What To Do When You Can’t Even Fit Your Car In Your Garage

Posted by & filed under Packing, Storage.

The move is done. The boxes are unpacked, sort of. You’ve even spent time decorating and finally, your new home looks like you. The only problem is that you can’t fit your car in the garage.

Now, some people might question why you even bothered to move the boxes you have stored in your garage. You don’t need that kind of negativity. Sure, it’s possible you’ve barely even peeked in those boxes in your entire adult life. It’s possible that every report card, drawing and diorama since kindergarten is in those boxes. It’s also possible that inside that cardboard are the charred remembrances of relationships past.

Regardless, your car needs a home and fortunately, there are several things you can do to give your wheels the shelter it deserves.

Get rid of stuff

Yes, I know, I just said you don’t need that kind of negativity, but I am morally obligated to at least mention it. Sure, it’s true that if you haven’t needed something for the last two years, you’ll probably never use them again. And while there’s a chance you’ll fit into your 90s mom jeans again, do you really want to wear them?

If purging was your goal, though, you probably would have done it before the move. There’s a reason you’re holding on to that stuff, and who are we to judge? Then again, mom jeans are back in style, so you might be able to get a couple of bucks.

Organize

There’s a possibility that you have reached a moving wall, which sounds nothing like it actually is. The process of packing, moving and then unpacking takes a lot of momentum. There’s a certain point, though, where many people hit a wall and it can take a long time to break through. Maybe you want to unpack those boxes, but you lack both the energy and the places to put things.

While it’s costly to literally make more room in your home, a little organization might free up enough space for you to empty those garage boxes.

Store it

Just a few years ago, there were only a handful of options for storage. Today, the options aren’t quite endless, but there is something so suit every need. You can store on your property with a storage shed or a mobile container sent by a storage company. If you choose the container option, the storage company can store it on their premises as well.

If you haven’t moved yet, or even if you have, your moving company will be happy to store your goods. The advantage to that is that nothing needs to leave its safe moving-ready packaging. The moving company will protect and care for your goods. The downside is that the moving company will have to have one of their employees access anything you might want.

The third option is what most people probably think of when they think of storage, and that’s self-storage. Most self-storage facilities are drive-up, where you enter a code into a keypad and drive through the gate to your storage unit. Some even have indoor storage, which is generally more secure, but also more expensive. Most of these storage facilities will pick up for free, as long as you stay for a certain number of months. After that, everything is on you. You are free to rummage through, take away or add at will, but you are responsible for any loss or breakage.

Having too much stuff is the American way of life. It’s certainly nothing to be ashamed of, but when your car suffers, it might be time to do something.

The 10 Safest Places You Can Move To Avoid Natural Disasters

Posted by & filed under Getting Ready to Move, News.

Between hurricanes, floods and fires, it almost seems as if Mother Nature is on the warpath. Perhaps she is, or perhaps all of recent natural disasters are just a horrible coincidence. That’s not an argument for this blog to take up, but it is true that a lot of people have been asking themselves how to protect themselves and where they might move that is safe.

First, let’s talk about the least safe states, and as you might imagine, California doesn’t fare well. It’s the second worst state for national disasters. Only Texas has more. We get floods, fires, land and mudslides, tsunamis and of course, earthquakes. Now, before reading too much into this, remember that they are counting number of events and we are the third largest state in land mass. Texas is second. In reverse order, the states with the most natural disasters are:

  1. Missouri
  2. Arkansas
  3. Kentucky
  4. Alabama
  5. Louisiana
  6. Florida
  7. New York
  8. Oklahoma
  9. California
  10. Texas

 

If we break it down even further, California, at least Southern California, doesn’t get any better. Southern California counties represent five of the top 15 most dangerous counties and there isn’t a single California county in the 15 safest.

  1. Ocean County, New Jersey
  2. Orange County, California
  3. Cape May County, New Jersey
  4. Monmouth County, New Jersey
  5. Los Angeles County, California
  6. Clinton County, New York
  7. Burlington County, New Jersey
  8. San Diego County, California
  9. Franklin County, New York
  10. Riverside County, California
  11. San Bernardino County, California
  12. Atlantic County, New Jersey
  13. Chittenden County, Vermont
  14. Grand Isle County, Vermont
  15. Camden County, New Jersey

For many of us in California, low risk means boring, and we know the risks. We live in California for its beauty, for its culture, for its never-ending activities, for the bustling business climate and for the people. If you’re tired of feeling on-edge, though, who can blame you? The good news is that you don’t have to travel far outside of California to escape most of the wrath of Mom Nature. All but one county is at least in the western half of the United States. Two are in our neighboring state of Oregon.

Time Magazine lists the safest counties as:

  1. Sweet Grass, Montana
  2. Washington County, Idaho
  3. Wheatland County, Montana
  4. Sherman County, Oregon
  5. Emporia City, Virginia
  6. Fergus County, Montana
  7. Luna County, New Mexico
  8. Liberty County, Montana
  9. Grant County, New Mexico
  10. Malheur County, Oregon
  11. Potter County, South Dakota
  12. Hill County, Montana
  13. Silver Bow County, Montana
  14. Canyon County, Idaho
  15. Golden Valley County, Montana

The other piece of good news is that even if you stay in California, the odds of dying, even in an earthquake, are very small. Your odds of being killed by lightening is actually higher.

Featured image via Wikimedia Commons.

 

What Are The Best Ways To Move Your Pets?

Posted by & filed under Getting Ready to Move.

It’s cliche to say that moving is stressful, but it’s especially true when you move your pets, especially for cats and dogs. The minute packing begins, your pets almost instinctively know something is going on.

Of course you want to make your pets’ routine as normal as possible. Feed them at their usual schedules. Walk your dogs like usual, but as far as actually transporting pets, that’s not always easy.

Your pets would be happiest traveling with you, but if your car will be too full or if you’re traveling by airplane, that’s not always possible.

How do you move your pets?

If you are traveling by air, your pets can travel with you. If your pet is small enough, and can fit in a crate that fits in a seat, you can buy them a ticket. Otherwise, contact your airline for their pet transport options.

If you are moving by car, prepare them by feeding them very lightly. Make several stops for them to get a little exercise and to relieve themselves. Be sure to pack a lot of water. Make sure you give them air by either using the air conditioner or cracking windows, especially if you leave them in the car by themselves. Ask your vet for car sickness medication if necessary. Many hotels and motels allow pets, but you should check in advance and, if possible, make advanced reservations. Some charge a bit more for pets, but it’s worth it to not have to hide your pets.

If having your pets travel with you simply isn’t an option, there are companies that will transport them for you. The International Pet and Animal Transportation Association has lists of registered pet shippers. There are companies that can ship your pets either via air or ground transport.

Featured image via Katlene Niven/Flickr.

The San Fernando Valley Is About To Get A Much-Needed Reprieve From Traffic

Posted by & filed under News, Real Estate.

Los Angeles, and in particular, the San Fernando Valley, is notorious for its traffic. Right now, an estimated 86 percent of San Fernando Valley commuters drive to work. Most spend more than half an hour on each end of the commute. Some good news is coming, though. The San Fernando Valley may be getting a new subway line.

The Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association sent a letter to the Metro.

…The group expresses overall support for Metro’s East San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor, which will link the Van Nuys Orange Line station to the Sylmar/San Fernando Metrolink station—about 9 miles to the north. The project won’t reach Sherman Oaks, but the group argues that it will have a potentially large impact on the neighborhood.

The letter also urges Metro to consider putting the line underground, maintaining that this option would be “faster and less intrusive on autos, pedestrians, and bikes.”

Source: LA Curbed

According to the environmental impact report, Metro is also considering a light rail line, two rapid bus options and a tram. Most of those would be at street level, with the exception of 2.5 underground miles between Panorama City and Van Nuys.

A subway would be much more expensive.

Putting the project underground would increase the projected cost of the project far beyond the $2.7 billion price tag Metro has estimated for the mostly above-ground light rail. Metro spokesperson Kimberly Upton tells Curbed the cost of an entirely subterranean line would likely be between $7 billion and $8 billion.

The homeowner’s association doesn’t care. They want the subway. About half the is already covered through Measure M, which raised sales tax last November. The rest, they say, can be raised by public-private partnerships.

What is your opinion on mass transit in the San Fernando Valley, and throughout the rest of the Los Angeles area?

Featured image via Wikimedia.

Los Angeles Has A New Generation Of Home Buyers And It’s Great News

Posted by & filed under Home Buying, News.

Despite a median Los Angeles home value of $632,000, a new generation of home buyers has entered the Los Angeles housing market. Millennials are taking their earning power and buying homes.

It’s been a struggle for many.

The rate of first-time home buyers is still historically low, but it’s picking up, finally.

Nationally, first-time home buyers purchased 35% of previously owned houses and condos sold in the 12 months that ended in June 2016 — the latest data available — up from a near-record low of 32% in the previous 12-month period.

Still, that rate is well below the historical average of 40% over the last several decades, reflecting continuing obstacles, such as heavy personal debt loads and high home prices, that are preventing more young people from buying homes.

Source: Los Angeles Times

California still hasn’t caught up to the rest of the country, though. In the last quarter, 31.7 percent of home sales were to first-time buyers, but that’s up almost 10 percent from just a year ago.

Higher coastal prices are forcing some to move inland, often with long commutes. The further people move from Los Angeles, the more affordable homes become. Builders are following the demand.

In San Bernardino and Riverside counties, builders pulled permits for 9,269 new homes, most of which were houses, in the first seven months of this year, up 58% from a year earlier, according to data from the Census Bureau.

In more expensive Los Angeles and Orange counties, permits were down a combined 4%, a drop that came entirely from multifamily construction, which is typically built in expensive urban areas and faces more pushback from existing residents.

For people in the coastal areas, you can probably expect even higher home prices as high-paid millennials and those with parental help enter the market, driving down inventory and driving up home values.

Featured image via Mark Moz/Flickr.

The Sneaky Trick Some Moving Companies Are Using To Get Your Business

Posted by & filed under Long-Distance Moving, Moving Estimates.

While walking our dogs, a good friend mentioned that she had chosen a moving company for her retired father who lives in the Midwest. I asked about the company and after hearing about them, I told her to cancel the move, immediately.

They pulled a sneaky trick

It all seemed innocent enough. The company had the same name as one of the major van lines. For my friend, this was a good thing. For me, it was a giant red flag, but I didn’t stop there. I pulled out my phone and looked at the company’s website. There were no pictures of their namesake’s very recognizable trucks.

How I figured it out

The first thing I did was look at their Yelp reviews. They had a whopping four. Two were five stars and two were one. The two five star reviews just seemed suspicious, but I didn’t end the research there.

I scrolled to the bottom of the site, where they posted their licensing information. That was good, at least until I looked. The company had been in business for just a few months. That’s bad. In that time, they had racked up a number of complaints with the Department of Transportation. That’s very bad. Most reputable companies have only a couple of complaints in years, if not decades, of service.

I checked their Better Business Bureau listing. While I don’t place a lot of stock in the Better Business Bureau (members can get more leeway), all of this combined was all I needed to know.

Complaints ranged from overcharging to not showing up to holding goods hostage, waiting for more money.

It gets worse

The company my friend had chosen required a hefty down payment with a strict 72 hour cancellation policy. The move is two months away, but any cancellation will result in the loss of her deposit, unless it’s within the first 72 hours.

Fortunately, she called within those 72 hours and if she doesn’t see the refund on her credit card, she has recourse through her credit card.

The lesson here is be wary. Just because a company has a recognizable name, it doesn’t mean they have anything at all to do with that company. Yes, the major van lines (and sometimes respected local companies) they have stolen the name from have recourse, but the dishonest companies are rarely in business long enough for that to matter.

My friend was lucky, simply because I know a lot about the moving industry. Hundreds of people are scammed every day by dishonest moving companies and with tricks like stealing names of legitimate companies, customers are finding it more difficult to figure out who’s good and who’s bad.

Featured image via TheMuuj/Flickr.

Ways To Help Hurricane Harvey Victims

Posted by & filed under News.

At VIP Movers and Storage, our thoughts and prayers are with the millions of victims of Hurricane Harvey. Instead of our usual blog post, this week, we’ll post about the best ways to help:

American Red Cross

The American Red Cross is the largest relief organization. You can donate on their website. You can also donate blood at a number of locations nationwide.

Charity Navigator recommends:

If you’re looking for a local charity to support in the wake of Hurricane Harvey please consider Houston Food Bank, Food Bank of Corpus Christi, Houston Humane Society, Houston SPCA, or San Antonio Humane Society. These highly-rated organizations are located in the most-affected areas and are providing support to individuals and animals.

Food Banks

NPR compiled a list of food banks. We will be working with the Houston Food Bank to deliver food.

Houston Food Bank

Galveston Food Bank

Food Bank of the Golden Crescent (Victoria)

Corpus Christi Food Bank

Southeast Texas Food Bank (Beaumont)

Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley (Pharr)

Brazos Valley Food Bank (Bryan)

Central Texas Food Bank (Austin)

San Antonio Food Bank

LGBTQ

You can also donate to the L.G.B.T.Q. Disaster Relief Fund, who helps “rebuild their lives through counseling, case management, direct assistance with shelf stable food, furniture, housing and more.”

Pets

If your heart is with the abandoned animals (as is ours), here are several options. GoFundMe has several campaigns, including some for animals.

Organizations have nearly all requested that people donate cash rather than clothing or other goods, simply because cash is so much easier to distribute.

Unfortunately for the residents of the hurricane stricken areas, relief and recovery will be a long-term endeavor. Monthly donations are always welcome. If you aren’t in a position to donate right now, you can donate at a later time.

Featured image via Defense.gov.

 

How To Gently Nudge Your Adult Children Out Of The Nest

Posted by & filed under News.

When Your House Is Filled With Adult Children

For many of us, milestones like our 18th birthday or college graduation meant it was time to move out of our childhood homes. For 34 percent of millennials (born between 1982 and 2004), college loans, a rising cost of living and poor starting wages are making it impossible to live on their own.

The number of young adults who live at home with their parents has skyrocketed, especially in the last decade, as college costs have soared and the great recession has hurt job prospects.

In 2005, only 25 percent of those between the ages of 18 and 34 lived with their parents; today, that number is 34 percent. The number of young Americans living independently of their parents stands at 40.7 percent, down more than 10 percentage points from a decade ago.

Source: The Hill

There’s hardly a parent alive who doesn’t adore their children, but after 20+ years, many yearn for their own independence. But about 2/3rds of parents of millennials feel stuck between a rock and a hard place. They want their children to be on their own but according to a recent study, the majority of moms don’t feel that their children are ready and they blame themselves.

“As a parent myself, I haven’t done the best job in preparing our children for the real world, let alone the responsibilities that go along with it,” says Brett Anderson, a financial planner in Hudson, WI. “We’ve helped too much, I think that’s where we’ve gone wrong. Many children are not capable of thinking or problem-solving for themselves.”

Source: Forbes

How To Encourage Adult Children

Forbes does have some tips, though. The first is to be realistic about the cost of living. How much is an apartment in the area? How much is a cell phone? Is there a car payment? How about food and utilities?

Forbes recommends charging rent and putting adult children in charge of some of their basic chores, like laundry and cooking.

You can even test your children by charging them what you think living on their own might cost, at least for a couple of months. If you’d like, you can put that money into a savings account. Give them a cushion for when they do move out.

Featured image via Wikimedia.

What Will The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Do For Your Home Values?

Posted by & filed under News, Real Estate.

Los Angeles will be the home to the Olympics in 2028. They will be one of only three cities, including Paris and London, who have hosted the Olympics three times. While 2028 is still a long time from now, the city has already begun preparing. As homeowners, or as potential homeowners, you will be affected, and mostly in good ways.

Not surprisingly, the Olympics will be great for the commercial real estate market and for jobs:

Los Angeles’s thriving commercial real estate market is leading to robust growth in infrastructure and office space, boosted by an infusion of tech, entertainment and other growing businesses. A decade of preparation for the 2028 Olympics, and the economic influx and added post-event revenue that this will likely bring, should catapult Los Angeles into a higher ranking of dominant world cities.

Source: National Real Estate Investor

But what about the residential market?

When the city spruces up for company, they’ll also make the city more livable and bring a huge influx of money. There will be improvements on roads, public transportation and other infrastructure that helps add value to everyone’s homes. That starts almost immediately

In the immediate future, preparation to host the Olympics will proliferate and hasten the influx of funding for commercial real estate and infrastructure, creating a boomerang effect on job creation. Accessibility of different neighborhoods will be aided by an aggressive 40-year plan to upgrade Los Angeles transit, including metro rail, buses, downtown streetcars and highways. Indeed, the Olympics may function as an important catalyst to expand commuting radius and set firm deadlines for construction and completion of projects.

The impact will be lasting, although, like the day after Christmas, there might be a bit of a let down after the event. Still, the world will be reminded of what a vibrant and influential city Los Angeles is, and that’s a win for almost everyone…except for traffic.

Featured image via Wikipedia.

The American Moving Destinations For People Looking Toward The Future; Do You Want To Move To One Of These?

Posted by & filed under Uncategorized.

If you’re young and looking toward the future, it might be time to move to a city that matches your dream. The good news is that you don’t even have to leave the state of California to live in some of the cities deemed the top 25 in the world for the future. In fact, number one in the world is right in our home state.

While the listing is for the world, we will only focus on the United States for now.

The 25th city for the future is Los Angeles, mostly because of its booming tech industry.

Number 19 is Washington, D.C., for its business activity, human capital (educated and skilled workforce) and its political engagement, of course.

At number 17 is Atlanta, Georgia. The list noted that the city is inventive, as proven by its high number of patents per capita. It also noted private investments and university sponsored incubators.

Chicago hit the 15th spot. The list predicts that Chicago will be a future tech hub. It’s also home to a number of Fortune 500 companies.

Number eight is Houston, Texas. Houston is also a hub of innovation, as measured by its patents. It also has a relatively high gross domestic product, which means that people may not be struggling there as they may be in other cities.

Boston ranks number five, partly because it has some of the best institutions for higher learning in the world. The city also emphasizes the biotech industries.

New York is number two, for pretty self-explanatory reasons:

Considered a world center of fashion, finance, media, and technology, the city posted high scores in business activity, political engagement, and human capital. New York City also leads the pack in capital markets and local institutions with global reach.

The number one city on the list, anywhere in the world, is right here in California. It’s San Francisco. San Francisco is the high-tech capital of the world. It’s also the hub of great ideas. They did note, though, that it is very expensive.

If you notice, all of these cities are not just preparing for the future, they are powerful cities right now, and as always, very popular moving destinations.

Featured image via Wikimedia Commons.