The general rule is that you come out of the property selling experience feeling rewarded; you should have always sold the place in the highest price range and spent the lowest amount of cost in the whole process. However, there are at times when sellers do miss out on things. Check out the top most common mistakes made by home sellers in the real estate market.

Mispricing Your Home

If you are going to be selling without an agent in 2017, and you have never gone through the experience before you might misprice the property. You might have overpriced it, or you might have underpriced the place. In either case, it is a money losing blunder. If the price is higher than what the property is worth, you will have trouble selling it, in which case you did not earn anything. On the other hand, if you sell your place at a lower price, you lose on the real monetary value of what you sold.

Neglecting Repairs and Renovations

You must always take care of damages in the house so that you can yield the correct price for it. If you fix things ahead of time, especially after you’ve moved out, you don’t have to have buyers see your place, point out the problems and never consider your property even if you make changes later on. Make sure that the buyers see your place in a flawless, if not luxurious, condition to help you get a buyer who will settle for the price you have asked for.

Incomplete Disclosure

Sellers pay a lot of money if after the transaction the buyer claims they did not reveal everything about the property before. You must be upfront and forthcoming about the issues at home. That way, not only is it a smooth ride, but you don’t run the risk of legal action taken against you.

Pride in Negotiations

Since you probably will be negotiating by yourself, don’t take the pointers personally. Instead, in order to make the sale come up with a win-win situation. This is probably the biggest transaction you will make in your life. Do not make the mistake of getting emotional just because the property has sentimental value attached to it.

Not Preparing the House for Staging

Just because you are selling the place without a realtor, it does not mean that you do not stage it. There are tons of ways you can DIY the staging process. Start with de-cluttering the place, putting on a fresh coat of paint, and removing all personal items like picture frames so that the prospective buyers don’t feel like they are intruding.

Not Considering Closing Costs

Property sellers end up wasting a lot of cash because they did not properly plan out the budget and the costs attached with selling. When you are preparing your home for selling that is the time when you should confirm the fees. Make sure that you review estimated costs before you hand over the keys.

Finally, the year has come to an end and you may be overwhelmed by all the unfinished tasks on your agenda. You may be tempted to jump right on to your new goals and tasks for 2017 but hold on a minute.

Here are 3 simple tips to help you wrap your year successfully.

Tip 1 – Clear Your Pending Debts

You don’t want to start the New Year with the previous year’s debts. Even if you can’t pay it all off, try paying off little at a time. Maybe you can make a monthly goal to pay certain amount towards your debt. At the same time make it your goal not to add unnecessary debts by living beyond your means.

Tip 2 – Sort Out the Mess

Whatever the mess may be, declutter that mess! Whether it is your closet, your kitchen, inbox or your work desk, things gather and sit there gathering dust. Find the time, mood and the motivation to sort the clutter that you can donate, give away or even have a garage sale. You may not be able to apply the same strategy to other areas of the mess, but you can certainly unsubscribe to newsletters and arrange your inbox.

Tip 3 – Take Time to Reflect

Before you go on to write your new goals for 2017, take some time to reflect on how 2016 has been for you. Ponder on areas where you struggled, pat your back on areas where you improved, and motivate yourself on areas where growth is essential. Being mindful about your inner-self is a part of growth mindset you would like to cultivate.

Above all, don’t forget to celebrate your everyday life by focusing on the sunshine rather than the hail.

Have a grateful heart and a joyful soul as you enter the New Year 2017.

It’s that time of the year again when wish lists and shopping lists seem endless. The tradition of giving and receiving presents becomes very significant during Christmas. Sometimes you are a part of Secret Santa in your office. Sometimes you may be expected to give a return present. Whatever the excuse may be, you are expected to buy presents. This entire affair of buying, wrapping, and giving can be a stressful affair.

Here are 3 awesome tips to save you some stress when buying presents this Christmas.

Tip 1 – Make it Unique

You may be in the habit of walking into a store and buying something your friend or husband likes, thinking it serves the purpose of giving. Well, you don’t have to be so predictable. How about coming up with something different this year? You can think of some unique gift ideas that may surprise the receiver. For example, instead of buying piece of jewelry for your girlfriend, why not give her a gift certificate of making jewelry with a local silversmith? Or create a basket of goodies like your mom’s favorite coffee and your dad’s favorite cracker, all wrapped up in a hamper for your parents.

Tip 2 – Find the Best Deals

Another great reason to go shopping during Christmas is to find some great deals at the malls and online stores. Every store you enter offers you discounts and deals. If you want to find the best deals, then try comparing the deals and discounts offered by various stores. Sometimes online stores seem to offer better deals. To find the best deals, you may have to start the preparation work much earlier by keeping inventory of the best prices offered by various stores. This is one of the surest ways to compare prices and choose the best deals.

Tip 3 – Stick to your List and your Budget

The temptation to go beyond your budget and list can be avoided if you make a resolution to stick to it. May be this could be a start to your New Year’s resolution. Some organization comes to play as well. Organize your Christmas list ahead of time and write the amount of money you want to spend for each person. There will always be that impulse to add a few extra dollars, but remember that your goal is be a cheerful giver, not a giver who regrets later.

Above all, remember that it’s not what we give but how much love and sentiments we put in our presents is what makes Christmas presents special.

Trying to find a safe place for us and our families has been one of the human race’s most industrious activities even since “caveman age.”

Photo source: TripAdvisor

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) surveyed 50 cities against 40 indicators to find the safest city in the world. The indicators covered four main crucial areas: digital security, health security, infrastructure safety, and personal safety. The final score for each city was out of 100.

According to the EIU new report, here are the top 10 safest cities in the world:

10. New York, USA – 78.06
9. Melbourne, Australia – 78.67
8. Toronto, Canada – 78.81
7. Zurich, Switzerland – 78.84
6. Sydney, Australia – 78.91
5. Amsterdam, The Netherlands – 79.19
4. Stockholm, Sweden – 80.02
3. Osaka, Japan – 82.36
2. Singapore, Singapore – 84.61
1. Tokyo, Japan – 85.63

Only Australia and Japan have two cities in this list of top safest cities in the world. If you’re considering moving in the Melbourne area, make sure you hire the services of the bets removalists in town.

Remember, Melbourne was also designated as the top 1 most livable city in the world!

Here are 5 books that will help you plan you house move and relocation. 

How to Move Without Losing Your Mind–Or the Remote Control by Kathryn B. Trainor

The book takes a personal and humorous look at the trials of moving with some practical helps from someone who has been there, done that bringing some much-needed laughter to a stressful and tense situation, as well as providing creative ideas and insights. If you re moving, or about to move, this book will be an indispensable guide, paying for itself many times over while bringing a chuckle along the way!

How to Move House by Pamela Hatswell (Author) and David Banks (Illustrator)

How to Move House ….without forgetting what matters most! The author Pamela Haswell has moved 23 times and even more if you count the moves she helped her family complete! Whether you are buying, selling, renting, leaving home, or about to live out or live in this will help you get through the move well. The booklet includes guidance for students, first time home owners, moves abroad and just about any other move you can think of. It’s full of everything from things you’d never guess to common sense advice about all sorts of essential jobs you can so easily not think of until it’s too late. Plus it has some very entertaining cartoons by David Banks.

Moving with Kids Made Easy (How-to-Move Relocation Series Book 1) by Angela Minor

In Moving with Kids Made Easy, you will learn how to: Increase the opportunities for your child to adjust; Create enjoyable moving activities for the family; Dominate the tasks for moving with kids; Transform moving into a fun family adventure. This book series contains a host of innovative and practical ideas to help with the transition before, during, and after the move. Your time is precious, so this book contains no fluff, no filler!

How to Survive A Move: by Hundreds of Happy People Who Did and Some Things to Avoid, From a Few Who Haven’t Unpacked Yet (Hundreds of Heads Survival Guides) by  Jamie Allen and Kazz Regelman

If you are one of the millions of people who will move this year, you know the task can seem overwhelming. Now, there’s help. How to Survive A Move offers hundreds of helpful and entertaining stories on moving from the real “pros”— everyday people who have moved (many of them over a dozen times!) and survived to tell their stories. Unlike other moving books that give the opinion of one or two experts, this book includes words of wisdom from hundreds of people — both singles and families, nationwide — who have “been there, done that.” Millions of people have survived moving, and so can you!

Don’t forget to plan your move in advance and contact you local removalist company. If you’re in the Melbourne are, All The Right Moves Removalists can help you with all aspects of your move.

It’s that time of the year again when you realize that before the year ends, you and your family need to go on a trip. But of course planning a trip in the midst of Christmas parties and family get-togethers can be a daunting task. There may be many expert advices online but what you need is just few easy tips that you can realistically apply while planning your trip.

Here are 5 tips on planning your next family trip.

Tip 1 – Find the Best Deals

As easy and trite as it may sound, finding the best deal is the best way to plan your trip. Good deals are always out there and it’s just a matter of finding them at the right time. So, do a thorough search for flight deals, hotel and resort deals, or vacation deals. Besides just saving money, finding good deals ease your stress and anxiety associated with trip preparation.

Tip2 – Plan your budget

First step of planning a budget is deciding on how much money you will need planning the trip and during the trip itself. Let’s call it pre-trip expense. Pre-trip expenses can be shopping for certain items, advance booking payments, and buying health insurance which cannot be disregarded in your budget. The cost of hotels, transportation, flights, meals, and leisure activities become a major part of your budget. After calculating pre-trip and during trip expenses, it is always wise to keep some money for post-trip expenses or just put a little cash aside for emergency purposes.

Tip 3 – Packing

Always start packing by making a checklist starting with the most important items. Important items like your passport, cash, credit cards, travel insurance, health insurance, hotel reservations, itinerary, and your flight tickets must be all placed and packed securely. It is also wise to scan all these important documents and save it online so you can access them anywhere in case you lose them. You can organize your bags and items according to your necessities and the weather you could expect on your trip.

Tip 4 – Itinerary

Your end goal in planning your itinerary is to make the best of the time and value you’ve purchased. Seeing all the places and doing all you have ever wanted to do on this trip can leave you anxious and worn out. Therefore, research ahead of time on the destinations and activities you could realistically see and do. You may be tempted to do more and see more, but keep in mind that even the best itinerary is subjected to change under various unforeseen circumstances. So keep your itinerary organized, but flexible.

Tip5 – Travel insurance

Having travel insurance is a requirement for many visa applications. Besides just being a legal document, travel insurance is also a great security in case you get sick or you face any other travel setbacks. Although it may be an additional expenditure for you and your family, it will ensure a stress-free trip.

By following these 5 tips, I’m sure you’re Christmas vacation will be awesome! Don’t forget to lock your hose before you leave!

Garage sales are a great way to turn your clutter into cash. Although people today enjoy online shopping and going to the malls, there are still times when shoppers are looking for treasures among unwanted items. Not only are garage sales an effective ways to get rid of clutter but they are also a great opportunity to get good value out of your clutter.

Here are 5 tips on how to plan a successful garage sale:

Tip 1. Create a Theme

Garage sales are not just meant for recycling old, rusty, unwanted items but it’s a place where these unwanted items could actually become someone’s treasure. As a yard sale seller, you want to create an environment that is inviting and attractive. Take an inventory of all the items you want to put up on sale. Find a general theme that could match with most of the merchandise on sale. Instead of putting everything in a box for the buyers to rummage through, display them with style blending your theme in. Remember: visual appeal not only captures the customers but also makes an impression about you as a member of the community. Perhaps you can play some music in the background to set the mood.

Tip 2. Advertising Your Event

The size of your garage sale will determine the scale of advertising you should be doing. Advertising can be as small and simple as hanging signs and posters to using digital media like Facebook and Tweeter. If you live in a small neighborhood, you can put up signs in local commercial areas, community centers or the neighborhood bulletin boards. Check with the local authorities in your area before putting up your garage sale posters and signs.

On social media like Facebook you can create an event for your garage sale and invite your friends and friends of friends. Create a preview of the items on sale by posting photos with short descriptions. Start advertising two weeks before the sale and make sure you post more photos and posts a few days before the sale. Make sure your address and directions to your garage sale venue are very clear. You can even give a Google map address to provide even more accurate information.

Tip 3. Pleasing Price

While choosing the prices on garage sale products, consider the trouble you go through setting up the garage sale and moderate the prices in a way that you are satisfied with what you make in the end. Always check the ongoing price of the products before labeling them with a price tag. People will hesitate to pay more for items that are worn out. If you do have expensive items, make sure you check the current price of the product either at a store or online. Don’t forget that your end goal is to sell all the items you have put up for sale, so make sure your prices are affordable and attractive.

Tip 4. Organization

To have an organized garage sale, setting up items in categories is a key to attaining an organized garage sale. Tossed items in boxes often get ignored on the day of the sale. Customers may not enjoy rummaging through items if they are jumbled up in one box. Set tables with merchandize like you see in a department store. Stack items like baby clothes and toys in the same area. Clothes can be hung in a rack and shoes can be placed neatly under the racks.

Tip 5. Leave Room for Bargain

Typically, customers at garage sales are always looking for good deals which involve bargaining. Skilled bargainers always find a way to haggle for a few dollars. Items with lower prices can be bundled for “buy 1 get 1 free.” Price products in way you don’t have to grumble for change of coins and smaller bills. You can also have a clearance hour after 2 pm, or just before you close the sale. This way you can get rid of all the left over items.

By following these 5 tips, you can have a successful garage sale and, as a result declutter your home of unused items and, on top of that, make an extra buck or two. It’s a good idea to have a garage sale the week before you plan to move out of your home. If you’re in Melbourne, then All The Right Moves Removalists can offer you the best moving prices in Melbourne!

Safety stands second on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Studies show that safety is not only a survival need, but also a psychological one. We are always trying to protect our health, property, and homes. Ensuring home safety and living in a safe environment is very important if you have elderly adults and young children at home.

Here are 5 crucial tips that can help you ensure home safety.

Tip 1. Internet safety

Although the world of technology is advancing at an unprecedented rate, our lives on the other hand are getting less safe on the internet. A lot of dangerous content is rampant on the internet especially when your family surfs the internet unsupervised. The first step in ensuring internet safety would be to install internet filters as an effective way to filter out inappropriate and dangerous content. Educating yourself and educating your family about potentially dangerous activities on the internet could be the best way to ensure safe navigation in the online world.

Tip 2. Germ-Proofing

Germs invade our homes in many forms like pesky bacteria, virus, and fungus. You may be sweeping and mopping your floors everyday but that doesn’t guarantee that bacteria and virus are not entering your living areas. Key areas of the house like kitchen sinks, cutting boards, and counter tops are hot spots for bacteria to accumulate and should be cleaned thoroughly. Meat and vegetables should be cut on separate cutting boards to avoid infection. Counter tops should be wiped clean and kept dry immediately after use.

Tip 3. Put Away Potentially Poisonous Products

All potentially poisonous products like cleaning acids, mothballs, air fresheners, paints, insect sprays, toxics liquid, household cleaning chemicals and laundry products should be out of children’s reach. Identify products that could be potentially hazardous in your house. Label them or stick stickers so your child will be able to understand that it shouldn’t be touched. Safely dispose any of these products that you may have passed their expiration date.

Tip 4. Keep Allergens Away

Allergens are everywhere in the house. Many allergens masquerade as dust mites, cleaning products causing rashes, and allergic reactions. To reduce the sneezing and coughing in your family, switch to natural and eco-friendly products which might reduce the development of allergic reactions.

Tip 5. Fire Safety

To minimize the risk of fire, take precautions to ensure home fire safety by setting smoke detectors and placing fire extinguishers in plain sight. Having these equipments is one thing, but using them is another. So, make sure the smoke detectors and fire extinguishers are items that are familiar with your family members and make sure they understand the utility benefits of these safety items. In addition, these items should be placed in areas of your house that are susceptible to fire.

Home safety is not guaranteed just because you know the safety tips. This should be a matter of concern especially when you’ve just moved in a new neighborhood. Consistent application is important in maintaining and developing home safety. Just as they said, prevention is better than cure because, in case of home safety, it does prevent illness, burglary, and accidents from occurring.

Feeling secure in any given environment is one of the most basic human needs. Out of all the three types of securities: financial, emotional and physical, the need for physical security seems to threaten our existence more than ever. Our social media feeds are often inundated with alarming news of crime, burglary, terror attacks, abduction, abuse, molestation and numerous other heinous acts. However, there are many ways to build a neighborhood where every child, teen and adult feels secure crime.

Here are 5 tips on ensuring security in your neighborhood which you can share with your family, neighbors and community members.

Tip 1 – Form a neighborhood watch program

The best way to solve challenging security issues in a neighborhood is to form a neighborhood watch program. The first step towards initiating a program like this is to make sure everyone understands the importance the program. Arrange a meeting at a community gathering place, like a community center or a community clubhouse, to discuss pertinent issues related to neighborhood safety. Assign tasks to participants who are keen on being a part of the program.

Some could take the responsibility of conducting surveys around the neighborhood to sign petitions in support of creating a neighborhood watch program. Someone else could be in charge of presenting this petition to the neighborhood board to get their approval. A few other members could contact the local law enforcement and request them to give a demonstration or training on running a neighborhood watch program.

Tip 2 – Invest in a Home Security System

In this day and age of technological advancement, investing in a home security system involves investing in equipments beyond locks and alarms. Homeowners can have many options to choose from. Some items could be affordable and some could cost several thousands of dollars. One such product is an indoor and outdoor monitoring system which allows homeowners to view what goes inside and outside of their homes through cameras.

In case of a burglary, the system has the feature to inform you in your smartphone app. Another innovative product is an emergency notification necklace which could be very useful for elderly and disabled individuals who live alone. In case of an emergency, the person has to simply push the button on his or her necklace which notifies someone competent to help them for immediate assistance.

Tip3 – Incorporate Security Devices in the neighborhood

One of the simplest ways of reducing crime in the neighborhood is to add more lights in dimly lit areas. Offenders often take advantage of poorly lit areas to commit crimes in areas such as parking lots, children’s playground, street corners and other parts of residential neighborhoods.

Along with the streetlights another positive investment would be to install CCTV cameras around the neighborhood. Surveillance cameras can be monitored from a control room by a security officer. Offenders can be quickly detected and arrested and at the same time if there is ever a victim, assistance can also be quickly provided. Most importantly, the fear of crime will be reduced among the residents.

Tip 4 – Train teenagers for community safety action

Teenagers in the community are a storehouse of talent and energy. The best means of raising security awareness in a neighborhood is to get the youth to volunteer in spreading the word. Train the teens to care for their community, respect the elderly and show concern for everyone’s safety. Let them brainstorm ideas that could improve the security around the neighborhood. Lead them on identifying security problems in the neighborhood and encourage them to suggest solutions.

A weekly training could be organized for teens where a mentor could be assigned to lead groups in discussions and activities. Above all, guide them to becoming role models for younger children. This will not only help in community vigilance, but also prevent teenagers from getting involved in criminal activities themselves.

Tip 5 – Stay alert

Despite all the security measure taken, the most pivotal part of ensuring security is to stay alert. If you notice any suspicious activities in the neighborhood, do not hesitate to inform the authorities. Take note of unfamiliar faces that signal danger. If you have newly moved to a neighborhood, take time to know all the neighbors.

Keep the doors and windows locked when you are away or asleep. Watch out for the safety of others as well. Spot dangerous signals that you witness happening to others around you in any shape or form. Some common instance you may witness could be in the form of sexual harassment, molestation, mugging or even verbal abuse. When you watch out for these hazards for others, you are likely to be more careful regarding your own safety.

A safe neighborhood is enjoyable when everyone is safe. Although neighborhood safety is a team effort, remember it starts with you first.

If you’re moving into a new neighborhood in the Melbourne area, contact All The Right Moves Removalists for the best services.

As it is often said, life is a journey and not a destination. We are constantly moving and settling down at the same time. If the word “moving” connotes stress, then the word “settling” should connote relaxation since it involves the idea of unpacking. Taking things out of the box, arranging the closet, organizing the kitchen cabinets don’t indicate that one has settled down after a move. There may be a lingering feeling of being unsettled and out of place. This is can be reasoned as a “not being at home yet” kind of feeling.

But here are 5 tips that can ease the feeling and quicken the process of settling down.

Tip 1 – Neighborhood Orientation

Remember that the first step to settling down is arranging your own orientation program to help yourself navigate the new environment. First agenda on your orientation program should be getting the lay of the land. Find out where the supermarket, laundromat, hospitals, libraries, recreational centers, schools, park and restaurants are located. Use applications like Yelp to find the best places to eat and hangout.

Walking would be the best way to get the feel of the neighborhood. Instead of relying on your phone to give you information, try chatting with people you meet on the road and ask them for directions. You will value those small interactions someday when you look back.

Tip 2 – Revive an Old Hobby

One of the easiest tricks of meeting people in a new place is to go to places of interest where you could have the chance of meeting people with similar interest. Explore the neighborhood to find venues where people gather for yoga, a book club, badminton or even church prayer meetings. Trying online platforms like Meetup.com is a very helpful way of discovering groups of interests meeting up in your area.

If you don’t like getting affiliated to a single group, then there is always the option of getting involved in the local community service and local organizations where you could volunteer in any project.

Tip 3 – Attend Neighborhood Events

Step out of the house and explore what activities and events are taking place around you. You are bound to come across some event that could be taking place in your neighborhood. Attend the garage sale or the block party. Show up with your family and let them mingle around and make friends as well.

Get involved in planning and organizer future events with your neighbors. Soon you will realize that all old faces in your circle where once new. So, get out and explore the possibilities of making new friends.

Tip 4 – Potluck Parties

Instead of throwing a lavish dinner party, invite your neighbors for a potluck party where each guest brings a dish to the table. It is a great way to collaborate with your neighbors on the menu. Grab the opportunity to play the perfect host by organizing fun icebreaker activities and include the children as well. Your goal is not just for you to make friends but also to ensure your children make new friends.

Take photos and post them on your social media page and tag your new neighbors. This will be the best way to stay connected with them.

Tip 5 – Don’t Stay Isolated

The truth is that you will not be out and about in the first few days of your move. Every new place has its own ways of doing things. You may not easily find a routine of things to do. However, this should not isolate you in your loneliness. Whether you are single or with a family, isolating yourself in a new place can actually impede your chances of getting settled.

Try engaging yourself and your family into activities that can continue to strengthen family bonds. Don’t let the pressure of socializing stop you from enjoying what you do already.

Some journeys are easier, whereas others are more challenging. No matter what the journey may be, make sure you enjoy every part of it. Settling down may be easy as well as challenging depending on the given circumstances. Hope these tips come handy on your journey of settling down after a move.