The 6 Month Moving Plan – More Time Equals Less Stress

The decision to move to the Brazos Valley in Texas was easy. Perhaps you got a new job or just want to escape the cold and snowy winters in the northern part of the country. You have contacted an experienced College Station realtor and she has found you the perfect property you would be proud to call home. After all of that time and care, the next part of your journey commences: packing up your entire house and moving.

Ideally, the moving process actually starts six months to a year before you even find your new home. This gives you plenty of time to purge your existing stuff, organize and pack efficiently. Six months out is the perfect time to get started.

Month One – Budget, Research and Gather Supplies

Figure out how much you are able to spend on a moving company and everything else that is necessary to transfer the stuff you own from one house to another. Also, research moving companies, get recommendations and read a lot of reviews. This is also a great month to get boxes and other packing material.

Month Two – Start the Clutter Purge

Before delving into the backs of closets and bottom of drawers, begin the property purge by dealing with everything on the surface. Most people accumulate a lot of stuff that sits around collecting dust or waiting for the perfect time to deal with it. It is best to do this well out from your moving date so you don't have to worry about it as things get more critical.

Month Three – Donate, Destroy and Dump

By this time your College Station realtor has undoubtedly found the perfect house for you and you know how much space you will have to store things. This is when you should start donating usable items you no longer want or need and dumping things you cannot donate in the garbage. Remember canned and dry goods can go to a local food pantry. It is also a great idea to invest in a crosscut shredder and destroy all paperwork, bank statements and bills that have any identifying information on them.

Month Four – Take Inventory and Insure

There is always the unfortunate possibility that some of your furniture or other belongings is damaged in transit. Take photos of all expensive items and purchase moving insurance or simply property insurance for them before you begin the moving process in earnest. This is also an excellent time to make the master list of everything you own and pack so you know what you have and know if anything goes missing.

Month Five – Boxes, Boxes, Boxes
Now that you are down to just the items that you want to keep, it is time to pack them securely in boxes in an organized manner. Group things from the same room in the same box. Use sufficient packing material or soft items between breakables to keep them safe on the journey. Label each box with what is inside and the room it should go in once you get to your wonderful new College Station, TX home.

Month Six – Move!

All the paperwork is signed, closing day has come in all of your necessary and beloved belongings are being loaded on a responsible and affordable mover's truck to head to the new house that your excellent College Station realtor found for you.

Featured Home for Sale in College Station, TX

Sarah Miller, your RE/MAX realtor bryan-college station can help you discover a lot of great tips for making a profitable sale of your home. Call Sarah Miller at 979-255-1904 for your real estate needs in Bryan-College Station and the entire Brazos Valley!

Easy Home Cooling Tips in the College Station, TX Area

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People who move from the cooler northern states and purchase a home in the hot south with the help of a College Station realtor may find it difficult to acclimate to the new climate. Even lifelong Texans appreciate ways to keep their home cool without running the air conditioner 24 hours a day and racking up large energy bills.

Besides the obvious recommendations of wearing light clothing and turning on a fan, there are other, more long-term solutions to keeping a Brazos Valley, Texas home cool all year round. In the hot summer months, this region of the country has regular daily temperatures in the 90s and nights in the mid to upper 70s. While opening the windows to let in the cool night air on some nights may work, it may not provide the cooling you desire.

Long-Term Cooling Tips

Not only is it important to make your house as cool as possible for the hot Texas summers, but these measures will also help it become much more energy efficient and environmentally friendly. You can look for a house with your College Station realtor with some of these features already existing, or they can be renovations or additions you do after the purchase.

• Plant trees or install a latticework for a vine to prolong in front of eastern and western windows to block some of the hottest direct rays of the sun.

• Construct or install porches with roofs, awnings over decks and pergolas to help shade the ground and the walls around your house.

• Choose light-colored roofing material and exterior paint so the heat from the sun is not soak into your house.

• Boost the house's insulation and roof ventilation to help prevent heat from entering and getting trapped inside.

• Install sun blocking shades and curtains to keep out as much light as possible. These should also be a light color on the outside to reflect the heat out instead of soaking it in.

Quick Relief Cooling Tips

• There are several things you can do in the hot College Station and Bryan, TX summer months to boost the efficiency of your air conditioner and keep your rooms and yourself nice and cool.

• Switch the direction of ceiling fans to draw cooler air up from the floor toward the ceiling.

• Keep a spritz bottle full of cool water nearby and apply a missed to exposed skin to increase cooling evaporation.

• Place a shallow dish full of ice in front of a fan for a frosty breeze.

• Turn off incandescent lights, close the blinds and limit use of electronics to minimize heating the air.

• Keep your air conditioner in the top working condition by cleaning the fence and replacing the filters frequently. Also, make sure all ducts and hoses are leak-proof and insulated.

All of these cooling tips can help you feel more comfortable after experience climate shock when you moved to the house you picked out with the help of your knowledgeable College Station realtor.

Featured Home for Sale in College Station, TX

Sarah Miller, your RE/MAX realtor bryan-college station can help you discover a lot of great tips for making a profitable sale of your home. Call Sarah Miller at 979-255-1904 for your real estate needs in Bryan-College Station and the entire Brazos Valley!

5 Important Things You May Forget to Ask Your College Station Realtor

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People who have never sold or bought a house before may be a bit mystified by the entire process. There is plenty of research opportunity online and a professional College Station realtor should help with everything else, but it is still necessary to know what to ask and what to expect during the time between first contacting them and actually moving into your new home.

Besides all the obvious questions about different properties and the buying process, there are a few questions that you may forget to ask your College Station realtor. Read on to discover five of these you may want to add to your list.

1 – How many listings have you had vs. how many homes sold in the past six months?

Your College Station realtor should be able to give you an idea about how many listings they control at one time and how many of those listings in the past have ended in a successful sale. This helps you determine not only how effective they are at finding the right home for buyers, but also help determine how quickly they may be able to get you into a home.

2 – Do you tend to focus on new construction or resale of existing homes more?

If you are looking for new construction or an older home, this question may seem obvious. Many people do not consider the ramifications of buying each type of house however. Finding out if your College Station realtor works closely with new home builders, has a balanced mix of new and existing or primarily deals with resales can help you figure out if she is right for you.

3 – At what point and my committed or obligated to continue working with you?

Every College Station realtor should have agreement paperwork to review and sign when a prospective buyer starts working with them. This is not a home sale document or even a work contract, but it does outline obligations for being represented by the realtor during the home search process.

4 – Am I required to use home inspectors, appraisers or other professionals you network with?

Honest and trustworthy realtors should have no problem with homebuyers getting independent reviews and inspections of homes they represent. Sometimes, using recommended or networked companies can constitute a conflict of interests. The entire home finding and buying process should feel comfortable for everyone involved.

5 – What am I forgetting to ask you that you would want to know if you were looking for a College Station realtor?

No matter how much research you do or articles you read about what to ask your College Station realtor, there may be things you never think of. You can certainly ask the realtor what things you may be missing and they may give you information that can help you make the right decision about which home to buy in the end. If you feel at any point that the realtor or real estate agent you are interviewing is evading your questions or hiding something, you should definitely find another one.

Featured Home for Sale in College Station, TX

305 Holleman Dr. E. #102

Sarah Miller, your RE/MAX realtor Bryan-College Station can help you discover a lot of great tips for making a profitable and fast sell of your home. She is one of the RE/MAX Bryan-College Station Realtor that has a long list of the finest homes in College Station, Call her today at 979-255-1904