5 Tips to Hiring the Right Moving Company

5 Tips to Hiring the Right Moving Company

Hiring movers can help you take some of the stress out of your move, but only if you find the right one. In addition to review and ratings websites, word-of-mouth recommendations are a good way to identify your options. Your MetroTex Realtor is another great resource for learning about reputable movers in your area.

Once you have a few companies in mind, narrow down the competition with these tips.

Three is the magic number

Choosing one company without doing your research could lead to a frustrating experience, but calling a dozen moving companies for estimates can take too much time. Instead, decide on at least three companies you want to learn more about. You’ll get a good sense for average rates and offerings for your area. You may even be able to use their estimates to your advantage later.

Get an in-person assessment

Most people aren’t a good judge of how much stuff they have, and while some companies have online tools that create an estimate using your best guess, you should ask your picks to visit your home and take inventory for an accurate estimate.

During an in-person assessment, you’ll be asked about what you’re planning to take, the moving supplies you need, and about your heavy or fragile items. Your movers will need to know the layout of your new property, too, so don’t forget to tell them about the three flights of stairs or that they’ll have to park on the street.

Ask questions

There are plenty of questions you can ask depending on your situation, but make sure to get answers to these in particular:

Are you licensed for in- or out-of-state moves? The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles licenses moving companies, which must have an active TxDMV certificate on file to operate legally. Find out if a company is licensed.

•  What type of insurance do you carry? (They should at least carry workers’ compensation insurance.)
•  What insurance coverage do you offer for my belongings? (valuation or replacement coverage)
• Can I pack myself? Will my items be covered if so?
•  Is your crew bonded? (protection in case of employee theft, vandalism)
• Are there items you won’t transport? (light bulbs, batteries, gas)

Don’t hold back information

Be upfront about what you need your movers to do, whether it’s packing and unloading, assembling or dissembling items, or heavy lifting. You may think you can get a deal by glossing over details, but you’ll ultimately pay more for your hidden extras, and your movers won’t be pleased.

Negotiate the deal

You’ll receive an estimate from your moving companies based on several factors, such as the distance of the move and the potential gas expense, the weight or square footage that your items will use in the moving van, and labor costs. This is where having more than one estimate will come in handy. Don’t be afraid to tell your top pick if you’ve received a lower estimate that appeals to you, or roughly how much you want to spend. Look for other areas in which you can negotiate, such as free junk-hauling services or reduced rates for extra supplies or a different move date.

Your movers can be a huge help, but only if you put in the effort to choose the right one.

Get more tips about moving, plus advice on buying, selling, and leasing property in Texas at dfwrealestate.com.

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North Texas inventory crisis shows small signs of relief

North Texas inventory crisis shows small signs of relief

The North Texas housing market, like the rest of the nation, struggles with extremely tight inventory, especially given that it is consistently one of the hottest housing markets in America. However, a new report gives a small indicator that this could possibly start to change.

According to an article by Steve Brown for The Dallas Morning News, new listings were up by 20% annually, and the total number of houses on the market was up by 4%, the first increase in a couple of years.

“We are finally seeing inventory move up,” said David Brown with housing consultant Metrostudy Inc. “At the very end of last year we began to see more people listing their homes.”

Brown said this doesn’t mean the local housing market is about to shift gears.

“Inventories are still incredibly tight,” he said.

In February there was only a 2.1-month supply of houses listed for sale with real estate agents in North Texas.

A normal market is considered to be a 6-month inventory.

“We would have to see inventory jump 50% before we started talking about a shift in supply and demand,” Brown said. “Up until this point inventory hasn’t been growing because we have an incredible pent up demand.”

Meanwhile, luxury homes sales continue to be one of the strongest sectors in the Texas housing market, with sales growing by 12.4% from January to October 2015.

Source: The Dallas Morning News

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Here's what the spring housing market will look like this year

Here's what the spring housing

market will look like this year

Home » Blogs » REwired » Here's what the spring housing market will look like this year

Trulia Chief Economist: Expect this 

March 14, 2016

 

Brena Swanson

 

4 Comments

While spring homebuying started early this year, as famous Punxsutawney Phil confirmed without a shadow of a doubt at the beginning of February, this doesn’t mean you’re quite ready to add the title of homeowner to your name.

It’s likely to be the biggest financial decision you will ever make, and one that does not need to be decided on the premise that everyone else is doing it.

To help in your deliberation, HousingWire talked to Ralph McLaughlin, chief economist with Trulia, to compile a list of five factors that define this year’s housing market.

1. Selling your home will be easier, but buying your next one may be more difficult

McLaughlin explained that inventory of all homes for sale is down over 35% over the last four years.

“We are in a time of short supply, which is great news for sellers because they will likely be faced with multiple offers due to the little inventory out there,” he said.

But on the flipside, he noted that it’s not so great for people looking to buy a home. “They will be up against a lot of other people and against a short supply of existing homes,” McLaughlin said.

Interestingly enough, he said that the inventory of starter homes, or the homes that are in the least expensive, are probably at the lowest supply they have been in four years.

The February S&P/Case-Shiller report echoed similar inventory concerns, with Zillow Chief Economist Svenja Gudell commenting on it saying, “There are a lot of economic forces at work behind the scenes that will have a big impact on housing as we enter the busy home-shopping season. Low inventory is a factor in almost every market, so buyers should be prepared for a limited selection in the months to come."

2. It’s finding a home that’s tough to come buy

McLaughlin advised that shoppers should consider buying a new home or a new home off a plan.

Rather than deal with bidding wars, he said you should turn to new inventory, specifically homes off a plan.

In the most recent new home sales report, McLaughlin explained that the share of new home sales not started, in other words homes purchased off a plan, hovered near a 10-year high.

"Why? The inventory of existing homes continues to fall. Low existing inventory likely pushes prospective buyers away from existing homes towards new homes, and as new home sales rise, this allows builders to sell more new homes off plan," McLaughlin said.

3. It’s still cheaper to buy than rent

Even though inventory is down and buying a home is more difficult and stressful, in most parts of the country, it is still cheaper to buy a home than rent over a 5-year period. And it gets cheaper after that, McLaughlin explained.

Most notably, it’s especially true for younger homebuyers that put less than 10% down. He cautioned buyers to remain patient because over a 5-year period it will be in your financial best interest.

4. Don’t panic over possible interest rate increases

"A lot of people ask me this. Should I be concerned? Will it make a difference? The short answer is no,” he said.  

As it stands, he said that interest rates are nothing to worry about because what the Fed does is only loosely tied to mortgage rates.

Even if mortgage rates do go up, which they will do in the medium to long run, in places like California and Honolulu, rates would have rise to 4.5% to 5% to roughly equate the cost of renting.

And in the rest of the country, McLaughlin said, “Rates would have to reach 6% to 7%, and we are a long way off from interest rates at that level. Keep an eye on it but don’t fret."

5. Buyers should be aware of bargain homes

Trulia did a study earlier this year, looking at where properties listed with the word bargain, or similar words, are actually priced at a discount.

Turns out, only 55 of the 100 biggest U.S. housing markets where properties described as a “bargain” are actually listed for a lower price.

“Doesn’t mean you can’t find a bargain, but you are more likely to find it in the Midwest of south,” McLaughlin said. 

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A tale of two houses ADVICE FOR CONSUMERS

A tale of two houses There's a house I drive by in my neighborhood that has had a For Sale By Owner sign in the yard for at least 10 weeks now. There's another home nearby with a Texas REALTOR®'s For Sale sign in the yard. That home went under contract two days after it came onto the market. Certainly there are more differences between these homes than the fact that one is being sold by a professional and the other by the owner of the home. But it points out that selling a home takes a lot more than just sticking a sign in the ground. www.PattiLee.Properties www.WiseRealEstateTX.com EMAIL

Lack of Inventory Challenging Many Housing Markets

by The KCM Crew on March 17, 2016 in For Sellers, Housing Market Update

Going into the 2016 spring market, the biggest challenge the real estate industry has is the lack of available housing inventory for sale. Here are a few experts and their thoughts on the subject:

David Crowe, Chief Economist for the National Association of Home Builders:

“Many sellers may not have an absolute decision as to whether to buy an existing home or a new home. So the low inventory of existing homes is locking them in place.”

Ralph McLaughlin, Chief Economist with Trulia:

“We are in a time of short supply, which is great news for sellers because they will likely be faced with multiple offers due to the little inventory out there…Buyers will be up against a lot of other people and against a short supply of existing homes.”

Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist with NAR:

“First-time buyers in high demand areas continue to encounter instances where their offer is trumped by cash buyers and investors. Without a much-needed boost in new and existing-homes for sale in their price range, their path to homeownership will remain an uphill climb.”

Fitch Ratings:

“One important issue that has restrained sales and starts is inventory. On an absolute basis, inventory has not expanded as much as in past recoveries, leading to less selection for buyers. This is especially true for existing home sales but is evident for new home construction as well. When it comes to U.S. housing inventory, more is better." 

Jonathan Smoke, Chief Economist for Realtor.com:

“The increase in sales is resulting in continued tighter-than-tight supply—measured by NAR to be four months in January.  For you non-economists out there, that metric measures the number of months it would take to sell the current inventory of available homes, at the current pace. Got it? Six to seven months’ worth of homes on the market is considered normal; four months is cray-cray.”

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The Main Reason to Use a

Real Estate Professional when Selling Your House

by The KCM Crew on March 16, 2016 in For Sellers

Every homeowner hopes to accomplish five goals when selling their home:

1. Sell it for the best price
2. Sell it within a predetermined time
3. Sell it with the least amount of hassles
4. Close on the sale the same day they move into their new home

The fifth reason is the most obvious and the most important:

5. They want to make sure it sells.

In order to dramatically increase the chances that the house sells, a homeowner should list with a real estate professional in their market. Why? Because agents have access to the vast majority of the available buyers!!

According to the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) recently released 2016 Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Report, 87% of all buyers purchased their home through a real estate agent or broker. And more that 8 out of 10 buyers in every age group used an agent (see chart below).

Bottom Line

If you want your home sold, the best way is to go where the buyers are. The NAR study revealed that the vast majority of purchasers will use an agent when they buy. Meet with a local real estate professional today if you want the best chance of selling.

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Buyer Cheat Sheet for a Seller's Market

Buyer Cheat Sheet

for a Seller's Market

DAILY REAL ESTATE NEWS | FRIDAY, APRIL 08, 2016

In a seller's market, home buyers need to be willing and able to act fast to snag the home they want. This spring, areas across the country are facing a limited number of homes for sale. Realtor.com® offers up a cheat sheet for surviving a seller's market.

• Be on call. "If you're only looking now and then when it's convenient, you're probably wasting your time," says James Malmberg, a real estate professional in Sherman Oaks, Calif. He suggests treating house hunting like job hunting. If someone calls with a lead, follow up promptly to gauge whether it could be a good fit and don't linger.
• Bring the paperwork. To be taken seriously, buyers would be wise to get a mortgage pre-approval letter as well as a "proof of funds" form from their bank to show they have enough to cover a down payment. They'll be able to act quicker when they do find the right house.
• Limit the contingencies. In a seller's market, buyers may need to drop some of the contingencies to score the house. Sellers prefer the fewest number of hurdles to closing as possible. If your buyers come in with several contingencies — such as "if" they secure financing — the sellers are more inclined to bypass their offer and take another with less hassle. Also, "don't waste your time lowballing a seller," advises Sean Kelley, a real estate professional with Howard Hannah in Pittsburgh, Pa. "Always put in an aggressive offer."
• Cast a wide net. Search for homes outside prime locations if faced with limited or high-priced choices. Buyers need to carefully consider what they're willing to compromise on. "Sometimes properties sit, even in a seller's market, because of a problem that is scaring other buyers away," such as some renovation work that may need to be done, Malmberg says. Those "flaws," however, might not be a big deal to your buyers. "Finding a house this way can also cut down on the amount of competition you will face," Malmberg adds.

Source: “Surviving a Seller’s Market: The Ultimate Cheat Sheet,” realtor.com® (April 7, 2016)

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