I’m sure these areas have always had higher proportions of their economy tied to construction and real estate. However, it shows the danger in that overreliance, and it shows that these areas, more than most, will have a hard time digging out from the aftermath of this recession.
It’s pretty rare to see even a few interesting moving-related articles in the media — most are retreads: how to avoid a moving scam, packing tips, etc.
These, however, are actually worth reading.
The New York Times profiled a young Serb, Vladimir Cvijovic, who came to the New York this summer to work for FlatRate moving company. He tells of his experiences moving, and reports that there are over 30 Serbs alone working at FlatRate this summer. He explains why that is:
“While all the SerbsYou can’t find a lot of guys to do moving jobs in New York because they think it’s very hard to do it. In Serbia, it’s not that kind of situation. A lot of Serbians, they do moving, and they are not afraid of physical jobs. It’s not hard for us.”
Just the day before, the Times chronicled Rabbit Movers, which tends to hire folks with a creative background as moving company employees. Company ranks include photographers, musicians and novelists. Rabbit Movers owner Shawn Lyons, a would-be writer himself, said he finds employees of a creative bent easier to work with because they more closely share his own values and background. “He decided that, for better or worse, he would hire only people who were passionate about art, as he was, and had creative ambitions, as he did,” the Times reports.
This morning, the Wall Street Journal came out with an interesting article about tax collectors combing through social networks for tax dodgers. They specifically look for any information that can give away where they can be found, and people talking about an upcoming relocation are good ways to get that information.
Minnesota authorities were able to track down one man who posted on his MySpace that he would be moving, giving the town he’d be moving to as well as his new employer’s name.
Mayflower Transit came out on top in a recent Customer Satisfaction survey from consumer survey powerhouse J.D. Power and Associations about moving companies, followed closely by Allied Van Lines.
Overall, J.D. Power said overall quality improved in its most recent survey of major van lines customers, saying there were “considerably” fewer reports of lost or damaged items.
J.D. Power bases its rankings on evaluations from consumers who used a full-service moving company in the past 12 months. You can see the complete van line rankings at this link. The van lines were scored across five factors: shipping estimate process; packing services; loading and unloading; transportation of belongings; and insurance/valuation coverage.
J.D. Power says overall satisfaction with movers averages 804 on a 1,000-point scale in 2009, which is up 16 points from 2008. Satisfaction was up from 2008 in all five factors. Also, the admount of customers who report lost or damaged items has decreased to less than a third in 2009, compared with nearly one-half in 2008.
“In the current economy, consumers may be tempted to pack and transport their belongings themselves; however using a full-service moving company to orchestrate and execute a move can be a smart economic decision and provide them with valuable peace of mind,” said Michael Drago, director of the real estate and construction industries practice at J.D. Power and Associates.
“Whether a move is completed independently or through a professional full-service moving company, there is a risk that items will be lost or damaged. Moving companies have reduced their lost and damaged items rates, but if any does occur, the customer is typically protected or insured to some extent through the moving company, which can help mitigate a problematic move.”
Mayflower Transit showed much improvement from 2008 to rank highest in 2009 with a 831 score. Allied Van Lines came in second with a score of 812.
The survey found that moving estimates are a key consideration for people picking a moving company. The survey found that shipping estimate satisfaction is nearly equal among customers whose estimates are done in-person and online, averaging 807 and 805. Shipping satisfaction among customers who get an initial quote over the phone averages 12 to 14 points lower than that of customers who get their estimates online or in-person.
“Savvy customers recognize that the initial quote process provides more than just a price point to use in differentiating among the moving companies under consideration,” said Drago. “The process offers insight into what it will be like to work with each company, as well as how accommodating, comprehensive and proactive they are. The price that is quoted is important, but the process is equally as revealing.”
Other findings from the survey:
For customers who have loss or damage to their belongings, only 50% filed a claim. For those who suffered damage but didn’t file a claim, 60 percent said the items damaged or lost were not valuable enough to be worth filing a claim.
There is a 59-day window between the day when a customer decides they are moving and the day their possessions are loaded into a moving van on moving day.
Fewer people are asking for packing services. The percentage of customers that had their movers pack their belongings decreased by 10 percentage points from 2008 to 44% in
A recent survey we commissioned has found some optimism for the real estate and relocation biz: 50 percent of people who recently moved did so to improve their living situation, whether to move into a bigger home or move to a better neighborhood. It’s quite a change from a similar Relocation.com survey in March 2009, which found the recession played a much larger role in the relocation decision.
As the primary reason for moving, No. 1 on the list was to live in a bigger/better home (26 percent), followed by living in a better neighborhood or area (24 percent); to be closer to family/friends (12 percent); living in an area with a lower cost of living (9 percent); or a move that was sparked by a change in marital status (6 percent). Moving because of school, job loss, retirement or foreclosure each garnered 3 percent or less.
The change between the March and July surveys could indicate that consumer attitudes are shifting. With more people taking advantage of favorable real estate deals and falling rents, even as the recession continues to pinch most Americans, they suggest a boost in consumer confidence.
While finances still factor into relocation decisions, the survey indicates that fewer people were feeling the need to move due to job losses, foreclosures or downsizing to cut costs. The people who looked to improve their living situation were a mix of those buying a home or renting that were seeking to take advantage of lower rents and home prices to move smart.
Government incentives to buy a home, coupled with market forces lowering housing prices, have helped boost home sales in recent months.
The overall slowing of demand for housing has also produced lower rents in many major metropolitan areas, benefitting renters. Of the people who indicated they were looking to improve their housing situation in the survey, 54 percent were renters who moved into a new rental.
Nearly 42 percent were people buying a home or planning buy one: either renters who became homeowners (15 percent), homeowners who moved to a new home (16 percent), or homeowners who moved into a temporary rental as they continued their search for a home to buy (11 percent).
A similar survey in March found that people were more likely to list symptoms of the economic downturn as reasons for their move: 41 percent said that the recession had a moderate to strong influence on their decision to relocate.
Family reasons also played a larger role in the earlier survey: 23 percent said their primary motivation was moving closer to family or friends, while 13 percent cited looking for work or starting a new job. Only 14 percent listed moving to a bigger home or moving to a better neighborhood as a reason for their move.
One of the biggest hang-ups in the housing market is sellers’ stubborn refusal to lower the sales price of their home. We’re seeing some flexibility on this — thanks for the rash of bank-owned properties in certain communities — but not nearly enough to get us to a sustainable bottom.
That could be changing, as a couple of recent studies point out, marking a key psychological turning point in the housing crisis.
The first was a Boston Fed study that found most people, when it comes to a relocation decision, are disproportionately influenced by the price of their home. If they won’t get as much as they think it’s worth, they’re less likely to move, regardless of the opportunity they’re passing up. Housing prices, more than anything else, influence moving rates.
And now, just a few weeks later, comes a survey from Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc., that finds that 18.2% of the folks who took a new job in the first quarter did so by relocating.
That’s up from 14.3% in the previous quarter, and 11.4% in the second quarter of 2008.
In fact, it’s the highest job-seeker relocation rate since the second quarter of 2006, when it was also 18.2%. (By contrast, the relocation rate was a whopping 42% in 1986 — it fell under 20% in 2001 and has stayed there since.)
So what’s the significance in this rising relocation rate?
People are finally, finally, willing to acknowledge the inevitable economics and cut the price on their home — and cut it to a price that will compete with foreclosures and appeal to all the folks out there who are looking for a bargain.
The stubborn homeseller mentality — that I won’t sell for less than I paid for it, or not as big a gain I could have had a couple years ago — is loosening, which means house prices will be priced more realistically. This will help the market find the natural bottom.
Lower homes prices + less risk of further price drops = consumers who will be more comfortable buying a home.
And once homes start moving again (as we’re seeing in communities like Phoenix that have been hard-hit by the housing bust), we’ll all have less of that sinking feeling that our homes might be worth less than a Happy Meal.
As that lousy feeling gets replaced by more confidence, we’ll be more confident in making purchases that maybe we didn’t before as we watched our home values drop. That will benefit the economy as a whole.
A friend the other day was lamenting to me that his house was off $10,000 from where he bought it 5 years ago.
My answer, which he probably didn’t appreciate for its succinctness, was “So what?”
He plans on living there for another 20 years. He would have paid out far more in rent than he would have buying and paying for upkeep on his own. He’s ahead now, and he’ll be far ahead in 20 years.
Still, he and millions of others clung to the good old days of 2006, when our home prices were less realistic than the sweet-nothings that mortgage brokers were whispering in their client’s ears in 2001-2005.
As soon as we get beyond the opiate of 2005 housing prices, the sooner our economy will recover.
If you’re like me these days, you’re reading more book reviews than actual books — it’s cheaper and much, much quicker.
But I recently came across a book that might get me to reading, and it might interest those in the relocation/moving industry as well: “Next Stop Reloville” by Peter Kilborn.
Kilborn documents (lionizes?) a community of workers in the country for whom relocation is just another part of the job — here today, Detroit tomorrow.
They follow the job opportunities where they are, using the relocations to command a premium for their efforts, and often moving up steadily on the corporate ladder.
What’s so interesting to me about the book is its topicality, but not for the reasons you might suspect. It seems more history book than current social commentary. The way of the relocation specialist might be going the way of the dodo bird (and eventually Twitter, one might hope).
Companies are really backing out of the relo game — it’s expensive to relocate someone, even though many companies have moved away from handling all the aspects of the relocation themselves and instead just give the employees the lump sums to move themselves.
Even so, by all appearances, fewer employees are being relocated, for the obvious reasons –why would you need to relocate a skilled employee when there might so many eligible candidates in your own community?
People will still need to keep moving, but it’s doubtful that this class of road warrior will be the prominent variety, and those who are overly dependent on them should plan accordingly.
I’ve always been impressed by people who are more action than talk when it comes to moving environmentally — during the stress of moving, it can be easy to just take the easy way out and forego your green ethos.
That’s why I was so taken with some of the cool new environmental moving products out there, particularly those from Earth Friendly Moving, which is based in California (where else, eh?).
This company has gone beyond the reusable packing crates and found alternative products for just about anything you might need on your move. Most impressive of all, it says the products are cheaper than their non-green counterparts — which is key in an economy where price might trump environment.
When it drops off its reusable packing crates, Earth Friendly will create a bubble-wrap alternative called Geami Paper that it presses from something called ‘cardboard sludge ‘ — which it does right on the moving truck into rolls of 100 to 200 feet. It claims the material is more protective than bubble wrap — and cheaper.
When you’re done with it, re-use it throughout the year, or Earth Friendly will take it off your hands and recycle it for another customer.
The other cool product is ‘Recocubes,’ which are a replacement for syrofoam peanuts. They’re made from newspaper sludge — only 40% of recycled newsprint is usable; this product uses the other 60%. Just as the name suggests, it’s pressed into a sturdy, card-board-like cube that will cushion your belongings.
When you’re done with moving, you can just toss the relocubes into the garden, water them, and voila! Compost for those new plants at your new place.
The video segment below shows the owner eating one, which I don’t know if I’d recommend in a daily diet, but hey, to each their own. Check it out for other cool product ideas for your move, and ask your own moving companies about ways to make an environmental move.
Pet owners who are moving face a dilemma: “What to do with the pets?”
Because no house is truly a home until the pets arrive, some people turn to pet moving services to help with the logistics of relocating their pets. However, many people will make the decision to take a road trip and load up their car with Fido and Fluffy.
If you’re planning on moving your pets by car, the thrill of the open road can quickly become burdensome if you don’t plan ahead. These ten tips can help pet owners get to their new home safely with a car full of happy pets.
1. Plan your route to include pet friendly lodging. Pet-friendly hotels will help both you and Fido recover after a long day of driving. Do research ahead of time to find the perfect pet friendly hotel that fits your needs – inquire about pricing, perks and policies for each hotel.
2. Try to take your pet in the car as often as possible before the move. This will help reduce its anxiety on the big trip. Purchase a pet travel crate for your pet to ride in and work on crate training your pet in advance. Crate training your pet can assist with anxiety levels during the drive as well as at your new home. (See the video below for tips on selecting a pet-travel crate.)
3. Make sure you have proper identification for your pet during your move. Have a cell phone number listed on their tags or an emergency contact who is not making the trip with you.
4. Try not to feed your pet for a few of hours before the trip as it can upset his stomach.
5. Hydration is very important so be sure to always offer your pet plenty of water before and during your drive. Spill-proof water bowls will allow your pet plenty of access to water, without getting your vehicle wet.
6. If you are moving across state lines with a dog or cat, you’ll need a domestic health certificate issued within 10 days of travel. This can be issued by your local veterinarian.
7. If you have an exotic pet, be sure to check with the Fish and Wildlife Service prior to your move to make sure that your pet is allowed in your new area – for example, ferrets as pets are illegal in New York City.
8. Don’t forget to pack a bag for your pet! Food, water, brushes, treats, plastic bags, a scoop and even a bed for the hotel room floor can help make any hotel stay smoother.
9. If your pet is crate trained, the crate is the best place for him to travel. However, a seatbelt harness can also restrain your pet, keeping him – and you – safe.
10. It is never considered safe leave pets in the car unattended. Not only can it get very hot in cars and cause heat stroke, but pets can also be stolen or escape from partially open car windows.
About the Author: PetRelocation.com specializes in door-to-door pet transportation services worldwide. For more information on moving or traveling with pets, please visit PetRelocation.com.
A recent report about moving holds some important glimmers of light for the moving industry.
The Boston Fed study found that housing prices have become a key determinant in whether people move – if people can not get the price for their home that they think it’s worth, they won’t sell and move. That’s a shift: before, if you needed to move, whether for retirement or a job, selling your current home wasn’t a roadblock.
Now that housing prices have fallen so much, that type of activity has stalled, and migration patterns have hit generational lows.
So where exactly is the good news in this?
The biggest hindrance to someone selling their home, or putting their home on the market, is the perception that they’re losing. The home that 4 years ago was worth $300,000 is now worth only $250,000. They sell now, and they’ve lost, even if they only paid $200,000 for it.
It’s a skewed way of looking at things.
Granted, there are many folks who are underwater on their mortgage, effectively shackling them in place unless they can either produce the cash to pay off the difference between the mortgage and the selling price, or convince their lender to do a short sale.
However, many people bought well before the housing boom. They’re not underwater. They have equity. They can move.
But the housing industry and government have beaten into our heads that your home is an investment. Expect a solid return year after year. Tap into your home to fund your retirement.
People are slowing catching a whiff of the the new reality.
That reality: Depending on where you live, that nice nest egg with a front porch is now 10%-50% less than what you thought it was.
That sucks, and you’re probably angry. But will that stop you from living where you want to live?
The longer the housing drag continues, this ‘I-shoulda-sold-in-2006 remorse’ will be less of a factor in peoples’ relocation decision. The regret over your ‘loss’ will lessen. You’ll feel better about selling.
The bursting of the housing bubble has been a painful process so far, and it’s still got a ways to go. But the sooner we get there, the sooner houses will be sold — and the sooner moving companies will see some daylight.
More people are moving with pets these days, whether it’s across the city or around the world. If you’re planning a pet move, it’s important to make sure that you prepare your pet for the move as well. Below are some tips on getting your pet comfortable in its new home.
1. Socialize your pet in advance
If you’ve never taken your pet outside of the house, then a big move can be especially daunting. Many people will walk their dogs around the neighborhood or take them on short trips.
But socializing your pet is not just for dogs. Other pets, like cats and ferrets, can be trained to walk on a harness and can also be trained to ride in the car. Make sure your trips outside of the house are not always going to the veterinarian’s office – if you can take drives around the block or to the dog park and pet store, your pet will get used to unfamiliar places and be more comfortable in them.
2. Crate train your pet to create a permanent home
Crate training can not only help with the actual travel date, when your pet is flying or driving to his new location, but after you move, it can be his home away from home. Begin crate training as soon as you know you’re moving with your pet.
A helpful video on crate training can be found on the PetRelocation website. Once your pet is properly crate trained, he will associate it with his safe haven even when he’s in a new place.
3. Keep your pets restrained for a while
Stress and fear can cause pets to run away after moving. If your house has enough space, set up a designated room for your pet, containing food, water, bedding, toys and, of course, the travel crate. Put a sign on the door to remind movers or visitors that the pet is in the room so your pet won’t be let out and escape on accident.
Keep your pet in this space for the first few hours or days, depending on its anxiety level, with only short trips outside the house for bathroom breaks or walks. Cats who are typically allowed outdoors should be kept inside for a few weeks. If your cat wants to go out to explore, be sure to monitor him while he’s outside. Microchipping or putting tags with your new information on your pets is also a good idea before you let them out into the yard for the first time.
4. Get back into regular habits quickly
Pets thrive on routines and habits. Try to get back into the regular schedule as soon as possible – walks, feeding, watering and playtime will bring normalcy back into your pet’s life after the move.
About the Author: PetRelocation.com specializes in door-to-door pet transportation services worldwide. For more information on moving or traveling with pets, please visit PetRelocation.com.
Now this is nothing new — there have long been reports of employees and business owners writing fake reviews, either praising their own businesses or dising their competitors’.
What IS surprising is that the major review sites haven’t really figured out a way to ensure the integrity of reader-written reviews.
Even Amazon.com, which seems to read my mind every time I visit by displaying products I’m likely to buy, hasn’t figured it out, even though there’s a lot of sketchy stuff in their reviews, like people reviewing several similiar products from the same company, as in the case cited by the Journal.
Many people are now using reviews to choose moving companies, which I generally applaud.
However, you need to make them just one part of your entire search for a moving company, not the sole factor. And you need to be wary if there’s an oversupply of positive reviews — there’s just no way to satisfy every customer.
We’re collecting moving reviews from our customers now, and hope to start publishing them on Relocation.com in the near future. We enjoy a bit of an advantage from other review sites because we can near-conclusively determine if the consumer used the moving company they’re reviewing. So be sure to check back later to see our moving company reviews!
No matter how much planning, study and shoe-leather you put into it, moving isn’t cheap.
But there are some easy ways to save on your move. Relocation.com came up with 5 that could help you shave more than $1,000 off your relocation expenses (OK, that’s more than a shave, more like a full cut and trim). We also offer you some other resources for easy ways to save on your move. (Savings are based on someone making a 3-bedroom, coast-to-coast move, which carries a roughly $7,000 tab.)
1. Negotiate Your Move Date – Save $300 to $600
Many moves take place at the same times: end or beginning of the month, or Fridays or Mondays. Consumers who are able to move on “off” days might be able to work a deal with a moving company. You can save even more if you move during the off-season — essentially November through April.
After you get moving quotes, ask the moving company if you could catch a break if you agreed to move at some other time. They might be willing to give you a discount.
2. Dump 10% of Your Stuff – Save $250 to $400
It’s simple in theory — most less stuff, pay less for your move, and have less headache. In practice, it’s usually harder. It needn’t be. For every 9 nine things you pack, throw away 1 thing. Other tips:
• Only move stuff you’ve used in the past year. If you haven’t used something in the past 12 months, you probably won’t use it again, so there’s no point in paying to move it.
• Use two plastic bins in each room you pack, and designate a ‘definite’ throwaway bin and a ‘maybe’ throwaway bin. When finished packing the room, throw out everything in the ‘definite’ bin, decide on the ‘maybe’ items and then move on to the next room.
• In the months before the move, divide a clothing rod between ‘must-move’ and ‘not-to-move’ clothing. After an item of clothing is worn and washed, put it on the ‘must-move’ side of the clothing rod. When it’s time to pack, get rid of all the clothes on the ‘not-to-move’ side of the rod.
3. Pack Half of Your Stuff– Save $400-$600
Roughly 50 percent of what you need to move is breakable, such as dishes and glassware. Let the movers handle packing these, since they are the most difficult to pack safely. Also, moving insurance usually will not cover items that are not packed by professionals, unless there’s clear damage to the outside of the moving box. You want coverage on these items.
The other half – items that won’t break, like toys and books – can be loaded into boxes relatively easily and don’t require special handling or supplies. Not using packers for these items can some money, it just requires a bit more work on your part.
4. Disconnect It – Save $150-$200
If the moving company provides any third-party moving services to handle disconnecting electronics and appliances, you will pay for it. Eliminate these fees altogether by learning how to safely dismantle any electronics systems and how to disconnect/connect appliances.
5. Don’t Move Large, Breakable Items – Save $200-$300 There are certain items a moving company won’t move without special crating, such as glass tables, flat-screen plasma TVs and specialty artwork such as pottery or big oil paintings. Here are some options to cut down on the need for expensive crating services.
• Glass items like shelves or tables, are generally cheap to replace compared to how much it costs to ship them. Consider the costs of moving them versus buying a similar type of shelf or tabletop at the new home.
• For a flat-panel TV, the least expensive method is packing it in the box it came in. If that’s not an option, search online for boxes designed specifically for TVs, which contain special foam inserts for extra protection.
• If you’re moving long distance, you can also pack fragile or valuable items in your car, rent a separate small moving van, or rent a trailer in which to tow them. You will pay more for this, of course, but you might have greater peace of mind about damages, and if you have enough that would require crating by the moving company, you might come out even.
Yep, residents of the independent-minded Canadian Province of Quebec are celebrating Moving Day today — I know, ‘celebration’ and ‘moving day’ normally not two words you’d find hanging out in the same sentence.
So, what is this moving day, anyways, and why is it something that might drive Canadian moving companies a bit out of their mind?
Summoning my vast research skills, and my ability to do a search on Wikipedia, I’ve learned that on July 1, everybody in Quebec moves — to be exact, everyone moves to the house on their right, slowly working their way around the block.
Actually, it’s less interesting in that. Fact is, many leases come up on July 1, so many people move at this time — moving companies work around the clock, and moving rates mysteriously triple.
But it’s not all fun and games and profits for Quebec movers.
First, many landlords in Quebec force renters to have their own refrigerator. This makes sense because most Canadians use their frig to store the moose they shoot during Moose Hunting Day on June 1. Landlords also don’t provide a stove. Either way, moving a frig and stove is a pain.
To make matters worse, many Quebeconians use exterior metal staircases to access upper-floor apartments. These are also curved and narrow. Just try carrying a refrigerator with a moose down one of them.
But back to the historical antecedents of Moving Day.
It goes back to the 19th century, when the government, concerned that ‘semi-feudal landlords’ of the time would kick out tenant farmers in the snowy weather, decreed that no such forced moving would take place until May 1.
The tradition stuck, so all sorts of leases and kickings-out would occur on May 1 — this was later changed to July 1 to better accomodate students on summer break.
So if a Quebecian is a friend, impress them with your knowledge of history and Canada by wishing them a Happy Moving Day!
The more you move, the more wise you get to some of the shenanigans from disreputable moving companies.
However, there always seems to be more of these scams popping up. Here are a few you probably haven’t heard of.
‘Your Moving Quote is Guaranteed – But It’s Wrong’
Most people rightly insist on getting a “binding estimate,” which is often referred to as a “guaranteed moving quote” or “flat rate.”
That makes sense: you pay no more than the quoted amount, and you can actually pay less if the estimate was too high.
But it doesn’t work so well if the moving quote itself is inaccurate.
Here’s what happens. A moving estimator comes to your home for an in-home visual estimate, does an inventory of your stuff, and gives you a quote that is guaranteed to not be any higher than the estimate.
But that ‘guaranteed quote’ is only good for the inventory that the moving company uses to come up with your moving estimate. And if that inventory is wrong – ‘Ooops, I missed that bedroom!’ — the moving quote becomes void, and you’re stuck negotiating with the moving company for a new estimate (on Moving Day, no less).
The simplest way to protect yourself? It’s easy: scrutinize the inventory that the estimator uses to determine your moving estimate, and make sure nothing is left off.
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Packing Pratfalls
Even if you pack yourself, it doesn’t mean you won’t be subject to some extra charges when it comes to packing — and we routinely hear from consumers whose original moving estimate double just from packing materials. Here’s what happens.
You didn’t pack everything in time, or you ran out of boxes. No biggie, just ask the moving company to do it. While you understand you’ll probably pay a premium for the boxes, there is probably one thing you haven’t thought of: packing tape.
An old trick is to use a TON of packing tape on freshly packed boxes, or boxes that the movers didn’t feel had enough tape.
So they wrap, and they wrap, and they wrap. Soon, that box has more wrapping than King Tut, and you find out later packing tape ain’t cheap, perhaps twice what you’d pay for it elsewhere.
And if you’re using professional packers, you might come across the half-filled box trick — only this isn’t nearly as much fun as when a magician pulls it off.
The mover puts just a few items in the bottom, and fills most of the rest of the box with packing paper. That small item is now in a big box — and big profits for the moving company. You might also find the movers trying to use more expensive boxes like dish-pack boxes (which have double-thick sides) for items that don’t need it.
To protect yourself: if you’re packing yourself, make sure everything has enough tape, and keep extra rolls around if you need to add more on Moving Day.
If you’re using professional packers, be around for the packing so you can supervise the work. And remember: on Moving Day, the movers will INSIST that everything is in a box — they won’t take stuff you’re thrown in a garbage bag.
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‘Your Move Size: Whatever I Make It’
The moving estimator looks at your stuff to be moved on a long distance move, and says that what you need to have moved comes to a certain amount of ‘cubic feet.’ Huh?
First of all, who in the world even knows how big a cubic foot is? Second, why is the moving company using cubic feet instead of good old-fashioned weight?
Here’s why: when you have an estimate by weight, the moving company must go to a certified weighing station to see how much your stuff weighs — and that scale doesn’t lie (even if your own scale lies all the time when you’re trying to shed those extra pounds before your high school reunion).
With cubic feet, the moving company measures your final move by the space your goods take up in the truck. And all of a sudden, the moving company just becomes REALLY bad at loading a truck, and it has more empty spaces than Montana. Soon, your moving estimate is much higher because the estimated cubic foot load is much lower than the final load in the truck (that poorly packed truck).
How to Protect Yourself: Get a moving quote based on weight, and if you’re concerned that there might be issues when the moving company weighs your load, tag along with the movers to the scales — you have the right to do this and should feel entirely comfortable asking.
Here are some other moving scams to be aware of when choosing moving companies and planning your move:
* The low-ball bid. You get three bids, and company ABC comes in the lowest — nearly half the cost of everyone else! What a deal, right? Wrong. The company is most likely setting you up to lard on more charges later to get your quote to where it should be for them to make any money.
* Passing your move off to someone else. You speak on the phone with a moving company that gives you a quote, but on moving day someone else shows up. You were most likely dealing with a moving broker, which sold your business to someone else. Avoid moving brokers — you want to deal with the same company from the start of your move to the end. And choose a local moving company.
* Getting an estimate over the phone, or filling out an online inventory form. There’s no way for the moving company to get an accurate sense of what you need moved until they see it in person. Insist that the moving company comes to your home and gives you an in-home visual estimate.
Another way to avoid these scams is to take these other basic precautions:
* Check with your local Better Business Bureau for the complaint record of your moving company.
* See if the mover is a member of American Moving and Storage Association. In particular, ask if the mover is a ProMover, which is a new AMSA designation for moving companies that meet a strict review of their business practices, and agree to abide by a code of ethics in their business operations.
The ‘binding estimate’ sounds so final, so iron-clad – it’s guaranteed to be exactly what you pay for your move, right?
Not necessarily — and it could majorly mess up your moving day.
There are two kinds of moving estimates: a non-binding estimate, which is an ‘estimate’ in the true sense of the word: you might pay more, you might pay less. These are more common for local moves, where you pay by the hour according to the number of laborers you use.
The other estimate is ‘binding.’ It’s binding on both you and the moving company. A popular binding estimate is the ‘guaranteed not to exceed’ estimate – you won’t pay more than the estimated moving costs, but if your moving costs end up being less than the estimate, you pay the lesser amount.
You often see these offered up as a guaranteed estimate, or a flat-rate estimate.
However, don’t be lulled into a false sense of security. Here’s what can happen:
The estimator from a moving company comes to your home, sees what you need to have moved, and gives you an estimate.
On moving day – surprise! – the guys loading your truck say you have more stuff than is included on the estimate. Your binding estimate is kaput, and you will have to pay more.
How’d that happen?
1. You added more stuff to your move after you got you estimate.
2. Your moving estimator made an honest mistake, and didn’t include everything to be moved.
3. Your moving estimator purposefully underestimated your move in order to win your business. (And is now letting the driver handle the dirty work…)
Either way, you have to come to an agreement with the moving company about what you will pay. And it’s moving day. And you’re stressed, and now probably a little angry.
So you thought you were getting a binding estimate – but now you’re in a bind.
How to avoid this predicament:
* When you get a binding estimate, scrutinize the Table of Measurements that the estimator uses to give you moving quotes. This is a sheet your estimator uses to tally up the items you need to have moved. Insist on seeing this, and make sure it’s accurate. If it’s not, you’re going to have a problem on moving day.
* Beware the low bid. Even if it’s binding, your moving company can still insist on more money on moving day if it says the estimate was incorrect.
* Make sure that you won’t be adding additional items to your load before moving day. This will nullify your binding estimate.
* Get your estimate in writing.
On moving day, the binding estimate is included as an attachment to the bill of lading, which is a document you will be signing that turns over your goods to the moving company. Make sure it’s there.
Today we announced our list of Best Places for a Fresh Start. I’m pleased with the criteria we came up with to rank the cities, particularly the angle on volunteerism — this was one of four criteria, the others included housing affordability, economic growth prospects and our own data of where people are moving to.
I’m a pretty staunch believer that you can tell a lot about a community by how much it volunteers to help out others. Using that list helped boost a lot of cities that might not have made the list otherwise, like Columbus, Ohio and Minneapolis.
Now, I don’t expect anyone to read this list and say, ‘Hey, I’m gonna move to XXXX for a fresh start!’ Instead, I hope it’s a springboard by which people think about the things in their life that matter to them, and how they can apply that to where they spend their lives.
Then you can go about drawing up your own list of things that matter to you, and formulate your own ‘dream’ cities.
Here’s our top 20 cities:
City
Popularity
Job Growth
Home Affordability
Volunteerism Rate
FINAL RANK
Austin
3
1
23
5
32
Dallas-Ft. Worth
7
4
15
19
45
Charlotte
9
18
16
10
53
Denver
1
21
19
13
54
Columbus, OH
27
25
6
6
64
Indianapolis
31
11
1
21
64
Washington DC, Balt
4
13
30
19
66
Atlanta, GA
8
16
13
31
68
Oklahoma City, OK
36
14
12
11
73
Houston
17
3
25
29
74
Las Vegas
2
5
18
49
74
Seattle
12
7
51
4
74
Minneapolis-St. Paul
40
24
10
1
75
Raleigh-Durham
6
8
28
33
75
San Antonio
19
2
32
32
85
Portland
16
23
45
3
87
Cincinnati
32
35
5
17
89
Pittsburgh
43
26
8
12
89
Memphis, TN
33
34
11
26
104
Cleveland, OH
30
50
3
22
105
The criteria: ‘Popularity’: We mined our own data to see where people wanted to move. We took that as an indication that these communities are seeing, or will see, an steady influx of newcomers. These newcomers bring with them new ideas, skills and outlooks that can help support the economy and that city’s sense of community. This type of ‘churn’ is vital.
We looked at the per-capita number of quotes for moving services requested to particular communities in 2008 and year-to-date 2009.
Economic prospects: We used Forbes.com’s list of the Best Places for Businesses and Careers to help determine the areas with the brightest job growth prospects over the next three years. This list was published in March 2009.
An ‘Active’ Community: I believe people will be moving for different reasons in the future than they are now, and strength of community will be one of those factors. A strong component of a strong community is volunteerism — how active people are in helping out others in their community.
Because of insufficient data on some cities, we were unable to rank them. The only city this might have affected reaching the top 20 was Nashville, for which we didn’t have data for housing.
When helping put together a press release for our recent survey, I grappled with comparisons to the Great Depression — making historical comparisons is fraught with peril.
But I did it anyway. Why?
Well, compared to a study we performed in 2008, we found that more people nowadays are moving a long distance (we define a long move as one over 1,000 miles). In our 2008 survey, 36% said they were moving that distance; in our 2009 survey, 70% said they were.
When I heard this, visions of John Steinbeck’s ‘Grapes of Wrath’ leapt to mind — legions of the down-on-their-luck trekking halfway across the country in search of a better life.
Granted, there’s a significant factor behind our findings: people aren’t “trading up” anymore. This became sport during the housing bubble — take the big gain in your current house and leverage that into a bigger and more expensive house across town, or even in your own neighborhood.
That worked until housing prices crashed. People are much less able to tap the gain in their home (if they have one) and apply that to a bigger house.
But there’s something else afoot here — fewer people are moving, of course, but those who are, are moving longer distances.
Load Up the Jalopy
First, if you don’t have a job, you’re going to move to where your employment prospects are brighter. If that’s 1,000 miles away, you’re going to do that.
Second, our survey also found that more people are citing “family” as a reason they move — in 2008, 18% said they were moving for family reasons; in 2009, 28% said they were doing so.
Unfortunately, we didn’t dig into this stat very deeply (kick to self…), but we can make a few obvious assumptions.
First, maybe they were just moving to be closer to their family for personal reasons to be closer to them.
Or maybe reflecting harder economic times, people are moving in with relatives to save on housing costs. And if they aren’t moving IN with family, maybe they want to be closer to them for a support system to help with child care, etc.
After digesting all this, I start thinking about it historically.
Looking for a Better Life
And historically, periods of economic distress cause shifts in population. In the 30s, the economy exacerbated an already horrific econological disaster — the Dust Bowl. Millions fled.
The ‘Great Migration’ of African Americans from the South to Northern cities in the early 20th century was the result of several factors, including festering racism, but a primary factor was also the economy — again, migration over great distances for greater opportunities.
Finally, the recession in the late 70s/early ’80s helped spark an exodus of sorts from northern states to the South and Southwest.
As this recession unfolds, it will be interesting to see which other areas of the country see more migration out than in (Texas is pretty clearly attracting new residents). But it’s much less clear about other states and cities.
The question for those in the relocation biz — real estate agents, moving companies — is figuring out what this means for their business.
Does this change the way you market for your clients?
So here’s a special kind of torture: Research Los Angeles real estate blogs from a dreary office in chilly, rainy New York.
All these blogs feature the things that make Los Angeles so special: sunny skies; beautiful, happy people; palm trees swaying in soft, ocean breezes. In New York we have cloudy skies; surly people; still-yet-to-bloom saplings nearly bent to the ground by hurricane-force winds off the Hudson.
So I enjoyed losing myself for awhile in these blogs.
As readers of this feature know, I’m doing a virtual transverse of our nation’s largest cities to find real estate blogs that are helpful for people looking to move to a particular community. I’ve looked at Minneapolis and Chicago thus far.
For people who are moving, these blogs are a great way to learn about neighborhoods, learn about real estate in those neighborhoods, and maybe even find a real estate agent who knows their assessments from their elbow (and is a likeable person, to boot).
I try to avoid blogs that are just a series of listings, and posts shouting ‘Now’s a great time to buy a home!’ (I assume that if people are on the blog, they’re ready to buy — and if they’re not, the plaintive cries of a real estate agent won’t convince them to do so).
So that said, here’s the best of the best that I found in the LA area.
San Fernando Valley Real Estate Blog
Judy Graff’s San Fernando Valley Real Estate Blog is really good. A nice mix of humorous pieces about real estate life, tidbits about the communities she serves, and analysis of the current housing market.
Judy’s blog gives me a very good idea of what kind of agent she is: open, honest, knowledgeable and funny. Not a bad combination for someone who’s trying to find me a home — and look out for my interests when buying it.
Pasadena Views
Pasadena Views from Irina Netchaev provides a good snapshot of the Pasadena area, with a nice mix of information about the area and its amenities — it even has restaurant reviews. This post on walking areas in Pasadena is a good example of a real estate agent who’s plugged into the community.
There are also market reports on Pasadena housing, and information about mortgages, including this humorous post comparing some mortgage brokers with the stingy “Soup Nazi” of Seinfeld fame. Anybody who likes Seinfeld is an agent I could work with…
Good blog, though. It focuses on Manhattan Beach and Redondo Breach, and the pictures on the homepage make me pine for sun and palm trees, preferrably together and even more preferrably with a fruity drink adorned with a little umbrella.
But back to the real estate. This blog has a thorough listing of homes for sale in the area and other market data for the would-be buyer. There are also posts that are helpful to first-time buyers. This analysis is helpful for people looking to buy in the area.
Malibu Real Estate Blog
Malibu Real Estate Blog from Michael Gardner has a homepage that makes me even more depressed to look out my window at a dark, soul-less monolith (aka, the Goldman Sachs building).
To drive myself further into depression, I tralloped over to a post about what to look for in a Malibu beach home. It’s a nice source of information about beach property in Malibu, and I’m figuring if anyone wants to live in Malibu they should aim for the beach and not with the Malibu low-lifes who reside inland.
This is an interesting article about how beach depth can affect the value of the property. In my case, it’s the difference between “There’s no way you can afford this,” and “There’s no way in hell you can afford this.”
Still, this is a nice site if you’re interested in moving to Malibu, or just interested in dreaming about moving there.
Um, the latter for me.
Red Square Homes Blog
The RedSquare Homes Blog focuses on Manhattan, Hermosa and Redondo beaches (random new theory: life can’t suck if your town has the word “beach” in it).
Red Square has an array of listings and occasional posts on homebuying tips, including this one on what to look for when checking out agents’ Websites.
Phyllis’ LA Real Estate Blog
Phyllis’ LA Real Estate Blog is an eclectic mix of just about everything and everywhere in Los Angeles: market reports, tidbits about the community she serves, humorous observations about life in general, and tips for both home buyers and sellers.
Long Beach Real Estate
Laurie Manny’s Long Beach Real Estate offers market reports on the Long Beach real estate mark, along with things to do in Long Beach, tips for home sellers and homebuyers, and other notes about Long Beach communities.
I thought this post offered a pretty exhaustive overview of things to do and see in Long Beach — it’s geared for Valentine’s Day, but I think it’s useful year-round, for both residents and nonresidents alike.
Up2Date Real Estate
Deena and Doug Willis’ Up2DateRealestate is focused on Pasdena and is heavy on market report,s which it covers exhaustively, and features an active community of people who comment on posts. This is a particularly good (and smart) post on homes for under $400,000 and the kinds of repairs and costs you might face.
Palos Verdes Lifestyle
Norma Toering’s Palos Verdes Lifestyle is a good source of information about Palos Verdes, and also a source of tips for homebuyers and market stats about the area.
Terra Firma
Terra Firma from Christopher Hain is a great place to find the market data about communitites you’re considering. (BTW, I just learned this: Terra Firma translated is “Firm Terra.”) It’s written well and has an insidery feel that helps you trust that the author knows of what he speaks.
This is a question and answer with Barb Brady, a life transition specialist. Click here to see Part 1.
Q: When people relocate, what is the biggest factor they overlook or misjudge in what will make them happy at their new place?
A: Not looking at the move holistically and how it will affect all areas of life, including friendships, finances, community, etc. Be clear about your most important criteria (the non-negotiables) and have a plan to make sure these are met. If someone moves for a new job, they may overlook the importance of their current connections are – e.g. family and friends – especially if they find it challenging making friends in their new place.
I’ve seen folks move to Asheville, NC because they love the city and mountains, then they can’t find work and end up suffering financially.
Years ago, when living in Massachusetts, I almost transferred with my then employer to San Diego, thinking climate was my most important criteria (as it was 10 years earlier). On a pre-move trip I realized that community was now most important to me, and this job would have been very isolating. I didn’t move.
Q: What’s the best way to explain to your family and friends that you’re leaving the area?
The key is, don’t tell your family and friends you are leaving until you feel at peace with and confident about your decision. Until then, talk out your thoughts only with supportive people who are not attached to whatever choice you make, but truly care about your well-being and will encourage you to listen to your inner voice.
Once you’re at peace with the decision to move, tell your family and friends. Focus on the positive aspects of the new place and your feeling “that it’s right.”
No one can argue with a gut feeling. Friends and family may take your leaving as a personal rejection. Avoid saying anything that’s personally negative about your current location, such as “I don’t like the people here.”
Talk in terms of preferences. “I really feel more energized in a warmer (sunnier, drier, etc) climate.” Let them know how important they are to you. Make a plan for visits and staying in contact – will you call each week? Daily? Use Skype or email? How often will you visit each other?
If you are not sure about the longevity of this move, let them know that too. “I’m treating this as a one year experiment, and if I like it, I’ll stay longer.”
Q: Fewer people are moving nowadays. Why do you think that is, and what does it mean for the future?
A: Uncertainty about the economy, job losses, foreclosures and difficulty selling homes have all contributed to more people staying put. There have been news reports recently that migrations to the Sunbelt and more remote suburban areas are slowing, while the exodus from major cities is slowing as well.
Factors contributing to this include more economic opportunities and shorter commutes in major urban areas. I think this will remain the same in the near future. In the distant future, I think more people will be re-assessing their values and priorities, weighing lifestyle and relationship factors more heavily in their decision on where to live than job opportunities that may not be here tomorrow.
“New urban centers” may emerge – smaller cities created on the village concept where people live, work, shop and gather in community. There are many such places in Europe and elsewhere – harder to find outside major cities in the U.S. due to the advent of the automobile, investment in highways verses railroads and the proliferation of sprawling suburbs.
Ah, the humble stretch wrap.
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The first was a Boston Fed study that found most people, when it comes to a relocation decision, are disproportionately influenced by the price of their home. If they won’t get as much as they think it’s worth, they’re less likely to move, regardless of the opportunity they’re passing up. Housing prices, more than anything else, influence moving rates.
If you’re like me these days, you’re reading more book reviews than actual books — it’s cheaper and much, much quicker.
I’ve always been impressed by people who are more action than talk when it comes to moving environmentally — during the stress of moving, it can be easy to just take the easy way out and forego your green ethos.
The more you move, the more wise you get to some of the shenanigans from disreputable 
