Moving Check List

Two months ahead of moving day:

Search and Purge!
1. Go through your house and decide what you'd like to hold on to, what will need special packaging and what will take some extra insurance to cover.

2. Create a Binder!
Fill it with your children's school records for transfer, research you've done on moving companies, receipts, etc.

Six weeks ahead of moving day:

1. Order your boxes, take measurements of your new home if possible to see what doors your large furniture can fit through. Also start using your perishables and cleaning supplies because it is a waste to package those.

One month before moving day:

1. Choose your mover and begin packing. Start by labeling everything. Label each box with its contents and its designated room. Label essentials for things you will need right away.

2. Separate valuables such as jewelry in a safe box that you will transport yourself.

3. Go to the local post office and fill out a change of address form or online at usps.gov. 

4. Notify important parties such as banks, brokerage firms, your employers human resources, magazine and newspapers you've subscribed to, credit cards, insurance companies, and utilities companies.

5. Also forward your medical records and ask for referrals.

Two weeks before moving day:

1. Arrange to be off work on moving day by notifying the office a couple weeks ahead of time to avoid complications.

3.Clean out your safe deposit box if you'll be changing banks.

4. Reconfirm the arrangements with the movers.

One week before moving day:

1. Refill your prescriptions

2. Finish packing your suitcases

A few days before moving day:

1. If your taking your fridge, start defrosting it

2. Double check that the moving staff has clear directions to your new house and your contact information

3. Plan for your movers payment. 10% to 15% of the total fee is a good tip and if the moving was especially difficult it would be kind to give $100 to each mover. Also, refreshments are always a plus.

Moving Day:

1. Verify that the moving truck that comes to your house is from the moving company you hired. The USDOT number painted on the side of the truck should match the estimate you were given. Scams are not uncommon.

2. Take inventory. Before the movers take off, make sure to sign the bill of lading/inventory and keep a copy.

3. Enjoy your new home.

Top Ten Things that can Turn Away a Potential Buyer

If a potential buyer were to walk into your home and find one or more of the following, they wouldn't hesitate to walk right back out the door.

1. Odors
Smells like cigarette smoke or a pet odor can make a buyer uncomfortable. Make sure to eradicate any odor prior to listing your home. You may not notice the odor yourself so listen to your agent if he tells you that there is noticeable smell. Make sure to remove litter boxes from inside the house, and to change the litter often to avoid a lingering odor.

2. Dogs that meet you at the door or in the driveway
It is not uncommon for people to be afraid of dogs or be irritated by them, so try to control your dogs and other pets during the showing and it will turn out much better. It could pay off for you to take your dog for a walk before a showing to calm them down or remove your cats while the house is being shown and for any other open houses.

3. Dirty Bathrooms
An immediate turn off. If your serious about selling your home, the extra work is a must to make it shine again. Consider new rugs, curtains, light fixtures, and possibly a paint job. Clean your counter off and remove your personal hygiene items. Don't forget to remove built up grim.

4. Dimly Lit Room
Dark homes are a turn off to most. No one ones to live in a dungeon or cave so brighten up.

• Replace dim light fixtures
• Install additional light fixtures like "can" lighting 
• Install (quality) sun tunnels or skylights
• Remove heavy drapes to let the light stream through windows
• Repaint dark rooms with neutral colors that reflect light
• Trim tree limbs that shadow the house
• Keep your blinds open

Also make sure to clean the inside and outside of dirty windows to let more light in.

5. Busy Wallpaper
Wallpaper is a personal touch so even those who may love wallpaper may not like what you've chosen. You must appeal to the masses so take a good look at your wallpaper and decide if its just too much. Don't paint over it though! That just makes it even harder to remove.

6. Bugs
Get rid of any bug that doesn't belong in your home. Also make sure to remove spider webs from porches or high ceilings.

7. Poor Curb Appeal
Its not uncommon for a potential buyer to refuse going into an unkempt home with peeling paint, a dead lawn, weeds, and over grown hedges.

8. Curbs with plants growing in them
A lot of people don't clean their gutters and for a first impression may make the buyer wonder what else isn't maintained.

9. Sellers who hang around during a showing!
Buyers are very uncomfortable to go through closets or master bedrooms when the seller is tagging along.

10. De clutter
Potential buyers are looking for a spacious house so make sure to remove built up clutter, family photos, refrigerator magnets, and stacks of paper. Start packing now by boxing up any unneeded items. 

Closing Words
Utilizing these ten tips will make your house stand out above the others and will ensure positive showings on your property. Remember, the Sciarrone team is always here and happy to help you, so if you have any questions don't hesitate to call (559) 269-9413.

Keeping Your Lawn Fresh and Attractive

It's now Autumn and the temperature is dropping. Your lawn is craving a new breed of attention. The leaves will be falling soon littering your yard with vibrant oranges and yellow, and now that it is a cold season you may need to change your grass type. Like all cool season grass, Kentucky Blue Grass, survives best during Fall, Winter, and Spring seasons, but if you want the best of the best you should choose Tall Fescue Grass. This is probably the most beautiful type of grass out there. If it is dense enough, it can provide a good weed and disease resistant lawn. It needs plenty of water to remain dark green, but makes for a stunning lawn year round.   

 Landscape your yard, and keep it clean! Make sure that your trees and bushes are pruned, and your grass is cut. Maybe even plant some pretty flowers. A nice yard automatically adds to any house. Cool season flowers bring an abundance of color to a fall garden. Personally a favorite combination of mine would have to be Enchantment Linaria's with very fragrant blooms of intense magenta and gold blend with Citrona Yellow erysimum and  Matrix Blue pansies. Simple colors like yellow can make your home very inviting.

If your goal is to sell your home, then keeping your yard appealing is a must. Take a stroll across the street or down the block to get a good view of your home. You could notice areas that once spruced up, can make your home much more attractive. How clean is your home? Do you have any mildew on the sides of your house? Is your sidewalk and driveway in good condition? You could make your home sparkle with only a few hours of spare time and a pressure washer. Remember, even little things like making your house numbers clearly visible can make your house stand out from the rest.

Timing

Finding a new home is all about timing. Buy now or wait? Have the prices hit rock bottom yet or will they coninue to slide? Experts are warning buyers against trying too overthink the market, which puts you at risk of miscalculating the "bottom". Especially for first time buyers. Instead, try and pick the time that is right for you, not the rest of the market.