EXIT Realty Corp. International is on the cutting edge of all things real estate. Please enjoy these blogs available exclusively from EXIT Realty Corp. International. Kel Williams, Franchisee of EXIT Realty Elite in Nashville, TN and his team of real estate professionals, with the help of Tif and Lee Turner, hosted a socially distant live and virtual event to raise money for the Recording Academy’s MUSICARES program.  The MUSICARES program works to help those who fill the world with beautiful […] The post EXIT Realty Elite and the Spirit of EXIT Bring Some Music Back to Music City appeared first on Real Estate Industry Leaders.

Check out this blog by Keeping Matters Current. Many people are sitting on the fence trying to decide if now’s the time to buy a home. Some are renters who have a strong desire to become homeowners but are unsure if buying right now makes sense. Others may be homeowners who are realizing that their current home no longer fits their changing needs. To determine if they should buy now or wait another year, they both need to ask two simple questions: Do I think home values will be higher a year from now? Do I think mortgage rates will be higher a year from now? Let’s shed some light on the answers to these questions. Where will home prices be a year from now? If you average the most recent projections from the major industry forecasters, the expectation is home prices will increase by 7.7%. Let’s take a house that’s valued today at $325,000 as an example. If the buyer makes a 10% down payment ($32,500), they’ll end up borrowing $292,500 for their mortgage. Applying the projected rate of home price appreciation, that same house will cost $350,025 next year. With a 10% down payment ($35,003), they’d then have to borrow $315,022. Therefore, as a result of rising home prices alone, a prospective buyer will have to put down an additional $2,503 and borrow an additional $22,523 just for waiting a year to make their move. Where will mortgage rates be a year from now? Today, mortgage rates are hovering around 3%. However, most experts believe they’ll rise as the economy continues to recover. Any increase in the mortgage rate will also increase a purchaser’s cost. Here are the forecasts for the first quarter of 2022 from four major entities: Freddie Mac – 3.5% Fannie Mae – 3.5% National Association of Realtors – 3.5% Mortgage Bankers Association – 3.9% The projections average out to 3.6% among these four forecasts, a jump up from where they are today. What does it mean to you if home values and mortgage rates increase? A buyer will pay a lot more in mortgage payments each month if both of these variables increase. Assuming a buyer purchases a $325,000 home this year with a 30-year fixed-rate loan at 3% after making a 10% down payment, their monthly principal and interest payment would be $1,233. That same home one year from now could be $350,025, and the mortgage rate could be 3.6% (based on the industry forecasts mentioned above). That monthly principal and interest payment, after putting down 10%, totals $1,432. The difference in the monthly mortgage payment would be $199. That’s $2,388 more per year and $71,640 over the life of the loan. Add to that the approximately $25,000 a house with a similar value would build in home equity this year as a result of home price appreciation, and the total net worth increase a purchaser could gain by buying this year is nearly $100,000. That’s a small fortune. Bottom Line When asking if they should buy a home, many potential buyers think of the nonfinancial benefits of owning a home. When asking when to buy, the financial benefits make it clear that doing so now is much more advantageous than waiting until next year. The post Why Waiting to Buy a Home Could Cost You a Small Fortune appeared first on Keeping Current Matters.

Check out this blog by 719Lending Very few potential homebuyers want to purchase a home without looking at it first. As the seller, this means that you will be expected to open up your home for showings. This can be through a designated open house time or by appointment. There are a few precautions that you can take to make sure that you stay safe while selling your home. Staying Healthy In the days of COVID-19, many buyers and sellers were understandably nervous about coming into contact with strangers. You can do a few things to help everyone stay healthy and avoid germs as much as possible. Wash hands. Show buyers to the nearest sink to wash their hands when entering your home. This allows them to start their tour right away and get an idea of what it would be like to actually live in the house. Have hand sanitizer. Set up a sanitizing station right outside or inside the door to make sure that they tackle any germs right away. You can also have hand sanitizer available throughout your home to encourage them to use it. Reduce traffic in your home. While eliminating all indoor visits to your for-sale home will greatly reduce the chances of a sale, you can space them out or restrict the number of visitors inside at one time. Staying Safe Some sellers are nervous about having strangers walk around their home and know personal details about their lives. To protect yourself and your identity, there are a few steps you can take that may also increase the appeal of your home to buyers. Take down personal photos. Replace photos of your friends and family with more generic ones. Not only does this help maintain your privacy, it’s also a tried-and-true staging trick to help buyers “picture” themselves living in the space. Keep personal document secure. Put documents with your private information, such as financial and medical information, away in a secure place. If you have a safe or locked drawer, this is a great place to keep these documents. Don’t post security codes. Some people keep things like gate access codes or security codes in a place that is easy to see when they need them. Taking these down before letting potential buyers into your home will make sure that no one is able to access them without your knowledge and permission. The post Staying Safe When Selling Your Home appeared first on 719 Lending.

EXIT Realty Corp. International is on the cutting edge of all things real estate. Please enjoy these blogs available exclusively from EXIT Realty Corp. International. The team at EXIT Landmark Realty partnered with Lifestyles, Inc., a local non-profit committed to serving Southern Maryland, to raise funds to support the charity’s mission to meet the needs of the underserved in the local area. Lifestyle’s “Samaritan Project” is specifically dedicated to collecting and providing food and clothing for those in need in […] The post EXIT Landmark Realty and the Spirit of EXIT Partner to Help Those in Need in Southern Maryland appeared first on Real Estate Industry Leaders.

Check out this blog by Keeping Matters Current. So far this year, mortgage rates continue to hover around 3%, encouraging many hopeful homebuyers to enter the housing market. However, there’s a good chance rates will increase later this year and going into 2022, ultimately making it more expensive to borrow money for a home loan. Here’s a look at what several experts have to say. Danielle Hale, Chief Economist, realtor.com: “Our long-term view for mortgage rates in 2021 is higher. As the economic outlook strengthens, thanks to progress against coronavirus and vaccines plus a dose of stimulus from the government, this pushes up expectations for economic growth . . . .” Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist, National Association of Realtors (NAR): “In 2021, I think rates will be similar or modestly higher . . . mortgage rates will continue to be historically favorable.” Freddie Mac: “We forecast that mortgage rates will continue to rise through the end of next year. We estimate the 30-year fixed mortgage rate will average 3.4% in the fourth quarter of 2021, rising to 3.8% in the fourth quarter of 2022.” Below are the most recent mortgage rate forecasts from four top authorities – Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), and NAR: Bottom Line If you’re planning to buy a home, purchasing before mortgage interest rates rise may help you save significantly over the life of your home loan. The post Are Interest Rates Expected to Rise Over the Next Year? appeared first on Keeping Current Matters.

Check out this blog by Keeping Matters Current. The housing market keeps sailing along. The only headwind that could take it off course is the lack of inventory for sale. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reports that there were 410,000 fewer single-family homes for sale this March than in March of 2020. The key to continued success in the residential housing market is for more listings to come on the market. However, many homeowners are concerned that selling their homes could be challenging for several reasons. Recently, Homes.com released the findings of a survey that identified these concerns, as well as what it will take for homeowners to feel comfortable selling their houses. Here are the four major homeowner concerns and a quick explanation of what’s actually happening in the housing market today. 1. Homeowners don’t know if they’ll be able to secure their next home before selling. In negotiations, leverage is the power that one side may have to influence the other side while moving closer to their negotiating position. A party’s leverage is based on the ability to award benefits or eliminate costs on the other side. In today’s market, buyers have compelling reasons to purchase a home now: To own a home of their own To buy before prices continue to appreciate To secure a mortgage at a historically low rate, while they last These buyer needs give the seller tremendous leverage. Most already realize this leverage enables the homeowner to sell at a good price. However, this leverage may also be used to negotiate time to find their next home. The homeowner could sell their home to the buyer at today’s price, which will enable the purchaser to take advantage of current mortgage rates. In return, the buyer might lease the house back to the seller for a pre-determined length of time while the seller finds a new home or has one built. This gives the buyer what they want while also giving the seller what they need. It’s a true win-win negotiation. 2. Homeowners don’t know if their current home will sell for the asking price or top market price. This is the perfect time to maximize profits while selling a house. NAR just released a study showing that bidding wars are at an all-time high. The study reveals that when comparing the first quarter of last year to the first quarter of this year, the number of offers on homes for sale doubled from an average of 2.4 to 4.8 offers. Whenever there’s a bidding war, the price of the item for sale escalates. Bloomberg recently reported: “For the first time ever, the average U.S. home is selling for above its list price.” If a seller is looking for a top-dollar sale, there’s no better time to sell than right now. 3. Homeowners don’t know if they will get an offer without their home requiring work or updates. Again, leverage is the greatest strength a seller has in this market. Due to the lack of homes for sale, many buyers are more willing to take on home improvement projects themselves in order to get the home they’re after. A recent post on whether or not to renovate before selling notes: “It may be wise to let future homeowners remodel the bathroom or the kitchen to make design decisions that are best for their specific taste and lifestyle. As a seller, your dollars and time might be better spent working on small cosmetic updates, like refreshing some paint and power washing the exterior. Instead of over-investing in your home with upgrades that the buyers may change anyway, work with a real estate professional to determine the key projects that will maximize your listing, without overdoing it.” If a seller is worried about doing work or updates on their home, they must realize that today’s historically low inventory likely renders these projects less critical to the sale of the house. 4. Homeowners don’t know if they can have a quick closing process. When speed is important, there are two points sellers should look at: The time it takes to find a buyer for the home The time it takes to close the transaction In the latest Existing Home Sales Report, NAR explains: “Properties typically remained on the market for 18 days in March, down from 20 days in February and from 29 days in March 2020. Eighty-three percent of the homes sold in March 2021 were on the market for less than a month.” Eighteen days is fast, and it’s a new record. Here are the days the average house is on the market in each state:Regarding the time it will take to close the transaction, all-cash sales accounted for 23% of all home purchase transactions in March. All-cash sales can usually be closed in thirty days. If a mortgage is necessary, the most recent Origination Insight Report from Ellie Mae shows: “Time to close all loans decreased in March. The average time to close a purchase fell to 51 days, down from 53 the month prior.” If you’re looking for a quick closing process, there’s never been a market in which the two-step process (finding a buyer and closing the deal) has taken less time. Bottom Line Selling your house can be daunting, especially in a fast-paced market. However, the fact that we’re in such a strong sellers’ market clearly eliminates many common concerns. Contact a real estate professional today to learn more about the opportunities for homeowners who are ready to sell. The post 4 Big Incentives for Homeowners to Sell Now appeared first on Keeping Current Matters.

Check out this blog by 719Lending Can you use assets as income to purchase Real Estate? Yes, you can! We can use the assets that you have in the qualification process.  Using some simple formulas will allow you to use borrower assets to add additional income to the application.   This will assist in getting your borrowers qualified, helping with debt to income and housing ratios.  Follow along as we show you how to help your borrowers create additional income through their assets to qualify to purchase Real Estate. #fastlender #719lending The post Assets as Income to buy Real Estate? appeared first on 719 Lending.

Check out this blog by Keeping Matters Current. Homeownership is a foundational part of the American Dream. As we look back on more than a year of sheltering in our homes, having a place of our own is more important than ever. While financial benefits are always a key aspect of homeownership, today, homeowners rank the nonfinancial and personal benefits with even higher value. Recently, two national surveys revealed the reasons homeownership is such an important part of life. The top three personal benefits of homeownership noted by respondents in Unison’s 2021 report on The State of the American Homeowner are: 91% – feel secure, stable, or successful owning a home 70% – feel emotionally attached to the homes that have kept them safe over the past year 51% – call homeownership a “key part of their life” These sentiments were supported by the most recent National Housing Survey from Fannie Mae, which also shows that the top three reasons Americans value homeownership have nothing to do with money. Those surveyed were given a list of feelings and accomplishments that are associated with or impacted by where we live. They were then asked, “To achieve this, are you better off owning or better off renting?” Here are the top three points from the list that respondents said homeownership could help them achieve: 91% – control over what you do with your living space 90% – a sense of privacy and security 89% – a good place for your family to raise your children Other nonfinancial advantages of homeownership revealed by the survey include feeling engaged in a community, having flexibility in future decisions, and experiencing less stress. Bottom Line Financial and nonfinancial benefits are a key component to the value of homeownership, but the nonfinancial side is most valued after a year full of pandemic-driven challenges. Contact a real estate professional today if you’re ready to take the first steps toward becoming a homeowner. The post Americans Find the Nonfinancial Benefits of Homeownership Most Valuable appeared first on Keeping Current Matters.

Listing prices in this area code have gone up 4.9% in the last month and it has gone up 5.9% in the past 12 months. The majority of people buying in this area are around the age of 28 years old. The average price of a home in this zip code is any where from $350,000.00 – $450,000.00. Most of these homes have 3- 4 to bedrooms. The square footage of homes in the 80920 vary between 1200 sq. ft. to all the way to 2600 sq. ft.. The price per square foot usually is about $200.00 – $250.00.  The population in this area is around 39.7 thousand people. This area is good for kids with about half the population having children.  The average income for this area is about $39,000.00 per capita.

Check out this blog by Keeping Matters Current. Some Highlights If you’re thinking that waiting a year or two to purchase a home might mean you’ll save some money, think again. Mortgage interest rates are currently very low, but experts across the board are forecasting increases in both home prices and interest rates. Buying a home now means you’ll spend less in the long run. Contact a local real estate professional to put your plans in motion before home prices and mortgage rates climb even higher. The post Should I Buy Now or Wait? [INFOGRAPHIC] appeared first on Keeping Current Matters.

EXIT Realty Corp. International is on the cutting edge of all things real estate. Please enjoy these blogs available exclusively from EXIT Realty Corp. International. Michael Alley, Broker Owner of EXIT Realty Black Hills in Rapid City, SD and his team of real estate professionals recently supported  Black Hills Area […] The post EXIT Realty Black Hills and the Spirit of EXIT Help with Hearts for Habitat Televised Event appeared first on Real Estate Industry Leaders.

Check out this blog by 719Lending Spring is a great time to spruce up your yard and enjoy some time in the warmer weather. If planting a home garden in Colorado Springs is on your to-do list this season, here are a few tips to get your garden growing. In no time, you’ll be enjoying a lush and bountiful garden right in your own backyard. Assess Your Space and Time You don’t need a huge amount of space to get started with a Colorado Springs home garden. But you do need to realistic with your gardening goals to make sure that you have both time and space to attend to the plants that you choose. If this is your first time gardening, start with a container garden. You can choose plants by theme (a pizza garden would include basil, tomatoes, and peppers, for example) or group by color. You should also consider your growing conditions. If you live in a dry climate, planting tropical plants that require a lot of water may not be your best option. Particularly cold climates can also inhibit the growth of plants that are particular about temperature. Define Your Colorado Spring Garden’s Purpose Just like gardens come in all shapes and sizes, they all have a different purpose in mind. Some growers like to plant thing that they can harvest: vegetables, herbs, even fruit trees. Others prefer flowers for cutting to beautify their home. Some gardeners like landscaping that they can enjoy outdoors, with large trees, bushes, and open space to play. Consider adding hardscaping, such as benches, paths, or areas for tables and chairs, to make the most of your space. These are important parts of a garden’s design, especially if you plan to spend a lot of time in your space. You can even consider adding an interesting feature like a pond or fountain to take your garden to the next level. Set Up Regular Watering Most plants in the garden only need a couple of things: good soil, sun, and water. But without these three important elements, the garden will have a really hard time growing or flourishing. Setting up an automatic drip system can make sure that the right amount of water gets directly to your plants’ roots without any extra effort from you. View our blog for additional ideas to enrich your home or talk to one of our mortgage specialists who would be happy to answer all of your questions. The post Top Tips to Creating a Home Garden in Colorado Springs appeared first on 719 Lending.

Check out this blog by Keeping Matters Current. At the beginning of the year, industry forecasts called for home price appreciation to slow to about half of the double-digit increase we saw last year. The thinking was that inventory would increase from record-low levels and put an end to the bidding wars that have driven home prices up over the past twelve months. However, that increase in inventory has yet to materialize. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reports that there are currently 410,000 fewer single-family homes available for sale than there were at this time last year. This has forced those who made appreciation forecasts this past January to amend those projections. The Mortgage Bankers Association, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the National Association of Realtors, and Zelman & Associates have all adjusted their numbers upward after reviewing first quarter housing data. Here are their original forecasts and their newly updated projections:Even with the increases, the updated projections still don’t reach the above 10% appreciation levels of 2020. However, a jump in the average projection from 5.3% to 7.7% after just one quarter is substantial. Demand will remain strong, so future appreciation will be determined by how quickly listing inventory makes its way to the market. Bottom Line Entering 2021, there was some speculation that we might see price appreciation slow dramatically this year. Today, experts believe that won’t be the case. Home values will remain strong throughout the year. The post Is Home Price Appreciation Accelerating Again? appeared first on Keeping Current Matters.

EXIT Realty Corp. International is on the cutting edge of all things real estate. Please enjoy these blogs available exclusively from EXIT Realty Corp. International. Joe Garcia, Franchisee of EXIT Permian Basin Realty located in Odessa, TX, and his team of real estate professionals, raised money to support Midland Habitat […] The post EXIT Permian Basin Realty and the Spirit of EXIT Provide Hope of Homeownership appeared first on Real Estate Industry Leaders.

EXIT Realty Corp. International is on the cutting edge of all things real estate. Please enjoy these blogs available exclusively from EXIT Realty Corp. International. The heartbeat of a successful real estate office is its administrative professional staff.  They are the plate-spinners and the glue that holds the operation together.   […] The post EXIT Realty Reaches $6 Million Paid to Administrative Professionals appeared first on Real Estate Industry Leaders.

Use your brain. There is a lot of knowledge up there, so put it into action. Doing tasks such as thinking through problems or avoiding the calculator for simple arithmetic is one way to exercise your mind. Crosswords. If you get the newspaper, work the crossword puzzles each day. They usually get progressively more difficult as the week goes on, culminating in the most challenging puzzle on Sunday. If you don’t get the newspaper, you can find many free crossword puzzles online. Hobbies. Start a new hobby or take up an old, forgotten one to get your creative juices flowing. Read. Read anything, books, magazines, the back of cereal boxes. Reading keeps your mind pumping, and you learn new things at the same time. It is definitely a bonus if your reading material has some depth to it, though. News. Keep up with current events. Whether your interest is politics, world news, or your local small-town gossip, staying current with the news stimulates your mind. Puzzles. While working jigsaw puzzles, you must think about how the shapes and colors match up. The problem-solving skills of working puzzles help keep your mind sharp.

Check out this blog by Keeping Matters Current. The question many homebuyers are facing this year is, “Why is it so hard to find a house?” We’re in the ultimate sellers’ market, which means real estate is ultra-competitive for buyers right now. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) notes homes are getting an average of 4.8 offers per sale, and that number keeps rising. Why? It’s because there are so few houses for sale. Low inventory in the housing market isn’t new, but it’s becoming more challenging to navigate. Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at realtor.com, explains: “The housing market is still relatively under supplied, and buyers can’t buy what’s not for sale. Relative to what we saw in 2017 to 2019, March 2021 was still roughly 117,000 new listings lower, adding to the pre-existing early-year gap of more than 200,000 fresh listings that would typically have come to market in January or February. Despite this week’s gain from a year ago, we’re 19 percent below the new seller activity that we saw in the same week in 2019.” While many homeowners paused their plans to sell during the height of the pandemic, this isn’t the main cause of today’s huge gap between supply and demand. Sam Khater, Vice President and Chief Economist at Freddie Mac, Economic Housing and Research Division, shares: “The main driver of the housing shortfall has been the long-term decline in the construction of single-family homes . . . That decline has resulted in the decrease in supply of entry-level single-family homes or, ’starter homes.’” When you consider the number of homes built in the U.S. by decade, the serious lack of new construction is clear (See graph below):The number of newly built homes is disproportionately lower than the rate of household formation, which, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, has continued to increase. Khater also explains: “Even before the COVID-19 pandemic and current recession, the housing market was facing a substantial supply shortage and that deficit has grown. In 2018, we estimated that there was a housing supply shortage of approximately 2.5 million units, meaning that the U.S. economy was about 2.5 million units below what was needed to match long-term demand. Using the same methodology, we estimate that the housing shortage increased to 3.8 million units by the end of 2020. A continued increase in a housing shortage is extremely unusual; typically in a recession, housing demand declines and supply rises, causing inventory to rise above the long-term trend.” To catch up to current demand, Freddie Mac estimates we need to build almost four million homes. The good news is builders are working hard to get us there. The U.S. Census Bureau also states: “Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in March were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,766,000. This is 2.7 percent (±1.7 percent) above the revised February rate of 1,720,000 . . . Privately-owned housing starts in March were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,739,000. This is 19.4 percent (±13.7 percent) above the revised February estimate of 1,457,000. . . .” What does this mean? Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at NAR, clarifies: “The March figure of 1.74 million housing starts is the highest in 14 years. Both single-family units and multifamily units ramped up. After 13 straight years of underproduction – the chief cause for today’s inventory shortage – this construction boom needs to last for at least three years to make up for the part shortfall. As trade-up buyers purchase newly constructed homes, their prior homes will show up in MLSs, and hence, more choices for consumers. Housing starts to housing completion could be 4 to 8 months, so be patient with the improvement to inventory. In the meantime, construction workers deserve cheers.” Bottom Line If you’re planning to buy this year, the key to success will be patience, given today’s low inventory environment. Contact a local real estate professional today to learn more about what’s happening in your area. The post Patience Is the Key to Buying a Home This Year appeared first on Keeping Current Matters.

Identify your motivation for selling. – Jot down your must-haves and deal breakers. What is your time frame to move? What is your budget for pre-listing home improvements? What is the minimum sale price you will accept? 2. Research the best time to sell in your area. – Understanding the state of your local real estate market — including whether you’re in a buyers or sellers’ market — can help you identify the best time to sell. If you have flexibility in your timing, you might consider waiting for a sellers’ market, which occurs when there are more buyers searching for homes than there are homes available. It gives sellers the negotiation power and can drive up prices. 3. Commit to a representation strategy – Trust your agent’s home-selling advice. 4.Complete home improvements – After all, you want buyers to fall in love with your home, like you did when you first bought it. Spend some time getting your home move-in ready, in a way that will appeal to the broadest range of potential buyers. To make that all-important first impression, spend some time on your front yard. Power wash driveways and sidewalks, add some seasonal plants to pots and garden beds, cut back overgrown plants and rake leaves. 5. Price your home competitively – Your real estate agent should be an expert in home values in your area, so they’re a great resource for finding the right listing price. Plus, they can provide guidance on a pricing strategy that will spark the most interest and maybe even inspire a bidding war. 6. Stage your house to sell – Preparing your home to sell should also include arranging your furniture, organizing, and decorating in a way that appeals to the widest range of potential buyers. Take the time to repair pet damage, remove pets’ belongings, and clear away kids’ items like gates, highchairs, and piles of toys. 7. Market your listing effectively – Advertise across multiple channels Invest in professional marketing photos Craft an enticing listing description Schedule showings 8. Watch for closing hurdles – Bad home inspection report Home appraisal too low Financing failure

Check out this blog by Keeping Matters Current. Last week’s Existing Home Sales Report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows sales have dropped by 3.7% compared to the month before. This is the second consecutive month that sales have slumped. Some see this as evidence that the red-hot real estate market may be cooling. However, there could also be a simple explanation as to why existing home sales have slowed – there aren’t enough homes to buy. There are currently 410,000 fewer single-family homes available for sale than there were at this time last year. Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at NAR, explains in the report: “The sales for March would have been measurably higher, had there been more inventory. Days-on-market are swift, multiple offers are prevalent, and buyer confidence is rising.” Yun’s insight was supported the next day when the Census Bureau released its Monthly New Residential Sales Report. It shows that newly constructed home sales are up 20.7% over the previous month. Buyer demand remains strong. With more of the adult population becoming vaccinated and job creation data showing encouraging signs, existing-home inventory is expected to grow in the coming months. What will this mean for home sales going forward? Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) have all forecasted that total home sales (existing homes and new construction) will continue their momentum both this year and next. Here’s a graph showing those projections: Bottom Line Living through a pandemic has caused many to re-evaluate the importance of a home and the value of homeownership. The residential real estate market will benefit from both as we move forward. The post Will the Housing Market Maintain Its Momentum? appeared first on Keeping Current Matters.

For everything you don’t want to take with you but can’t say goodbye to yet, get a storage unit to store it in until you need to use it. Create an online photo catalog so you can see everything without having to visit a self-storage unit. Put moving tasks on your calendar. Take your organization a step further and spend an evening mapping out everything you must do. Get an oversized calendar and mark the empty white boxes with important daily tasks to prepare for your move. Tuesday: Call moving company. Wednesday: Sort through toiletries. Thursday: Buy new sheets. An added bonus to using the calendar method is that breaking up your tasks by day makes them seem more manageable. Also, don’t forget to add “celebrate with wine” somewhere in there to give you something to look forward to.