5 Must-Know Tips for House Hunting in Chicago:

Buying a home in Chicago, or anywhere in the country, is a big decision. With home prices settling down, mortgage rates at a record low (for now…) and rents continuing to climb, buying a home makes more sense than ever. But how does one even start to prepare for such a significant move? Check out these tips for successful house hunting in the windy City.

1. Set a Budget
   The road to a new set of keys begins with a long hard look at your finances. Cutting down on debt and putting aside as much as possible for a down payment are the basic first steps to homeownership which you can start taking today. You should also research the cost of living in Chicago- your financial situation might be different after relocating.
   To set the right budget you need to consider not only how big a mortgage you can be approved for but how much you can afford as a monthly payment. Getting your finances in order as much in advance as possible before starting to hunt for a home will make it easier to be approved for a loan when you find the home you want.

2. Research Neighborhoods
   Chicago is famous for being a city of neighborhoods, each with its own style and flavor, its advantages and disadvantages. With over 70 distinct neighborhoods in the city, you are bound to find the one that’s right for your family as long as you do your homework.
   Many factors weigh in when it comes to choosing the right neighborhood:
   Safety and low crime, good schools, accessible public transportation, entertainment and shopping options, nearby parks and recreation choices- each family has their unique blend of preferences and specifications. Try to identify your needs and single out these which are most important to you. Keep in mind good schools are important even if you don’t have or plan to have kids because they affect resale value, so research the neighborhood schools’ ratings as well. To learn more about great Chicago neighborhoods for families check out this blog post.

3. Use Online ResourcesA good place to start your search for a Chicago home is one of the many websites listing homes and properties. Browsing online is a great way to get to know the Chicago real estate market and learning about different neighborhoods, prices, and home choices. Be sure to check outRealtor.com, Zillow, Homefinder, Homes.com and Trulia– your next home could be just a mouse-click away.

4. Work with a Local Real Estate Agent
   While doing your own independent research it’s great to be working closely with a local agent. There are many realtors in Chicago who have access to properties that aren’t listed online, and it’s good to have an agent on the lookout for homes that fit your needs. Especially if you are from out of town and preparing for a long distance move, a local agent can act as your eyes and ears in the city, and their knowledge and connections can prove invaluable to your house hunting efforts.

5. Home Buying LogisticsIt’s never too early to start planning for buying a home. Check your credit score and sort out any issues you may have. Start this process as soon as you decide to look for a home so that you’ll have more time to straighten out any problems. You should also think ahead about the size of down payment you will need to make and start saving for when you find a property you like. Start shopping around for mortgage rates and looking into creative financing options (like loans from different non-profits and favorable terms for buyers in certain areas). The home buying process will be much smoother if you have an early idea of what you can afford and how you will be financing your purchase.

Are Moving Brokers Always Crooks? How Do You Find A Good One?

You might have heard a lot about moving brokers, and most were probably cautionary tales. Moving brokers, or companies who coordinate moves through a network of several movers, have long had a reputation, often deserved, of being the industry’s biggest crooks. That’s only a little fair.

Sites like movingscam.com generally advise consumers to run from brokers like they have ebola. They aren’t usually wrong. That being said, moving with a broker is not always the worst idea.

First, let me clear one thing up, moving brokers are not generally licensed movers, but the law abiding ones do register with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Laws are getting more strict around brokers, but you still want to protect yourself as you would when dealing with the mover themselves.

Think of a moving broker as being like any of the travel sites on the internet. Movers will often notify a broker if there is empty space on a truck going across country. For that reason, a broker can sometimes find you a good deal and they can save you a lot of legwork.

First, check out a broker on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration‘s website. Look for a company that has been in business for at least three years and is in good standing.

Next, insist that the broker come visit your home and give you a binding estimate. That means that the people who actually perform your move cannot change the price, as long as you do everything you said, such as pack. You will be charged for any extra work. Make sure the estimate you do receive includes absolutely everything, so you aren’t hit with surprises.

Believe it or not, your gut can be pretty reliable. If you feel like the person you are speaking to isn’t reliable or honest or they simply aren’t listening, move on. There are plenty of other moving companies and moving brokers.

Tips on Tipping Your Movers:

Consumers put a lot of faith in professional movers, which is why good ones are as prized as a competent and fair mechanic. As a customer, you are entrusting all of your possessions, prized and otherwise, to people you may not even have been introduced to before they started taking your stuff and loading it into a truck.

Although movers are considered part of the service trade, there is usually a lot more riding on their job performance than, say, a waitress or someone who cuts your hair. If the waitress drops your rye toast, she can quickly get you a new order and, hey, your hair will grow out.

If a mover, however, does a poor job packing, drops your family heirloom or drags your furniture across the wood floor, there is a lot more at stake. Besides, there are few people in the service industry that work as hard as movers.

Perhaps because consumers rely so much on a mover doing a good job that they don't consider them as a service professional. But they are and proper etiquette requires that they be treated as such. This means it is proper to offer a tip, whether it is cash at the end of the day or you buying the crew lunch or even both.

As with any other service provider, you would base your "tip" on job performance – a bad attitude and indifferent work habits would hardly be considered tip worthy. If, however, you think your crew was attentive, helpful and professional, then give what you believe is fair.

Movers usually don't expect a tip but is appreciated when given. More than anything, it's a sign that you recognized their effort and thought it worthy. You may think you're paying a small fortune to the moving company, but what trickles down to the guys actually lugging your stuff won't have them driving home in a Beamer.

Moving is a stressful life event overloaded with thousands of small details that need attention. One of those is how to treat the crew moving your life's belongings, so here's a quick reference that should keep the guys happy and moving:

• Moving is hard, back-breaking work so it would only be common decency to have cold bottled water, soda or sport drinks on hand.
• Some people prefer to buy the crew lunch in lieu of a tip and this is perfectly fine. Some do both. It's whatever you are comfortable with. If you do offer to buy the crew lunch, make sure to ask if they have a preference as to food choice. Many people think, "Oh, we'll get some pizza," so you can imagine how much pizza these guys might have had that month.
• You will hear varying advice on how much to tip. Percentages don't really work as they do in restaurant work. The difference between a $2,000 full-truck move and a $20,000 full-truck move is likely the distance the moving van travels, not how much time it took to load the vehicle. Basically, if it's a half-day (4 hours) move, $10 per person is considered appropriate. If it's a full-day move (8 hours), then $20 is the consensus. If you have a lot of heavy furniture, narrow or winding stairs, a steep lot, etc., you should consider adding to the amount. If the crew works 12 hours to get your belongings packed, figure $40 as fair.
• A tip about tips from movers themselves: Don’t give the lump some to the foreman or driver. Give each worker their tip. First, it shows that you recognize and appreciate their individual efforts. Second, there are some unscrupulous foremen, who will keep the entire amount for themselves.
• Avoid giving the guys beer at the end of the day. It's a bit stereotypical and most legitimate moving companies have rules against drinking on the job. It also opens liability issues. Make the tip cash and the movers can spend it how they wish.

Important items you should never forget to pack better:

These are the top items, which should be high in your moving checklist. They all require some extra cares and protection solutions, because they are fragile, expensive or even priceless. Whether it comes to a small relocation for study or to a big moving with the entire family and all the objects from the old house – it is better to pay more attention when preparing the following items for the trip.

First, all the fragile items should be well protected via soft wrappings like old clothes, newspapers, curtains, etc. Another great hint is to use special labels on the boxes of the fragile items such as “Fragile” or “Glass”. Flat TV screens, laptops and other flat electronics should be included in this list too.

Second, use special wrappings when preparing expensive items for the big house move. From jewelries to albums with family photos and hi-tech kitchen equipment – they all need some extra wrappings to ensure their safety in the removal van. Make sure not to mix any liquids with the same box in order to avoid any risk from leakages throughout the route. Or else, make one small special box only for the most expensive items like jewelries, keys, souvenirs, etc. Keep it always with yourself during the trip and make sure that the items inside are well protected from frictions, scratches and other unwanted effects.

Third, the biggest items also require special cares, because they are probably the most important items during the relocation. For instance, let`s take a big dismantled furniture like a wardrobe, a desk or the kitchen table. When the biggest furnishings are dismantled – they require quite less space for storage and therefore a smaller removal box. However, the wooden corners of the furniture become more vulnerable to scratches and hits. Use edge protectors for the edges of all dismantled furnishings. Unwrap tight all the different pieces and make sure that they can`t move freely inside the box. Another great hint is to use handling straps for the biggest and heaviest objects, which definitely make the handling easier and safer.

Fourth – the paintings. Whether a big old and expensive painting or a portrait of the family, they all need a special protection especially when moving at a quite long distance. The removal box kits of the professional agencies include the exact type and size, according to almost every painting. They are usually thin and wide boxes, while the interior walls might be protected via air bags and other nylon wrappings. Another great tip is to arrange all the paintings in a vertically in the removal van and to ensure that they can`t move during the sharp turns. Mirrors, windows and other objects with a large surface may also require a better packing.

Fifth, kitchen appliances and electronics are the next items to put high on the agenda with the objects for an extra wrapping. In this case, a great idea is to use the original boxes of the big electrical objects such as the PC, the microwave and the kitchen robots. If you don`t keep their original boxes, then measure in advance the dimensions of the objects to determine better which exactly removal box is needed. In all cases, the removal box will protect your items from scratches in the moving van or in the most extreme case – from the bad weather if you move in a stormy or rainy day.

Moving Non Allowable Items – Be Careful What You Pack:

If you are having a moving company transport your belongings, it should provide you with a list of "non-allowables." This is an industry term for items professional movers will not transport.

This list not only includes no-brainers such as ammunition and gasoline, but also seemingly innocuous items like nail polish and kids' chemistry sets. Although not hazardous, the moving company will also include perishable food and personal or sentimental items.

Hazardous material

You may be surprised to see some of the items listed as hazardous, but there are usually good reasons to have them included. Fertilizer, for example, can become highly explosive under the right circumstances. This was the primary component used by Timothy McVeigh in the Oklahoma City bombing that killed 168 and injured 800 in 1995.

Many of these items can be given to friends and family. Unwanted items will have to be disposed of properly. Contact your city or county for where to dispose of these items.

Hazardous items are generally those considered explosive, flammable or corrosive. Here's a list of common items that moving companies consider non-allowable:

Acids	Fire extinguisher	Nail polish remover
Aerosols	Fireworks	Paint thinner
Ammonia	Gasoline	Paints
Ammunition	Household batteries	Pesticides
Car batteries	Kerosene	Poisons
Charcoal	Lamp oil	Pool chemicals
Charcoal lighter fluid	Liquid bleach	Propane tanks
Chemistry sets	Loaded guns	Reloading supplies
Cleaning solvents	Matches	SCUBA tanks
Darkroom chemicals	Motor oil	Sterno
Fertilizer	Nail polish	Weed killer

Perishables

With long-distance moving, food items will not be allowed by movers. This is because the food will not keep and could attract rats and other pests that might damage your property.

If your move will be picked up and delivered within 24 hours, the moving company may allow perishables to be transported as long as they are properly packed.

Perishable items include those listed below.

Frozen food	Refrigerated food	Produce
Opened food products	Plants, including indoor

Personal or sentimental items

Professional movers don't like to transport these items because of the inherent risk of loss or damage. Basically, movers want to limit their liability in case these items are lost or damaged. As a consumer, you likely want to have these items under your control anyway.

The loss of medical records, financial documents or school records could be difficult to replace. Sensitive electronics, such as laptops, might be damaged by the extreme temperatures in a moving van. Jewelry, cash, collections and personal video tapes or CDs could not be replaced if lost.

Here's a look at what moving companies consider personal or sentimental.

Address book	Computer discs	Personal video tapes, DVDs
Airline tickets	Financial documents	Photographs, photo albums
Car keys	Insurance policies	Professional files
Car titles	IRAs, deeds, tax records	Research projects
Cash	Jewelry	School records
CDs	Keys to furn., safe, home	Sterling silver
Cell phones	Laptop computers	Stocks or bonds
Certificates of Deposit	Medical, dental records	Wedding albums
Checkbooks	Medicine
Collections (coin, etc.)	Pagers

MoveAmerica®'s 5 Step Moving Process

How To Save Time And Money On Your Move

Here are the 5 easy steps to a MoveAmerica® U-Load™ We Drive move. These steps are as follows:

1. Determine the amount of space you require. Utilize average rules of thumb (3 lineal feet per room, 200 cubic feet per room) or visit our Detailed Space Estimator or Basic Space Estimator. When counting rooms do not include your kitchen, bathrooms, or closets. Once you know the space you need, obtain an "Instant Quote", and reserve your shipment online by following this link to Schedule Your Move. Please confirm all dates and addresses for accuracy.

2. On the day you requested (we guarantee it!), a professional driver brings our 28 foot long trailer (known in the trade as a "pup") complete with a security divider isolation bulkhead, foldable ramp, and two wheel dolly to your home. No need to pickup a rental truck with MoveAmerica!

3. You load, friends or family can help out, or you can have local movers or professionals referred or arranged by Moveamerica to load your trailer. When loading is complete, the driver will install your security divider and begin your move!

4. When the truck arrives at your new city, we will call you and set up a delivery appointment.

5. After unloading, just give us a call and we will pickup our empty trailer or containers. Now that was easy! Your MoveAmerica move is now complete! You have just joined the family of thousands of satisfied MoveAmerica customers. But first, you need to get an Instant Quote, which is just a click away.

How to organize your new kitchen:

Moving is a long and arduous process. You spend weeks, sometimes months, planning and obsessing over the minutest details of your move so that there are no surprises (or shocks!) on moving day. However, the process does not end there. Once you move into your new house, you have to again spend at least a few days unpacking and organizing your stuff before it finally starts feeling like “home”!

With the kitchen undoubtedly being the heart of any home, it does not come as a surprise that most people decide to unpack and organize this space first. But actually, there are a few things you can do even before the move to make sure that you have your new kitchen up and running in no time at all.

Before the move: Sort and purge

Though it may seem easier to dump all your belongings in the packing boxes without going through them first, carting along unnecessary stuff to your new home is only going to add to your stress when the time comes for unpacking and putting them away.

So before you begin packing, take all the stuff out of your kitchen cupboards and place them in the center of the room. Take a deep breath and discard all extra and unnecessary items that you haven’t used for years.

Are you still holding on to those cute, plastic sippy cups that your kids used when they were toddlers? It’s okay to keep one or two for sentimental reasons, but toss away the rest, and save on some valuable storage space in your new kitchen. And seriously, does anyone really need three garlic peelers and two melon scoopers?

Make sure that all pots with missing handles, broken dishes and chipped glasses go into the “toss” pile. Items that are in good condition can be donated to charity. The onion chopper that someone gifted you five years ago, the popcorn maker that you never use, the pasta maker that has never seen the light of the day in your home are all good candidates for the “donate”or “sell” pile.

After the move: Get organized

A new kitchen is like a blank slate and offers you a fresh chance to completely change the way you cook and eat food. Unpacking and dumping your stuff in the closest cupboards may get the job done faster, but it is going to cause you a whole lot of trouble in the long run. On the other hand, a well-organized kitchen makes cooking easy and fun for years to come. What’s more, it’s easier to keep track of your kitchen supplies when everything is stored in their rightful place.

As a first step to organizing your new kitchen, demarcate specific zones for preparation, cleaning, baking, cooking, storage and so on. Make a note of how you want to arrange your stuff and what goes where.

Dishwasher and sink areas

The counter should be kept clean and as free of objects as possible, except for, of course, your prized coffeemaker. Your daily glasses, plates, coffee mugs, dishes and dish towels should be stored in cabinets closest to the dishwasher and sink. This makes it easier to put them away after washing. If your cutlery drawer is across the kitchen and away from the dishwasher, chances are that you’ll end up putting off the unloading task for later. Your cleaning supplies and dishwashing products can go in a basket under the sink.

Cooking utensils

Cooking utensils, pans and spatulas are best stored in cabinets next to the store and oven. The spices, oils, and seasonings that you need on a daily basis should also be stored somewhere nearby and easily accessible. If you are storing your spices in a drawer, remember to label the tops of your cans so that you can easily locate the one you need.

Paraphernalia

As a rule, keep most often used items in a place that is easy to reach. Dishes that are used only on special occasions can be stored in higher cabinets or above the refrigerator.

Tupperware that you use for storing leftovers can be stored in a separate drawer or plastic bin, along with their lids. Use an old tissue box for storing your plastic grocery bags.

Baking supplies

Knives and chopping boards should be stored near your prep area. If you do a lot of baking, store flour, sugar, baking powder, measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, and rolling pins near the baking area. Keep separate shelves for snacks, canned goods, cooking supplies and so on so that you can easily tell when you are about to run out of something.

For the first few days after moving, you can choose to label all your drawers and cabinets with sticky notes so that everyone in your family gets used to where things are stored in your new kitchen. You can always take them down once everyone is familiar with the new space.