IF YOU HAD TO LIST YOUR BIGGEST FEARS WHEN MOVING TO A NEW HOME, WHAT WOULD THEY BE? 

You might be worried about something valuable or sentimental breaking. Or you might worry that a box would get lost along the way. Or, that the movers won’t show up on time – or perhaps not at all.
But one thing you aren’t worrying about may be the biggest concern of all – the moving company you hired is a scam company, and they’re holding your stuff hostage until you fork over a wad of cash.
“There are bad guys out there for a number of reasons, just like in any other industry,” admits Linda Bauer Darr, president and CEO of the American Moving and Storage Association.
Bauer Darr says there are two primary scams consumers should watch out for when hiring movers: the hostage goods scam and the advance deposit scheme.
“In a hostage goods situation, somebody has already moved your stuff and quoted you one price. But by the time you get to the destination, they’re holding onto the goods and they ask you to pay an inflated price,” she explains, adding, “We all know that when someone’s charging twice the amount they originally quoted, something’s gone afoul.”
In a deposit scam, movers ask for a lot of money up front and then they never show.
Bill Bortgman, senior vice president of Graebel Relocation, describes a common hostage goods situation: “Most of the scam artists have a few tractor trailers and some warehouses, but relatively few. They will give a low-ball estimate over the phone. The price will be too good to be true. They’ll want a consumer to give a deposit upfront of 25% of the total. They’ll make arrangements, pick up your boxes, and leave. Once they knock on your new front door, they’ll ask for a credit card or certified check for twice the amount. When the consumer doesn’t have it, they’ll drive away with all the goods. The consumer then gets an invoice for a grossly inflated amount, a bill for four or five times what they were originally going to pay.” 

How can you protect yourself from a moving scam? According to Steve Bernas, president and CEO of the Chicago region of the Better Business Bureau, there are a few big red flags you should watch out for, including: 

· The moving company has no interest of an on-site inspection of your goods, which is key to giving you an accurate estimate of your total moving costs.
· The movers will accept only cash or a large deposit before they will move.
· The company’s website has no local address or information about licensing.
· The estimate is much lower than any other estimate you receive (which is why it’s always good to get three separate estimates).
· They refuse to put everything, or anything, in writing. 

Doing your research before you commit to a mover will help you avoid getting scammed, Bernas says. 

“Check with the Better Business Bureau to see whether the company is a BBB-accredited business and if there has been governmental action against them. We let consumers know the number of complaints, types of complaints, and patterns of complaints against a company. We’ll tell you whether the company resolved the complaints,” Bernas explained. 

“The FMCSA has a world of information on their website to help consumers,” Borgman says, adding that consumers who suspect they have a problem or who have had their belongings hijacked should call FMCSA’s toll free hotline (888-368-7238) to file a complaint.  

When It Comes to Buying a Home, Two Points Can Make a World of Difference 

RISMEDIA, May 18, 2009-Whether now is the precise time to purchase your dream home or not, there are certainly more than just a few good reasons to purchase-especially for first time buyers, according to John B. Bearden, president & CEO of GMAC Real Estate. 

In May, 30-year mortgage rates of 5 percent were widely available and down from January’s already low 5.8%, and rates are down a full two percentage points from August of last year. 

“What many consumers are not hearing is that despite a turbulent real estate market, mortgages are at historic lows,” said Bearden. “Compared to just last summer, 30-year fixed rate mortgages are about a point and a half lower.” 

So what does this mean-especially for a first time buyer? Buying power. A lot more buying power. 

For instance, with the lower rates, a home buyer could save $257 per month ($3,084 per year) on their payment toward a $200,000 mortgage versus if they had recently obtained a 30-year fixed interest rates compared with August of last year. On a $200,000, 30-year fixed rate mortgage at 5%, the monthly payment would be $1,073 - compared with $1,330 for a 7 percent mortgage, the national average for a 30-year fixed rate last summer. 

According to national mortgage statistics, here’s a breakdown of how much further a home buyer’s dollar goes on a $200,000 mortgage as rates continue to hover at historically low levels: 

7 percent mortgage: $1,330 monthly payment (rates in August 2008)
6 percent mortgage: $1,199 monthly payment (rates in December 2008)
5 percent mortgage: $1,073 monthly payment (rates in May 2009) 

“When you combine record low interest rates, low prices and the federal government’s tax credit for first time home buyers, and the mortgage interest deduction, there are certainly a lot of positive reasons to make the case for buying versus renting right now,” Bearden said. 

For more information, visit RIS homepage 

10 Time-Saving Tips to Take the Stress Out of Moving
RISMEDIA, May 16, 2009 

When it comes to moving, a little preparation goes a long way. Tons of time and energy can be saved by planning ahead, staying organized and focusing on details. 

HGTV’s FrontDoor.com offers 10 time-saving tips to make moving fast and efficient: 

1. Make a moving schedule. Starting 60 days before the move, use a week-by-week checklist to keep the process on track. The tasks to accomplish further from moving day might seem trivial at first, but staying on schedule will prevent last-minute headaches. Time will be at a premium on the days leading up to the move, so be diligent in checking off each task.
2. Hire a quality moving company. Resist the temptation to hire a company that offers a too-good-to-be-true rate. An unreliable mover will cost time and money in the long run if items are lost or broken. Check out moving company credentials with the Better Business Bureau and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
3. Pare down your possessions. If an item won’t be used in the new home, don’t waste time packing it. Notorious clutter items- unread books, unfinished projects and half-empty cleaning products- are prime targets to leave behind. Hold a garage sale or give away the unwanted stuff.
4. Pack like a pro. Come up with a packing system so all boxes end up in the right rooms when they get to the new home. One option is to buy a box of magic markers and create a “color code” system for the movers- red-labeled boxes for the living room, blue for the kitchen, etc. On moving day, draw a floor plan of the new place with each room labeled and give it to the movers.
5. Make the house move-out ready. Most movers won’t disconnect anything that’s hard-wired, so unplug all the appliances and lighting fixtures that go. Make sure all paths are clear from the house to the moving truck. Speed up the process by knowing the ground rules for what movers will and won’t do- most won’t touch flammable items, perishable foods or plants.
6. Stock up on packing supplies. Don’t run out of packing tape the morning of the move; have plenty of supplies on hand. Early on in the moving process, start gathering boxes, tape, bubble wrap, newsprint, box cutters and markers. Try to save time and the environment by packing with materials you already have. Load up suitcases and plastic containers and use pillows, scarves and towels to “wrap” fragile items.
7. Pack a moving survival kit. Don’t throw everyday essentials like ID and medicine in with other belongings, only to have to dig through boxes later. Instead, pack a “last-to-go” box with all of the necessities-toiletries, snacks, important documents-and keep it with you instead of packing it in moving truck.
8. Spruce up the new home before moving in belongings. It’s easier to clean, paint and make improvements while the new home is still empty. Before hauling in all the furniture and boxes, be sure to vacuum, dust baseboards, and wash the kitchen and bathroom floors.
9. Map out the new floor plan. Decide how to arrange the furniture before moving it into the new place. The best way to do this is to make paper cutouts of the furniture. Measure the dimensions of the piece and tape together newspaper pages to match the “footprint” of the furniture. It’s much easier to reshuffle newspaper than all that heavy furniture.
10. Change the address and notify companies before the move. Completing a change-of-address form before you head out can prevent hassles such as past-due bills, service lapses and even identity theft. Schedule dates in advance to discontinue utilities, phone, cable and Internet and arrange for these services at the new address. Several services even allow utilities hookups online. 

For more information, visit RIS homepage
 

GREEN HOME IMPROVEMENT IDEAS: 

Green homes are designed, built, renovated, or improved in ways to more efficiently use natural resources. While many newer homes are built green, even small improvementsto an older home can helpreduce impact on the environment, promote health of those who live there, and use energy and water more efficiently.
*Caulk windows and doors.
*Use spray foam insulation.
*Landscape resposibly.
*Consider adding storm doors.
*Install ceiling fans.
*Install tankless water heaters.
*Install programable thermostats.
*Use low- or no-VOC paints and materials.
*Retrofit radiant heat.
*Retrofit passive solar features.
*Install low-E windows.
*Choose LED lighting.
*Install low-flow shower heads and toilets.
*Replace exterior wood doors with insulated
metal or fiberglass doors.
*Take advantage of smart-irrigation
technology like evaptranspiration
controllers.  

BENEFITS OF ADDING GREEN FEATURES TO YOUR HOME:
*Lower maintenance costs and monthly expenses.
*Enjoy health benefits like lower emissions
and better air quality.
*Improve your home's resale value and
marketability.