A FEW EASY WAYS TO TAKE THE HEADACHE OUT OF MOVING
By Mark Schreier, LSA
Moving from one house to another is always a challenge, but it doesn't have to be a nightmare. Here are some simple tips on how to get it done with minimal stress and strain.
•· Look at all the alternatives: hiring a moving company, for example, versus renting a truck and doing it yourself. Whichever alternative makes most sense for you, get bids from more than one vendor.
•· A few days before the moving company is scheduled to arrive or you're supposed to pick up your rental truck, call to confirm that everything is on track to happen when it's supposed to .
•· Prepare your change of address cards in advance and send them out as soon as it's appropriate to do so. The post office, utilities, companies and people you do business with, city hall, friends, relatives - all should be notified of your move.
•· Get an early start on packing by concentrating on seldom-used items first. Each box should have its contents and the room those contents belong in written on it clearly.
•· Take a hard look at things you seldom or never use and throw away as many of them as you can. The more you throw away, the less you'll have to move. Every item you throw away is one less item to clutter up you new home.
•· Use your extra towels and linens to protect breakables. When your supply of these things is exhausted, crumpled newspaper makes an excellent substitute. Write "Fragile" on all appropriate boxes.
•· Put your valuables (such as jewelry) and important documents (birth certificates, car titles, etc.) aside in some safe place where they won't be misplaced.
•· When the house is empty, go back for a thorough final inspection. Check closets, crawl spaces, basement, attic, out-of-the-way nooks and crannies of all kinds. Have a second person make the same inspection separately.
•· Clean your new home thoroughly before moving in. It's infinitely easier that way.
•· Decide in advance where you want the heavy furniture. Changing your mind after the movers have departed is no fun - especially for your back!
•· Locate all fuses, circuit breakers, and water/gas and electrical valves. Record the meter readings and check the smoke detectors.
•· List the phone numbers of the local police and fire stations, doctors, nearby hospitals, etc. Put a copy of your list near each phone.
Above all, plan, plan, plan and plan some more. Make a schedule you can live with, and then stick to it. Preparation and forethought will help you to keep everything under control and finish the move with your sanity and your nervous system intact.
Purchasing a home can be a complicated and confusing process, especially for first-time buyers. Throughout the process, first-time home buyers will encounter a variety of unfamiliar real state terms. There are several key terms associates with purchasing real estate that are helpful to learn.
For example, many buyers confuse the terms broker and salesperson. A broker is a properly licensed individual, or corporation, who serves as a special agent in the purchase and sale of real estate, a salesperson is an individual employed or associated by written agreement by the broker as an independent contractor. The salesperson facilitates the purchase or sale of real estate.
Once you decide to purchase, a salesperson will prepare a sales contract to present to the seller along with your earnest money deposit. The sales contract is the document through which the seller agrees to give possession and title of property to the buyer upon full payment of the purchase price and performance of agreed-upon conditions. The earnest money is a buyer's partial payment, as a show of good faith, to make the contract binding. Often, the earnest money is held in an escrow account. Escrow is the process by which money is held by a disinterested party until the terms of the escrow instructions are fulfilled.
After the buyer and seller have signed the contract, the buyer must obtain a mortgage note by presenting the contract to a mortgage lender. The note is the buyer's promise to pay the purchase price of the real estate in addition to a stated interest rate over a specified period of time. A mortgage lender places a lien on the property, or mortgage, and this secures the mortgage note.
The buyer pays interest money to the lender exchange for the use of money borrowed. Interest is usually referred to as APR or annual percentage rate. Interest is paid on the principle, the capital sum the buyer owes. Interest payments may be disguised in the form of points. Points are an up-front cost which may be paid by either the buyer or seller or both in conventional loans.
In general, there are two types of conventional loans that a buyer can obtain. A fixed rate loan has the same rate of interest for the life of the loan, usually 14 to 30 years. An adjustable rate loan or adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) provides a discounted initial rate, which changes after a set period of time. The rate can't exceed the interest rate cap or ceiling allowed on such loans for any one adjustment period. Some ARMs have a lifetime cap on interest. The buyer makes the loan and interest payments to the lender through amortization, the systematic payment and retirement of debt over a set period of time.
Once the contract has been signed and a mortgage note obtained, the buyer and seller must legally close the real estate transaction. The closing is a meeting where the buyer, seller and their attorneys review, sign and exchange the final documents. At the closing, the buyer receives the appraisal report, an estimate of the property's value with the appraiser's signature, certification and sporting documents. The buyer also receives the title and the deed. The title shows evidence of the buyer's ownership of the property while the deed legally transfers the title from the seller to the buyer. The final document the buyer receives at closing is a title insurance policy, insurance against the loss of the title if it's found to be imperfect.
Buyers should plan on a least four to twelve weeks for a typical real estate transaction. The process is difficult and at times, intimidating. A general understanding of real estate terminology and chronology of the transaction, however, will help any real estate novice to confidently buy his or her first home.
As a Realtor In this town I have been asked many real estate related questions. The most common is, Are our houses selling? My responses is that any house marketed properly will sell. When I meet with a client for the first time I explain how the real estate market works. I believe every homeowner needs to know how to secure the most value for their house. Most people have a basic idea of what their house is worth and for the most part they are not to far off the mark. They need an understanding of how to get the most value out of their home in the current market. Selling your house is more than listing it on the Long Island Multiple Listing Service (MLSLI) and placing an ad in Newsday.
Contact Me Today To Get The Most Value From Your Home!
Mark Schreier (516)263-9094 www.TopPlainviewRealtor.com
As a New York State licensed sales agent and teacher I believe in empowering my clients to make the most educated decisions they can. Educated decisions = less stress, and more $$$ for you.
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