Choosing a Removal Company. Moving items out of your current property and into your new home takes a great deal of organisation, time and physical strength. If you’ve got a lot of boxes, fragile items, valuables or heavy pieces of furniture to move, then appointing a professional removal company is a worthwhile investment. And it’s crucial you find the removal company that’s right for you.

House Packing. House packing is a tiring and time-consuming affair. We can’t say packing your life into boxes is ever going to be a pleasure but heed our practical tips and advice and you could save your sanity, as well as your fragile possessions.

Moving Day. It’s finally here. The day you’ve been longing for and dreading at the same time. Moving day can be one of the most stressful days of your life. So follow our guide to make the big day as hassle-free and exciting as it should be.

Involve your children before the move. Giving children tasks and responsibility will give them control over their situation. Involve them in packing and let them pack up their own toys. Also encourage them to de-clutter and get rid of toys they no longer play with . Make sure that children’s toys are the last items to be packed onto the van and are therefore easily accessed at the other end.

A rent-to-own transaction differs from a traditional lease, in that the lessee can purchase the leased item at any time during the agreement (in a traditional lease the lessee has no such right), and from a hire purchase/installment plan, in that the lessee can terminate the agreement by simply returning the property (in a hire purchase the buyer has a limited time, if any, to cancel the agreement).

The usage of rent-to-own transactions began in the United Kingdom and Europe, and first appeared in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s. While rent-to-own terminology is most commonly associated with consumer goods transactions, the term is sometimes used in connection with real estate transactions.

Advantages of selling before you buy

• It puts you in a stronger position when buying. The seller you want to buy from would almost certainly prefer a buyer who has the cash in the bank (and/or a pre-approved mortgage) rather than enter a chain, where their sale is dependent upon you finding someone to buy your house
• You are less likely to be gazumped. If you put in a decent offer the buyer is unlikely to take another if it means entering a property chain
• You remain in control of the sale of your own house – because you won’t need to make a quick sale, you will not be pressurized into selling cheaply
• Those with time on their side are usually in the strongest negotiating position
• You will know exactly how much you can spend because you’ll have the money from your sale in the bank – buying your new home won’t be dependent on you achieving the expected price on your existing one
• If prices are falling, then houses get more affordable as you wait

• If you sell first, expecting to be able to buy quickly after, you may be disappointed and instead have to rent for a time, which can prove very costly
• If prices are rising fast, by the time you’ve sold your house and sorted out somewhere to rent, a new house will be much less affordable. For example, if you rent for a year, and prices rise by 10% in that year, then you will only be able to afford 10% less
• Renting can be stressful, but being in a chain, being gazumped, or feeling you’ve undersold can be worse.

Obtaining financing also has significant benefits. Even if a buyer has the ability to pay cash for a home, it might make sense to not tie up a lot of cash to purchase real estate. Doing so could tie your hands down the road. Cash buyers need to be sure to leave to leave themselves plenty of liquidity. If the home requires major repairs or renovations, it may be tough to obtain a home equity mortgage down the road as you don’t know what your credit score will look like in the future, how much the home will then be worth or other factors that determine approval for a mortgage. Selling a home bought with cash could also be a problem if the owners stretched a lot financially to buy it. Paying cash also has tax implications. Not having a mortgage could also negate a homestead exemption if you find yourself seriously in debt in the future. Most states grant consumers a certain level of protection from creditors regarding their home.

The best advice when considering which option makes the most sense is to opt for the choice that gives you the bigger bang for your buck. Also ask yourself which will provide the greater return on your investment.

Be sure it’s safe
Check the gas safety certificate before you move in. You should also make sure you’re happy with the general condition of the property before you sign an agreement.

Check that your deposit will be protected
Landlords must protect your deposit within 30 days after they’ve received it and must give you full details of which scheme is protecting it and how you can get it back. Use Shelter’s deposit checker tool to make sure your deposit has been protected – it just takes 3 minutes.

Make sure the inventory is accurate
When you move in check and agree with the landlord or agent the list of contents in the property and any existing damage. You could also take your own photos when moving in and moving out. This is the best way to avoid disputes later on. Finally, make sure you have the right contact details for your landlord.

Know your own responsibilities
Renters have obligations too. Your duties as a renter include paying rent and bills on time and not disturbing your neighbours.

Moving in with a mate?
Signing a joint tenancy with your housemates or having individual tenancy agreements with the landlord can have a big impact on your rights. Check that you understand the agreement you have.

Landlord wants to increase the rent?
Your landlord can increase the rent but only at certain times or if s/he is offering you a new agreement, depending on what type of tenancy you have. Check what tenancy type you have on this tenancy checker.

A home inspector is sometimes confused with a real estate appraiser. A home inspector determines the condition of a structure, whereas an appraiser determines the value of a property. In the United States, although not all states or municipalities regulate home inspectors, there are various professional associations for home inspectors that provide education, training, and networking opportunities. A professional home inspection is an examination of the current condition of a house. It is not an inspection to verify compliance with appropriate codes; building inspection is a term often used for building code compliance inspections in the United States. A similar but more complicated inspection of commercial buildings is a property condition assessment. Home inspections identify problems but building diagnostics identifies solutions to the found problems and there predicted outcomes.

1. Use your online resources. Almost every state and local government has a website where you can research real estate information. The data on home sales, taxes, and neighborhoods is invaluable when you are shopping for a home.
2. Be realistic about how much you can spend.Try to buy a home in a price range that allows you to put down 20%. If you put down less than this, you will have to pay PMI (private mortgage insurance) to protect the lender in case you default on the loan.
3. Shop for a home in the winter, preferably around the holidays. Since most people just aren’t interested in buying a home whenthey are trying to deal with the holidays, you can pretty much be one of the few buyers out there.
4. Always have a home inspection. Most people know this fact already, but it is really important in areas with a hot real estate market. It can be easy to get caught up in bidding wars, and to want to get a house at all costs

Be sure it’s safe
Check the gas safety certificate before you move in. You should also make sure you’re happy with the general condition of the property before you sign an agreement.

Check that your deposit will be protected
Landlords must protect your deposit within 30 days after they’ve received it and must give you full details of which scheme is protecting it and how you can get it back. Use Shelter’s deposit checker tool to make sure your deposit has been protected – it just takes 3 minutes.

Make sure the inventory is accurate
When you move in check and agree with the landlord or agent the list of contents in the property and any existing damage. You could also take your own photos when moving in and moving out. This is the best way to avoid disputes later on. Finally, make sure you have the right contact details for your landlord.

Know your own responsibilities
Renters have obligations too. Your duties as a renter include paying rent and bills on time and not disturbing your neighbours.

Moving in with a mate?
Signing a joint tenancy with your housemates or having individual tenancy agreements with the landlord can have a big impact on your rights. Check that you understand the agreement you have.

Landlord wants to increase the rent?
Your landlord can increase the rent but only at certain times or if s/he is offering you a new agreement, depending on what type of tenancy you have. Check what tenancy type you have on this tenancy checker.