10 Ways to Make Moving Easier

DAILY REAL ESTATE NEWS | FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 2015

Peak moving season is underway. While moving can be a stressful undertaking, there are simple ways to make the process more organized. CityLab recently asked moving experts to share some of their top tips to make moving easier. Feel free to share these moving tips with your clients. 

First steps

• Document all of your cords: "Take photos or make notes on how all of your media equipment is set up: television, sound equipment, modems and computer equipment," says Lior Rachmany, CEO of Dumbo Moving + Storage in New York City.
• Update your address: Streamline the change of address process by using Updater, which can save time and money by forwarding mail and also updates numerous businesses including alumni associations, charities, and professional organizations with the new address. Updater even shares moving announcements with friends and family.
• Create a pet plan: The moving process can be stressful for pets too. Consider leaving pets with a friend or a boarder until the move is complete. If that's not an option, this checklist lists 10 tips for keeping pets safe during a move.
• Schedule touch-up paint jobs: If you're renting, you will need to see if you're responsible for paint job touch-ups before moving out. If that's the case, schedule a painter before the move. "Once you have a moving date set, get a painting bid and plan for the painter to be the last person in before you turn the keys over," suggests Brendon DeSimone, author of Next Generation Real Estate. "Waiting until the last minute could be a logistical nightmare."
• Recruit some help. Not using a mover? Make sure you repay family and friends for their help in some way (pizza is always a good incentive!)

Read more: Moving Checklist for Sellers

Packing 101

• Plan a "first night in the new house" box: The last thing you'll want to do after moving all day is to dig through numerous boxes to find your toothbrush. Designate a box for your toiletries, medications, deodorant, and a change of clothes so they're easy to find.
• Your suitcases are your friends:  Use your large suitcases as easily transportable storage! Fill them up with clothes, towels, and light-weight items.
• Be mindful of important documents: Don't toss your birth certificate or other important but easy-to-lose documents in random boxes. Make a folder with anything important and carry it with you.

Unpacking

• Strategize your layout: Put labels on items for movers so they don't put them in the wrong room. You can also make signs showing where large items need to be. 
• Save all receipts: "In many cases, moving expenses are deductible from federal income taxes," says Rachmany of Dumbo Moving + Storage. "If you're moving because of a change in employment, you may be able to claim this deduction even if you do not itemize." Try to keep track of all moving costs for your accountant.

For many people, their house may be their biggest asset. But it also can be their biggest expense. That's true whether they're planning for retirement or even if they already are in retirement. So it's no wonder that many homeowners begin to think about selling their home and moving into a smaller one as they approach their golden years. Downsizing your home doesn't have to mean downsizing your lifestyle. Homes have steadily expanded over the years with the average home now more than 2,600 square feet in the U.S. according to Census data – 60% larger than it was 40 years ago when families were bigger! So there is plenty of room to downsize without cramping your style. But downsizing doesn't necessarily mean moving to a smaller home. It can also mean moving to a less expensive residence that's the same size. Something as simple as moving from a top, reputable school district to a district that is not highly rated may lower the cost of a house. And if you do not have school age children, the quality of the school district may not be that important to you. If you've been kicking around the idea of cashing in on your home's equity and moving into a smaller property, there are a number of reasons why it may be the best move you can make right now: The housing market in our area has rebounded quite nicely from the recession with the value of many homes climbing in recent years. Cashing in on some of that equity appreciation may help provide retirement income and extend the life of your nest egg. For more information on the propriety of such a move, please first consult with your financial advisor. A smaller home may mean a smaller mortgage payment each month if you are still paying off an existing loan. Or it might mean paying off your mortgage entirely and being debt free on your new home. Additionally, downsizing may lower your property taxes, energy costs, property insurance and ongoing maintenance and repair expenses depending upon the choices you make. According to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College (CRR), housing costs (including utilities, taxes and upkeep), represent one of the biggest expenses for a retired couple – 30 percent of expenses for a couple aged 65-74. That's money that can be spent on other things in retirement. For example, CRR estimates that a couple downsizing from a $375,000 home to a $250,000 home may be able to cut their annual expenses and increase their annual income from savings by a combined $7,260. CRR provides a calculator that may enable you to determine your own savings here. As always, it’s a good idea to consult with your financial advisor before making any decisions. Some homeowners are reluctant to trade a house for a condominium or town house because of concerns regarding the financial impact of homeowners’ association fees. While such fees can change one’s monthly budget, keep in mind that you may be paying similar expenses as a homeowner in the form of maintenance and upkeep costs. While a smaller home may mean less space, it could also mean less time and aggravation spent on keeping up a big house. Without all the work that goes into keeping up a bigger home, you may actually find a lot more time to enjoy traveling, hanging out with friends, picking up new hobbies and, generally, having more fun! Moving from a suburban home to an apartment or condo building in a downtown area with amenities on site may open up a whole new world for retirees. Those who have made the switch often find that they now can enjoy more trips to the theater, nightclubs, restaurants, shopping, as well as taking advantage of fitness centers and other on-sight activities. According to the Wall Street Journal, it can pay to downsize sooner rather than later for those approaching retirement or already retired. The financial benefits can add up over time. Additionally, as we get older, moving gets harder thus it may make a lot of sense to move now rather than waiting.

Autism in Utah

One out of 47 Utah children have been identified as having an autism spectrum disorder, the highest rate in the country, according to new data released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The 2008 data from 14 communities found a national rate of one in 88 children with autism. It also showed autism is five times more likely in boys than in girls, with one in 54 boys identified nationally.

As Coldwell Banker Agents in Utah we fully support the Autism foundation of Utah.

We are sponsoring the first annual Parkway Pedal for Autism.  parkwaypedal.com

SANDY (July 29, 2015) – The Salt Lake Board of Realtors® today reported the top 10 cities in highest home sales along the Wasatch Front in the second quarter (year-over-year) included:

1. Clearfield, Davis County (84015) 312 homes sold
2. Farr West, Weber County (84404) 294 sales
3. South Jordan, Salt Lake County (84095) 293 sales;
4. Tooele, Tooele County (84074) 283 sales
5. Lehi, Utah County (84043) 267 sales
6. Herriman, Salt Lake County (84096) 236 sales
7. Kearns, Salt Lake County (84118) 214 sales
8. Layton, Davis County (84041) 199 sales
8. Eagle Mountain, Utah County (84005) 199 sales
9. Draper, Salt Lake County (84020) 192 sales
10. Spanish Fork, Utah County (84660) 191 sales

“Home buyers appear drawn to affordable areas. In fact, seven of the top 10 cities making the list had home prices lower than their respective county’s median home price,” said Dave Robison, president of the Salt Lake Board of Realtors®. “Other cities making the top 10 list, like Draper, offer a variety of amenities and are close to major employers.”

In the second quarter, sales of single-family homes along the Wasatch Front increased 19 percent to 8,411 sales, up from 7,059 sales in the second quarter of 2014. At 29 percent, Tooele County posted the highest percent increase in home sales. In Salt Lake County, home sales climbed 16 percent. Utah, Davis and Weber counties also posted double-digit gains.

The median-priced home sold along the Wasatch Front increased to $253,000, up 9 percent compared to $231,900 in the second quarter of 2014. In Salt Lake County, the median home price reached $275,000, up 8 percent from last year and the highest median price of the five-county area of the Wasatch Front.

In Salt Lake County there were 6,825 new listings added in the second quarter, up 4 percent from 6,554 listings in the second quarter of 2014. Based on sales trends over the past six months, there is a 4.4-month supply of housing inventory, indicating a housing market that favors sellers.

About the Salt Lake Board of REALTORS®

The Salt Lake Board of REALTORS® is the Wasatch Front's voice of real estate and the No. 1 source for housing market information. Established in 1917, the Salt Lake Board of REALTORS® is a leader in protecting private property rights. As Utah’s largest real estate trade association, the Salt Lake Board of REALTORS® assists its members to better serve the public through continuing education, advocacy and a professional code of ethics.

I wanted to tell all about a great local restaurant that I visited this week.  I cannot believe that I have not been here before now.  It is Penny Ann Cafe in Draper.  It boasts "Heavenly Pancakes" and yes they are heavenly.  And Pie!!!  My heavens for the pie.  They also serve wonderful soup and salads as well as breakfast all day. Come hungry, but you still cannot eat all the food.
I would highly recommend you give them a try and visit their website:

http://pennyannscafe.com/

Just one of the great reasons to live along the Wasatch Front.

Home sales along the Wasatch Front shot up in the first three months of 2015, putting residential real estate markets on a trajectory for a high-flying summer.

Traditionally a slower time for single-family home purchases, January, February and March instead brought double-digit percentage gains for Salt Lake, Utah, Davis and Weber counties compared with the same period in 2014. And Tooele County was just shy of that, up 9.4 percent.

Figures published Wednesday by the Salt Lake Board of Realtors show the five-county area saw a 13.8 percent sales jump overall, for a total of 5,547 homes changing hands.

Total sales volume well exceeded those posted in the first quarter of 2013 and 2014, a signal that residential demand remains healthy.

"The way it's looking, this will be a banner year," said Dave Robison, board president. "It's hopping right now."

Further signs hint that regional housing markets are picking up steam as warmer months approach, Robison said. Sellers commonly receive offers from multiple buyers, he said, and a higher-than-usual number of homes are under sales contracts for this time of year.

Prices, however, continue to go up, a factor that dampened some buyer enthusiasm in 2014 and forced shoppers to look wider for bargains.

According to Wednesday's report, median home prices now stand at $255,000 for Salt Lake County, $245,000 for Utah County and $227,250 for Davis County. Though lower in Tooele and Weber counties, at $185,900 and $171,795, respectively, prices rose faster there in the first quarter than they did in the other counties, up 11.7 and 7.4 percent year over year.

A lack of affordable homes may be driving Wasatch Front condominium sales, which surged by 16.6 percent on 1,246 units sold January through March. And pricing is also a likely clue for where single-family homes are selling these days.

In Salt Lake County, South Jordan, Herriman, Magna, West Jordan and central Salt Lake City enjoyed the most robust sales bumps as 2015 opened, while Holladay, Cottonwood Heights and Copperton saw sizable declines year over year.