Home Moving Made Easy – Top Tips for an Easier Relocation

by Brandon Cornett

Homeowners in the United States sell their homes and move, on everage, every five to seven years. That’s a lot of moving, and it can be a stressful time for anyone. But by preparing for your next move, you can greatly reduce the stress involved and simplify the entire process.

Here are some tips on how to do that:

1. Get the Right Materials

Some moving companies will come and pack up your belongings, if you pay for that service. But if you’ll be doing your own packing, you will need to obtain the following supplies:

Boxes *
Packing tape
Black markers for labeling
Scissors
Newspaper or newsprint for cushioning
Moving blankets (for high-value furniture items, mirrors, etc.)
A pocketknife (they always come in “handy”)
Some plastic storage bins (Rubbermaid, Sterilite, etc.)
* You may be able to get some boxes from your local supermarket, if you go in and ask the manager on duty. This works 90% of the time. You can also buy boxes (include specialty items like wardrobe boxes) from your nearest U-haul rental place.

2. Get Rid of Items You Aren’t Taking

A garage sale is one of the best things you can do before moving. It’s a way to purge your home of unwanted items you don’t plan to move with you. You can also donate unwanted items to your local Goodwill drop-off. The sooner you do this step, the easier your packing will be.

3. Label Boxes Appropriately

Many people think they can remember which items are in which boxes after they reach their move destination. But this rarely works. On the outside, a box is a box. So you should label each box with its contents, being as specific and thorough as possible. It’s also a good idea to put the room in big letters at the top (kitchen, master bedroom, etc.). That way, you or your movers will know where to put things on move-in day.

4. Back Up Computer Files

Before shutting down and packing up your computer, it’s a good idea to back up your files. In the unfortunate event that your computer was damaged during transit, you would at least have all of your important files.

Make back-ups of computer files and determine how you will move this delicate equipment.

5. Make Use of Luggage Items

Don’t just throw those suitcases in your car empty. Pack them with as many clothes as you possibly can. The same goes for duffel bags and other luggage items you might have. It will save space and reduce the number of trips when loading and unloading.

6. Segment Your Most Needed Items

Make a list of things you’ll need during your move — clothes, toiletries, medications, pet foods, etc. Pack these items separately into an “Open First” box (if you’re only moving locally). If you’re moving long distance, keep these items with you (as opposed to putting them onto the moving truck).

7. Choose a Reputable Mover

When researching moving companies, ask friends or family if they can refer a mover they have used. Check to see if the mover is a member of the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Ask the moving company if they have any complaints filed against them, or just check their BBB record online.

8. Conduct a Room-by-Room Check

Before your final departure from the home you’ve leaving, give each room a final once-over for forgotten items. This is especially important for out-of-the-way areas like basements, tool sheds, attics, etc.

9. Unpack in Room-by-Room Fashion

Before you begin unpacking in your new home, be sure to move all of the boxes to their destination rooms (kitchen, master bedroom, etc.). You did label those boxes, right? Properly positioning boxes prior to unpacking will reduce confusion as well as clutter.

About the Author: Brandon Cornett writes for M&M Moving, an Austin, Texas mover that does both local and interstate moves from their headquarters in Austin. Learn more by visiting http://www.mmmoving.com

How To Fix Errors On Your Credit Report

by Brandon Cornett

Errors within your credit reports can negatively affect your credit score, making it lower than it really should be.

In turn, this makes it harder to qualify for a home loan, a car loan, or obtain any form of financial lending for that matter. And if you do qualify for financing, you will almost certainly pay a higher interest rate because of that score. So errors on those reports must be identified and correcting, no matter how long it takes you.

Before we go any further, I want to point out an important distinction. In this article, I am not offering tips on how to improve a credit score (one that is low because of bad financial habits on the part of the consumer). Instead, I’m focusing on plain old mistakes on your reports, such as a line of credit that should not be there, or a documented bankruptcy that never happened, etc.

In other words, I’m telling you how to fix things that aren’t your fault. So with that clear, let’s press on!

The “How” of Correcting Errors

The first thing you need to understand is that you have three different reports, and they contain exclusive / proprietary data as opposed to “shared” data. This means that you could actually see different information on all three of them.

It also means that you could encounter a mistake on one particular report (the one from TransUnion, for example), while the data provided by Equifax and Experian appeared to be correct. So if you ever have to dispute a mistake on your information, you must contact the company that produced the erroneous report, as the information provided is specific to that company.

All three of the companies mentioned above have a “Disputes” section of their website. That’s where you need to go in order to get the ball rolling. Filling out a dispute form is a way of saying, “Hey, this information is incorrect, and you need to fix it because it’s affecting my financial status!”

So, you found an error on one or more of your credit reports and you have diligently submitted a dispute / correction form through the appropriate website above. That’s all there is to it, right?

Unfortunately, no…

You Are Not a Preferred Customer

Here’s something else you should take away from this article. When you first begin contacting a credit-reporting company about a mistake within your information, you will quickly realize that you are not their customer. You will realize this because they will probably treat you in a fashion that suggests the same.

The mortgage company who pays to obtain your credit information is their customer. The car dealer who pays for this information is also their customer too. But you are not their customer. You are a number … a piece of data to them. And when you start demanding their review of a potential mistake, you become a nuisance as well.

Is this right and fair? Of course not. Personally, I don’t think a private company should even be able to collect such information. And if they do collect such information, they should be proactive about safeguarding the data and ensuring the correctness of it. But this is not the case.

I just want you to understand the reality of the situation before you become involved with it. When you go into the process understanding the dynamic, you’ll be better prepared for what you must do next, which is to stay on top of them until things are sorted out!

Weak Legislation to the Rescue

As you have probably guessed, the three credit-reporting agencies are regulated by Congress. However, “regulation” in this context just means there are some rules on paper — it doesn’t mean those rules are actually enforced. Specifically, the Fair Credit Reporting Act dictates certain obligations these companies have, with regard to maintaining credit information on consumers. (and correcting that information when it is clearly in error).

The law was created back in 1970, and it has been more recently amended (2003) to try and force the credit-reporting companies to be more responsive. Still, many consumer advocates argue that the act does not go far enough to protect consumers, that it is lazily enforced, and that the core problems that prompted the creation of the act are still very much around today.

The credit-reporting companies are not governmental organizations, as many consumers believe. They are companies driven by profit. In other words, it’s in their interest to make as money as possible (as with any other company), but it’s not necessarily in their interest to look after consumers.

As a last resort — if you’re previous efforts to correct reporting errors have proven unsuccessful — you can sue the company who has produced the erroneous information. If you can prove that certain information is false, and that the report has thus caused you financial harm, you could be entitled to damages (monies) paid by the company.

About the Author: Brandon Cornett publishes the Home Buying Institute, a website full of advice on mortgages loans, house hunting, credit scores and more. Learn more or contact the author by visiting http://www.homebuyinginstitute.com