How to Prepare Your Pets For The Move

How to Prepare Your Pets For The Move

Your moving day is set and it’s time to start preparing. As you’re making your lists and checking them twice, don’t forget to factor in your furry friends. Here are some tips for making sure the process goes smoothly.

Medical records When moving to a different city or state, one of the main things you need to take into consideration is finding a new veterinarian that is the right fit for you and your pet. If you have family or friends in the area ask for recommendations or do your own research by reading reviews and news articles. Once you find one, contact your current vet to initiate a transfer of medical records. Then schedule a “get to know you” appointment shortly after your move.

Transportation Whether it’s a short drive or a long plane ride, you pet will likely need to be put into a carrier. For most pets, this is a foreign concept and they require time to get comfortable with it. Start acclimating your pet as early as possible and use comfort items like treats and favorite toys and blankets to make the experience a positive one for your pet. Poor my Milo, the cat, we adopted him from the local humane society when he was 8 years old. Since then he moved from South of Washington states to North near Seattle and a plane ride to Las Vegas. He hated to be in his carrier, but was very quiet on the plane. Of course he sniffed around for a day and settled in after that. 

Acclimation  Pad your moving schedule with ample time to get your dog or cat acclimated to their new home. While the movers are still hard at work, keep them safely away from foot traffic to reduce stress. Once they’ve left, make sure to clear anything that could be dangerous and block off areas as necessary then let them free to get a lay of the land on their own.

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How to Hire a Moving Company

 

How to Hire a Moving Company

Moving can be very exciting, but also very stressful. If you can hire a moving company that you can trust, that could make your moving less stressful.

Here are some questions to ask:

- Are you certified by the ICC?

- Do you charge by the pound or by the hour?

- How much insurance do you carry?

- Are there any items you charge extra to move, such as china, pianos, pool tables and the like?

- Are you bonded?

- Can I call to find out the location of my things during the move?

Once you’ve hired a mover, there’s still more work to be done.

- Make yourself a checklist of things to do every week for eight weeks prior to the move. Stay as organized as possible.

- Ask your moving company to assign three movers to you—two to load and unload and one to guard the truck to prevent theft.

- Talk to your insurance agent about liability. Does your current homeowner’s policy cover your possessions during a move? Moving companies’ basic insurance coverage usually allows a set amount per pound per item, and it’s usually not enough, so find out how much the company carries and then buy extra insurance if necessary. Remember that most companies don’t accept liability for breakage of any items you pack yourself.

- Confirm the arrangements with the moving company a couple of days before your move.

Happy Moving!

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Photo by HiveBoxx on Unsplash

Should You Borrow From Your 401k?

 

Should You Borrow From Your 401k?

Are you a little short on cash to buy your home? Do you need a little more cash to buy furniture or fix your house? There are Pros & Cons to borrow money from your 401K. 

Pros:

A 401(k) loan does not appear on your credit report.

The interest on these loans is some of the lowest out there—right now, 3-4 percent.

You’re paying yourself the interest, not some bank.

You’ll get your money more quickly than a home equity loan.

Since it’s a loan, you will not be charged the 10 percent early withdrawal penalties plus income taxes you would have to pay if you withdrew the money.

You don’t have to qualify for the loan because in effect, you are the lender.

No assets or collateral are needed to secure the loan.

Cons:

You are forfeiting the accrued interest you would earn if your money stayed in the 401(k).

The interest is not tax deductible.

Some plans do not allow contributions to the 401(k) for the period of the loan.

If you lose or quit your job, the loan is often due in full in 30-60 days (although some plans are open to renegotiating the terms of the loan. Find out before you sign the papers.)

If you default on the loan, it is considered a withdrawal and you will owe a 10 percent penalty plus a hefty tax payment.

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How to become a "Morning Person"

 

Ever wish you could become one of those rare morning people? The ones that wake with a start, feeling refreshed and energized. The ones that get in that morning workout or wrap up some work before many of us even hit the snooze button for the first time. Here are five tips to help you achieve that early bird status!

- Create a morning schedule. Physically write down the things you’d like to complete in the morning and set a time for each. Then stick with it. Once you force yourself out of bed early one or two weeks consistently, you’ll find it gets easier and easier to do.
- Let the light in. Whether natural or artificial, light tells your brain its time to get up and get going. If your room lacks large windows where you can open the blinds up, consider investing in a timed lamp or alarm clock with a light.
- Prep and eat breakfast. Although there are many of us who chose the skip breakfast, it is key to perking up your energy in the morning. Try prepping protein-focused meals the night before or grab a yogurt or fruit and try to consume it right after you wake.
- Get your body moving. Whether it’s a short walk around your neighborhood or a rigorous 5:30 am spin class, getting your blood pumping will help wake up your body and has a ton of other benefits, like stress and anxiety reduction.
- Feed your mind. Stimulate your brain and do something you enjoy first thing in the morning. Try reading a favorite book, catching up on the news, doing daily meditation, or setting intentions.

Photo by Mohamed Nohassi on Unsplash

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Leasing with the Option to Buy

 

Leasing with the Option to Buy

Leasing with an option to buy is when a renting tenant signs an agreement with a landlord stating that the tenant can buy the property at the end of a prearranged time period. The owner is obligated to sell at the option price, but the tenant is not obligated to buy. The tenant can buy the property only if the landlord exercises the option.

The lease agreement should have a clause that terminates the option to buy if the tenant in any way violates the lease or gets evicted before closing the agreement to purchase.

Usually, purchase price is set out in the original lease-option agreement – in other words, the purchase price is set according to today’s market, not in the future when the option may be exercised.

An option to buy doesn’t give the tenant legal title to the real estate. The tenant becomes a purchaser only upon exercise of the option, at which time the landlord-tenant relationship ceases and the option becomes an absolute and binding contract of sale.

A unique feature of the lease-option is the rent credit. The tenant usually pays above-market rent for the property, but a (nonrefundable) portion is credited toward the purchase price if the buyer decides to exercise the purchase option.

Photo by Obi Onyeador on Unsplash

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Create The Home Office Of Your Dreams

 

CREATE THE HOME OFFICE OF YOUR DREAMS

Whether you work full-time at home or occasionally need to conduct business in the evenings or on the weekends, a home office a great way to utilize an extra room. A dedicated workspace in your home can be designed to increase productivity and comfort. Here are 5 ideas to get you started.

Invest in a good office chair. Investing in an ergonomic office chair is essential. You may be spending anywhere from 30 to 50 hours a week sitting in it, so your back will thank you. Purchasing one with multiple adjustments is ideal so it fits you just right.

Switch up your lighting. Fluorescent lighting has been proven to be hard on the eyes. Make the switch to LED or halogen light bulbs in your home office and try to let in as much natural light as possible. Also, consider finding a desk lamp to reduce headaches and eye strain.

Keep essentials in reach and organized. Nothing says productivity like a clean, neat workspace. Select a desk with a lot of storage or install creative shelving to keep items like pens, pencils, extra batteries, calculators, notepads, and more stored within arm’s reach.

Decorate bright. Pick a color you love and use it to spice up the room. Use cheery yellow or red or relaxing tones like green and blue, instead of beiges and browns.

Aim for the view. If possible, place your desk so you are facing a window instead of a blank wall. Natural light can do wonders for staying alert and you can give yourself a short mental break when necessary by looking to the outdoors.

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Las Vegas Housing Market Report - September 2020

The sales price continued to climb as the inventory decreased with demands and still all-time-low interest rate, migration from other cities. 

Median Sales Price

Single Family Home: $337,500 (Up from $335,000 - August 2020)

Condo/Townhouse: $195,500 (Up from $185,000 - August 2020)

Closed Sale

Single Family Home: 3,276 (Up from 2914 - August 2020)

Condo/Townhouse: 726 (Up from 684 - August 2020)

Homes For Sale

Single Family Home: 5,451 (Down from 6,154 - August 2020)

Condo/Townhouse: 1,700 (Down from 1,907 - August 2020)

Months Supply

Single Family Home: 2.0 (Down from 2.3 - August 2020)

Condo/Townhouse: 2.7 (Down from 3.1 - August 2020)

All data from LVR. InfoSparks 2020 ShowingTime. Live Data

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