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7 Moving Mistakes that Can Cost You

Thursday, November 11, 2010
by The Mike Parker Team

Keeping your household organized is a challenge in the best of circumstances, let alone when you're in the midst of dealing with the disruption of moving.

As a member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, I always take the extra steps necessary to help my clients experience a stress-free, successful move. Throughout my years in the real estate business, I've witnessed many common mistakes that people make during the course of a move.

Here are seven to avoid:

  1. Packing everything. Prior to moving, it's important to take a look around and decide what you don't want to keep. This will cut down on costs by not having to transfer unnecessary items.
  2. Sending it all to storage. Storage is usually expensive and just delays the inevitable. Eventually, what you store will need to be moved into your home, so try and bring it all the first time.
  3. Shopping on the Internet for move quotes without dealing with a live person. This is one instance where dealing with a live person is necessary. You need to be able to ask specific questions and have your estimate explained to you line by line so that you can see where costs can be cut.
  4. Not looking into what your homeowners' insurance covers. For a nominal cost, these types of insurance policies may cover your goods in transit.
  5. Not taking photographs of items before disassembling them for the move. You will be unable to process an insurance claim if you don't have proof of what the item looked like before you packed it.
  6. Overlooking the box count. If you are paying for boxes by the piece, keep track as things are being packed as each box has a different price attached to it. You don't want to end up with 300 boxes when you only needed 200. Also, if the moving company sees that you're keeping track, movers will be less inclined to hit you up for additional costs when the job is done.
  7. Forgetting to take inventory. If you don't create an inventory, there's no fool-proof way to know if you've left something behind or if it somehow got lost in transit.

Work closely with your real estate professional to help avoid these and other common pitfalls of moving. You can also e-mail me for more information. Please share these moving mistakes with friends and family, too, so that the journey to their new home is a happy one!

Do You Know What Impacts Your Credit Score? Take This Quiz and Find Out

Friday, July 2, 2010
by The Mike Parker Team



According to credit experts, 42% of U.S. consumers have credit scores between 550 and 699. As a result, these consumers typically don’t qualify for preferred interest rates and, depending on their overall credit profile, they may not even qualify for certain loans and credit cards.

As a member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, I have worked with many clients throughout my years in the business and have seen first-hand how credit scores can wreak havoc on securing a favorable mortgage. Most clients I work with don’t have a clear picture of what impacts their credit profile and, more importantly, don’t know what steps they can take to help improve it. I find this short quiz, from credit consultants ApprovalGuard.com, to be immensely helpful when it comes to understanding how your credit profile works. Take a few minutes to see if your credit knowledge is up to par.

1. To have the best credit-profile impact, what is the maximum amount of your monthly credit line that should be used?
a) 70%
b) 30%
c) 50%

2. What is the number-one contributing factor to a good credit score?
a) Length of credit history
b) Amounts you owe
c) Payment history

3. If you pay 2% each month on your credit card (typical minimum payment), when will you pay off a $3,000 balance at 10% interest?
a) 18 years
b) 6 years
c) 3 years

4. After paying off a high-interest credit card, you should:
a) Continue using it occasionally
b) Close the account
c) Use the full amount of available credit every month

5. Applying for credit cards in order to just receive a free sign-up gift (t-shirts, mugs, etc.) has no impact on my credit profile?
True or False

6. Rewards points on credit cards are a good deal when:
a) I get cash back
b) I get free airline tickets
c) I carry no balance each month

7. To have a credit score, I must have at least one creditor reporting activity on my credit report for:
a) 12 months
b) 8 months
c) 6 months

8. Credit bureaus that manage your personal credit report data and credit scores are a:
a) Government entity
b) Non-profit agency
c) Regular business corporation

9. Banks and credit card companies think you are creditworthy by how many credit offers you receive by mail?
True or False

10. Credit scores are used by lenders mainly to:
a) Tell how I compare to other consumers
b) Tell if I make my payments on time
c) Predict the likeliness that I will repay my loan on time

Answers: 1 – c, 2 – c, 3 – a, 4 – a, 5 – False, 6 – c, 7 – c, 8 – c, 9 – False, 10 – c

If you find you answered more than half of these questions wrong, you’re not alone, says ApprovalGuard, whose surveys reveal that the majority of consumers do not know the answers to these and similar types of questions. The good news is it’s not too late. With a good understanding and proper guidance of how credit works, consumers can learn how to effectively manage their personal credit profile. For more information, please e-mail me, and please feel free to forward this quiz to others.

10 Tips for Staying Organized in 2010

Tuesday, January 5, 2010
by The Mike Parker Team


If you’re like most people, one thing that always makes your New Year’s resolution list is, “Get more organized.” In today’s hectic and often challenging lifestyle pace, staying organized provides an important sense of control and ensures you stay on track toward important goals.

As a Member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, I know that organization is the key to success, both at home and on the job.  Here are 10 tips for kicking off a well-organized year:

•Box it up right – Begin by stowing away the holiday décor in well-marked and sorted boxes. Try using empty wine cartons (you can probably get them free from your local liquor store) for fragile ornaments, and buy a few plastic storage cases that can be stacked and stored out of the way.

•Make some lists – Add any new names to your card and gift list, so that you are ready for next year.

•Get a new calendar – first, transfer in all birthdays and other important dates you want to be sure to remember.

•Schedule it – then begin scheduling annual medical, dental and veterinarian appointments for the family and pets, and note any other dates you want to remember, such as car maintenance, registration times, etc.

•Get it on sale – Get a head start on next year by taking advantage of after-holiday sales on wrapping paper, cards and gifts.

•Budget for next year – Take a look at your receipts to see how much you spent this year; then divide by twelve and begin a savings plan to help you get there stress-free.

•Hidden agenda – Designate a private spot for storing gifts you buy when they are on sale during the year. Keep a note in your wallet listing what you buy and for whom.

•Be tax ready – Create a folder or storage box for all receipts, check stubs, and other materials you will need when tax season rolls around. Make this the year you throw everything into the designated file or box.

•Be car ready – Keep a box in your trunk to hold blankets, umbrellas, diapers, flashlight and anything else you may want to have handy in an emergency.

•Check on your resolutions – Keep a written list of what you want to accomplish this year: losing weight, eating better, exercising, or even being more organized. Check the list each month to see how well you are doing.

While it seems impossible at times, staying organized is simpler than you think—and the rewards are tremendous—so forward these great tips to your family and friends. Wishing you a happy and healthy 2010 and be sure to e-mail me for any real estate-related assistance you may need in the New Year.

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Photo of Mike Parker - CRS Real Estate
Mike Parker - CRS
HUFF Realty
60 Cavalier Blvd.
Florence KY 41042
859-647-0700
859-486-3300
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