Mid Century Modern Chicago Nice Place For Live

Awesome Keck & Keck Mid Century Modern home for sale in Chicago, Illinois.



2939 W. Catalpa Chicago, Illinois 60625 (map)

Built 1946

Designed by world famous Mid Century Modern architecture team Keck & Keck

1946

$1,290,000










Cheers,

-Baz

7 Secrets for Finding the Right Moving Company for Your Move

Quick Summary
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1. Get referrals from local real estate agents and friends who have moved recently.
2. Only consider movers that are licensed, bonded and insured.
3. Investigate your potential movers through the U.S Department of Transportation, MovingScam and the Better Business Bureau.
4. Evaluate a minimum of 3 movers based on in-home estimates of goods to be moved.
5. Price isn't the only factor- extremely low bids indicate a desperate mover.
6. Ask for written "Binding Not-To-Exceed" estimates.
7. Avoid "rogue movers"- if you feel uncomfortable, trust your instincts!

The Details
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If you decide to hire professional movers, you're faced with a big decision- how do you find reputable movers or moving companies? The good news is that a small amount of time spent on researching potential movers can help insure a stress-free move. This article outlines those research steps.

Getting Started: Referrals
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To evaluate movers, you need to have a list of potential moving companies. While the Yellow Pages (for those of us who can even find their phone books!) and web searches can help, referrals can provide the best leads. Ask your friends, co-workers and new neighbors about their experiences. Look for people who have moved in the past 12 months, as companies' quality changes over time. Be sure to ask for details such as the names of people they worked with, what went well, and what to watch out for. Even information about moves that didn't go well can be helpful.

In addition to friends and co-workers, try to get referrals from industry professionals. Check with your leasing agent or real estate agent for experiences of their clients- they can be a wealth of helpful information. If you work for a large company, check with the Human Resources department to see if they have someone who works with relocation (even if you're not receiving relocation assistance- they may be willing to pass on useful information anyway). Getting these types of referrals will get your research started on the right foot.

Licensing
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Movers are regulated by federal, state and local laws. At the federal level, a moving company that carries goods across state lines (interstate) needs to be licensed by the Department of Transporation (the DOT does not regulate local movers). At the state level, laws vary widely, and several states (Alaska, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, South Dakota, Utah, and Vermont) don't require moving companies to have a separate license. For those that do, verify that the licenses are current.

We also recommend that your movers be bonded and insured, both as proof that the company is legitimate and financial stability in case the worst happens and you need to file a claim.

Investigate Potential Movers
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Once you know the basics about your potential moving companies, it's time to find out about people's experiences. You want to know get opinions from objective, third-party opinions based on dozens or hundreds of consumer evaluations. While almost every moving company has had some kind of complaints, having objective resources is important. Fortunately, there are a few excellent resources you can use for free.

The U. S. Department of Transportation has a website devoted to its "Protect Your Move" program at http://www.ProtectYourMove.gov. There you'll find a link that will allow you to look up individual moving companies. You can also find individual customer reviews and opinions at both http://www.MovingScam.com and the Better Business Bureau website (http://www.BBB.org). It's a good idea to check all 3 to make sure you see a complete picture. Again, almost any mover who has been around for awhile will have a complaint from someone- you're looking for patterns of issues and how the movers attempted to resolve the issues.

In-home Estimates
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Many companies provide methods for customers to obtain an estimate over the phone or on the web. This presents tremendous convenience for the consumer. Until a moving company representative takes a physical inventory, their estimates aren't very reliable. You should also be somewhat concerned when a moving company isn't interested enough in your business to request an in-home visit.

It can also be tempting to get only one or two estimates for an upcoming move. This presents two problems. The first problem is that it's very difficult to evaluate an estimate without having a few others to use as comparisons. The second problem is that you miss valuable opportunities to evaluate a mover's personnel without ever having met them. It's worth the time to get these estimates in person.

Pricing
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Price is obviously very important in selecting a moving company. However, it isn't the only factor. In fact, we think that quality, safety and reliability are at least as important. When you think that you will be trusting all your most important possession to be driven off by complete strangers, it puts pricing in some perspective. Further, if you see an estimate that's more than 1/3 lower than the next lowest estimate, it's a good idea to find out why. Very often an extremely low estimate is a sign of movers who are either very inexperienced or desperate. And neither of those reasons should be cause for encouragement!

"Binding Not to Exceed" Estimates
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There are 2 primary types of moving estimates- binding and non-binding. Non-binding estimates are not contracts, and provide those moving with limited rights. Binding estimates are contracts and are binding on both you and the moving company. "Binding Not to Exceed" estimates put a firm cap on the amount you can be charged, so long as you don't request additional services or add items to be moved. Moving companies tend to be careful in creating such estimates, and many companies don't offer them at all. However, wherever possible, see if you can get your potential movers to agree to creating one for you.

"Rogue Movers"
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The Department of Transportation offers specific warnings about scam artists known as "rogue movers." These groups offer a very low estimate for an upcoming move. However, once your goods are on their truck, they demand exorbitant fees to release your possessions. Please check out their suggestions at www.ProtectYourMove.com

A Final Note
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While selecting a moving company can be an imposing task, it's important to note that moves with reputable companies tend to turn out well. Following the simple steps in this article can help ensure that your move is a successful one.

By :  T. Scott Clendaniel

7 Keys To Saving Money on Your Move

Moving is not only a stressful process, it can also be a very expensive one. If you use professional movers, the total price tag can range from around $1,000 (for a small, local move) to more than $20,000 (for a large, cross-country or international move).

Here a few tips on saving several hundreds to a few thousand dollars on your move:

• Create a budget. Use a budget to list all the expenses of your upcoming move, including all the line items from any estimates you receive. Then use this as a planning tool to pick the best offer at the best price.
• Lose some weight. Most of the expense is driven by the weight of the items transported. That means that eliminating items from your move (especially heavy items like old furniture and books) can reduce the final tab significantly. Aim to reduce the total by 1/3.
• Get at least 3 in-home estimates. Having reliable companies compete for your business does two things: it helps you negotiate the lowest price and it points out services that may not be necessary for your situation. Use this process to identify your best option.
• Watch your truck rental estimate like a hawk. Make sure you pull out your calculator and fully estimate the cost of the base rental, mileage, fuel, fees and other charges. You might be shocked as to how high the final total can be. Be sure to shop around and negotiate the best price.
• Consider alternatives. Look into "you pack" moving services, where you load and unload the moving container yourself and only pay for the actual transport costs. This is a great option if you can convince friends and family to help with the physical moving of boxes and furniture.
• Hold a yard sale. Yes, I realize this sounds silly. You are pressed for time and don't think it can raise much money. However, by selling off items you'll no longer need in your new place, you'll cut down on the cost of your move AND put from several hundred to over a thousand dollars in your pockets. Check out tips on http://www.yardsalequeen.com/.
• Look for free moving boxes. New moving boxes are the best, but there are alternatives. This one is tricky for two reasons: the wrong kind of boxes can break or bring dirt and insects into your new home, so steer clear of grocery store produce boxes and the like. Instead, try copy paper boxes, your local liquor store (their boxes tend to be very strong), bookstores (all their books come in book boxes and larger) and your local library. NOTE: I recommend you do invest in two kinds of new boxes: "cell" boxes for holding glasses from the kitchen and wardrobe boxes for packing clothes, since they are invaluable and are difficult to find for free.

Following these guidelines can save you from several hundreds to several thousand dollars on your relocation.

Moving? 25 Best Ever Moving Tips

Moving can be one of life's most stressful events. Fortunately, it doesn't have to be that way. After researching dozens of books, articles and websites, I've put together the top 25 moving tips I could find anywhere. They're organized by category to make them easier to follow:

Getting Organized

1. Start early- Almost everyone has more stuff than they think they do, and almost no one leaves enough time to pack it.
2. Track your progress- Use a calendar to map out the major tasks you need to accomplish. At least once per week, track where you are against the dates on the calendar. Revise your plan if you’re falling behind.

Finding Great Movers

3. Only hire the best- If you choose to hire professional movers, do your research and hire good ones. Poor quality movers really can be worse than none at all. Get referrals from local real estate agents and friends who have moved recently.
4. Research- Investigate your potential movers through the U.S. Department of Transportation, MovingScam-dot-com and the Better Business Bureau.
5. Estimates- Ask for written "Binding Not-To-Exceed" estimates, based on an in-home evaluation of your goods to be moved. This offers you the most accurate estimates with the most protection of your money.

General Packing

6. Pack a suitcase- For each member of the family moving, pack a suitcase as if you’re all going on a 3-day vacation, including changes of clothes, medications, eyeglasses, toiletries, etc. Keep the suitcases separated from all the other items to be moved, such as in your car, at your new workplace, etc. so you’ll have everything you need for the first few days without searching through boxes.
7. Create “Open Me First” boxes- Pick one or two boxes per room as "Open Me First" boxes. Put in them the things you'll need first at your new location. Then mark the sides of the boxes so you'll know which ones are which.
8. One at a time- Wherever possible, work on packing just one room at a time (instead of several all at once) to keep things focused and organized.
9. Less is more- Use packing as a way to clean out belongings for donations, a yard sale, and/or the recycling center. Aim to eliminate 1/3 of your belongings. You'll save time and expense.
10. Tracking small parts- When taking apart items to be moved, such as tables, securely tape screws and other small parts securely to the underside of the item. You'll always know where to look and save time putting things back together.
11. Save space- Use towels, pillows and t-shirts you’re packing as extra padding around fragile items. It will save room in your boxes.
12. Criss-cross tape- Tape boxes along the seams where the flaps meet together. Then tape perpendicularly at the center of the first tape, forming a cross.
13. Stacking- Stack boxes with the heaviest on the bottom, lightest on top to prevent crushing.
14. The 30-pound rule- Keep each box below 50 pounds absolute maximum and below 30 pounds wherever possible. Heavier boxes lead to injuries, are much more likely to burst their tape or seams and tend to get dropped. Keep a bathroom scale in the room you're packing so you can keep the boxes below the weight limits.

Box Inventory and Labels

15. “Fat” is in- Use the thickest, darkest marker you can find for labeling boxes. Pencils, pens, tin or light markers are almost impossible to see even just a few feet away.
16. Two sides- Label each box on the two broadest sides, opposite one another. That way if a box gets turned, you can still identify its contents.
17. Abbreviate room names- Start box labels with the abbreviated name of the room followed by a box number, such as “BTH2-6” for "second bathroom, 6th box." You can then track each box to make sure everything arrived safely.
18. Identify contents- Identify the major contents and where they came from, such as "Medicine Cabinet" or "Linen Closet- Towels and Wash Cloths."
19. Box Inventory- Keep a clipboard and write down each box's room, box number and contents (graph paper is great for keeping things recorded neatly). When unloading, check off each box as it gets unloaded at your new place. Then you'll know everything arrived safely.
20. Labels out- Ask movers to stack boxes in your new place with the labels facing out so that you can easily spot a specific box.

Moving Day

21. Again, start early- You want to have everything as organized as possible prior to the arrival of the movers.
22. Use sitters- Recruit help in watching your small kids and pets on Moving Day. Your attention will be needed for the nuts and bolts of the move.
23. Have food ready- Whether you have professional movers or friends and family, having coffee, orange juice, and bagels or donuts available will make it easier for everyone to get started.
24. Proper payment- Almost all professional movers will demand payment in full and in cash before they will unpack a single box. Make sure you have payment ready.
25. Directions- Have directions and a map ready for anyone will be driving between your old place and your new place. Also, make sure you have the cell phone number of the driver of the truck entered into your cell phone, and that the driver has yours in case you get separated or have a problem.

These simple tips can help reduce the stress involved with moving. Make sure to read through the entire list, then follow the ones that make the most sense for your situation. In that sense, you'll have your own, customized "best tips" list!

By : T. Scott Clendaniel