EVERYMAN'S GUIDE TO MOVING

"My bags are packed, I'm ready to go..." Well, before you close the door to one home and open the door to another there are a few things that need to be moved.

Let us talk about your plans to move your household goods from Home A to Home B and how you can best accomplish that task.  Below are a few simple things to take into consideration when planning to move.

1. Create a moving timeline. Unless this is a small move across town with just a few important items stuffed in the backseat and trunk of your car, creating a moving timeline is unimportant.  

But if you are like most families, you have accumulated more than enough stuff that a professional moving service is a requirement.  

    A. create a list of the items that you want to move.  Items not on the list can be given to relatives, donated to Good Will, Salvation Army or Habitat for Humanity, or discarded.

    B. About a month before the move, start packing non-essential items.  Label each box with a brief description of the items inside, i.e. library books, or the room where the item will be placed, i.e. bathroom.

2. Hire a moving professional.  Uncle Joe with a box truck is not a professional mover. Seek recommendations from neighbors, real estate agents, or search the yellow pages for nationally recognized moving services.  Get a competitive bid for the number of rooms you are moving.  Compare bids before signing a contract.

3. Understand the movers protocol.  If you think a mover is going to bring his big rig to your home to pick up your belongs you are wrong.  Most professional movers have smaller trucks collect your items and bring them to a warehouse for consolidation with other clients moving to an area near you.  Items may remain in the company's warehouse several days before moving to your new location.

4. Purchase insurance from the mover. Your belongs are you and you want to ensure that they all arrive in pristine condition.  Bumps along the road to your next home may happen.  Insurance gives you peace of mind that damages and repairs will be covered by the insurance policy.

5. KEEP ALL MOVING DOCUMENTS CLOSE AT HAND. The mover will provide you with a count of the number of items you are moving and an approximate weight of your goods.  Keep those documents safe and with you.  They are a record of your household inventory and proof that the mover received them from you.

BOTTOM LINE:  Professional movers are there to assist you with your relocation.  They have a different timetable than you do so coordination with all parties is important.  

 

    

EASY WAYS TO INCREASE THE VALUE OF YOUR HOME

 Sellers, it is time to position your home for sale ahead of the demand that will take place shortly.  Short of adding a new wing to your home or doing a major makeover, what can you do to prepare for the increased buyer activity?

Here are a few suggestions.

1. Upgrade your finishes.  Tired faucets and window treatments are a good place to start.  How does your front door looking when people walk up to your house?  Could you use a new door that brings greater light into the entry; or could it use a fresh coat of paint.

2. Purchase energy-efficient appliances. Big ticket items like refrigerators, stoves, washers and driers are a good place to start.  How about that hot water heater that is sitting in a closet?  Is it time to replace it with a more energy efficient one.  Check you HVAC system to see if an upgrade is in order.

3. Curb appeal. Do the shrubs and bushes around your home look tired and overgrown? Has the color faded from your plants?  Are there patched of brown in your green grass?  Spring projects for sure.  How about a facelift of color to brighten your home and neighborhood?

4.Kitchen and bathroom. Short of a major makeover where your ripe out everything and start over, can your cabinets use a facelift.  New paint on tired doors and new hardware can go a long way to change from drab to wow!

5. Unfinished spaces.  Look around and see if there are areas in your home that are "works in progress".  Maybe there is a third bedroom that you want into convert to a small office for yourself.  Perhaps your laundry room needs a make over to create a better flow or even become a mud room.

6. Clean the Clutter.  There comes a time when you must let go of those old memories.  I can see saving those items which have truly significant importance, but there are others that are best forgotten.  Be brutal, be fair and be clutter free.

Bottom Line:  Many of these tips are not expensive but are labor intense.  The sweat equity you put into them may find its way into your bank account when your sell.

THE CHANGING FACE OF HOUSE MARKETING

If you are looking to sell, buy, rent, or invest in real estate there are a few things you need to be aware of regarding house marketing in the 21st century.

First, the dominance of the customer.  The search for a house has now become more sophisticated and customers have learned to tap into adequate sources of information on housing and housing markets.  Yesterday's customers will not be tomorrow's customers.  They have learned to navigate the web to find potential house(s) to purchase.

Second, the spread of market research both in quality and scope.  Information at your fingertips.  Today's customer knows more and can learn more about a property, its neighborhood, the economic and demographic makeup of a community with just a few strokes on the computer keyboard.

Third, the rise of the computer. Computers are now a major marketing tool both for the customer and the agents.  With the aid of the computer the customer and agent can evaluate the house; assess the advantages and disadvantages of a community; evaluate the marketing program; and evaluate the effectiveness of alternate advertising programs.

Bottom Line: "The company that is not alert to the customer's needs and changing complexities of marketing place is inviting disaster," John D. Louth.

 

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS (CDD)

A Community Development District is a governmental unit created to serve long term needs of a specific community.  The main purpose of the CDD is to plan, finance, operate and maintain community wide infrastructure and services for the benefit of the community residents.

The CDD is governed by its Board of Supervisors who are elected initially by the landowner and then transitions to the residents after six years.   The CCD collaborates with the Homeowner's Association.

The CDD provides residents of the community with three major classes of benefits.  First, the CDD provides landowners with a consistently high level of public facilities and services managed and financed through fees imposed by the landowners.  Second, the CDD ensures that the community development facilities and services will be completed concurrently with other parts of the development.  Third, the landowners and electors choose the Board of Supervisors.

Residents and property owners in a CDD establish the standards of quality which the CDD manages to help protect the long-term property values in a community.

The operational cost of a CDD is borne by those who benefit from its services.  The CDD is subject to a non-ad valorem assessment which appears on their annual property tax bill.  

The CDD makes it possible for a community to offer the most desirable elements of a master-planned community.  With a CDD established, residents maintain control quality and value for the future.

 

WHAT RIGHTS DO TENANTS HAVE?

 DISCLAIMER: I am not an attorney, and I am not offering legal advice in this column.  If you have issues with your landlord, consult an attorney to discuss them.

For all those who currently rent property or are thinking of renting property here are a few things you should know.  

By definition, a "Tenant" is a person entitled to occupy a proper under a rental agreement.

The definition of a "Landlord" is the owner or lessor of a dwelling unit.

Here are six unique sets of rights when leasing a property from a property owner.

A tenant is entitled to:

• the right of private, peaceful possession of the property.
• the right to change the locks on the door and install security cameras.
• prevent the owner from entering (unless there is an emergency or upon reasonable notice to make repairs.)
• the right to quiet enjoyment
• the right to habitability (the landlord must deliver possession of the property in a habitable "livable" condition)
• the right to make minor repairs /renovations.

Another action, as a potential tenant, you can take to ensure the lease agreement is legal is to have it reviewed by an attorney before entering into the lease agreement.

Many states prepare a Handbook for Tenants that can be found online.  Prior to entering into a lease agreement, a potential renter should obtain a copy for their personal reference; read it; and maintain a copy during the term of the lease. 

Bottom Line:  When in doubt with any legal matter, it is best to consult with your attorney prior to signing or entering any legal arrangement.