Moving Tips
Moving into your first house is an exciting time. However, the process of knowing what needs to be done as a first-time homeowner during, before and after a move can be downright overwhelming. Thankfully, the following five tips will ensure you get started on the right foot:
1.) Take Care of All Your Basics
Before going further, make sure you have looked over “The Top 10 things to do on Your First Day in Your New Home” this will ensure your basic stuff, like getting mail started/transferred and utilities switched, are taken care of, then move on to the following suggestions…
2.) Consider The Future When Furnishing
Furnishing your first house is almost as fun as finding it to begin with. Many new homeowners make the mistake of skimping on their furnishes, going second hand or simply buying cheaper furnishings. This is understandable. After all, home ownership isn’t cheap and it can be quite a shock for a first time homeowner. However, be sure to at least consider the future when furnishing your home. Buy some quality basic pieces that will grow with you as a family and will be multi-functional enough to serve their purpose for years to come. For example, consider pieces that can be expanded or arranged differently for more options down the road.
3.) Prepare to Embrace Challenges, Chaos and Eventual Conquests
Before owning a home, you were either be renting or living under your parent’s roof. This means the repair work to your home, when the need arose, as well as the regular maintenance that homes require was thankfully someone else’s responsibility. This is all about to change when you move into a place of your own. Be prepared for the chaos and challenges that will inevitably ensue. Thankfully, though, when you tackle the tasks at hand and come away more educated and experienced, you will be the better for it.
4.) Make a Maintenance Checklist/ Schedule
Speaking of the tasks that many homeowners face, most of them will either be prevented or at least minimized by regular maintenance. Your former landlord likely had a crew who performed regular maintenance on your place of residence. Now, you have to be that maintenance crew and keep your home in tip-top shape. The following are some tasks you should make sure to do on a regular basis:
Monthly:
- Check fire extinguishers.
- Clean garbage disposal.
- Clean range hood filter.
- Clean plumbing fixtures.
- Change HVAC filers.
- Clean drains
Every Six Months
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. ( Before completing this step, make sure you have enough alarms for your home. Also, note if you need a rope ladder for second floor rooms and get one.)
- Clean refrigerator coils.
Annually
- Have termite inspection performed.
- Clean exterior dryer vent.
- Have chimney professionally cleaned
- Inspect all plumbing.
- Have cooling/heating systems serviced.
- Clean gutters.
5.) Familiarize Yourself With Your Home
Now that you own a home, you want to make sure you are truly the master of your domain. To do this, you need to know where everything is so you can access it quickly. Locate your main water valve and fuse box now. In an emergency situation, you do not want to waste time finding these all-important locations.
By following the tips listed above, you will ensure your experience as a first time homeowner is a good one.
Sources:
https://www.mymove.com/moving/15-tips-moving-first-house
Moving Tips
Your four-legged family members are vital parts of your family unit. Therefore, when planning to move, you should consider their well being just as you would your child’s, spouse’s or your own. Remember, pets are often creatures of habit, and very much entrenched in their current environment, so a move isn’t always easy on them. Thankfully, there are some ways you can make the process easier by following essential tips listed below:
Prepare Them
A large part of ensuring your pet does well during a move is simply preparing them ahead of time for the process. This often involves crate training. If your pet doesn’t currently stay in a crate, imagine their distress if you suddenly expect them to ride in one for hours. In the weeks, or months, leading up to your move, get your pet used to their crate. You can accomplish this by:
- Help your pet see their crate as a good, fun environment by giving them treats or playtime after they hang out in their crate.
- If your pet is small enough, crate them and carry them around your house, and/or take them on short drives in the car while crated to get them used to the motion they will experience during the moving process.
- Gradually acclimate your pet to their crate. This is especially important if your pet isn’t used to staying in a crate. To get them inside, place their food inside their open crate, leaving the door open. Eventually, feed them their meal inside the crate, getting them more and more comfortable with that environment.
If you aren’t planning on using a crate and will instead let your dog ride along in the car, take your dog ride for short car trips now, leading up to the trip, to get them used to riding in a car.
Know How to Safely Transport Your Animals
Dogs should either be in a crate when transporting or restrained in some form. The easiest way to ensure your dog’s safety during transportation is to use a safety harness, which you attach to your seatbelt. This lets your dog stand or sit comfortably, while keeping them safe. You can also use gates to restrain them to a certain area of the car. Cats should always be placed in a crate to transport.
Prepare Overnight Accommodations
If you are moving close enough to drive and get there in one day, disregard this point. However, if your move will involve at least one overnight stay, make sure you have reserved a hotel that will accommodate your pet.
Don’t Forget to Pack For Your Pet
You are obviously going to take your pet’s bed along and their favorite toys when moving to a new home. However, it’s important to pack a travel bag for your pet, which you can get to during the move. Include some of your pet’s favorite foods, a gallon of water, etc. When traveling with cats, know they won’t be able to go longer than eight to 10 hours between bathroom breaks. This might mean you need to bring along a disposable litter box. Also, make sure you have your new address, cell phone number, etc. on your pet’s collar should the worst happen, and they get separated from you during the move.
Steve Zawistowski Ph.D, who is the senior vice president of ASPCA Animal Sciences says the key to a successful move with pets is “plan, plan, plan.” Therefore, make sure you prepare your pets by following the essential tips listed above to successfully move your pet without too much stress.
Sources:
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/moving-your-pet
https://www.petfinder.com/dogs/living-with-your-dog/moving-pets/
Moving Tips
Your kids’ wellbeing, education and even happiness is vitally important to you as a parent. Therefore, the choice of school system is a huge factor in any move. In fact, according to the National Association of Realtor’s “Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers”, the quality of the local school district influenced more than half of all home buyers with children under the age of 18 when it came to their choice of neighborhood. Read below to learn how to evaluate schools as part of your moving decision:
Learn if The School Scores Well
We all want our kids to go to successful schools. A successful school is often considered such when their students test well. This shows the information students are supposed to be learning is in fact getting through and the school is either keeping up or surging past other school districts in the area. There are many sites you can use to find out information on how a district is doing in this category a few of the best are listed below:
- Greatschools.org: Type in the name of a school and see parent/student reviews, course offerings, and test scores.
- Education.com: Plug in a school name and see their test scores as well as how they compare to other schools within their district and state. Also, on this site, you will learn what each test score means.
- Schooldigger.com: This site will tell you the ratings for each school within a specific area.
- U.S. Department of Education: If websites aren’t for you, you can download a 52-page booklet, entitled “Choosing a School for Your Child.” This will give you some additional insights into scores, what they mean and why they are important, among other information.
Determine if It’s Safe
Unfortunately, in today’s day and age, parents have to worry about their children’s safety, everywhere, even at school. Therefore, when considering a specific school or district, parents want to learn the safety protocols in place at that location. You will likely have to call and ask the administrators to determine their current safety standards.
Are They Welcoming?
Sometimes, the only way to determine if a particular school is ideal for your child, is to visit the school, meet the administrators, walk the halls, and meet the teachers. You obviously want to feel welcome as a part of the school family. You want a place where you can go volunteer and be in close communication with your children’s teachers and the staff.
Is There an After-School Program?
If your children are too young to stay home alone and you work a full day, you will want to know if a particular school has an after school program. Most elementary or primary schools have some sort of after-school program at the school, but not all. If the school you are considering doesn’t, you can check local libraries, community centers and the like to see if they offer after school programs.
The above are some aspects to consider when evaluating a school or school district as part of your moving decision. Choosing the right school for your child will go a long way towards determining their happiness, wellbeing and overall educational success. Therefore, it isn’t a decision to be taken lightly.
Sources:
Greatschools.org: https://www.greatschools.org/
Education.com: https://www.education.com/
Schooldigger.com: https://www.schooldigger.com/
US Department of Education: https://www.ed.gov/
https://www.updater.com/moving-tips/top-7-tips-for-evaluating-a-school-district-before-you-move
https://www.newhomesource.com/guide/articles/how-to-evaluate-schools-when-buying-a-new-home
Moving Tips
You received a promising job opportunity either within your current company or a new organization. Problem is, it requires a move. Is this the right step for you? What should you consider before relocating for a job? Read below on how to evaluate job outlook as part of your moving decision:
- Will You Have to Pay Relocation Costs? Find out from your potential employer will pay relocation costs. Obviously, your costs will vary significantly based on how far you are moving and how much you have to relocate.
- Consider Your Relationship Situation: Are You Married, Single, Have Kids? Your current relationship status will of course be impacted by any relocation. Therefore, if you are dating, married, have children, etc., all situations should be considered when contemplating such a change. If your kids are in school, you will have to consider the new location’s school system. Is it as good as they are leaving? What about other options besides public school? These are questions you need answered before relocating.
- Will Salary be Enough For Cost of Living? Cost of living varies vastly throughout the nation. This means you could get a pretty good increase in salary, yet not actually see much of an improvement income wise due to an increase in the cost of living where you move. In other words, a great increase on paper, might really mean breaking even in reality. Check out this cost of living tool from CNN that will give you an idea how different the cost-of-living is where you live versus where you are thinking of moving.
- Have You Actually Visited The Area? Never, ever, consider relocating before actually visiting the area in person. It is one thing to see photographs of the area. They will seem great. After all, do you ever see publicity photos that show the rough side of a neighborhood or the three hour traffic jams? No! Visit the area. In fact, visit and stay at least a week if possible. Check out your daily commute. See if you would have to deal with significant traffic. Is that going to be a problem? How easy is it to get from point A to point B? Find all this out “before” relocating.
- Don’t Underestimate The Weather: If you are considering an area with hurricanes, earth quakes, etc. you might have to get additional insurance. Also, if there is frequent snow, are you prepared to handle that? Consider all these factors before moving.
- Know If You Can Advance or Change Companies: Will There be Additional Career Opportunities? Another element to consider if you are thinking of relocating is whether you can advance. This might mean moving up in your current company. It might also mean changing companies. Therefore, it’s a good idea to know if the area you are considering has options in your career field. For example, if you are in the medical field, an area like Charlotte, NC, is great because it has a concentrated healthcare market. Check into your specific career field stats in order to safeguard yourself in the event you don’t like your new job. You want to have other options in the area.
Follow the tips listed above when evaluating job outlook as part of your moving decision.
Sources:
https://money.cnn.com/calculator/pf/cost-of-living/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/06/17/20-questions-to-ask-yourself-before-you-relocate-for-a-job/#12e2bce7b619
https://www.moving.com/tips/moving-for-work-questions-to-ask/https://www.gqrgm.com/is-relocating-for-work-worth-it-10-things-to-consider/
Moving Tips
Paying taxes isn’t any fun. Unfortunately, there really is no way around paying some taxes. Of course, tax rates aren’t all created equal among the states that make up America. Some states have income taxes, while others do not. Also, property taxes and sales taxes can vary widely. This difference could increase your income by 10 to 30%, simply by reducing your tax burden. Therefore, if you would like to reduce the amount of taxes you owe, you might want to consider moving to one of the following states:
Alaska
The picturesque and remote state of Alaska has a minuscule 4.55% property tax rate, no sales tax and no income tax. While the tax benefits might interest you, the natural, raw beauty of the state will make becoming a resident a pleasure. Of course, isolation is a factor you must consider before giving Alaska serious consideration.
Florida
Beautiful sunny Florida has more going for it than palm trees and sandy white beaches. The Sunshine State, which is the home to Disney World and the Kennedy Space Center, also has a 3.45% property tax, small 6.00% sales tax and no income tax. Gas is even priced affordably at $.36 a gallon.
Montana
Big Sky Country boasts no sales tax, low income tax ranging from 1.00% to 6.90% and property taxes of 3.74%. You can get a gallon of gas for $.28 a gallon. Not only will you save money by moving to this beautiful state, but you can also take advantage of many outdoor adventures and opportunities for exploration and rejuvenate your pocketbook and your soul simultaneously.
Wyoming
This state represents another of the nation’s most naturally beautiful. Within its borders, you can explore the Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone, not to overlook Jackson Hole. You will also enjoy no income tax, 4.54% property tax rates, and low 4.00% sales tax when you become a resident of Wyoming.
New Mexico
Known as the “Land of Enchantment” this state is replete with a vibrant cultural blend of the Old West, American Indian, Spanish and Mexican heritages. It also isn’t bad when it comes to taxes. As a resident of New Mexico, you will enjoy the low sale’s tax rate of 5.13%, an income tax rate ranging from 1.70% to 4.90% and 1.93% property tax rate.
South Carolina
This state has plenty of old-world charm and sprawling estates with historic cities like Charleston but also boasts a blossoming tech community/industry in Greenville. Add to that the fact that residents will enjoy paying income taxes of between 3% and 7%, property taxes of 3.09% and a low 6% sales tax, and you will understand the vast appeal South Carolina offers new residents.
Utah
The Cowboy State of Utah provides equally appealing activities in both the summer and winter months. It’s winter appeal includes world class skiing along with scenic drives, and in the summer, residents can enjoy breathtaking views of Monument Valley and Zion National Park. Of course, the perks for residents don’t end with the natural beauty of the state as Utah is also pretty tax-friendly with low sales tax of 5.95%, income tax of 5% and property tax rates of only 2.72%.
The above states are seven of the most tax friendly in the United States. Making a move to one of them can help you keep more of your hard earned money in your own pocket by reducing your tax burden.
Moving Tips
Every time of year has its advantages and disadvantages when it comes to organizing a move. The following will breakdown each season of the year and why you might want to choose it or avoid it when planning your next move:
The Fall:
- Why It’s a Good Time: The weather is incredible this time of year in most parts of the country. Therefore, this is a big advantage to consider. A fall move also means you will be able to get settled into your next place before the holiday season hits full force.
- Why It Might be a Bad Time: If you have school-aged children, a fall move can be challenging as the school year is just getting started. This is especially true if you move involves changing schools.
The Winter:
- Why It’s a Good Time: Moving during the winter season can be substantially cheaper than peak moving seasons (warmer seasons). Due to less demand on their schedules, you will likely find a lot of flexibility as far as your preferred moving dates.
- Why It Might be a Bad Time: Snow, rain, ice, sleet, etc. all make up some convincing reasons a winter move might not be ideal. Not only do you have to handle boxing up belongings, but winter moves, taking place from December through February, means you have to salt, or clear walkways and driveways, waterproof boxes and go to extra effort just to counteract the frigid temperatures.
The Spring:
- Why It’s a Good Time: Many areas of the country enjoy mild temperatures during the spring time, making the process of moving easier. Also, though the demand does pick up the end of May, the months of March, April and the first part of May are usually pretty slow, meaning you will enjoy some flexibility as far as your preferred moving dates.
- Why It Might be a Bad Time: End of the year school activities and testing can make moving difficult in the spring when families have school-aged kids. In addition, it you wait until the last part of May, you may run into some difficulty getting your choice of moving dates due to demand.
The Summer:
- Why It’s a Good Time: Summer is peak home-selling season. This makes it the best time to sell your home and make a move. It also is ideal for families with school-aged kids as they are out of school during the summer. The longer days of summer also provide additional daylight hours in which to pack, sort and clean.
- Why it Might be a Bad Time: Because summer is such a popular time to move, the rates go up, making it more expensive to pay for movers. Keep in mind, some 70% of all moves occur between Memorial and Labor day, so this is a popular time to move, meaning you will likely struggle to get your preferred moving date. Also, the heat and humidity can make moving difficult and even dangerous in the heat of the summer.
The above information explains some reasons to choose and some to avoid each season as it relates to planning a move. Suffice it to say, you do what’s best for your family, but know there are advantages and disadvantages to any season you select.
