From: brittney shipp

Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2013 1:01 PM
To: Quinn, Dawn
Subject: Re: Brittney shipp

I am writing this letter to inform you what a wonderful experience I had with their company- both while picking up my things in Phoenix and the crew that unloaded them in Philadelphia. Both crews were extremely helpful…went above and beyond. They were fast, courteous, and careful. They worked very hard and handled all of my items with care. It made my transition so much easier. I am very happy with the service provided and wanted to make sure the crews know and management recognizes it.

Thank you,
Brittney Shipp

 From: Allen Etling
Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2013 12:14 PM
To: Traci Rader
Subject: THANKS FOR EVERYTHING

Wonderful!  We are very grateful this move is going so smoothly, and we’ve run into supportive helpers, such as yourself during this transition.  Thanks.
Sherri

America’s Moving: Hello Texas, Bye-Bye Wyoming
By Ira Sager and Evan Applegate |  View original Bloomberg article

View PDF Version (796 KB)
View the Moving Migration Patterns Infographic

Where is America moving?

Since January 1993, Atlas Van Lines has reviewed and released data on the origins and destinations of interstate moves throughout the previous calendar year. The 2012 Migration Patterns study results provide a snapshot of relocation patterns and this year reflect that there have been more shifts from inbound and outbound to balanced states.

While Southwestern and Mid-Atlantic coastal states remain as the most popular destinations, the Midwest is moving to a more balanced region than in years past. California comes in at the top with nearly 13,000 moves in 2012. For the seventh consecutive year, Washington D.C. had the highest percentage of inbound moves, while Nebraska and New York beat out Ohio for the highest percentage of outbound moves.

Other migration trends:

Northern States

The Northern states saw no changes from 2011 to 2012. New York and New Jersey have been outbound for more than 10 years, with Pennsylvania remaining balanced for more than 10 years. Washington DC is the only northern location with more than 10 years on the inbound list.

Southern States

The Southeast remains balanced. Southwest states Texas and New Mexico continue to be inbound states, as well as Mid-Atlantic states Virginia and North Carolina. Kentucky remains balanced in 2012 after becoming a newly inbound state in 2010 and moving back to balanced in 2011.

Midwestern States

After 2011 showed the majority of its states with more outbound than inbound moves, the Midwest region now has five balanced states – Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, Missouri and Michigan. Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Kansas, Minnesota and Nebraska remain outbound. Indiana has been an outbound state for more than 11 consecutive years. No Midwestern state has been classified as inbound for more than 10 years.

Western States

The annual study shows that the majority of the Western states remain balanced. Only two states are inbound or outbound – Utah (outbound) and New Mexico (inbound). California has now been balanced for more than 10 consecutive years.

How is a state classified?

Each state/province has a threshold value, which is the total number of shipments multiplied by 0.55 (for example, in a state with 100 moves, at least 55 of them would have to be outgoing to classify the state as outbound). A state/province is considered:

• Outbound when outbound shipments exceed the threshold.
• Inbound when inbound shipments exceed the threshold.

All other states are classified as balanced. Shipments noted for Canada are cross-border to the United States or from the United States (not inter-provincial).

View our 2012 Migration Patterns Infographic for a 10-year snapshot!

]]> http://www.alliedmovingblog.com/2013/03/2012-moving-patterns/feed/ 0 http://www.alliedmovingblog.com/2013/02/december-home-prices-jump-19-6-in-southern-california/ http://www.alliedmovingblog.com/2013/02/december-home-prices-jump-19-6-in-southern-california/#comments Fri, 15 Feb 2013 18:51:23 +0000 admin http://www.alliedmovingblog.com/?p=1469

All you San Diego movers out there should check out the following article about California’s Housing market from the LA Times:

Southern California’s housing market ended the year with sharp gains, rounding out the first solid year of sustained improvement after nearly five years of real estate malaise – and helping set up further improvement in 2013.

The region’s median home price registered a sizable 19.6% pop in December compared with the same month last year to hit $323,000, real estate firm DataQuick reported Tuesday. A record level of cash buyers flooded into the market and more move-up homes sold last month.

While Southland housing is on the mend, the steep increase in the region’s median price last month probably reflects a variety of factors, such as the mix of what sold in December, and the run-up may not continue at that brisk pace, experts said. The median is the point at which half the homes in the region sold for more and half for less.

“There is no possible way that number can be sustained nor should anybody look at that as a long-term trend,” said Stuart Gabriel, director of the Ziman Center for Real Estate at UCLA. “We haven’t shifted from bust back to bubble, and nobody should think we have, and nor likely will we.”

When compared with the prior month, the median was essentially flat, up only 0.6%. San Bernardino and Riverside counties posted the strongest year-over-year increases, up 20.0% and 19.1%, respectively, indicating that the once hard-hit Inland Empire is now probably in recovery.

The median is heavily influenced by the types of homes selling, and some of last month’s pricier sales may have been driven by fears of increased tax burdens on the wealthy, as Washington wrangled with the “fiscal cliff” negotiations.

A rise in prices will mean more homeowners who had been underwater — owing more on their mortgages than their homes are worth, a condition also known as negative equity — can now put their properties on the market. That would help ease the region’s inventory squeeze, which is another major factor driving up prices.

Last year was the first year of solid improvement since housing crashed in 2007. The strong performance last month indicates that 2013 will continue to bring home price gains, analysts said.

“Our forecast over the next 12 months is for equally strong appreciation,” Zillow.com chief economist Stan Humphries said. “Even though we have got a lot of homes still in negative equity in Southern California, the tight inventory is definitely creating some price appreciation.”

An estimated total of 20,274 new and previously owned homes and condominiums sold throughout the six-county region in December. That was a 5.1% increase from November and up 5.3% from December 2011. Last month’s tally was the highest for a December since 2009.

The 2012 housing rebound came after foreclosures declined, housing inventory plummeted, mortgage interest rates hit record lows and demand from investors surged last year.

In addition, the overhang of the last housing bust resulted in some unexpected benefits.

For instance, the high number of underwater borrowers actually served as a boost to the market rather than being a drag, as people kept their homes off the market, decreasing inventory.

“The lock-out phenomenon, combined with the rise in investors converting foreclosures into rentals, led to a lack of for-sale inventory,” CoreLogic economist Sam Khater wrote in a research note. “With home prices rising in 2012 and 2013, tight for-sale inventory will begin to ease.”

Nationally, CoreLogic reported that home prices were on a sharp upward trajectory in November, with almost all states posting gains that month. The firm’s home price index report, also released Tuesday, showed that home prices nationwide increased 7.4% year-over-year.

“Consistent price increases throughout 2012 have started the process of lifting households out of negative equity, which will support home sales and refinancing volumes,” Paul Diggle, an economist for Capital Economics, wrote in an emailed analysis. “Lower levels of negative equity is good news for housing market activity and sets up a virtuous circle of rising activity leading to rising prices and pushing negative equity down further.”

In California, buyers can anticipate a tight market in the near term. A supply of only about 2 1/2 months’ worth of single-family homes for sale was available statewide at the end of December, the California Assn. of Realtors reported Tuesday. A supply of six or seven months is considered healthy by most economists.

Supply from distressed sales, particularly from foreclosed homes, will remain limited as those homes are being quickly snapped up by investors while the number of troubled borrowers entering foreclosure continues to decline. The number of notices of default — the first step in the formal foreclosure process — fell 14.5% in December from November and dropped 39.8% from December 2011, according to foreclosure tracker ForeclosureRadar.com.

The decline in foreclosures has been aided by an increase in short sales, as The Times recently reported, as well as other loan aid for borrowers. The drop in foreclosures should continue to help lift prices.

“For 2013, we largely expect more of the same,” Sean O’Toole, chief executive of ForeclosureRadar, wrote in a blog post this week. “Demand will remain strong thanks to Federal Reserve-manipulated low interest rates and affordability. Housing supply will remain constrained, largely due to government foreclosure intervention. As a result, prices will rise, though likely at a slower pace.”

The increase in the median home price in Southern California reflects market dynamics as fewer sales are logged in cheaper neighborhoods and pricier places take off.

Throughout Southern California, sales of mid-to-higher-cost markets rose in December, DataQuick reported. Sales of homes between $300,000 and $800,000, the typical move-up range, jumped 31.4% year-over-year. Sales of homes above $500,000 soared 40.0% year-over-year, while sales of homes of more than $800,000 were up 36.3%.

Meanwhile, cheaper neighborhoods posted weak sales. Most notably, the number of homes throughout the region that sold below $200,000 dropped 28.1% while those below $300,000 fell 18.2%.

Sales of foreclosed homes made up just 14.8% of the market last month, down from 15.4% the month before and 32.4% in December 2011. That compares with a high of 56.7% of the market in February 2009.

Cash buyers and investors are playing a big part in snapping up home inventory. Cash buyers bought up 33.8% of all resale homes last month, while absentee buyers purchased 29.1% of Southland homes in December, DataQuick said.

California maintains inbound status, big jumps by North Carolina and Utah

The Lone Star State has again locked up the title of the top Magnet State for the 8^th year running, according to the annual Allied Van Lines Magnet States Report.

For the eighth year in a row, Texas eclipsed every other state and maintained its lead as the top magnet state in 2012 based on Allied’s report, which tracks U.S. migration patterns.

With a net relocation gain of 1,585 families in 2012 (inbound moves minus outbound moves performed by Allied Van Lines, one of the world’s largest moving companies), Texas far outpaces Florida, the next most magnetic state, with a net relocation gain of 666 moves.

“Being named the Magnet State for the eighth year in a row proves that people continue to vote with their feet, choosing Texas’ principled and restrained spending, low taxes and strong job creation record as the best opportunity for their future,” Texas Governor Rick Perry said. “We are committed to strengthening the fiscal principles and economic climate that have made Texas the best state in the nation to live, work, raise a family and start a business.”

Allied agent Ben Hurwitz agrees.  “It is not at all surprising to me that Texas is the number one Magnet State for 2012,” said Hurwitz, president of Westheimer Transfer and Storage of Houston.   “Texas has a business-friendly climate that continues to bring major companies to our state. We have reasonably priced housing compared to the rest of the country. Plus, Texas has a very diverse population and is welcoming to people from many different cultural and ethnic groups.”

Last year’s third place state, South Carolina, has dropped out of the top five, and Arizona moved from sixth to third position in the report. Colorado and last year’s newcomer, Oregon, round out the top five.

Some states made big gains this year, including North Carolina (from the 22^nd spot on the outbound list to the ninth spot on the inbound list) and Utah (from 25^th to 11^th most inbound state).

California, which was the No. 1 outbound state in 2006 and 2004, maintains a strong positive showing, dropping slightly from seventh to eighth place on the inbound list.  California once again maintains its title as the most mobile state, with a total of more than 12,000 moves conducted by Allied Van Lines.

“Slow and steady is the overall theme for this year’s report,” said Steven McKenna, VP, Pricing and Contract Services for SIRVA.  “The current economic indicators should be a positive sign for growth as we move into 2013.”

Outbound States

The top five outbound states remain consistent, as they have since 2010.  However, the top two spots flip in 2012, with Pennsylvania moving to the top outbound state (net relocation loss of 948 moves) and Illinois dropping to the second position (net loss of 882 moves).  These were followed by Michigan, New Jersey and New York.

Household Goods Shipments
January – November 2012
Outbound				Inbound
Origin State	Shipment Vol	% Total		Destination State	Shipment Vol	% Total
CA	5,967	8.9%		CA	6,178	9.2%
FL	4,916	7.3%		FL	5,582	8.3%
TX	4,405	6.5%		TX	5,990	8.9%
IL	3,572	5.3%		IL	2,690	4.0%
PA	2,884	4.3%		PA	1,936	2.9%
NY	2,867	4.3%		NY	2,330	3.5%
VA	2,859	4.2%		VA	2,800	4.2%
NC	2,681	4.0%		NC	2,836	4.2%
MI	2,173	3.2%		MI	1,396	2.1%
WA	2,065	3.1%		WA	2,182	3.2%
NJ	2,018	3.0%		NJ	1,334	2.0%
CO	1,989	3.0%		CO	2,440	3.6%
OH	1,984	2.9%		OH	2,057	3.1%
GA	1,969	2.9%		GA	2,264	3.4%
AZ	1,936	2.9%		AZ	2,369	3.5%
TN	1,555	2.3%		TN	1,505	2.2%
MD	1,442	2.1%		MD	1,273	1.9%
MA	1,404	2.1%		MA	1,326	2.0%
SC	1,376	2.0%		SC	1,687	2.5%
MN	1,199	1.8%		MN	1,190	1.8%
CT	1,057	1.6%		CT	956	1.4%
IN	1,028	1.5%		IN	930	1.4%
NV	951	1.4%		NV	948	1.4%
WI	913	1.4%		WI	952	1.4%
MO	902	1.3%		MO	921	1.4%
AL	870	1.3%		AL	854	1.3%
IA	864	1.3%		IA	634	0.9%
LA	845	1.3%		LA	749	1.1%
OK	833	1.2%		OK	663	1.0%
KS	783	1.2%		KS	619	0.9%
UT	718	1.1%		UT	864	1.3%
OR	711	1.1%		OR	1,059	1.6%
KY	683	1.0%		KY	837	1.2%
NM	526	0.8%		NM	564	0.8%
WV	449	0.7%		WV	279	0.4%
MS	443	0.7%		MS	368	0.5%
NE	403	0.6%		NE	369	0.5%
ID	359	0.5%		ID	484	0.7%
DE	355	0.5%		DE	393	0.6%
ME	347	0.5%		ME	296	0.4%
AR	333	0.5%		AR	405	0.6%
DC	331	0.5%		DC	370	0.5%
NH	265	0.4%		NH	304	0.5%
ND	243	0.4%		ND	184	0.3%
SD	218	0.3%		SD	186	0.3%
RI	214	0.3%		RI	178	0.3%
WY	168	0.2%		WY	172	0.3%
VT	138	0.2%		VT	171	0.3%
MT	121	0.2%		MT	250	0.4%
AK	20	0.0%		AK	28	0.0%
Total	67,352	100.0%		Total	67,352	100.0%

]]> http://www.alliedmovingblog.com/2013/02/allied-van-lines-announces-45th-annual-magnet-states-report/feed/ 0 http://www.alliedmovingblog.com/2013/01/happy-san-diego-mover/ http://www.alliedmovingblog.com/2013/01/happy-san-diego-mover/#comments Fri, 25 Jan 2013 20:25:33 +0000 admin http://www.alliedmovingblog.com/?p=1454 This San Diego moving loves to hear about ways we have made your moving experience a little better. Below is one such story.

Alex

Hi Alex,

We are all settled in now, thanks to your fantastic crew who moved us! They really were the best I have ever seen, and more than I could have hoped for. Speedy, super nice, and super efficient! We were all moved in by 2:45 that day

Thanks so much,

Jennifer Ellis
Chief Operating Officer