OK, the time has come and your are ready to move.  Right?  Well perhaps ready to relocate is not exactly correct, because now you must wrap up all of your belongings, many of them in wrapping paper, and bubble wrap and place them in moving boxes. Wow, that is a lot of work. and of course there is also the books you own.  How do you best ship or transfer those items?  Well, your best choice is a book box or a small moving box so that you can keep the weight at a manageable place and the boxes won’t break.

Here’s the good news…we are here to help your move with articles, ideas, and even the moving materials you’ll need for your move.  We can even help you to get organized.

So if you need a moving trusck, we can help, and we can do the same for all of your moving boxes, packing supplies, bubble wrap, and box tape and so much more.  So look around, read some articles and get started with your mov with more ease!

Grab Some Boxes at a Wholesale price!!

I can see the signs…Summer time is coming to a close – much to my dislike.  At least the part of summer that is carefree without school in the mix. 

But when it comes to moving, while summer is ideal, being warm and perhaps it makes sense as a good transition point – Moving is a year round occurrence.  Do you expect to move anytime soon?  We are here to assist you to save the maximum amount of money on moving boxes, packing tape, getting organized materials, and even rental trucks.  So unless you hang out with the Donald Trumps of the world, saving money is always a great idea.  So check us out, save some money and move to that new location. 

Packupthehouse.com  http://www.packupthehouse.com/

 Moving Boxes and Real Estate go together…the following is brought to you by the web’s premier site for all your moving supply needs.

Land banking is the practice of purchasing land with the intention of holding on to it until such a time as it can be sold for substantially more than was initially paid. In the troubled times, land is becoming increasingly popular as an investment, because it is a tangible asset as opposed to Shares or Bonds. This sort of investment has gained such popularity that it is now possible to land bank worldwide. Several firms set up to offer opportunities to do so.

Parcels of land desirable for land banking are those that lie on the fringes and in the growth corridors of rapidly developing cities. The investor’s initial goal is to buy undeveloped land that will increase in value because it lies in the path of urban growth. The key is to identify these parcels well in advance of the developers, secure control, and wait for their values to mature. By a diligent research and financing or managing of a land banked property, one can surely realize a handsome profit upon the sale.

One good retirement investment strategy is to invest your IRA into real estate. With the stock market heading south, rolling over a portion of your IRA into real estate could diversify and reduce your risks. There can be tax benefits in converting IRA funds from one type of asset to another, and you could potentially roll your capital gains on the land into a future real estate purchase, bypassing the need to pay tax on the capital gains.

Consult a finance professional as to the tax treatment of any proposed change to your investment strategy.

A land banking specialist will be able to provide you with historical performance data from land banking as an investment strategy. Bear in mind that past performance is not an indicator of future earnings, and that commission-based salespeople have a strong incentive to “gild the lily”, so don’t take any historical performance data as a prediction of the returns you can expect.

If you invest your IRA into real estate, you will be undertaking a speculative investment. If you have chosen your land well, you stand to make quite good gains. On the other hand, should the land never receive planning permission for development, you could find yourself sitting on a very expensive white elephant. It is very important that you do your due diligence thoroughly.

Remember, too, that if you roll your 401k into real estate, you are buying into a much less liquid asset than paper assets. If you need to rebalance your portfolio, you are unlikely to be able to trim 20% off your land parcel and sell it down. A parcel of land is an all-or-nothing investment, unless your 401K reserve is large enough to spread across several land banking parcels.

Land banking, done the right way, has the potential to return higher-than-average investment gains in the long term. A land banking specialist can provide information about past returns and investment opportunities. However, there are significant risks involved in shifting from paper assets to land banking, and you should obtain professional advice to ensure that you are fully aware of the risks before making a decision to change your investment strategy.

 Do you need Moving Boxes and Moving Supplies?  The above real estate article was brought to you by the team at:   the web’s premier discount box and moving supplies site at http://packupthehouse.com.   PackUpTheHouse is a portal for all your moving supplies and truck rental needs.  When you are planning a move, be it from your homes or business, you’ll find just the right moving boxes, shipping companies, rental trucks, supplies to get organized, and of course bubble wrap, packing tape and moving supplies. 

Texas Real Estate – (Everything is bigger in Texas) now there is a subject nearly without end – but then these days, all real estate issues are interesting and painful.  The moving to a new home process and Real Estate, go together – the following is brought to you by the web’s premier site for all your moving supply needs.

The city of San Antonio recently hosted the 2008 Community Development Summit entitled “Lessons from the Past – Opportunities for a Sustainable Future.”

The summit, which took place on September 15, 16 and 17 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, focused on all areas of building and maintaining the local economy via education, reinvestment and the coordination of city resources.

Some of the activities of the summit included panel discussions, presentations, tours and training, all of which focused on reinvestment planning, leveraging private sector investment and coordinating city resources.

Some of the attendees of this summit included housing developers, financial lenders, affordable housing providers, community development organizations, neighborhood associations and average citizens.

Some of the seminars, presentations and sessions focused on:

• Foreclosure prediction and prevention
• School-based financial education programs – The private sector can impact the communities that they serve by educating children and young adults on basic money management, banking, savings, credit and loans. Knowledge of basic finance is vital to everybody’s success.
• Consumer credit – Education programs and personal counseling in money management, debt management, and comprehensive housing counseling are needed within a community. Improving general financial knowledge within the community can fight credit and foreclosure crises, thereby improving the performance of the economy.
• Transportation programs
• Integrating schools and universities into sustainable communities
• Community development networks and intermediaries
• Community land trusts and long-term affordability – Community Land Trusts are member based non-profit organizations that are used to provide access to affordable land and housing, promote long-term community involvement, and to preserve affordability of housing by protecting a neighborhood against gentrification and real estate speculation.
• Sustainable “green” building – Building green homes has long-term benefits for the occupants, the surrounding community, and the environment that we all share. Making green building affordable must involve a shared commitment and active partnership among neighborhood organizations, developers, lenders, and local government.
• Coordinating city resources
• Benefits of Complete Streets: Public Health and Market Value
• Rapid Transit Success Stories
• Sustainable Neighborhoods through Low Impact Development
• The Practical Challenges of Infill Development – Infill development can provide affordable housing, neighborhood revitalization and reinvestment, and walkable, transit-oriented communities. Many external factors, such as the context of the real estate market, the community, the economy, and the government can affect the feasibility of beneficial infill development.
• Housing and Transportation: Affordability Index in San Antonio
• Restoring and Maintaining Community Pride – The Extreme Neighborhood Sweep Program is a comprehensive effort of City services coordinated to provide education and services from various partner developments. Each department brings to the table certain services and information that residents can utilize to beautify their neighborhood and improve their quality of life.
• Community Indicators Project: Assess quality of life
• Green Spaces for Sustainable Neighborhoods
• Sustainable Development for Commercial Buildings
• Alternative Lending Practices
• Restoring prosperity through Main Street Partnership
• Preservation of affordable housing
• Tax credits in redevelopment – Tax Credits assist with economic revitalization and community development through investment by utilizing Historic Preservation Tax Credits, New Market Tax Credits, and Low Income Housing Tax Credits.
• New redevelopment trends
• Neighborhood associations in community development
• New trends in urban development
• Current preservation policies and efforts for historic building – Historic preservation strategies such as historic designation, tax credits, and revolving loans can increase tourism, commercial property values, and encourage additional neighborhood investment. Evaluate City codes in such areas as building, fire, and zoning to support historic preservation and adaptive reuse.

San Antonio real estate continues to grow in historical value, and these summits are a testament to the strong community values that exist in this great area.

Do you need Moving Boxes and Moving Supplies?  The above real estate article was brought to you by the team at:   the web’s premier discount box and moving supplies site at http://packupthehouse.com.   PackUpTheHouse is a portal for all your moving supplies and truck rental needs.  When you are planning a move, be it from your homes or business, you’ll find just the right moving boxes, shipping companies, rental trucks, supplies to get organized, and of course bubble wrap, packing tape and moving supplies. 

As specialists in Dallas real estate and San Antonio homes for sale , VIP Realty offers in-depth market analysis and updated news to help people find the best residential and commercial property for their needs.

Movig Boxes and Selling Your Home

As you have come to know, Packupthehouse.com is a moving supplies destination.  And of course when you move, what else is part of it?  Yes, usually selling your previous home.  So today, we’ll give you some tips toward squeezing every penny you can out of the sale of your previous home. 

When you’re getting ready to sell a property or other investment, there are a lot of things you can do to create curb appeal so everything works in your favor. Statistics show that potential buyers decide in about the first 10 seconds of seeing the outside of a house whether they want to see the inside. This is one of the single most important things you can do to attract buyers initially. Not only so you can get more for your property, but also sell it faster than you might otherwise.

Here are some cost effect things you can do quickly to make your real estate investment more profitable. You may be familiar with some of these concepts but are you using them all to your advantage? A lot of these principles also apply for creative real estate investing strategies like foreclosures, flipping, wholesaling, lease options, property assignments and rehabs.

Aside from standard cleaning, here are some of the most important things you can do to have the most impact with minimal cost:

-First of all, trim shrubs, grass and clean up flower beds

-Many investment properties can be made to look like new by simply pressure washing exterior walls

-Use touch up paint where you can avoid repainting entire rooms

-When new paint is needed, use neutral, lighter colors that will appeal to more buyers.

-Eliminate or replace “dated” features like wall paper, old fixtures and knobs

-Eliminate clutter or garbage including that in closets and pantries

-Have the carpets cleaned or replace areas that absolutely need it

-You can repaint the front door if needed to add color and definition.

-Sweep and clean the pathway to the front porch

-Clean out gutters and spouts

-Remove oils stains in the driveway

-Fix any cracks, leaks or stains

-Put down welcome mats or replace old ones

-If room permits, add a small bench or seating on the porch or just inside the entry.

-Add color to the entry way with flower pots on the porch

-Replace old or dim lights with new brighter ones

-Clean or re-grout tile including showers and bathrooms

-Clean or replace old blinds, drapes and shower curtains. Get rid of dated drapes and make sure as much natural light can get into the house as possible

-Clean handrails, light switches and door handles

-Wash windows and mirrors

-Air out the house and use natural air fresheners. Avoid chemical based air fresheners or sprays; there are many people that have allergic reactions to them.

Remember, you don’t have to break the bank with excessive remodeling; many of the things we’ve talked about will not cost very much but can make a big difference. Some of the small details will actually do more for you then expensive renovations. This can even be advantageous for low risk, quick cash strategies such as a system to wholesale houses and similar effective fast cash investment strategies!

So enjoy your move, especially knowing that with a few simple steps, you can walk away with the maximum cash for your efforts. 

About the Author:
Kirby Williams is a webmaster and frequent contributor to the web’s premier discount box and moving supplies site at http://packupthehouse.com.   PackUpTheHouse is a portal for all your moving supplies and truck rental needs.  When you are planning a move, be it from your homes or business, you’ll find just the right moving boxes, shipping companies, rental trucks, supplies to get organized, and of course bubble wrap, packing tape and moving supplies. 

Remember that I told you that my daughter is off to college soon and that we need to get moving boxes moving supplies and we certainly need to get her organized? Well, even if you don’t remember, she is and we are – in fact we head down today to UC-Irvine for her orientation.  She won’t actually move her boxes for another 6 weeks, but this is the begining.

So, as a quick reminder to you, if you have a friend, daughter, or relative about to move to school and they need a wardrobe box or some packing tape, remind them to plan ahead – and we do hope you’ll point them our direction – for both informative articles and as much bubble wrap and moving supplies that they could ever hope to find.

Have a great weekend,

The Packupthehouse.com Team

Tips for Organizing Furniture in Your Child’s Bedroom

Ahh, the emotional pain of looking into most kid’s bedroom only to find a tremendous mess – their clothes are spread everywhere, toys are stacked on each other, the bed is unmade, and paper  – not just assignments from school, but somehow, they have pieces of paper – literally pieces torn off and laying around, for who knows what reason – as though they have a gerbil sharing their room.  They so desperately need to get organized!  

Have you heard of Feng Shui? It is the Chinese art of positioning various objects. It is founded on the belief that the flow of chi (energy) and the sequence of the yin and yang (balance) create both positive and negative impacts. In fact, the way that you arrange the furniture in your child’s bedroom, will influence how your child uses it. Personally, I don’t buy into the mystical energy aspect (way too new age – without factual basis) but, the outcome often creates a nice layout – and when it comes down to it, whether you use Feng Shui or something else, a get organized plan is always a  useful thing to have.  And. I will allow that colors, and arrangements do make a difference in our “comfort” level as we walk into a room – if they didn’t, we’d all have white rooms and basic furniture lumped together – and the entire home improvement industry wouldn’t exist. 

But for this article, we’ll go with the concept of Feng Shui (without the hocus pocus).  After choosing safe and functional furniture, the next step is to properly position the furniture throughout the room, to maximize its attractiveness and functionality. Here are some tips to guide you in the process.

1. Make a plan. Draw a floor plan for the bedroom. Make sure to include where doors, windows, electrical outlets and vents are located. Measure the largest pieces of furniture, such as a bunk bed, and sketch out on a drawing where you intend to position them.

2. Reason for the room. Think about the purpose of the room. Is it a bedroom or a playroom? Also, consider how many children will be using it.

3. Begin with biggies. First, position the biggest pieces of furniture in the room, such as a safe and fun bunk bed. Usually, these pieces should face the focal point of the room.

4. Avoid furniture wallflowers. Do not push all of the furniture so that the pieces are flush with the walls.

5. Small and tall. Mix up the arrangement of the furniture, based on height and size. Avoid placing two small or two tall items beside each other. Instead, position the pair of furniture pieces across from each other.

6. Linear and angular. Create a balance of furniture with straight and curved lines. For example, use a table with curvy legs, and a chair with straight edges.

7. Seats with reach. Tables should always be within easy reach of every seat in the bedroom. Both pieces should also have a comparable scale.

8. Avoid traffic jams. Consider the flow of human traffic in the room, when arranging the furniture. Usually, this flow is located between doorways in the room. Place furniture to allow for a width of 30-48 inches for traffic routes that are major. Likewise, there should be a width of at least 24 inches for minor traffic routes.

9. All clear. Make sure that there is always enough clearance for furniture. There should be at least two feet between the side of the bed, and a wall. Also, there should be a minimum of three feet between the bed and a door that swings.

10. Formal or casual? If your child is serious, it is advisable to use miniature versions of grownup furniture, and to place them in a balanced manner. However, most furniture and themes in a children’s bedroom will be lighter, which requires a more casual arrangements of the furniture.

Whether or not you use Feng Shui in designing your child’s bedroom, finding the right furniture, and arrangement of it, are important considerations when organizing a room, or setting up the furniture and the bunk beds. 

So there you have it – a way to relieve stress.  What?  Yes, I will hold that regardless of the plan you use to get your kid’s rooms organized, it will relieve stress.  Getting organized is a powerful stress reducer for both the child (whether they are conscious of it or not – they’ll like a cleaner and more organized room) and for you.  Now, if you can just find that gerbil eating all that paper!

About the Author:
Kirby Williams is a webmaster and frequent contributor to the web’s premier discount box and moving supplies site at Packupthehouse.com.   PackUpTheHouse is a portal for all your moving supplies and truck rental needs.  When you are planning a move, be it from your homes or business, you’ll find just the right moving boxes, shipping companies, rental trucks, supplies to get organized, and of course bubble wrap, packing tape and moving supplies. 

Moving Boxes and Real Estate?

I’m a pretty positive person but all you have to do is turn on the news to see how quickly life can catch you and blindside you.  You are cruising along, everything seems fine – in fact great, then boom, your world crashes and you are faced with some major financial stressors.  If that has happened to you or if you just want to be prepared for that possibility, then this article will be of help.

While we are primarily a site that concentrates on moving supplies, such as wardrobe boxes and packing tape, and getting organized such as your closet and garage, real estate and all it’s issues is part of that process as well.  So here is some good info to help you ward off foreclosure. 

If you find yourself caught in a mortgage that you can no longer afford, you may need to find help to prevent foreclosure. The recent subprime mortgage crisis has prompted many local, federal and privately run agencies to develop programs that help to prevent foreclosure. Subprime mortgages are offered to borrowers with a few blemishes on their credit record that can’t qualify for prime rates. Usually offered with a limited time “teaser” rate that is significantly lower than the actual rate, these subprime mortgages cause many borrowers to find themselves with a mortgage that they can’t afford when the teaser period runs out. These are the borrowers that are looking for help to prevent foreclosure. Many times, these borrowers are not told of the actual cost of the mortgage until it is too late, making them victims of predatory lending.

The best place to start your information search for help to prevent foreclosure is your lender. Lenders have a lot at stake when a home goes into foreclosure. Research shows that a lender loses, on average, between fifty to sixty thousand dollars for each foreclosure. They are in the business of lending money, not owning or selling houses. They have many programs set in place to help you when you get behind in your payments. Never ignore communication from your lender. As they are willing to help and have many programs available to do so, most programs are designed to help those that are only 1-2 payments behind. Early intervention may be the difference between keeping your house and foreclosure.

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is the federal agency responsible for offering help to prevent foreclosure. Their web site if full of information, tips and advice to help prevent foreclosure. Because you can customize your search based on location, this web site is the most comprehensive place to find the help you are looking for. They also offer counseling by local HUD approved financial counselors. These counselors are able to evaluate your individual situation and make recommendations on their findings. They also provide local resources, such as county specific help to prevent foreclosure.

It is important when faced with a mortgage that you can no longer afford that you seek help to prevent foreclosure early. As there are many programs that have been developed to assist you, many can only be implemented before you get too far behind. Be sure to conduct thorough research before committing to any one program. Finding the help to prevent foreclosure that will suit your situation is possible, but you must be willing to do the research it takes to find it.

stop foreclosure

About the Author:
Paul Hamilton loves his garage. He’s also the operations manager for Packupthehouse.com, a moving and relocation website where he helps visitors to find the just the right supplies to get organized, be it garages, closets or a whole house. He also assists those who are preparing to move from their homes or businesses with moving boxes and supplies, and rental trucks. 

We want you to know when moving box and moving supplies articles have been published that will be of help to you. Our founder and major contributor has recently posted a 4 part series entitled:

Moving Guide – Ideas, and Systems to Ease Your Moving Process!

We encourage you to read it, download it and even add it to your site as content if you need moving content.

So here are the links to all 4 parts of

Moving Guide – Ideas, and Systems to Ease Your Moving

Our best to you as you pack up your house and move!

Packupthehouse.com

Our Contributing author Kirby Williams just made Moving expert at Ezinearticles.com – of course, he’s been an expert long before he was recognized as one…but we digress.

Subscribe to the RSS and see all of his articles here: http://ezinearticles.com/members/rss/Kirby-Williams.xml

Check out his new articles:

• Moving and Relocating Soon? Tips To – Pack Up Your Home and Office…and Move! – Part 1 of 2
• Moving and Relocating Soon? Tips To – Pack Up Your Home and Office…and Move! – Part 2 of 2

Best to you from Packupthehouse.com

Your Site for discount Moving boxes, Moving Supplies and to Get Organized - your closets, garage and more.