House Hunting Tips

When looking to sell an old house in favor of a newer one (due to growing a family, ditching a bachelor pad, etc.), buyers can be faced with difficult tasks, old and new.

Step 1. Work with the pros –

Unless you’re a seasoned veteran or the epitome of independence, working with a realtor and a mortgage broker can drastically improve your home-buying experience. No one else knows the city better (growth patterns, property value escalation probabilities, average house type/dimensions) than a realtor. The rules can change from city to city as well as with time and a professional realtor can remove a lot of the headache. Have fun looking around but if you can avoid this stress, you’ll be much happier in the end.

A mortgage broker lives in paperwork and understands the ins, outs, ups and downs of loan types and also when the best time to buy is. They make sure all the moving pieces behind the financial aspect of the engagement stay moving while you’re deciding on the home of your dreams and where you’ll be placing furniture.

Step 2. What area of town can you live in?

“Can” is used here in several contexts. Your budget is going to be a primary factor when looking of course but when it comes to your peace of mind, which neighborhood will be best for your situation? Something may be too urban or too suburban for you. “Howdy neighbor!” may work for some people where privacy is more important for others. Quadrant or section the city and find out which area fits your personality best.  (tools: moving.com/zillow)

Step 3. What tools should I bring?

When house hunting with a realtor, if you can borrow a GPS unit or invest in one that’s reasonably priced, you’ll find it much easier to get from one place to another. This is by no means a must but if you’re unfamiliar with the areas you’ll be looking in (or even when you find your perfect home!) a nice addition to travel is a GPS unit for locating the quickest way to the grocery store, kids’ school and even work. Where is the nearest grocery store, anyway?

Step 4. Do your Homework –

Make sure you inspect your new home and do your research.  This may be the home you spend the rest of your life living in and realizing you’ve bought a money-pit is often one of the more common fears home-buyers face. How old is the home? Are there cracks in the exterior walls/foundation? How is the water pressure? How old is the furnace/AC? What are the neighbors like?

Hint: Talk to the neighbors!  No one knows more about the neighborhood and the former occupant of your potential home than the people next-door.

We know many of you have been there before.  We and other bloggers would love to hear your tips – comment below!

PODS and UNIGROUP create alliance to better serve customers

Moving and storage giants complement each other’s services, offerings

ST. LOUIS, Mo. AND CLEARWATER, Fla. – PODS (Portable on Demand Storage) and UniGroup, Inc., the parent company of United Van Lines and Mayflower Transit, have agreed to a marketing alliance that provides for the exchange of services between leaders in portable container moving and storage and full-service moving.

The agreement provides UniGroup access to PODS’ fleet of 138,000 moving and storage containers serviced by 166 franchise and corporate locations. In exchange, PODS gains access to professional packing and loading services through the network of United Van Lines and Mayflower Transit agents with nearly 750 locations across the country.

“UniGroup is pleased to enter a marketing alliance with PODS, the largest portable container moving and storage services provider,” said Rich McClure, president of UniGroup, a leader in the full-service moving industry. “This alliance will enable UniGroup and its family of United and Mayflower agents to offer residential and corporate customers a complete range of moving and storage services – from full-service professional moving to do-it-yourself container services.”

Tom Ryan, CEO of PODS, said, “PODS has experienced tremendous growth in the moving and storage industries due to the flexibility and convenience of our services. Traditionally, we’ve appealed to the do-it-yourself moving and storage customer, but our agreement with UniGroup will enable PODS’s customers to access packing and loading services that many of our customers want from the most trusted names in the business – United Van Lines and Mayflower Transit.”

The alliance with PODS will expand the capacity and efficiency of Mayflower and United agents within the portable container marketplace and ensure the van lines’ customers have access to a range of moving options to fit their needs. UniGroup entered the portable container moving and storage market in 2006 with its brand SAM – Store and Move. The SAM network of 92 dealers in 65 cities in the United States will continue to provide portable containers under the new agreement.

About UniGroup, Inc.

UniGroup, Inc., a $2 billion privately held transportation and relocation services company, has service providers in all 50 U.S. states and more than 180 countries around the world. In addition to household goods carriers United Van Lines and Mayflower Transit, UniGroup owns several

other subsidiaries that provide goods and services to professional movers and customers, including Vanliner Insurance Company, Trans Advantage, Inc., and UniGroup Worldwide UTS.

About PODS

Founded in 1998, PODS provides moving and storage services to more than 238 million consumers in 48 U.S. states, Canada, and Australia. To date, the company has completed more than 200,000 long-distance relocations, exceeded one million deliveries and has nearly 138,000 PODS^® containers in service. PODS^® secure containers are constructed of a steel frame and are available in three sizes: approximately 8-by-7-by-7 feet, 8-by-8-by-12 feet and 8-by-8-by-16 feet and have been tested to withstand winds of more than 110-mph when partially loaded.

Determining the cost of your move

There are many factors that will affect the cost of your move. Be sure to carefully consider these, and be prepared to find more along the way:

• Size: The overall weight of your move can affect the price with some companies. Generally portable storage is not weight based, however with professional movers, often the heavier the move, the more it’s going to cost.

• Distance: The number of miles you’re traveling can influence its cost greatly, as can your final destination. Keep in mind that some moving companies only serve a certain region.

• Time: The time of year you need to move will also have an effect on your bottom line. Moving during peak times, such as the summer or holidays, often means that you’ll pay more. If you have the luxury of time, try to plan at less busy times. Look for specials during unpopular periods.

• Level of service: Hiring a moving company to complete a “full-service” move – one where they not only transport your household items, but also pack and unpack them – will be significantly more expensive than a “self-service” move. Make sure you’re aware of the varying level of service available for your move and what works best for you.  Many times, people forget that self-moving has several levels of service available to meet your budget as well.

• Insurance: Be sure to consider insuring your move against mishaps or even disasters. Keep in mind that moves you do yourself are usually limited to $25,000 insurance, and cover only damage caused by disasters such as auto accidents or fires.

• Storage: Make sure to calculate if your new residence will be able to accommodate all of your belongings.  Many times, the couch you’ve had since college won’t fit in your new living room (or relationship) but hasn’t used enough duct tape to be sent to the trash bin.  Having the ability to store your extra belongings, even in the short term as you decide how to layout your new interior, is often overlooked when moving.

Taking some time to determine what your move will actually and honestly cost you will save you from a lot of the stress of moving, and will insure that you’ll be that much happier in your destination.

Choosing professional movers

Choosing a moving company can feel like an overwhelming task. Where can you start? What should you look for? Here’s a short checklist to help outline some steps in choosing a professional moving company:

• Give yourself plenty of time – If you have the luxury of time, start considering moving companies as much as 8 weeks before moving day. Planning well in advance will make it much more likely you’ll find a moving company you’re going to be satisfied with. It will also allow you to compare many cost estimates, and to build a more solid idea of how much your move will cost.

  As well, always ask if the estimates are guaranteed or variable. Often, estimates from van lines are based on the best-case scenario and can vary widely once your items are loaded on the truck and weighed.  It’s much harder to negotiate a price when everything you own is on some one else’s truck.

• Get feedback from family, friends and the internet – Were these moving companies on time? Were they professional? Did they have the right equipment for the job? What about damage? You can get an abundance of personal testimonials from neighbors, friends, and family about local moving companies. Additionally, researching a moving company on the internet can provide some insight into its reputation and history from a wider clientele. Be sure to check business advocacy sites such as the Better Business Bureau. If your employer is transferring you, ask your relocation agent.

• Determine the size, distance, and timing of your move – How much can you afford to spend on your move? How much work can you do yourself? Be honest, and over-estimate often. Knowing these facts can help you evaluate moving estimates and decide what company is best for you.

  As well, make sure to plan for the unknown.  What if weather delays happen?  Research hotels along your route and make sure you can afford an extra few nights in a hotel if necessary.  How flexible is your departure and arrival date? Have you packed enough in case your belongings are delayed on their arrival due to weather as well?  Make sure to have your options open in case things don’t go according to plan.

• Determine which items the company in question will not transport – Some common restrictions include hazardous items such as paint, cleaners, aerosol cans, or gasoline. Many companies will not move personal valuables such as jewelry, important documents or furs, and many have restrictions involving pets and plants.

Putting some time into making sure you have made the right choice will help you avoid a considerable amount of the stress involved in choosing a moving company. A few minutes of planning is worth avoiding a lot of potential headaches down the road.

Self-Moving, part two – preparation, people and patience

Relocating by yourself requires some special dedication. It also helps to have a handle on three prerequisites: Preparation, people, and patience.

Preparation: Start preparing for moving day well in advance – as far out as 6 to 8 weeks, if you have that luxury. Often, people don’t set aside enough time to adequately pack and prepare their items.  Nothing is more stressful than scrambling on moving day to pack the four junk drawers you forgot or forcing your friends to carry a dozen loose items one by one out to the truck.

Besides allowing you time to sensibly pack and effectively plan for your eventual arrival at your new destination, starting early will help with all of the external concerns: changing your address with the local post office, changing addresses for magazine subscriptions, newspapers, etc., arranging for transfer of phone, cable and internet, and other things that tend to get lost in the shuffle.

People: Line up as many people as you can at both ends of the move. The larger the group, the less strenuous the move will become. And be sure to match individuals’ size and skill with the right tasks. Making sure you have the tools available, such as a hand truck to move your stackable washer and dryer keeps in mind the health of your friends lower backs.

If there are children involved, make sure they’re kept busy moving small, unbreakable items or that they have available games, coloring books or other entertainment. One idea is to have the kids pack and move their own toys and bedroom items. This provides them with both a sense of accomplishment and association, as well as helping ensure them that their stuff will arrive safely with everyone else’s at the new location.
If that doesn’t keep them busy, I’m sure Grandma would love to spend some quality time with them for the day.

Patience: Moving all your belongings in a single day will inevitably bring mistakes and accidents. Perhaps more than any single trait, you’ll likely find that patience will be the one you’ll need the most of on moving day, and it’s likely to be the most hard to maintain. Keeping a cool head will keep your moving group around to help happily, and that will help the day pass quickly. Stopping for well-deserved breaks every hour or two will also help your group maintain focus and energy over the whole experience. And don’t forget to express your appreciation liberally to everyone, especially that friend of yours that bravely held the door the entire day without complaint.

When you’re considering the option to move yourself, keep these tips in mind to help the day go smoothly, and to help make your move a success. If you feel like any of these points will be hard, or even impossible, to achieve, then PODS might be a good alternative – giving you the freedom to move and pack your household in your own timeframe.

Self-Moving, part one – is moving yourself the right move for you?

As we grow in our careers, add to our families, and continue through our complex lives, relocating becomes more and more complex. There are many ways to complete a successful move by yourself, and there are many ways to have the move process taken care of for you. [link to pods.com]

How do you know if do-it-yourself moving will work for you? Here are some general guidelines to help you figure it out:

• There are basically two necessities for a successful moving day: people who can (and are willing) to help, and the means to get your belongings from your old location to the new one. You’ll need to be sure that you have access to both of these well in advance, to make sure the move goes smoothly.

• To decide whether or not self-moving will work, ask yourself if you have friends or family that will help and will commit to a moving day in advance. If you’re able to assemble a dependable – and preferably burly – group, moving day can be relatively painless, followed by pizza and beer at the new digs. If your group falls through, however, portable storage allows you that flexibility to find better, more dependable friends.

What about the economics? When comparing a self move against other options, consider things like:

• The cost of fuel and rent for a large truck (or trucks).

• If you’re incredibly popular, the cost of food and refreshments for you and your moving entourage.

• The cost of packing and moving supplies and tools.

• In the case of a long distance move, factor in the cost of lodging, tolls and fast food as well.

After all of these are figured in to a total estimated cost, request a few estimates from the relevant moving options. In some cases, the cost of hiring movers to pack and load your container is well worth the peace of mind gained from having someone else handle your belongings.

Moving with PODS – an introduction

Moving is something that will happen, sure as death and taxes. Whether it’s to take advantage of a new position in another city, a growing family or a job promotion, everyone moves.

And as your family grows or your career requires more responsibility, moving tends to get more complex and stressful – the last thing you want to have to deal with. It’s no longer an afternoon with a buddy’s truck, a few pals to help with the heavy lifting, and then a few beers. Moving a household, across town or across the nation, requires planning, dedication, and patience to make it come off right.

Here is where PODS – Portable On Demand Storage – can step in to help make your move less stressful. PODS takes care of the early planning for your move – allowing you to pack and store at your own pace.

Keep your eyes on our blog for tips on moving and storage. We’ll offer ideas on simplifying your move, de-cluttering your home and news on PODS innovations.