You've got the basics -- cardboard boxes, newspaper, the phone number of a pizza place so you can feed the friends helping you move all your worldly goods. But do you have enough socks for the stemware?

As with any major home project, there's always someone out there with more experience and a host of clever ideas. Moving is no different. We've rounded up a list of some of our favorite quirky-but-useful tips to make trading one roof for another go a little bit smoother.

1. Footwear, Meet Stemware

About those socks and glasses... If you can double up and use some of your belongings to protect others, you cut down on space and moving supplies. Socks slipped around the wine glasses can help pad the delicate stems.

2. Plates on Plates

Instead of painstakingly wrapping each dinner dish in newsprint or bubble wrap, or purchasing those pre-packaged dishpacks, buy one cheap bag of Styrofoam plates. Alternate stacking the real plates with the disposables and -- voila! -- instant padding. Genius, right?

3. Make Like a Ghost

Worn sheets can be used as an extra layer of protection around your mattress, or any piece of furniture. You may not want to use that extra-fancy satin set, but old, cheap stand-bys can take a stain or risk a tear better than a mattress or sofa upholstery. Bonus: Like the socks, using sheets as packing material frees up more box space.

4. Pack in Color

Sure, you can painstakingly label every box. Or, just slap on some color. Buy color dots or several hues of duct tape, designate a specific color for each room, and stick the appropriate dot or tape on each box. The best part, we think, is the idea of making a legend that can keep track of all of your colors. That way, you won't mistake the red for the den instead of the kitchen, and unpacking becomes a snap.

5. Use Your Wheels

Have wheelie bags? Use them for heavy things like books, especially if it's a relatively smaller suitcase and not an Army-size duffel. You won't be able to get away without ever having to lift the bag, such as in and out of a vehicle, but at least you'll have a little extra help.

6. Bag Your Clothes

This tip may not work for every move, since some moving companies won't touch any goods not packed in boxes. However, if such restrictions don't pertain to you, break out the garbage bags. Pull one bag up around a cluster of your hanging clothes, and tie the open end by the hangers. One blogger bragged that she packed her entire closet in 15 minutes this way.

7. Take Pictures

The serving dishes fit in the dozen breakfront shelves like puzzle pieces now, but such a tight fit may be hard to replicate after everything has been removed to boxes. Pictures can act as an unpacking guide. Photos also protect your goods for insurance purposes -- you'll have proof should anything break or chip in transit.

8. Don't Just Ditch the Fish

Some people might flush their goldfish, but some tanks are worth serious money and heart. Tanks contain their own ecosystems, including bacteria. Put the fish in a separate container, but keep some of the water the fish are accustomed to so you retain the original bacteria colony when you establish their new home in your new home.

9. Leave the Garage Empty

In the new digs, resist the temptation to pile boxes into the garage, or attic, or back closet, with a promise to get to them later. "Later" can last months. If a boxful of stuff is so unnecessary that a year could pass without needing the contents, maybe that's a tip to ditch the contents before the move. Otherwise, you risk forgetting where you put important things, or end up parking the car outside all winter.

10. Unpack the TV Last

The desire to relax is strong. The coffee table pushed up against the sofa looks so inviting, but those boxes aren't going to unpack themselves. Resist the urge to derail your momentum. Otherwise, those boxes will just stand over your head. Unpack the TV last, sink deeply into that comfy couch, and revel in the knowledge of a well-done moving job any pro would envy.



Author: Realtor.com
Original Article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/realtorcom/odd-moving-tips-that-real_b_4428986.html

Here are six tips for renting your first apartment in a challenging market, whether you're flying solo or searching with roommates.

1. Set a realistic budget based on the area
The conventional wisdom is to spend no more than 30% of your annual income on housing costs. But given low entry-level salaries and high housing costs, you may need to budget a little more if you're living in an expensive urban market such as New York City or San Francisco. "It totally depends on where you live," says Ornella Grosz, a speaker and author of Moneylicious: A Financial Clue for Generation Y. "You want to have a benchmark, but you don't want to spend your entire paycheck on rent." Websites such as Rentometer.com, RentJungle.com and compareyourrent.comcan give you an idea of rents in your target neighborhood so you can budget accordingly.

Splitting the rent with roommates can help cut costs, but you'll want to screen them carefully and "make sure they're people you'd actually want to live with," as Grosz puts it. You may like hanging out with friends from college, but that doesn't mean you'll enjoy cleaning up their messes or sharing a bathroom. Before signing a lease together, ask prospective roommates how they want to handle chores, guests, bills and other issues.

Once you find a potential apartment, ask about possible rent increases to gauge how quickly you could be priced out of that apartment. "Do they anticipate rental prices going up?" Grosz asks. "How do they justify increases in prices?"

2. Budget for the extras
In addition to paying rent, you may also be responsible for paying electricity, heat and cable bills. Odell adjusted her price range once she discovered that some higher-priced apartments included utilities, which made her overall costs lower than paying rent and utilities separately.

 If you're on the hook for utilities, factor those expenses into your budget. Often, you can find out what the previous tenants paid by calling the utility provider and giving them the address.

"Of course, your use might be different," points out Bill Deegan, CEO of Renter Nation (formerly the American Tenants Association).

3. Position yourself as a desirable tenant
Rentals move quickly in competitive markets, so have your references and checkbook ready when you start searching. In some markets, you'll be expected to pay a security deposit, first and last month's rent, a nonrefundable application fee and possibly a broker or finder's fee before moving in, all of which can amount to several times the monthly rent.

Having your parents co-sign on an apartment, if they're willing, could give prospective landlords peace of mind about renting to someone without a long credit or employment history. If you don't have a co-signer, however, Grosz says she suggests guaranteeing extra money upfront to show landlords that you're financially responsible.

Carrying a letter from your employer as proof of employment is another option. Prospective landlords may also want to run a credit check, so try to clear up any issues on your credit report before starting your search.

4. Scope out the neighborhood
Real-estate agents have a saying: "Location, location, location." This rings true for apartments as well as houses. Choose an apartment based solely on the interior, and you may wind up in a less-than-desirable neighborhood, far from friends or work. If you're relocating for a job, Culkin suggests asking your employer for recommendations on neighborhoods.Walkscore.com can give you a sense of how walkable an area is based on proximity to public transportation, restaurants, grocery stores and other places.

Also look at how the building or area is maintained. "If it's a high-rise, are there lights out in the hallways? Is the lighting in the parking lot adequate?" Deegan asks. If not, it could be a sign that management will be slow to respond to tenants' concerns.

5. Conduct a thorough walk-through
Some people will rent off of Craigslist without seeing an apartment in person, which can lead to problems later, Deegan says.

"Any prospective tenant should make sure everything works: the stove, the refrigerator, any appliances, and make sure the water runs hot for half an hour if you take long showers," he says. Also, document any pre-existing issues such as scratches on the floor or holes in the wall so they won't get deducted from your security deposit when you move out.

6. Get everything in writing
Large apartment communities typically have you sign a lease, but individual property owners or landlords may be more lax about paperwork. Whatever the scenario, don't rely on a handshake to seal the deal. According to Grosz, your lease should answer questions such as, "How much notification do you need to give to move out? Is your security deposit refundable? Are you responsible for fixing up the apartment when you leave?" If you're uncertain about anything in your lease, have someone else review it. In fact, your college may offer lease-review services to students and recent grads.


Author: Susan Johnston
Original Article: http://realestate.msn.com/6-tips-for-renting-your-first-apartment

Are you thinking about buying or refinancing a home in the near future? If so, chances are you're getting all kinds of advice from well-intentioned friends and family.

Just remember to keep this important piece of advice in mind: Don't listen to everything you hear. According to industry professionals, some words of wisdom are not wise at all.

To help you separate the bad advice from the good, check out five common statements that should cause you to cover your ears immediately.

Bad Advice No. 1: "A 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is best for everyone."The common perception is that a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is always the best option, because it typically offers lower monthly payments than other shorter-term mortgages. But the kicker is that interest payments over the course of the loan can be quite substantial when compared to mortgages with shorter terms and lower interest rates.

Consider this example based on rates from Freddie Mac, as of March 20, 2014:

A 30-year loan on a $200,000 property with a 4.32 percent interest rate has a monthly payment of $992 and interest payments totaling $157,153 over the life of the loan. On the other hand, a 15-year loan for the same property with a 3.32 percent rate has monthly payments of $1,412 and yields $54,187 in total interest paid. So by opting for the shorter mortgage, you could save more than $100,000 in interest, which is worth it if you can meet those higher monthly payments.

Whether or not a 30-year fixed mortgage is the right choice depends on the borrower's goals and financial situation, says Houtan Hormozian, vice president of Crestico Funding, a Los Angeles-based mortgage brokerage firm.

For example, if you have cash saved up for job, family, or medical emergencies and you already have college and retirement funds set up, then a 15-year mortgage might be a better option. Without money saved up, losing a job or an expensive surgery could deal a hard blow to someone's finances, including their ability to make mortgage payments.

Bad Advice No. 2: "Stay away from adjustable-rate mortgages."An adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) is a loan with an interest rate that is fixed for a period of time then adjusts, causing the ARM payments to increase or decrease.

ARMs get a bad rap, because they're seen as risky products that contributed to the housing bubble, easy credit, and ultimately, the subprime mortgage crisis.

"The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is the most popular type, because everyone is afraid of adjustable [rates]," Hormozian says.

In fact, only 3 percent of homebuyers chose adjustable-rate mortgages in the first half of 2013, reports Freddie Mac. With that low figure it's easy to get scared off, too. But the fear associated with ARMs is somewhat unjustified, according to Hormozian.

"Depending on the consumer, circumstances, and knowledge of their economic situation, there could be an ARM that fits them," says Frank Percival, board president of the Washington Association of Mortgage Professionals.

One major benefit of an ARM is that it typically will have a lower interest rate than fixed-rate mortgages at the outset. For example, a 5/1 ARM will have an initial fixed rate for the first five years then adjusts afterward.

This is a great option for homeowners who plan on moving out of their house before the rate adjusts. However, this does carry some risk, since personal finances and the condition of the housing market may make moving difficult in a set amount of time.

So choosing an ARM may come down to your financial situation and your aversion to risk. Percival explains that if a homebuyer with a 5/1 ARM saves $200 a month in interest compared to a 30-year fixed mortgage, it may make sense to choose that type of loan. However, if someone wants to err on the side of caution, given the risks discussed, a 30-year fixed mortgage might be the more sensible choice.

Bad Advice No. 3: "If your home is underwater, consider a short sale.""When the housing market was bad a year or a year and a half ago and the values of homes were low, people were encouraged from realtors [and] buddies at work to walk away from their home," says Percival. He calls this "one of the worst pieces of advice in recent history."

If desperate homeowners took that advice, they would usually do a short sale on their home. What exactly is that? It's a real estate transaction in which a lender agrees to let the borrower sell his or her property for less than or "short" of what is owed on the mortgage.

Even if your home is underwater, it's a bad idea, asserts Percival. If homeowners can still afford to make their mortgage payments, then they shouldn't do a short sale.

"People who didn't have medical emergencies or lose their jobs were dropping their keys and leaving their homes," Percival says. This is a dumb choice, he adds, since it's possible that their home value could go have gone up.

Plus, if you do a short sale, you may have to wait several years to qualify for a home again, says Percival. The reason? Because a short sale usually lowers your credit score just as a foreclosure would, according to myFICO, the consumer division of FICO. Shortsellers may be able to qualify for a mortgage in as little as two years, but this may depend on a variety of factors, like how much you are able to put down.

Beyond your own finances, short sales have a far-reaching effect, according to Percival.

"Every short sale or foreclosure reduces the value of every home in the neighborhood," he says. "If folks would have waited for the recovery to kick in and housing prices to go up, they could have sold it at a profit. People just wanted to walk away from debt."

Bad Advice No. 4: "An FHA loan is your only option."First-time homebuyers are particularly susceptible to bad advice. For example, homeowners who can't afford a large down payment may hear that a government-backed FHA loan is their only option, since the down payment requirement can be as low as 3.5 percent of a house's purchase price. But that's not necessarily the case.

Some homeowners might be surprised that getting a conventional loan might be better suited and easier for them than an FHA loan, says Aaron Vantrojen, president of the Arizona Association of Mortgage Professionals, says.

The standards to qualify for an FHA loan have tightened, says Vantrojen. Plus, the FHA loan has become more expensive in recent years due to its rising mortgage insurance premium (MIP).

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the mortgage insurance on an FHA loan must be carried for the life of the loan. On the other hand, the private mortgage insurance (PMI) on conventional home loans can be dropped when equity in the home reaches 20 percent, Vantrojen says.

As a result of dropping the insurance premium, homeowners can save thousands of dollars in the long run. "The annual mortgage insurance for FHA loans is so high, we are trying to get people into conventional loans if they qualify," Vantrojen says.

The biggest advantage FHA loans have over conventional loans is the low down payment requirement. But conventional loans, with a 5 percent down-payment required, might be a better deal when you factor in the mortgage insurance payments, says Vantrojen.

"I will always look at options for conventional loans [for homebuyers]," says Vantrojen, president of Geneva Financial, a mortgage banking firm based in Tempe, Arizona. "The guidelines for conventional loans are changing, and a person who couldn't qualify for one a month ago might be able to qualify now."

Bad Advice No. 5: "Trust me, I know what I'm talking about."If you're in the market for purchasing a home loan and in need of a little guidance, you might want to think twice about listening to someone who tells you: "Trust me, I know what I'm talking about."

"One of the most common mistakes is not getting advice from a mortgage investment advisor," says Hormozian. "Any time you don't seek advice from a professional, you could be in trouble."

But not all mortgage professionals are created equal, which is why Hormozian says homebuyers should make an effort to consult and get the opinions of established mortgage advisors, licensed mortgage companies, and reputable professionals when they are ready to purchase a loan.

"At the end of the day, my job is to make sure my client will have a comfortable life and a sound investment," Hormozian says. "If I feel they are going to have a hard time making a payment or living up to that liability, I have to advise against it."

For example, if someone tells you it's a great idea to buy investment property as a source of instant income, you better consider the source. Instead of talking to real estate agents, homebuyers should talk to unbiased resources, who could help them avoid potential mortgage heartaches, says Vantrojen.

 "Do your due diligence, talk to industry professionals - people who have been real estate investors and [who] can tell you the highs and lows of owning real estate," he explains.

If owning a new home for you and your family is a main objective, Percival says it might be a good idea to check whether you are dealing with licensed mortgage professionals. He suggests verifying mortgage loan originators (MLOs) and their MLO license numbers through the National Mortgage Licensing System (NMLS), which performs this service for free.

Author: Tony Moton
Original Article: https://homes.yahoo.com/news/the-worst-mortgage-advice-002419375.html

If you have rented for any period of time, you’ve likely had to deal with bad neighbors: the shrill screaming fight, the drunken merrymaking, the heels that sound like they’re about to pierce your skull (not to mention the floor).

No one wants to pick a fight with folks who live under the same roof, but, at the same time, you’re paying good money for a place that now feels tortuous.

What’s a renter to do?

1. Check your lease. Some leases stipulate no loud noises after a certain hour, or early in the morning. In buildings with hardwood floors, clauses may require rugs cover a certain percentage of floor to help insulate the noise. This might give you a leg to stand on with your landlord or the offending neighbor.

2. Talk to the non-offending neighbors. Do they share your concerns? This gives you more justification for your issues—and also support should you decide to confront the troublesome person or go to your landlord. Your neighbors might also have suggestions for solving the problem or approaching the troublesome tenant.

3. Make nice. If the offender isn’t dangerous, and you don’t have reason to fear a confrontation, a polite knock and calm conversation might be all you need. Perhaps the person didn’t realize how loud their footfalls sounded, that you have an early morning job, or that their smoking had been creeping under your door. They could be receptive to your concerns—you won’t know until you ask.

4. Asses your own lifestyle. Maybe you don’t live in a glass house, but you could have habits that annoy the neighbors. If you approach a neighbor about their bad habit and they mention one of yours, don’t argue—try to do your best to figure out a compromise or change the situation. Perhaps your reasoned approach will inspire the same in return.

5. Call the landlord. If you tried to make nice, but no one’s budging, calling the landlord or management company may be your next option. The landlord may not want to hear your worries about sound from above, and your hands may be tied. But if the issues are extreme enough, or threaten the property, the landlord can step in. For quality-of-life issues, saying you tried to talk to your neighbor before pestering the owner shows you are not a tattletale.

6. Go straight to the top. Sometimes, it’s not worth being nice. Consider, for example, what happened at a high-end loft building in San Antonio, TX. Neighbors who threw constant drunken parties were so loud that half the building’s tenants kept their lights on. The partyers’ guests mistakenly buzzed other apartments from a downstairs call box, and by morning the very pricey security system guarding the entrance had been busted—wires were out of the call box, the heavy electronic door off its hinges. The partying tenants had passed nuisance and gone straight to threatening the safety of the entire building. Most landlords don’t want people like that in their buildings either.

7. Call the cops. If you hear violent fights accompanied by screams or what sounds like items being thrown, or you feel threatened in any way, you may have no choice but to call the police department. The police can keep your identity secret. You might help someone. And even if the fight is just sound and fury, perhaps having officers come to their door will scare them into being quiet. The same goes for very loud parties. Most cities have noise ordinances, some tied to decibel levels. If you can hear Guns ‘n Roses note for note across a courtyard, you can bet on a legal violation occurring.

8. Take notes. We say this a lot at realtor.com®, but that’s because it’s true. If your neighbor repeatedly violates the lease, causes a hazard or responds negatively to your reasonable requests, copies of your emails, voicemails or other records of your reasonable requests will help your cause with the landlord or, should it escalate, with the police. Plus, letting your troublesome neighbor know that you are officially tracking their behavior may serve as a deterrent.

9. Be creative. Sometimes, you have to fight fire with fire. We’re not encouraging law- or lease-breaking activities of your own, but if the offending neighbor refuses to put his garbage in the can and leaves it outside where animals can get to it—well, what if that bag mysteriously ended up back on his doorstep? Maybe he’d learn a lesson? Maybe you’ve left some very nice notes, but they’ve gotten nowhere. Perhaps stronger language is in order. Of course, escalating the situation could backfire—big time—so this isn’t a route we recommend.

10. Deal with it. Some things aren’t going to change. Your neighbor with the infant can’t do much to quiet 4 a.m. screaming. If noise is the issue, you can try to soundproof your place a little, but the walls can’t get thicker. If the problem isn’t a health or safety hazard, but an annoyance, you have to ask yourself: Is staying in your apartment worth the neighborly hassle? Only you can answer that question.


Author: Anne Miller
Original Article: http://www.realtor.com/advice/10-ways-deal-bad-neighbors/

Although there are many perks to renting an apartment, having a ton of space is not usually one of them. Fortunately, there are some things that can be done to improve your situation without changing apartments altogether. To get rid of the mess and get the most out of your small space, use these ten apartment organization tips to maximize space:

1. Rotate Clothing: There’s no need to have a parka taking up space in your closet during the summer. Rotate clothing by season, and keep anything that’s not weather appropriate in storage.

2. Think Tall: When installing bookshelves, or any shelving for that matter, purchase something that will reach the ceiling. More shelves means more storage space, and the elimination of that cramped feeling.

3. Raise your Bed: If your bed isn’t high enough off the ground to store bins underneath, buy a bed lift to raise it just enough to make use of that under-bed space. You can also buy bins that are constructed specifically to fit underneath beds.

4. Add Shelves: Don’t limit yourself to traditional bookshelves. You can add shelving above the toilet to create space in your bathroom, or in your closet to maximize organization. Instead of having a headboard, install a shelving unit so you can ditch your nightstand and create more space.

5. Strategic Furniture: Besides purchasing furniture that will create the illusion of more space (think glass tables and couches with small legs), you can position your furniture to create mini-rooms within your apartment to organize the flow of your space.

6. Multifunctional: Everything in your apartment should have multiple functions. Instead of having a couch, buy a daybed. Use your dining table as an office or work space when you’re not eating (just make sure you have somewhere else to store your supplies).

7.  Rollaway Surfaces: When you’re organizing small spaces, rollaway surfaces, like a wheeled kitchen cart, can give you workspace in the living room and extra counter space in the kitchen when you need it.

8. Hang your TV: For more space to showcase your organizational prowess, hang your TV, but keep the table underneath to store your movies and books. It will maximize space and functionality.

9. Hidden Storage: Utilize as many hidden storage spaces as possible. Aside from raising your bed, you can also hang a skirt around your coffee table and store items underneath.

10. Angled Furniture: Angle furniture, such as chairs, in the corner of the room and use the space behind it to store baskets of things you can’t find space for (like that CD collection you can’t bring yourself to get rid of).


Author: Rent.com
Original Article: http://www.forbes.com/sites/rent/2013/04/13/ten-apartment-organization-tips-to-maximize-space/