SkyFive Properties Blog

Although most moving companies in the U.S. are trustworthy, there remain a few bad apples along with cautionary accounts of the victims. A growing number of complaints have been filed against movers in recent months, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), many of which are due to “fraudulent tactics… of rogue movers.”

If you are going to pay for a mover, it is your job to ensure that the moving company is legitimate. After all, moving day is stressful enough without having to commit your valuable possessions to the wrong people. Fortunately, there are numerous methods for determining a moving company’s credibility before you even pick up the phone. Here’s how you tell if a mover can be trusted with your belongings.

• Is the moving company fully licensed and insured?

Before hiring a moving company, verify sure the company is fully licensed and insured. While interstate movers must register with the federal government and can be located in the U.S. DOT system, local movers are only regulated by the state. Every state has its own licensing standards, so you should familiarize yourself with your state’s laws to guarantee that your local mover is legitimate.

Interstate movers are obligated by law to provide two types of liability options, according to the FMCSA: Full Value Protection and Released Value. These possibilities are defined below by the FMCSA.

• Full Value Protection: “Your mover is accountable for the replacement value of lost or damaged goods in your entire cargo…This is the most complete package available for your items’ protection.” The cost of Full Value Protection varies depending on the mover.
• Released Value Protection: “Because it is provided at no additional cost, Released Value is the most cost-effective protection available. However, the level of protection is minimal. The mover bears liable for no more than 60 cents per pound per acre under this option.

On the FMCSA website, you may learn more about the intricacies of both alternatives. Your mover must have their own insurance in addition to offering you liability choices. On request, moving company should be able to present you with proof of insurance.

• Do they have any complaints?

“Where there is smoke, there is fire,” as my mother used to say. Take note if you notice a high volume of consumer complaints! This is frequently a red flag. If you’re planning an interstate move, you can also go directly to the FMCSA website for more information on any official complaints. Every interstate moving company needs to receive a United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) number. As part of this system, consumers can now enter the moving company’s phone number into the FMCSA’s search engine, which can be found under the website heading “Search Movers & Complaint History.” This search tool exposes the complaint history of registered interstate movers (or hopefully, lack thereof).

We also recommend contacting the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to determine if there have been any complaints filed against intrastate and interstate moving businesses. The Better Business Bureau is a non-profit organization that assists people in locating trustworthy businesses. If a moving company is accredited by the Better Business Bureau, it signifies that the movers have met the organization’s accreditation standards.

• How are their reviews?

Checking reviews on Moving.com’s Moving Business Directory is a wonderful place to start when looking for a reputable moving company. The directory provides customer reviews for over 600 movers around the country. For your convenience, our reviews include the following information: the moving company’s U.S. DOT number, specific moving services, fleet size, Better Business Bureau rating, any official complaints filed with the FMCSA, and whether the moving company is a member of the American Moving & Storage Association.

It’s also recommended to ask for referrals from your neighbors, friends, and relatives. Listen to what they have to say about their personal experiences with various moving companies. Check out Yelp and other review sites, but keep in mind that the internet is full of frauds and phony reviews.

• Did the mover inspect your belongings before providing you with an estimate?

Before providing you with a price, moving firms should do either an in-person inspection or a video scan of your goods. Otherwise, you risk receiving a charge that much exceeds the initial estimate. If they provide you a quote over the phone or the internet based on your own inventory of home goods, run! This could be a warning sign of moving fraud. As a general rule, any company that gives you a firm price without assessing your items through video or in-person is probably not to be trusted. I recommend comparing at least three or four quotations from different moving firms to guarantee you get the best rate.

Following an assessment, the movers should provide you with a written estimate (together with any other potential charges) – leaving no unpleasant surprises for later. If the moving business’s quote is significantly more or lower than other moving company estimates, this should raise a red flag.

• Are they qualified?

Aside from licenses and insurance, buyers should exercise common sense when hiring a moving business. Keep an eye out for whether the movers are actual professionals. Is there a physical office and a corporate email address? Is the moving firm affiliated with a respected van line? Are they dressed in uniforms and operating specialized moving trucks? Have you received an official Bill of Lading? Is it possible that the estimate is too wonderful to be true? Do they have a valid business license? Listen to your gut instincts if something doesn’t feel right.

About the Author

Michaela Smith is the marketing director at EMPIRE MOVERS NYC, a well-known residential and commercial moving company with over 15 years of experience on the market.

To get the most out of your property when you decide to sell it, you want it to stand out and catch the eye of potential buyers without investing too much cash or time to get it done. The pandemic has impacted the housing market, too, so doing what you can to get the best value for your house is essential. Still, it would be best if you had an idea of what drives property sales where your home is located. Additionally, you would want to sell your home sooner than later to facilitate your moving forward and settling down in another property of your choice. For example, if you want to sell your house in Jacksonville, Florida, it is always best to deal with professionals who can help you get competitive rates for your property and sell it in the fastest possible time.

At present, buyers interested in buying properties are looking for slightly different things from past requirements. This shift can result from the current times where social distancing and working from home have become the new normal. There is no way to foresee what these adjustments can signify in the future, but more experts in the housing industry feel that they will affect some housing markets. At the same time, sellers may also shift their priorities about their preparations to sell their properties.

Below are some ways to sell your property for a price you are happy with.

Know how to price your property

While it is natural for you to make the most of the current housing market and get an excellent value for your home, you should also be level-headed when setting a price for your property. Instead of deciding on what you imagine your property’s value would be, talk to your agent and determine an excellent opening price. From there, you can allow the housing market factors to run their course. For many sellers, it is easy to maintain the mindset that properties sell quickly and at the best value. However, this does not hold for all houses. Other elements include a few home renovations, staging the property to make it more appealing, and others. The more buyers are interested in purchasing your property, the more chances to earn extra profit, making it necessary to develop the best strategy to get it sold.

Get necessary repairs done

Any buyer would be willing to pay a little more if a house is well-maintained and does not require significant repairs. If you want to sell your property at a reasonable price, you may want to start making those repairs. This act on your part can also help accelerate the process of closing the deal. It would help to have a professional inspect and identify areas of the property that require fixing.

Consider curb appeal

There are no second chances when it comes to first impressions. What a buyer sees outside your home forms a picture in their mind about what they can expect inside. A negative image can drive them away, and an opportunity is lost. Find out how you can improve your curb appeal, from giving the front door a fresh coat of paint to enhancing the landscape.

You have to do your part if you want to get the best price for your property. However, keep in mind that there is competition out there, and you need to keep pace to get your house sold at the value you expect.

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Whether you just moved into a new home or have lived there for years, chances are your garden shed is out of control. We tend to let stuff pile up that we don’t need, including in our sheds. But what if I told you there was a better way to organize your shed? In this article, we’ll be outlining 4 useful methods to help you take back control of your garden.

Start with a concrete base

Aston Sheds UK says “Starting a garden shed can be a fun DIY project, with a bit of difficulty. You might want to buy a pre-made concrete insert or purchase pre-made fiberglass boards.” If you are looking for a more permanent solution, you can hire a professional concrete installer.

Protect your shed from termites

Do you know how easy it is to damage your shed? Even a little bit of dirt can turn an otherwise nice area into a mess. When looking for a way to keep it looking good, it’s important to remember a few ways that can help keep the dirt down. Termites can come in many forms. Sometimes they’ll be little white bugs that just about eat through your shed boards. Other times they’ll be more of a problem if you have wooden planks or planks made from hardwood that they can leverage to dig through (wooden structures are popular among termites because they are easy to break into and harder to get rid of).

One of the best ways to get rid of pests is the use of deterrents. A second measure is to keep the shed clean; this will help to prevent dirt and termites from accumulating in what will become your garage after the recession has set in. Termites can be particularly difficult to control once they have set foot on your property, so it is important to know how best to deal with them so that you can keep your investment protected for the long term.

Keep out the bad weather

There are a lot of little things you can do to ensure your garden is protected from the elements. Make sure your roof is ready to roll and have the base of your shed made from thick, solid wood that won’t suffer from rot. Cut down trees on your property to make sure there’s space for powerlines and keep out any pests that might try to burrow their way into your shed. When the worst of bad weather hits something, it’s often little things that can do big things to help make your life easier – especially if you have pets inside your shed at any given time.

Give your garden shed a new look

Gardens shed facelift is a great DIY project that can help you transform your property. It is an opportunity to visit with friends and caretakers and it can also be used to raise awareness of your property. The garden shed is usually the first area of a home that is maintained by a homeowner. The increase in activity and cleaning required attending to the needs of these structures may make it tempting to leave renovations to someone else who can do it better or quicker. However, if you are careful and take the proper precautions when it comes to your garden sheds you can ensure that they remain fresh and stylish for many years to come.

You can rest assured that if you follow the money, you have made the right choice. Whether investing in stocks, investing in real estate or whether you invest in cannabis, if other people put their money in then you can too.

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Investing In Stock

Investing in stocks is a great way to invest your money and make a decent return on the financial assets that you invest. Investing in one stock or multiple stocks is possible, but it’s not recommended unless you’re willing to invest large sums of cash into each company. Investing in multiple companies does increase risk, however. You could lose all of your money if one company doesn’t work out for any unforeseen reason – but profit greatly if they all do at the same time.

Liquidity is also another factor when picking which companies to invest in. If you’re not trading small sums of cash (under $2,000), then you’ll want to invest in companies that have high liquidity where you can easily sell shares either back to the issuer or another investor. If liquidity is high, it’s more likely that you can sell your shares and invest in another company.

Investing In Property

Another type of investment you can invest in is a property, whether it be an apartment complex, house, or multiple houses. If you invest with other investors and decide to invest in a housing complex – make sure you conduct your research thoroughly before investing in any real estate company! This type of investment is more hands-on and requires more management than typical stocks and will require monthly reporting.

Another great way to invest in properties is buying individual homes that already have tenants living in them (also known as fixer-uppers) – this way you’re not required to manage the property for at least 6 months to a year depending on the state laws (lease term). In some states, if a tenant beyond their notice period which varies between 30-60 days, you have to invest time and money into the property for re-rent. Another great way to invest in properties is buying multiple homes and either selling them off as they get repaired or keeping them as an investment property if you’re not comfortable managing it yourself.

If you invest in a home that has a tenant inside of it, things can go wrong with your tenants which includes nonpayment of rent, breaking lease terms, and destroying your property. Not all states require the same legal aspects such as eviction laws so use extreme caution when investing in this type of real estate!

Investing in CBD

Invest in CBD (Cannabidiol) oil and other products – Whether you invest in the cannabis industry or prefer to invest in CBD (Cannabidiol) oil, it’s a smart move as more states legalize pot for both medicinal and recreational use. Investing in this multi-billion dollar industry is becoming quite popular – who wouldn’t want to invest in a drug that has medicinal purposes and is safer than alcohol and tobacco.

Investing in CBD oil can be very profitable if you invest in companies that aren’t shady. A lot of companies selling CBD (Cannabidiol) oil are making big claims without any proof behind them which means it’s not genuine CBD oil – always invest in CBD oil that has proof and test results available for viewing.

Word Of Advice

As always, invest what you can afford to lose and invest in reputable companies that have been around for several years and aren’t going anywhere soon. Not all of these investments will guarantee you huge returns but reading about them can guide you towards deciding on what type of investment is best suited for your lifestyle.

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Finding your first apartment can be an overwhelming task. While you may be looking forward to living on your own, you might also be nervous about picking the right one.

Learn more about what to think about when renting your first apartment so you can be happy with your choice in the end. It’s a big and important decision and not one you should rush through. These tips should help you succeed and have a positive experience choosing your first place to live.

Your Finances

When thinking about renting your first apartment, you’ll want to review your finances first and foremost. It’s important that you lay out a budget and know what you can afford. Avoid putting any money down or signing a contract until you understand all the costs based on what you’re making. There will not only be upfront costs to cover but also long-term expenses to think about. Some of these include but are not limited to clothes, food, gas, and electricity. You might also want to not pay a lot in rent so you can save up to buy a home one day.

List of Must-Haves

You should also think about your list of must-haves when renting your first apartment. This includes what you can’t live without and amenities. Learn More about what some apartments offer so you can begin making your list and figuring out what you want out of your residence. It may be that you want a fitness center, pool, laundry facility, or all three. Do your homework and weigh your options and then consider what you’re willing to give up or not have based on what you can afford.

Location & Neighborhood

One of the most important factors to consider when looking around for a first apartment is the location and neighborhood. You want to make sure that you’re in an area that will be suitable for you and your lifestyle. For instance, it may be that you prefer to be near a dog park or shopping and entertainment. On the other hand, maybe you want a shorter commute or the ability to walk to work each day. Also, consider the crime rate and how far you have to go to get groceries or a haircut.

Organization & Move-in Plan

You’ll want to be as organized as possible when thinking about renting your first apartment. Now is a good time to declutter and get rid of what you don’t need or want to move. You’ll need to know how much stuff you have and how much room you’ll need in your new place to store it and live comfortably. Also, have a move-in plan by knowing when you must move by and confirming that you have movers arranged to help you if you have heavy boxes and furniture. Make sure you’re all packed up and ready to go and that your boxes are properly labeled when moving day arrives.

Conclusion

These are a few elements to think about when renting your first apartment. It’s a lot to think through but doing so will help ensure you love where you live. Look forward to decorating and making your apartment feel like home.

It’s always good to have hopes and dreams in this life. If you’re working towards something, then you’ll be much more inclined to go through the grind of the day because you’ll know that something good is in your future. One of the better ambitions to have is to move into your dream property. Our homes have a massive bearing on our happiness, and if you’re living in a place that you positively love, then you’ll be pretty darn happy! But of course, it’s not easy — if it were, then everyone would live in their dream home.

In this blog, we’re going to run through some useful tips that’ll ensure that, one day, you have the keys to a place that you love.

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What’s It Look Like?

Before you can begin thinking about buying your dream home, you’ll need to think about what it looks like. Everyone has a different concept of what their dream house will look like. If you don’t know where to start, then begin by thinking about what the absolute best property is. That might not be realistic (in terms of cost etc.), but it’ll give you an idea of what you value. Is it a beachfront property or a luxury apartment in a major city, for example?

Long-Term Ambition

Unless you win the lottery, you won’t be able to get your hands on the keys to your favorite place overnight. It might not even happen in ten years. But if you start thinking about things now, you can begin doing the groundwork that’ll ultimately result in you moving into the space. Here, a bit of patience can go a long way. You might even move into one or two homes before you go to your dream spot. Just remember that it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

Get Finances In Order

Of course, for most people, the main barrier towards moving into a dream property is money. Those dream homes do tend to cost a lot! But if there’s one thing to know, it’s that you can always make things happen. It’s just about being smart with your money. Indeed, you can even get your hands on your dream property if you’re a New York firefighter; it’s just that you’d need to plan your retirement ahead of time; you can learn how to do just that on this page. You may also consider speaking with a financial advisor; they’ll be able to tell you what you need to do in order to get the right amount of money.

Be Ready to Strike

It’s one thing to find your dream house. It’s another thing to get it. If you’ve found a property that you positively love, then there’s every chance that someone else also loves it. So when you’re getting to the time when you’re ready to buy your dream home, be sure to have everything lined up ahead of time. That way, you’ll be able to dive and get your hands on the keys, before anyone else.

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No one wants to think about the house they just bought deteriorating. Unfortunately, it does happen, and there are many ways that a house can be damaged or destroyed over time.

That is why it’s crucial to protect your home investment by taking steps now to ensure that your house will last for years to come. Here is how to do it.

Learn About Taxes

Taxes are a big part of homeownership. Therefore, it’s essential to understand the tax implications and how you can best plan for them. Besides, by learning about taxes it can help you identify how to open a tax office which you can use to help others deal with their taxes.

First, estimate what your property taxes will be by looking up the value of your house compared to the median value in your area. This will give you a rough idea of how much your property taxes will be each year and their effect on them if you sell or buy another house.

Research any potential tax assessments with homeowners associations before buying into an established neighborhood so that you know how likely it is to have higher than average assessments. The higher your property taxes, the more you’ll have to pay to maintain a home as it ages and deteriorates over time.

Get Insurance

The best way to protect your house investment is by getting insurance. There are many types of insurance, but homeowners insurance should be at the top of your list. It protects you financially if a disaster such as a fire or an earthquake strikes and damages your home. It also covers liability if someone gets hurt while staying at your property too.

Getting this type of protection is essential because it can come in handy if your house needs major repairs or you need to rebuild it completely.

Get a Home Warranty

A home warranty can provide you peace of mind. For example, if your air conditioner, refrigerator, or dishwasher breaks down and needs replacement, most policies will cover the cost of a new one.

These warranties also protect your appliances against things like power surges that might happen in an area prone to storms. As a result, you won’t have to worry about paying for repairs or even a significant replacement and will be able to focus on living your life.

Know Your Building Codes

To protect your investment, you should know the building codes in your area. The builder, real estate agent, and architect are all experts that can help advise on these matters. Check with them before buying a home or land if possible.

To ensure homes have proper protection from floods, for example, they must be constructed on a site at least one foot higher than the 100-year flood elevation. This can be achieved by building on stilts or making them float, elevating structures with supplementary fill, and raising foundation walls.

It may also be necessary to move the home further back from the edge of rivers, lakes, and oceans if it is at risk of being flooded.

The best way to protect your house investment, in the long run, is by staying on top of changes and developments. There will always be new rules, regulations, codes, and standards that you need to know about as they come out so that you can plan accordingly for them. Use the above tips to guide you.

You can’t go wrong with investing in real estate. Whether you are a first-time investor or have been in the game for years, there is always something new to learn about investing and making money from it.

And while many people think they know what they’re doing when it comes to investing in real estate, many mistakes happen daily. To help you avoid these pitfalls, we’ve compiled five tips on how to avoid these mistakes!

Find Rental Properties in Emerging Neighborhoods

One of the best tips for investing in real estate is to consider properties in emerging neighborhoods. As a neighborhood becomes more popular, property values rise, and opportunities become less common as prices increase. However, by purchasing properties before these areas undergo development or gentrification, there are many benefits that you can take advantage of, such as long-term appreciation as well as more affordable rentals.

A few things to consider when investing in emerging neighborhoods are how close the property is to public transportation, what schools surround it, and whether a commercial area nearby can provide prospective tenants with employment opportunities. Proximity to these amenities will help ensure that your rental property attracts quality renters while also ensuring that you can maintain them.

Diversify Your Investments

It is the number one rule for investing in real estate, and it’s also the best advice you’ll get when choosing an investment portfolio for retirement. Diversification reduces risk by spreading your assets into different types of investments, such as stocks, FX Trading, bonds, and property which includes shares in companies that provide leasing options.

If one type of investment fails, the others might do well enough to give you still a positive return on your money. However, if all types fail at once, they won’t take away from each other’s potential losses; diversification is when two stocks in the same industry go up and down together because it represents general market trends rather than one specific company.

Don’t Over-Rehab

If you’re going to invest in real estate, don’t over-rehab! It will keep your monthly expenses down and ensure that all your energy goes towards making money from properties instead of fixing up homes so that tenants will move in. Don’t buy more property than you can realistically afford or have time to maintain, and don’t overspend on renovations if the house is livable without them.

Don’t Over-Leverage Yourself

Investing in real estate is exciting, but it also carries risks. So one of the first rules when investing in real estate should be to not over-leverage yourself. That might seem simple, but it’s a critical concept that many people overlook as they go into business for themselves and invest their funds or family money on a project without really understanding their risk profile.

Look Into Single-Family Rentals

The first tip for real estate investors is to investigate single-family rentals. These homes are great investments because they’re less volatile and have higher yields than other types of property ownership. Single-family rental properties may be rented out inexpensively or at zero money down, depending on the tenant’s income level and credit score. It makes them an excellent option for investors.

Conclusion

The number one rule for investing in real estate is to do your research. It means gathering information about the property, neighborhood, and market before making an offer or investment.

Once you have all of this information, it will be easier to see what kind of return-on-investment potential they each present. Investing without doing your research is like buying a car without test driving first. It’s an investment, and you should never invest anything without doing your due diligence first.

Investing in real estate is a way to invest in your future. Building a real estate investment portfolio can allow you to create long-term income, plus it gives you assets that you could sell for a profit in the future. You could even make your income from property investments passive when you use a property management firm to manage everything for you. But diversifying your investments is always important if you want to reduce the level of risk you have. This is true for real estate, the same as any other type of investment. So how can you make your investments more diverse?

Invest in Different Types of Real Estate

Different types of real estate are available for you to invest in. Selecting from a number of different real estate options will help you to diversify your portfolio and ensure you’re not just putting all of your money into one type. You can consider the domestic rental market, commercial property, and mixed-use properties. Within these categories, there are various options to explore too. For example, single-family or multi-family homes, retail stores or industrial property, and more. By mixing property types, you can lower your risk and protect your investments.

Invest in Diverse Locations

Another way to diversify the real estate that you invest in is to choose different locations. The location of real estate can influence various other factors. It changes what types of people might live there, what types of property you can find and of course things like prices and how many are looking to rent or buy there. By investing in a number of different locations, you can ensure you’re not relying on the popularity of one area. This is even more important if you’re taking a gamble on a certain area becoming more popular because there’s no guarantee it will happen.

Choose Indirect Real Estate Investments

Investing in real estate doesn’t have to be getting involved in property development or becoming a landlord. You can invest in real estate indirectly, profiting from your investment without having to be hands-on with any property. Mutual funds or real estate investment trusts (REITs) both offer ways to diversify your real estate investment portfolio. REITs are securities that allow you to invest in either equity or debt-based real estate portfolios. Real estate mutual funds are managed funds that invest in REITs, as well as stocks and indices.

Look at Alternative Assets to Invest In

Real estate investors should also look at other forms of investment if they want to diversify. It can be a good idea to have something other than property in your investment portfolio for true diversity. You could consider options trading, investing in stocks, bonds, and shares, or even other physical assets, such as gold. Having different types of investments can help you to ensure you can maintain your real estate investments. You’ll have other investments that you can rely on even if your property investments aren’t performing as well.

Diversify your real estate investment portfolio by exploring different options both within real estate and elsewhere.

Being able to buy a home is one of the key ways of improving your life, and this is something that you have to make the most of when it comes to achieving this process. There are so many ideas that you can use to help you improve this process, and there are so many ideas that you can make the most of. You are going to need to come up with some of the best things that play a role in helping you to buy a house.

Source

You need to come up with some of the best ideas that play a role in helping you buy a house, and this is one of the best things that you have to consider. Buying a house is a big undertaking, and a seminal step in your life, and this is something you have to make the most of as much as possible. It is important to focus on the best ways of being able to get the best outcome from this, and these are some of the excellent ideas that can help you with this.

What’s Your Financial Situation?

One of the key things you need to make the most of is to look at your financial situation and try to do as much as possible to improve the way you afford your property. There are so many ideas that you need to make the most of as much as possible, and this is something that you have to work on. You have so many ideas that you should be keeping in mind here, and managing your finances better is one of the best things that you should be looking to achieve. It’s essential that you try to make the most of this, and there are a lot of ways of being able to make more money. One of the key things that you should be looking at are alternative ways of raising capital, such as choosing to sell a structured settlement, sell investments, and more.

Choosing the Right Home

Choosing the right home is one of the best ways of being able to achieve a successful move, and you need to consider the best ways of finding the right home for you. There are so many choices to keep in mind right now, and it is definitely important to make the most of this. Try to consider the different ideas that you can use to help you when it comes time to choose the right property. Assess what you need and what is right for you and your family, and make the right decision accordingly.

Changing Your Important Details

You have a lot to think about when you are buying a house, and one of the things that so many people overlook is that they need to change their important details. This is something that you have to be looking to make the most of right now. Try to get in touch with all of the important companies that have your details, and make the right kinds of changes to help you make the most of this moving forward right now.
There are loads of great ideas that you need to keep in mind if you are looking to make the most of this, and moving house certainly indicates a new chapter in your life. There are a lot of things that play a role in helping with this, and you need to make sure you focus on the different steps that will allow you to make the best possible improvements that will make the most of this right now.