Zero Value

Moving to another house will always be stressful  but such stress can be considerably lessened with a little bit more organization and a big help from a reliable mover.  Transferring has an emotional component which adds to the stress and this is true whether the occupant had a good or not-so-good life in the house to be vacated.  The act of emptying a house and leaving can produce a mix of emotions including apprehension, excitement, and sadness.

Packing is not done only on the day of moving.   It should have been started months before the move with things that are being kept in storage most of the time anyway.  It is a good idea however to separate the things that are no longer to be used at all so that they can be given to where they can serve their purpose instead of adding to the clutter in the new house. 

There must be a clear inventory of belongings by rooms if possible, so as to easily detect if anything got lost in the process of transferring.  It would be best to put the essentials that would be needed for the first few days in a separate bag or suitcase to eliminate the need to open all the boxes in just trying to find a single article.  Each family member can take care of his/her own bag of essentials so the burden will not be put on one person only.  A similar process can be used for household items that are absolutely indispensible upon occupying a house.

The importance of labeling boxes cannot be overemphasized.  It eliminates the guessing game when a particular item is needed while providing the appropriate caution required for handling them.  Families should tackle the task at hand together with young children safely out of harm’s way and supervised accordingly. 

Recovery in the housing industry still seems far-fetched at this time.  Prices are expected to drop further and foreclosures are not yet about to go away. Employment rate will remain a major deterrent to the industry’s complete rehabilitation as it remains sluggish and largely uneventful.

Because of these realities faced by homeowners, both existing and prospective, many have chosen to downsize either their physical homes or their expectations for a desired home.  A lot of people have come to the realization that they are better off with more compact-sized homes for better manageability prospects in maintaining them and paying for them.  Owners of larger and older homes are encountering difficulty in disposing their properties even if they desire to because of the wide range of choices now available to home buyers which includes new houses and foreclosed houses.  More seriously hit are houses with condition and location issues.  This is an especially advantageous time for cash investors as houses are being offered at rock-bottom prices.

Renting has experienced a resurgence in the past few years because of its viability as an option for those who wish to downsize but are are not able to sell their houses at once.  The record-high household debt of many has forced previously uncommon living practices such as moving in with family a common recourse.  It is not quite clear yet how affected homeowners are expected to effectively address the problem although the need to trade-down a large home to a smaller one is crystal-clear.

Since manageability of everyday living is now a concern of most people, it has to be understood that it is not only the size of the home that matters.  Lifestyle and long-term plans will also come into play.  While home designers look into sustainability for a home’s long-term use, homeowners should be looking into simplicity which would involve tapering off a large percentage of “wants”.

If you have recently been laboring over your decision whether to rent or own a house, why not take a breather and consider the rent-to-own option.  Shelling out money month after month for rental or entering the commitment of buying a house may be too extreme for some.   In the rent-to-own option, tenant-buyers have the chance of building up equity to eventually buy the house within the agreed period.

The arrangement is considered ideal for both the tenant and the owner-seller since the former is given the prerogative to change minds and totaly abandon the option to buy.  The owner then gets to keep all money paid for rent while regaining the right to offer the property to other interested tenant-buyers, without further obligation to the previous tenant-buyer. Contracts of this nature will always consist of three parts – the rental agreement, an optional property management agreement, and a third agreement which provides for the property purchase at a set price and date as mutually agreed upon.

Expectations for property damage are lower in the rent-to-own option since the tenants are the possible future owners.  It is logical that tenant-buyers will find it in their best interest to ensure the optimal condition of the property.  Property owners have found a way to move their property under the prevailing difficult econmic conditions.

Tenants for their part are given a longer time within which to determine the suitability of purchasing a particular property.  Of course, buyers must have long-term plans in place which is not possible without any long term job prospects or reasons to stay in a particular place .  A rent-to-own contract usually expires between 2-5 years.

While we’re on the topic of searching for an apartment, let us go into more detail. When you are actually taking stock of the units, you should go ahead and ask all the questions that are in your mind. Do not hold anything back. A good thing to do would be to actually write them down so that you do not forget anything. Here are some questions that you might want to include in your list.

How much are the utility bills each month?
Of course, you cannot expect to get the same amount as the utility bills will vary depending on your own consumption. But of course, getting a rough estimate will help you get an idea of what you will be getting yourself into. You can get a better idea if you mention the appliances that you will have and the number of people that will be living in your apartment.

Are the noise levels manageable?
Of course, the unit is not the only thing that you have to consider. You will have neighbors around you and if you are sensitive to noise, you have to make sure that the neighbors are not prone to all night parties and other noisy activities.

What is the cost of living in the area?
You have to make sure that you will be able to afford living in the area. Food sources, transportation, entertainment – all these things should be taken into consideration. Otherwise, you might be in for a surprise.

Are you looking for your own place? Maybe you have just decided to move out of your parents’ house. Or maybe, you have been living on your own for quite some time but have just recently decided to move to another place. You might have an idea of how much of a headache it can be to find an apartment. Here are some tips to help you find the perfect place for yourself.

Know what you want.
I think that this is the most important thing that you should do. Indeed, it should be the first thing that you should settle. Make sure that you know what it is that you exactly want. It would help to write down your “requirements” so that you do not accidentally forget a detail or two. Take note of the things that are non-negotiable and things that you are willing to compromise.

Be realistic.
You do have to know what you want but you have to stay realistic. You have to strike a balance between your dream apartment and the real world. For example, you cannot expect to get an apartment in a prime location for a few hundred dollars.

Take notes.
The chance are that you are going to go around and look at several apartments before you find the right one – unless you’re extremely lucky. In any case, having a notepad and pen (or a PDA!) will be handy. Take good notes. What do you like about the place? What don’t you like? These notes will come in handy when the time comes to make the decision.

So we’ve talked about high rent, ill-kept apartments, and new job opportunities. What other reasons are there that might require you to leave your current place of residence?

To be nearer your current job
This actually happened to me many years ago. I lived in a very nice and comfortable condo with a friend. It was big and yet cozy at the same time. It was located in a very nice district in the city. The rent was steep but we split it so it was fine. However, my job was about two hours away. That meant a total of 4 hours travel time and a lot of money spent on transportation. Though it meant leaving my nice place, I had to move.

To follow your dreams
I may be being whimsical here but hey, we do have dreams and sometimes, they take us down paths that may lead us out of our comfort zones. Let’s say that you’ve always dreamt of living in a place with a warmer climate and you’ve spent half your life in Detroit. What’s stopping you from moving farther down south to enjoy the rest of your life? Or let’s say you’ve always wanted to study the French language. If you have the money and the means to do so, what’s stopping you from pursuing your dream and moving to France?

Moving is not a simple thing. It is not easy. But if you find a reason to do so, go ahead. You can always move again, can’t you?

Some people seem to be born settlers. Once they have found a place to live, they do not feel the need to move to another home. If they do, it happens very rarely and for very compelling reasons. On the other hand, there are some people who seem to have nomad blood in them. They move every couple of years or so – even more.

How do you know when it is time to move? What are the justifiable reasons for one to move?

I suppose that the reasons vary from one person to another. As I mentioned in the first paragraph, some need very compelling reasons while others would move on a whim. So what is justifiable to one may not make sense to another. However, here are some common reasons why you should consider moving.

Your rent is too high or your current apartment is not kept well.
This one’s a no brainer. If the rent is too high for you, then you should immediately start looking for a more affordable place to call home. Otherwise, you will find yourself in financial trouble as time goes on. As for the ill-maintained unit, unless you want to suffer, you should consider moving on.

You have a new job prospect.
This is one common reason for people to move. In these times of economic uncertainty, moving because of jobs is even more common than before. If you find a more lucrative opportunity somewhere else and it entails leaving your pad, what would you do? I would move.

(to be continued)