As you know, clutter can often make or break a sale! Let’s work together to educate your clients on the best ways to de-clutter a home. You’re the real estate expert and we’re the storage expert – so this e-mail, part of our e-mail series on working with movers, offers some “home de-cluttering” tips that you can modify or update, and then share with your clients.

3 Quick Ways to De-Clutter Your Home

1. Have a Garage Sale: Before putting your home on the market, think about having a garage sale. There are more advantages than just getting rid of items that are cluttering your home, you’ll pocket some extra cash to off-set your moving costs and it will lighten your load on moving day, which could save you even more money!
2. Ask an Expert: Your real estate agent will help you by doing a walk-through of your home to identify any problem rooms or areas that need to be de-cluttered.
3. Use Storage Services: Want a surefire way to make a small room look larger? Storage could be your answer. Working with your real estate agent, you should determine which rooms would benefit from furniture storage. By eliminating large pieces, you will be able to open up your floor plan and make your house look noticeably larger!

For a decade, high housing prices made it hard for people to stay in the state, even if they wanted to. But falling house prices and increased hiring are enticing former Californians to come home, moving company officials said.

“I think the people realize that when we move back to California, we’re never going to have interest rates or (house) prices this low,” said Linda Oakley, owner of Atlas Transfer and Storage Co. in Poway, affiliated with Allied Van Lines. “We want to live in California, where it’s warm and sunny and happy.”

Indeed, 2,926 more families moved into California than moved out of it, the third-highest figure of any state or Washington, D.C., according to the combined data of Atlas Van Lines Inc., United Van Lines LLC and Allied Van Lines Inc. For years, California had seen more households moving out than in. In 2007, Atlas’ data indicated that trend had reversed, but it didn’t turn around in Allied’s data until 2011.

U-Haul International Inc., which doesn’t provide the same type of data, said it helped move 5.6 percent more people into California than out of it, according to spokeswoman Ashleigh Wagner.

Wagner also had some local data from U-Haul: Between January and November 2011, it helped 1 percent more people move out of Escondido than in, it helped 1.9 percent more people move into Oceanside than out, and it helped 11.5 percent more people move into Temecula than out.

U-Haul, United and Atlas represent 40 percent of the moving market, and Allied is private so there is no market data available, according to Boston-based market analyst Pell Research.

By the raw numbers, California had the third-highest net gain of movers, behind Texas and Florida, but those are all states with large populations. When viewed as a rate, California ranks 13th, with 0.23 moves per 1,000 households. Washington, D.C., ranked first by this metric, with a net of 2.68 incoming moves per household, almost four times that of No. 2-ranked North Carolina (see this article online for the complete table).

Illinois had the highest rate of departing families among the 50 states plus the district, losing 0.91 families per 1,000 households. New Jersey and Connecticut had the next two highest rates.

California has long seen more people leaving the state as the cost of housing skyrocketed. By 2007, the median house price in North San Diego County peaked at $639,000, and it peaked in 2006 in Southwest Riverside County at $420,000, according to a North County Times analysis of transactions in the two counties. Those prices plummeted 38 percent and 50 percent respectively as a real estate bubble imploded and a recession pushed many people out of work. As of December’s data, the nation had added more than 100,000 jobs for six consecutive months, and that trend is reflected in California.

“We’re seeing corporations wanting to hire again,” said David Frank, vice president and general manager of the San Diego office of Alexander’s Mobility Services, an Atlas affiliate. “We’re seeing technology companies wanting to get ahead of the game. Even if they’re not selling product yet, they’re hiring designers and those kinds of jobs. We’re seeing Qualcomm, and Sony, and some of the other companies doing some of the hiring.”

Oakley and other local moving company officials said 2011 had been an up year. Oakley said her business was up 6 percent compared with 2010. Her company moves people all over Southern California, and she said she’s been bringing people in from out of state. Paula Nix, office manager for Eckert’s Moving and Storage in San Marcos, said business was up in 2011, including local moves, although not always for the cheeriest of reasons.

“A lot of them are losing their homes, or they’re just first-time buyers and they’re all excited about getting a new deal on their home,” Nix said.

Nathan Pletcher, an electrical engineer, has enjoyed the tech resurgence. On Friday, Linda Oakley’s movers came to take his belongings out of his Leucadia home to bring them up to Mountain View so he can start work for Google.

He originally came to California from the Midwest. Now he and his wife, Andrea, a teacher, have fallen for California.

“We both like California a lot, we like to do stuff outdoors, we like all the opportunities California offers, oceans and mountains and stuff like that,” Pletcher said the day before Oakley’s company came to take his stuff away.

At first thought, you are thinking that summers are filled with rain and every other season is filled with inconsistent weather changes. Not to worry because most people that live in Seattle say that it stops eventually. Ultimately, moving to Seattle has its sunny and rainy days like any other city.  Enjoy the beautiful monuments and museums that this city has to offer.

Moving to Seattle doesn’t have to be the road less taken if you have the right guidance. We have compiled a list of resources from getting your license to finding the right neighborhood in Seattle. Hopefully your move to Seattle will go much smoother than expected!

Protecting Yourself during Your Move to Seattle
Protecting yourself during the move to Seattle is extremely important to having a successful move. First and foremost before selecting a moving company, you should be doing your due diligence. This includes:

1. Verifying that they are a licensed mover
2. Reading reviews
3. Getting a in person written estimate signed by the moving company

If you know where you are moving to, it would be a good idea to find out if there are any street or building rules to avoid getting a ticket or harassing your neighbors. If you are moving in to a building, make sure to speak with the leasing office to reserve an elevator for the move. This will help speed up the unloading process and knock some minutes off your overall move.

Once you have settled in to Seattle, you will need to change your license over. Finding a driver licensing office is the first step. Before arriving, make sure to provide Proof of identity, including your out-of-state license and a form of payment. There’s a $20 application fee and a $25 fee for your license that you can pay with cash, check, or debit/credit card.

However, there are a few extra tidbits that can get your apartment search off to a strong start so you can make your moving experience more enjoyable:

The easiest place to being searching for rental real estate is on the Internet. However, if you just Google “houses for rent” or “apartments” you’re likely to spend hours sifting through blind links and junk sites. Local interest magazines and the real estate section of your newspaper still have the edge in up to date listings for your area. In many areas you can find local apartment guides aimed specifically at local apartment hunters.

• Ask yourself a single question: where do I want to live? Instead of letting your apartment search dictate what neighborhood you end up in, pick the neighborhood first and start looking around. Take a drive through the areas you’re interested in and look for “apartment for rent” or “houses for rent” signs. Landlords who have just a single apartment to rent out may not bother to do much advertising. And even if you don’t find anything, there’s no way to get to know a neighborhood’s real estate market like seeing it for yourself.
• Apartment finder services – otherwise known as apartment brokers – should be your last resort. Brokers have exclusive listings they can connect you with and have plenty of contacts with apartment managers. However, in some markets brokers charge a fee that can equal a month’s rent.
• If you’re moving a lot of furniture, take measurements of it all before you go out to see apartments. That way, when you find a place you like, you’ll know what will fit and what won’t.
• Try to see apartments during the daytime; otherwise you won’t have a sense of how much natural light the unit receives.
• Unless you’ve got a solid deadline don’t rush your apartment search. Take a little extra time and see a lot of real estate; this will give you a good sense of how much apartment you can get for your money.
• If you’re planning on seeing a lot of apartments, make sure to take notes as you go. Without them it’s easy to forget the types of details – living room size, utilities cost, parking – that can make a big difference.

We made it to Phoenix! Well, Gilbert, Arizona actually.  I apologize in advance if this is not my best post but I am pretty exhausted, surrounded by boxes and lucky to have an Internet connection!

The movers showed up on Friday to load all our stuff on a huge moving truck!  We thoroughly cleaned the house and were Arizona bound by 11:00am Saturday.  The movers showed up bright and early this morning to do the move-in.  They moved most of our stuff into the house and put the rest in a storage unit.

I really have to take the time to let you know about Oakley Relocation out of Poway, California.  They handled both of our moves (CA-NV and NV-AZ).  They did such a great job, both times!  There were no surprises and everything went as promised.  Jim was our Relocation Consultant who helped arrange all of the details and Johnny was our driver.  He doesn’t just drive…….he organizes, manages, moves your stuff and drives the truck.  He handles the move and the laborers on both ends.  He is there when your stuff goes on the truck and when it comes off.  He is pleasant to work with and flexible if there are any hiccups (like you forgot to pull your wedding picture of the wall and safely pack it in a box).  This may seem like I am promoting them, well, I am.  Not because I’m getting any kind of kick back (because I’m not)  but because they deserve it for being a reputable company that delivers as promised!  I have to admit it, service like this doesn’t come cheap.  But if you want cheap, you should read some of the horror stories about moving companies.

So that’s it, we made it.  Here is where it all begins.  First step, register Madison for school and then we will go from there……slowly unpacking as we reinvent ourselves!

- Shar

After you’ve moved into your new home or apartment you need to find out what kind of surface you’re going to be painting on and the circumstances of what you’re trying to do. For instance a primer should suffice if you’re only interested in painting over a wall that’s flaking or peeling because it’s probably been painted with finish paint already.

Regardless though, you’re going to need a primer to get started on painting your house. It’ll help prevent stains or cracks in the future.

The finish paints is where it can get complicated for the average painter. There are actually two different types of finish paints. One is an Alkyd paint which is more of an oil-based paint and there is the latex kind. The latex paint dries fairly quickly and doesn’t have much a stench.

The key is what level of gloss you’re looking for. Gloss is the shine that reflects off the painted finish surface. The four different kinds of glosses are flat, satin, semi-gloss and gloss.

The kind of gloss you’re going to want depends on how much action the room you’re looking to paint might see.

The flat gloss paints is great for rooms that don’t have much risk for potential damage, unlike a kid’s room. The satin finish is more suitable for a children’s room because it’s more stain resistant, making it easier to clean. Another level higher than the satin finish is the semi gloss paint. It’s even easier to clean than the satin kind as well as extremely durable. The gloss that is normally used for the crowded rooms like the kitchens and dining rooms is the gloss paint. It’s a hard type of paint that is easy to clean and incredibly stain resistant.

Before you decide on painting the house or apartment, do it after the movers have left your residence. They may have caused some accidental damage to your walls that might have to be repaired before you start painting your house or apartment. There is no point in doing it twice.

Consider the size of your family, how many kids you plan on having jumping around your house than you’ll be able choose the right paint with the right gloss.

Are you moving to Los Angeles and just not sure what to expect on your new journey? Not sure what it’s like to shop, travel, or move around the city. There is nothing worse than moving to a new city and not having any guidance to help you get settled. No matter if you are moving to the heart of Los Angeles or outside the perimeter, we have some tips that will help make your transition the easiest it has ever been.

Selecting a Los Angeles Mover

Before relocating to California, you have to find a mover who is familiar with the area to get your belongings to your desired destination. Not to worry, finding a moving company in Los Angeles isn’t as hard as it seems. Get free moving quotes from Los Angeles moving companies.

When you are searching for a Los Angeles moving company, here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Only speak with movers who are certified and having moving permits on hand.
• Make sure each moving company you select makes a personal visit to your home and provides a written estimate. Never receive quotes over the phone.
• Have a backup moving company in mind just in case.
• Select a moving company that offers valid moving insurance. Just in case something breaks, you need to make sure you are covered.
• If you are moving from another state, use a Los Angeles moving company with GPS trucks so that you can easily track their progress.
• Contact the Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Los Angeles or (AMSA) American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA) to make sure the Los Angeles moving company is reliable.

During your moving process, if you feel like you have been a victim of moving fraud, please contact the County of Los Angeles Department of Consumer Affairs. Moving companies in Los Angeles can receive a fine up to $30,000 or revocation of their license for theft or fraud. For more information, click here or call (800) 593-8222

Switching Your License

Once you are finally moved in, you will need to change your license over with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) of California. Just in case you were concerned about cost, it is absolutely free to change your address but there are a fees associated with getting a new license. Here are a list of fees.

How To Notify The DMV
There are three ways to notify the DMV of your new address:

• By Mail: Fill out a short Notice of Change of Address form and mail it to the address at the top.

• In Person: If you don’t feel like paying for a stamp, drop in to your local DMV office and complete a Notice of Change of Address form there.

• Online: Under certain circumstances you can access the online CA DMV change of address system.

For more information you can contact the DMV of California by calling (800) 777-0133.

Commuting in Los Angeles

Everyone that moves to California has a major concern for commuting, especially the metropolis area of Los Angeles. Depending on where your home is located, your commute to and from home, work, or school can either be extremely excellent or dreadful.

Here are some helpful links to help with your daily commute:

LADOT Transit – Primary site for transit services in the Southern California area. Everything from DASH, Cityride, Commuter Express, and Charter Bus Programs will help you get on the right track. Get additional information on bicycling in Los Angeles and parking in Los Angeles.

MetroLink Trains – Metrolink is a premier regional rail system, including commuter and other passenger services, linking communities to employment and activity centers.  Metrolink provides reliable transportation and mobility for the region, leading toward more livable communities.

MetroNet-Serves as a transportation resource to help plan, coordinate, design coordinate Los Angeles transportation system. MetroNet has a great mobile application to get alerts, arrival times, and more on your Android device.

Los Angeles traffic is something you may not want to go head-to-head with. Get a plan together on how you plan to handle your daily commute throughout the city of L.A.

Finding the Right Neighborhood

Finding a neighborhood can be hard if you don’t know what you are looking for. No matter if you are looking for a house or an apartment, you have to know exactly what neighborhood is fitting for your lifestyle.  Here are a few questions to keep in mind:

1. How long am I willing to commute to work?
2. How close are schools, grocery stores, and gas stations?
3. How are there any good schools in the area?
4. How far am I from the nightlife scene?
5. How far am I from public transportation?
6. What is the crime rate in the area and surrounding neighborhoods?

Even if you have the answer to all the above questions, still make it a point to do as much research as possible and visit each community to see which Los Angeles community interest you.

Just a couple minor glitches but everything accounted for and the ONLY casualties were one brandy snifter in pieces and a small copper ore slab that broke in half — my bad!

I still have a few boxes worth of books to stow and wall decor to put in place, but thanks to you at Atlas/Allied, Portland is now my lovely new home!

And then came a $50 gift certificate for Restaurant.com — wonderful unexpected frosting on the cake!

Thanks for everything and all best wishes,
Carolan

TV
When buying a TV, it’s very tempting to go to a place like Best Buy to pick out a new flat screen. These stores are often close by and have relatively fair prices. This would be a huge mistake. Major chain stores are usually more expensive than many other places. Go online and search for the best prices. It doesn’t matter where the TV comes from, as long as the brand of the TV is quality. In terms of brands: Sony, Samsung, Sharp, and Panasonic are all reliable and quality brands that’ll make s great addition to your entertainment center.

Sound System
Why have a nice TV if you can’t hear what’s going on? That’s why you need a killer sound system for your new home. From Bose to Altec-Lansing, there are plenty of options out there. The key to a good sound system though is making sure that it fits the size of your room. If the room is too small, the sound may be too loud. If the room is too big, then the sound system may not work effectively.

Furniture
Maybe the most important part to your entertainment room is where you sit. Where you sit is where you relax, and you can’t be entertained if you can’t relax. Leather? Micro fiber? What’s it going to be? It’s really up to you what type of couch you’re going to get. Just make sure it’s comfy enough that you could sleep on it, because if it’s good enough to sleep on, then it’s definitely good enough to sit on.

Video Games
What would an entertainment room be like without video games? Obviously the hot systems out there now are Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and the Wii. These systems are at the forefront of interactivity and graphics, with games that will blow your mind. Unfortunately, these systems and their games are very expensive. So if you cannot afford one of them, then don’t be afraid to dial back and get an older system. A Playstation 1 or 2, an Xbox, and some really old favorites like Super Nintendo or Sega Genesis are all great throw backs to add to your entertainment center. Whatever system you choose, whether old or new, you’ll still have a choice of games that can show you a good time.

Additional Fun
Aside from the basics, there are always a few extras that can make your entertainment room even better. Something like a pool table, dart board, ping pong table, or foosball table will make your entertainment room an even cooler place to hang out. These types of games allow for active fun and a great way to release energy. If you’re looking for something larger than a dart board but smaller than a pool table, then a bumper pool table is what you need. A bumper pool table has all the fun elements of a regular sized pool table, and it can be just as fun and interactive.

Usually after a big move it’s difficult to have people over because your place is a mess. It’s filled with boxes, bags, more boxes, and trash that would get in the way of having fun with your friends. But once you build your new entertainment room, your house will be the place to be.

Beds
If you’re still waiting on a bed and couches and have nowhere to sleep, don’t worry, there’s something you can do. Air Mattresses. These beautiful inflatable inventions are relatively cheap and pretty darn comfortable. They take a few seconds to inflate (most come with a pump) and you can go days before you need to inflate them again. The best part of these air mattresses is that once you’re done with them, let the air out, fold them up, and save them for a later date (maybe when you have guests over). Here’s a tip: using 2 thin air mattresses on top of each other is even more comfortable.

Food (only for those that have never lived on their own before)
Now that you’re on your own you don’t have the luxury of going downstairs and having your mom hand you a plate of food. No more buffets of food ready for you like you had in school. The hardest part now is knowing what you need. You know what you like but you never really had to buy it all by yourself. The best thing for you to do is buy only what you need for that day. After a week or two you should get a better idea of exactly what you’ll need. For the first few weeks make easy things like pasta, vegetables, hot dogs, eggs, or even go out to eat. Don’t over-buy and don’t over exert yourself with making fine cuisine. You’re still getting your home together; you don’t want cooking problems getting in your way.

Tables & Chairs
The dinning room set is on its way, but what’ll you do in the mean time? You can try having an indoor picnic. Just lay a sheet on the ground and munch away as if you were in grassy green park. If you don’t want to eat on the floor, then you can always buy an inexpensive plastic fold out table with a couple of fold out chairs or stools. These items can hold you off until the real dinning room set arrives. And worst comes to worst, you have an extra table and some extra chairs that you can always use – you guessed it – when you have guests over.

With these tips, hopefully you’ll be able to get comfortable in your new home even without the furnishing a new home is supposed to have.