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Timeline To Moving Checklist

Use Our Handy Checklist to Help Organize Your Move

Whether you’ve recently purchased your new dream home, or are making plans to buy soon, you’ll want to take a look at our comprehensive Timeline to Moving Checklist.

It’s full of items you’ll need to remember to take care of before, during and after your move.

ORGANIZE YOUR MOVE

Below is a sample of the types of “moving” reminders you’ll find on the checklist:

Before You Move:

• Two Months Prior
  • Create an inventory of valuable items for insurance purposes.
  • Make sure your new home construction is on schedule.
  • Print your floorplan so you’ll know where everything goes in your new home.
• Six Weeks Prior
  • Medical needs. Get your medical and dental records to give to future providers. Don’t forget the vet records for your pets.
  • Research doctors, dentists, vets and pet sitters in your new neighborhood.
  • Contact your insurance agent to research and establish an insurance policy for your new home.
• One Month Prior
  • Check in with your lender to make sure your new mortgage is on track for the closing date.
  • Cancel your lawn care and/or cleaning service.
  • Return your library books and any other borrowed items.
• One Week Prior
  • Dispose of all cleaning solutions or flammable liquids that can’t be moved.
  • Confirm your moving company reservation and be ready with your payment and tip.
  • Arrange for childcare and pet care for moving day.
• One Day Prior
  • Drain your washing machine and hoses.
  • Get some cash to have on hand.
  • Make a post-move grocery list and locate the nearest store.

Moving Day:

• Watch the movers to be sure everything is handled properly.
• Leave note with your new address for the new residents.
• Turn off all lights and lock all the windows and doors before you leave.

After You Move:

As soon as you have unpacked the basics, it will be time to locate some of the following services and companies:

• Window treatments. You may want to set up an appointment with a provider even before your move-in day.
• Community groups for you and your kids.
• Fitness center.

GET THE TIMELINE TO MOVING CHECKLIST NOW

View the complete Time to Moving checklist, or download a PDF version.

SHARE YOUR MOVING TIPS

If you’ve got a tip on how to organize, we’d love to hear it. Please leave a comment below!

Today’s new homes offer plenty of new and innovative storage options. But, can you really ever have too much storage?? Here are a few ideas to try out:

1. Pantry Solutions: Tired of scouring the back of the pantry for that can of soup that you know you bought? Installing tiered shelf organizers can really maximize your space and increase visibility.
2. Bathroom Organization: The back of the bathroom door is a great place to hang hooks or baskets to keep your knickknacks out of sight and organized. Standing cabinets or over-the-toilet shelves are great, inexpensive options, as well.
3. Practical Bedroom Furniture: Many beds come with built-in bookcase headboards and hideaway drawers underneath. Add a chest at the foot of the bed, and your bedroom space will be more efficient in no time.

Remember, creativity is the key. The opportunities to maximize your space are virtually limitless!

Need more inspiration? Click here to check out The Family Handyman for great do-it-yourself storage and organization ideas.

It’s only November, but judging by the recent temperature drop, Old Man Winter will be knocking at our doors soon enough! Here are some great tips to get your home ready for his arrival.

1.  Get Your Hands Dirty – Avoid potential leaks by cleaning your gutters to allow proper drainage and sealing any leaks outside your home with weather-resistant caulk.

2.  99% Insulation, 1% Perspiration – Prevent frozen pipes by properly wrapping and insulating pipes that run through unheated spaces and by draining outdoor hose lines before nighttime temps drop below freezing.

3.  Lock the Heat In – You’d be surprised at how much you can save in energy costs over the course of the winter with simple, low-cost tricks! Try reversing the direction of your ceiling fans, moving furniture off of vents and using an under-the-door draft stopper.

Click here to learn about more ways you can keep your house cozy and damage-free this winter.

“I can afford monthly mortgage payments, but I just can’t afford a 20% down payment right now.”

Sound familiar?

Luckily, a high down payment doesn’t have to keep you from owning the new home you’ve always wanted. Here are a few options that can help:

1. Conventional Mortgage: Conventional loans backed by Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae save you money by allowing down payments as low as 5%. Their special homebuyer programs may help qualified buyers avoid paying for mortgage insurance, too!

2. FHA Mortgage: There are some limitations to how much you can borrow with an FHA mortgage, but it’s easy to qualify and requires as little as 3.5% down!

3. VA Mortgage: For veterans or active-duty service members, a VA mortgage is often a great way to go. The U.S. Government will guarantee your loan, giving you a chance to buy with no down payment or mortgage insurance. Certain non-military, service-affiliated borrowers also qualify.

4. USDA Mortgage: Contrary to what its name might imply, a USDA mortgage does not limit you to a very rural area. Many neighborhoods that would be considered suburbs are covered under this zero down, low-rate mortgage.

Click here for more details on these four mortgage options from MortgageLoan.com.

Deciding where and exactly which home to buy can be a challenge, but deciding whether to buy a new home or a used home is pretty simple (if you ask us).

Here are 4 great reasons homebuyers just like you are choosing to buy new:

1. Have It Your Way
With a new home, you get to pick what you want. You get to choose the floorplan, layout, amenities, fixtures, and finishes. After all, it’s your home, shouldn’t it reflect your style?

2. Save Money on Utility Bills
New homes are far more energy efficient than homes built even five years ago. Great for the environment, increased efficiency is also great for your wallet!

3. More Amenities
Many new homes are built in larger master-planned communities where you can enjoy pools, fitness centers, clubhouses, tennis courts, and a variety of other great features.

4. Your Home, Your Style
New homes offer open-concept floorplans, higher energy efficiency, more modern features and finishes, and a level of quality that most used homes simply cannot match. Instead of spending your time on improvement projects to undo someone else’s vision in a used home, spend your time enjoying all the features and style of your new home.

The best place to start your new home? The New Homes Guide website, of course.

Happy house hunting!

While the thought of conserving water might feel like mission impossible during the 90-degree+ days we’ve been “enjoying” these last few months, cutting back just a bit will not only help the environment, but will also save you money on your water bill.

Here’s how you can save:

1. Check your faucets, hose bibs, toilets, etc. for leaks. Those little drops add up fast!
2. Shorten your showers or, for more savings, try a low-flow showerhead. Did you know that a quick, four-minute shower uses as much as 20 to 40 gallons of water?
3. Turn off the water when you’re brushing your teeth or shaving.
4. Only use your washing machine or dishwasher for full loads.
5. Don’t let the water run when rinsing or hand-washing dishes.
6. Only water your lawn when it really needs it.
7. Don’t let the hose run when washing your car or watering plants.

The average family can use over 400 gallons of water every day and while these tips might not seem like much, they could help you cut your usage by up to 30%.

For 93 more ways to conserve water, click here to visit the Water – Use It Wisely website.

Let’s face it. Most of us have a picture in our minds of the perfect home, right down to the white picket fence and neatly trimmed lawn, leading to a new home wish list that’s a mile long.

So, how do you separate your true must-haves from the nice-to-haves? First, let’s define a want vs. a need.

Needs: Necessary requirements—these are the key factors driving your purchasing decision
Examples include: The right number of bedrooms and baths to accommodate your family; a garage or yard; proximity to great schools and work; plumbing, electrical and other systems in good working condition

Wants: Non-essential items that you hope to have in your new place
Examples include: Pool; Jacuzzi; specific paint colors; a bay window or fireplace; carpeting or hard wood floors; skylights; a scenic view; a remodeled kitchen

Now it’s your turn. Take a sheet of paper and split it into two columns—Wants and Needs—and list each of your new home desires in the appropriate column.

Remember, be honest.

It may seem simple, but this little exercise will not only help you stay within your budget, it will help focus your home search and steer you toward the place that is truly right for you.

A great place to start your search? The New Homes Guide website, of course!

Good luck and, as always, happy house hunting!

Vacation is right around the corner and while your mind is already on the beach, putting your feet up, and taking that much-deserved break, below are some helpful tips on what you should do to keep your home safe and secure while you’re off having fun.

Lock it Up
Make sure your doors and windows are locked properly, but also that they are in good shape and not easily broken.

Hide and Seek
Close the blinds and shades just enough so no one can peek in and see that new flat-screen.

A Helping Hand
Have a friend or neighbor collect your mail, newspaper, and even check in on your house from time to time.

Sound the Alarm
If you have an alarm system, set it. You’d be surprised how much the simple presence of an alarm system keeps burglars at bay.

Unplugged
Unplug your electronics–and power strips–to prevent shortages or electrical fires while you’re away.

Clean and Green
Take care of routine lawn maintenance before you leave–nothing says “no one’s home” like an unkempt lawn.

Silence is Golden
Think twice before you announce on Facebook that you’re headed out of town. You may be tempted to post or tweet your plans, but it’s a safer bet to share the details of your amazing trip after you get back.

Wherever you are headed, safe travels, and as always, happy house hunting!  For more helpful information and new home news, click here to subscribe to our blog feed.

If you’re like most of us, your A/C is probably working over-time as temperatures soar here in the D.C. Metro area. So, how do you make sure that your new home will keep you cool without breaking the bank on your electricity bill?

One sure way is to look for homes with a HERS rating. What’s a HERS rating? Well, HERS—or Home Energy Rating System—is the nationally recognized system for inspecting and calculating a home’s energy performance.

But what does a HERS rating mean for you, the home buyer? Here’s what:

Every HERS-rated home is given a score based on its energy performance as determined by a certified RESNET Home Energy Rater. The lower the HERS rating, the more energy efficient the home. The more energy efficient the home, the more you save on utility bills each month.

Knowing a home’s HERS score BEFORE you buy means you’ll know the projected energy costs of living in that home and can factor that into your decision.

Our recommendation, look for that HERS rating. If the home you’re considering doesn’t have one, request it. You won’t regret it.

To learn more about HERS and RESNET, click here.

One of the first items on your new home quest checklist should deal with your finances because getting a mortgage these days can prove to be challenging. We hear about the issue almost daily but what do YOU do to put yourself in the best position to obtain the best mortage? There are some basic steps you should take both to keep your credit looking good and to make sure your financial picture doesn’t change during the mortgage application process.

1. The very first step is to find out what your credit score is right now. You may have checked in the past year, but you may not be aware of changes that have posted to your credit report – either correctly or erroneously – that have affected your score. All three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) must provide you with a free report annually so be sure to get a copy from each one. One of the easiest sites I’ve found to work with is AnnualCreditReport.com.
2. Do you pay your bills on time? Even 1 or 2 late payments can greatly affect your score so be sure to stay on track with your payments and due dates.  Setting up automatic payments is a great method to make sure you don’t ever miss a payment.
3. Your income should be steady and reliable. Sounds basic enough but realize that lenders really like to see at least 2 years of employment within the same field and you will need to provide the supporting documentation. If you hold a commission-paying job, you may need even longer time in that field.
4. Please don’t go out and buy that new boat (or car or motorcycle or any big ticket item!) as soon as you get loan approval! New loans can adversely affect your credit during the critical period from loan approval thru settlement so hold off until you’ve gone to settlement. And keep in mind, it’s not just new loans – you need to maintain a certain amount of reserves so paying cash for expensive items doesn’t necessarily help. If you must absolutely purchase something, talk to your lender.
5. A common theme I have often heard is that buyers want to close old credit cards. That’s not necessarily the best move so talk to your mortgage lender before doing so. The lenders want to see credit history and a reasonable amount of available credit - closing cards can affect both of those.

These are just a few tips to help you purchase your dream home this year. Bankrate.com offers additional advice as well so check out their recent article “12 Mortgage Moves to Buy a Home in 2012″. And of course your lender is one of the best resources to talk to them to get guidance tailored for you.

Happy House Hunting!