Category: Guest Blog Posts

Do I Need Mover’s Insurance? 4 Benefits of Purchasing Mover’s Insurance

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Most people spend weeks or even months planning their next move, but they don’t think twice about insurance. Some assume that their homeowners‘ policy covers any damage, while others think the movers will pay for those damages. If you find yourself moving soon, check out four simple reasons why you need the right insurance.

Moving Companies Aren’t Liable for Damages

Moving companies agree to pick up your items from one location and move those items to your final destination. In the hopes of making you sign a contract quickly, most companies will tell you that your price includes the cost of insurance. The only problem is that this insurance doesn’t cover the actual cost of your belongings. Companies will pay you a price of $.10 to $.30 per pound for anything broken or damaged during the move. Moving insurance will give you the actual replacement value of those items.

Insurance Covers Items in the Truck

Even if your homeowners policy covers your belongings, the policy often won’t cover items in transport. Your insurance covers anything inside your home, and it will provide coverage to belongings in your new home, but the policy doesn’t apply when you hire a moving company. Moving insurance kicks in from the moment those movers arrive at your house and stick with you until the movers unpack the truck at your new home.

Easy Filing of Claims

Filing a claim with most companies is easy. You can visit the company’s website, log into your account and complete any necessary paperwork. Other companies let you contact a representative over the phone, and that customer service rep will walk you through the process of filing a claim. The insurer will then either send you a check through the mail or deposit the money directly into your checking account.

Peace of Mind

The number one benefit associated with buying moving insurance is that it gives you peace of mind. Why should you worry about your family heirlooms and the precious valuables that you collected over the years? The last time that you moved, you probably worried and wondered from the moment the truck left your sight, but with moving insurance, you no longer need to worry. If those workers break or damage anything on the truck, your insurer will cover your loss.

Planning a move might take a long time, but you can feel better about your move with the right insurance. Your policy will cover damage, breakage, and even theft, and unless you don’t care about your belongings, it is worth the investment. You might think to yourself, “is it worth the money?” Compare prices so that you can make sure you are getting a fair price, but in the long run, movers insurance will really help you be safe rather than sorry.

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5 Warning Signs Your Home Alarm System is Obsolete

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Your home security system is only as strong as the technology behind it. A good home security company will go the extra mile to stay up to date with technology and change your system as new products become available. If your current system has one or more problems, it might be time to update that old obsolete system.

No Home Automation

Home automation is a feature offered by Vivint, ADT and other companies. Whether you choose Vivint home automation or a system from another company, you have the chance to use your alarm system to control the thermostat, appliances and other things in your home. Outdated systems won’t offer this feature.

Lack of Remote Control

The newest alarm systems give you remote access. You can log into your account from your phone, tablet or computer, and the system will let you take a look at security footage, turn the alarm system on and off or even control the lights. An obsolete system will still have just one panel that you must control from inside your house.

Importance of Yard Sign

Does your alarm company still talk about the importance of having a sign in your yard or on your window? While these signs were once an effective warning system to potential thieves, homeowners can now buy those signs even if they don’t purchase an alarm system. If your security company still makes this feature a selling point, move on.

Still Hardwired

Old security systems once used a hardwired connection. While there are a number of benefits to hardwired connections, the best systems now use wireless connections. You don’t need to worry about cutting into your walls, tripping over wires or dealing with hardware failures.

No Panic Button

A panic button lets you push a single button, which will emit a loud beeping noise that scares robbers and sends an alert to the security company at the same time. If your system has a panic button on your main console, you might need a newer system. These newer security alarms let you carry a panic button with you to reach help from anywhere in your home.

Having an alarm system in your home protects your family against robbers, thieves, vandals and anyone else who wants to do them harm. If you still rely on an old or outdated system, it’s time for an upgrade. Alarm companies now make systems that come with wireless designs, remote panic buttons and even total home automation.

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Moving Tips: Five Ideas To Make Relocating Your Family A Bit Easier

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Relocating to a new home, town or state is an exciting and chaotic time that can leave you and your family feeling overwhelmed and worn down. To help you deal with this experience, here are five moving tips that can make relocating your family a bit easier.

Plan early.

If possible, start preparing you and your family for the relocation several weeks beforehand. For example, 4 to 6 weeks before the move, start cleaning out closets, cabinets, basements, and attics, separating the items into piles such as keep, donate/sell and throw away. A good general rule of thumb is if you haven’t used the item in a year or two, you don’t really need it.

Pack smartly.

When packing away the items you are taking with you, make sure to use sturdy boxes that won’t rip or fall apart when carrying. Another important thing to remember is label, label, label! Label every back with either the items it contains or the room in which they belong. This will help locate your stuff easier when moving the items into their new home.

Utilize a storage facility.

A storage professional from Daffodil Storage in Tacoma has suggested that storage units can allow many people a safe place to store items until they find a place for them in their new home. Having a short-term storage unit such as those offered by companies like Daffodil Storage can also act as a staging area for the moving process, especially helpful if whoever has purchased or rented your previous location needs to move in early, or if you will stay somewhere else before moving.  It also provides a reliable area for items you have no room for but want to keep for future use.

Keep important items with you.

With all the chaos and confusion that occurs when relocating, things can be misplaced or lost. Instead of packing away those important papers—such as birth certificates or passports—or your kid’s favorite stuffed animal, keep them with you during the move.

Pack a moving kit for your family.

Include travel games, crayons, coloring books, and toys to help keep children busy. Children aren’t the only ones who can benefit from a moving kit; including items in the kit for pets and adults can help make everyone’s experience a bit better. Make sure to have drinks and snacks, and keep over-the-counter medicine for headaches and carsickness handy.

Another thing to remember when relocating is to try to stay calm. Moving is a very stressful experience and can cause everyone in the family to feel overwhelmed and grouchy. When you or your family are starting to get frustrated, try focusing on the positive aspects of the move and what you can look forward to in the future.

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The 6 Most Common Pests That Can Invade Your Home And How To Prevent It From Happening

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

No one wants their home invaded by pests, and sometimes it can be a major problem before it is even noticed inside the home. Here are a few of the most common household pests and how you can keep them outside where they belong:

Ants

Ants enter homes to find water, sweets or greasy foods. When one enters, you can be sure more will follow due to the chemical trail it leaves. Unfortunately, it’s hard to see just a couple of ants on your floor or counter, and by the time you find them, it seems like there are thousands. To prevent ants, make sure all cracks and openings are sealed. Clear up any moisture problems, and keep areas where food is prepared or stored very clean. Clean up crumbs on the floor and counters more often. If they don’t have something to come in for in the first place, it won’t be as big of a problem.

Termites

Usually, homeowners are unaware of termites until they have caused significant damage. They feed off of your home’s foundation, weakening it and other wooden structures. It is important that the wood in your home does not contact the soil. This gives termites easy entry. Leaks and standing water should be taken care of promptly. If you do have termites, getting the help to rid your home of them is essential to making sure they are all eliminated, suggests professionals who specialize in pest control.

Mice

While mice usually enter your home looking for food, they contaminate much more than they take. They often bring additional pests with them such as fleas or ticks. To prevent mice, all openings must be sealed. Mice can get through the smallest holes and cracks. Mousetraps work well to eliminate one or two visitors. If you have more mice, consider calling a professional.

Fleas

Fleas can carry disease which make their presence in your home particularly disturbing. Unexplained, itchy bites on humans or a pet that scratches itself incessantly are signs that you may have a problem. To get rid of fleas, first treat the main problem, which is likely your pet. The next step is to thoroughly clean your home, and there are products you can buy at most stores to help rid your home of fleas.

Bedbugs

Bed bugs are difficult to spot since they can hide so easily in headboards and tiny cracks. While they do not carry disease, they do feed from humans and cause welts with their bites. They are carried in from the outdoors on shoes or luggage. To get rid of bedbugs, a thorough cleaning and vacuuming is necessary. All bedding must be washed in very hot water to kill bed bugs that remain. You can buy products to spray around your bed to prevent them from returning.

Stinkbugs

Stink bugs, so named for the horrible smell emitted when they are crushed, become plentiful in the fall. Vacuuming is the best way to rid your home of stink bugs. Commercial, non-toxic traps are available as well.

There is no reason why you should have to allow uninvited visitors into your home. These tips will help make and keep your home pest-free.

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Top 3 Factors That Devalue Your Home

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

When trying to sell your home, you want to make sure you do everything you can to get the best price possible. Buyers are often picky, and it is up to the sellers to identify their needs and try to make the best possible impression in order to close the deal. You need to be aware of the factors that devalue your property and do everything in your power to change those that are under your control. However, some of those factors are not easily changed.
Here are top three factors that can affect the value of your property negatively:

1 Neighborhood
This is a major factor for any prospective buyer and can impact the price they are willing to offer for your home. Living near airports, train tracks and pubs equals noise pollution, while highways, plants and landfills mean pollution altogether, and affect home value extremely negatively.

Also, if your neighborhood is known for high amount of criminal activity, that won’t benefit your home value either. You should be honest with crime level in your neighborhood as this is something a prospective buyer can easily check online or at a local police station. If there is a Neighborhood Watch at force, be sure to mention that, as it might help prospective buyers feel more secure.

Finally, your neighbors have a huge impact on a prospective buyer. If your neighbors are hostile and argue with you over every little thing, chances are they will continue arguing with the next owner. If it seems that you have a dispute with your neighbors, many buyers will either pass or offer a lower price. Nobody wants that kind of trouble. Also, keep in mind that your neighbor’s criminal history, like being a registered sex offender, can impact the value of your property, and also prolong the time needed to sell it.

2 Yard and house exterior
The first thing a prospective buyer will notice is the condition of your yard and the exterior of your home. Everyone wants to live in a beautiful and well-maintained home. Strong curb appeal is essential when trying to sell your house. A poorly kept landscape will devalue your property or even turn a buyer off for many reasons, one of them being the cost of redoing landscaping and the time they will need to invest in that project. A rotting fence or an old shed will not help your house feel welcoming either. Even water elements, such as pools and ponds might have a negative effect, as buyers might be worried about costs of maintenance, and also security for their children near such elements.

The outside of your house needs to make a good first impression as well. Chipped or faded paint, dirty windows and busted sidewalks will certainly not go unnoticed by a prospective buyer. It will make them wonder if the exterior of your home and your yard is so neglected, what is also neglected on the interior, and give them an overall negative feeling about your home. You should invest in a fresh coat of paint, wash your windows, and make any necessary repairs. Make sure to pick neutral colors, like grey, white and shades of beige for the most of the exterior, while painting the front doors in a bright color to make them stand out.

3 Outdated kitchen and bathroom
There are two areas buyers will inspect carefully – kitchen and bathroom. Kitchen is the central part of every home and it needs to leave the right impression on the buyers. They need to absolutely fall in love with it and easily picture themselves cooking for their family there or hosting dinner parties. This is why people often consider it a good move to remodel and renovate their kitchens when trying to sell their house. You don’t need to do that much and spend too much money on some big renovation. A few simple things will do the trick, like a fresh coat of paint on the cabinets, new door pulls, fresh laminate on the countertops and sparkling new sink. All these renovations require a small budget, but make a huge difference for the buyer and the price they are willing to offer.

Just as they want updated kitchens, buyers want updated bathrooms, so consider making small changes to update it, like adding new fixtures, new lighting, new coat of paint, even new tiles, if possible. Your bathroom needs to welcome the buyers in, and be clean and well-decorated. You don’t need to go overboard with some big renovation. Sticking with these simple updates will serve you better.

Even though there are some things you can’t influence, like your neighborhood, there are always things you can do to minimize their effect. It’s not easy to sell a house these days, but don’t give up, there’s always someone looking for a house, and yours will find its buyer sooner or later.

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