If you’ve had your house on the market for a while but have had trouble getting interested buyers, there could be many factors. The good news is that there are
some simple steps to help you change that. Here are a few common reasons why your home could be warding off potential buyers:

Garage or bedroom transformed into something else – If you have altered any rooms or your garage such as an office or an extra living area, it may be a negative for buyers, especially if you have installed any built-in furniture. Buyers want to see their own life in the space, and altered parts of the house may prohibit them the flexibility to make it their own.

Hardwood floors under the carpet – There’s no reason you should be hiding beautiful hardwood flooring with carpet. Hardwood is cleaner looking, aesthetically pleasing, and better for those with allergies. A buyer can always add carpet if needed.

Extreme light fixtures or décor – Showing your own personality in your home is great, but if you’re trying to sell, it’s best to showcase a “blank canvas” for buyers. So those huge over-the-top lighting fixtures, kids’ room murals, or quirky wall pieces should be removed.

Outdated appliances – Sometimes, replacing that “retro” stove (as much as you love it) may be all you need to make over your kitchen and bring it into the 21st century. Buyers often date the entire home based on its appliances, so this could help greatly.

Ready for Next Steps: Moving & Storage?

By recognizing these things about your own home and making some minor changes, it’s possible to sell your house in no time! Once you’ve got that done, you can carry on to packing and moving into your new home.

That’s where Apache Moving & Storage comes in. We’ll be there to make sure all your Austin moving and storage needs are met, making it a cinch for you. Contact us online or call (512) 452-4799.

Congratulations on your decision to move to the Texas capital!  It’s time to contact an Austin Moving Service. Before you move, we want to clue you in on a few things about your new home. Check out this Austin, Texas moving guide here.

What New-Comers Need to Know

Streets & Highways

First of all, we think you should have an overview of the local roads. It may help when talking about directions with your Austin Moving Service. The main highways are US Hwy 183, Mopac, US 290, and I-35. Before committing these names to memory, you should be aware of their aliases. For example, Mopac is also known as Loop 1, and the highway signs even bear the name. The same principle applies to US Hwy 183, also known as Research Boulevard the further north you travel. As for US 290, at the cross-intersection of South Congress Avenue, it turns into Ben White Boulevard. Speaking of South Congress, its nickname is SoCo, and it is spelled as such. As you travel into the heart of downtown, it changes into Congress Avenue when it intersects with Cesar Chavez Street. Speaking of which, don’t be alarmed when you’re driving down Cesar Chavez Street and it transforms into 1st Street. One more thing – Guadalupe Street is also known as The Drag. The name specifically refers to the stretch of the street near the University of Texas.

Barton Springs Pool

When the Texas heat is too much to bear, you’ll see people walking around Barton Springs Road and its shops in swimwear. The reason is that Barton Springs Pool is within walking distance, hence the street’s name. The pool is famous for staying 70 degrees year-round due to the underground springs which serve as its source. The pool occupies 3 acres within Zilker Park and is described by the city’s official website (www.austintexas.gov) as “one of the crown jewels of Austin”.

Eeyore’s Birthday Party (www.eeyores.org)

While the event refers to the Winnie the Pooh character, it is a family-friendly fundraiser at Pease Park which benefits local nonprofits. The first celebration was in 1964 and was started by some UT English majors. The local nonprofit organization which continues the tradition is the Friends of the Forest Foundation. It’s a free event which invites costume wearing, musicians to play their non-amplified instruments, and “the young and young at heart” to dance around the maypoles. This year’s Birthday Party is Saturday, April 26, so bring the family to enjoy a 51-year-old Austin tradition.

We hope you feel a bit more prepared when contacting the Austin Moving Service. Best of luck on your move to Austin!

(Photo Credit: StuSeeger via Compfight cc)

Excerpt from The Courier of Montgomery County:

The hustle and bustle of the holidays often will discourage real estate buyers and sellers. However, there are many advantages to moving during the holidays. It can be good for you whether you are a buyer or a seller. Here are a few reasons why you may want to move during the holiday season.

Seller Reasons:

• Motivated buyers
• Low competition
• Negotiation Power

Buyer Reasons:

• Serious sellers
• Mortgage interest and timing
• Faster closing
• Tax deductions

The author of the article also advises, “Moving during the holidays can add anxiety to an already stress filled time of year. Make sure you allow for some self-care and wholesome nourishment. Enjoy the sights, sounds and scents of the season in small doses between the moving activities.” Click here to read the entire article.

Thinking about moving during the holidays? Another tip is to select a moving company that will help make the transition as stress free as possible. Check out our helpful moving and storage blog! If you are in the greater Austin, TX, area and getting ready for a move, contact us, your Austin movers at Apache Moving and Storage, for all of your boxes and other packing materials. Call (512) 452-4799 to speak with us about your next move or browse our Austin Storage page to learn more. Contact us for a free moving quote – we offer 20% off any move!

Photo Credit: MoToMo via Compfight cc

Some companies pack, load, move, and unload items, placing them exactly where they belong or where the customer wishes. Others may require that belongings already be packed, and they may only provide loading and unloading services. Unloading may be simply be off-loading the belongings at the residence, with no further placement.

Other companies may go even farther: they may pack the household contents, load the belongings, transport them to the new residence, and unload and set up the items precisely where they belong, to the residents’ specifications. Additionally, they may also clean the old residence. Some may even go so far as to clean both the old and the new residence.

A relatively new concept in moving is the “all-inclusive” company. This company does everything. They act as the real estate agency by finding the right house, then continue to offer their services during the entire packing, loading, transporting, unloading, and set-up process.

Find out more about what Apache’s moving services include.

The day of your move is all about smoothly getting out of one house and into the new one – if you’ve hired a company, all you’ll need do is oversee them, or stay out of their way entirely.  If you haven’t, it’s important to have some physically strong family members and friends on hand to help you load everything into your van (and then unload!).

Moving Day Tips and Tricks:

Empty one room at a time, and ensure the cupboards (if they are walk in) are also empty – once it’s done, sweep, mop or vacuum, and do one final pickup then close the door.  Make it clear to the others helping you that sealed rooms are finished with, so that people aren’t trailing dirt into rooms that are finished and clean.

Moving day itself will probably pass in a blur, so it’s important to try to savor your final moments in the house you’re leaving.  You’ll probably have many memories, good and bad, there, and full closure on that period in your life is important, so that you can move on.

You’ll want to keep a couple of boxes, or bags spare and on hand so that you can catch anything that you’ve missed, that’s been knocked into a corner, or essentials that you’ve kept out for the move – the latter should be marked clearly so that you can find them at the other end.

Keeping your kettle, mugs, coffee, tea, toiletries and baby supplies (if you’ve got a small child) separate from your packed belongings might be a good idea, as is keeping any essential work, moving, utility or ID documents in a safe place during your move.  The latter will ensure that they don’t accidentally go astray, or are placed somewhere that you can’t find them.

You should take a final meter reading, and where appropriate, shut down any water, electricity or gas supplies if no one is going to be in the house for a few days after you.

Want more moving day tips? Follow Apache Moving & Storage on Twitter.