Top Cities for Working Moms

For the past two years, ForbesWoman has collected information and decided on a list of the best places for working mothers to live. Every woman has a different perception on what an ideal city would be, so Forbes considers several different factors when creating the list. Safety, health care, schools, job opportunities, budget-friendly cost of living and unemployment rate are all taken into consideration. The top cities for working moms are:

1. Minneapolis, MN- Minneapolis has the lowest violent crime rate which means murder, rape, robberies and assaults are low in this city.

2. Washington, D.C,- This is because women's earnings are the highest in this city and unemployment rate is the lowest as well as an excellent school system.

Some of the lowest ranked cities for working moms continue to be Las Vegas because of it's high unemployment rate, the low number of practicing pediatricians and the high crime rate. And several Florida cities including Orlando, Jacksonville and Miami remain at the bottom of the list due to the fact that less is spent per pupil on education and crime is more prevalent.

CRS Goes to AAA Colorado!

On Saturday, July 17th, AAA Colorado hosted a AAA member expo at their headquarters in Denver. Consumers Relocation was invited to join them and man the booth! The turnout was great and we got to meet some very grateful AAA members who are just beginning the moving process! Here is a picture of Amy our West Coast Account Manager running the CRS table. If you are a AAA member, anywhere in the country, keep your eye out for member shows and expos in your area. They are a great source of information and you can learn all about potential savings!

10 Best Places for Businesses and Careers

There have been many articles written and research conducted on the best places to live, but MSN.com just posted an article taken from Forbes.com on the best places for businesses to strive. Forbes.com researched 200 communities across the country all ranging in sizes, and then ranked them according to 12 metrics. These metrics included costs (both business and living), job growth (past and projected), income growth, educational attainment and projected economic growth. Forbes.com also was interested in the quality of life issues as well. These issues included crime rates, cultural and recreational opportunities, and migration patterns. From all of these statistics, they came up with these top 10 places:

1. Des Moines, Iowa

2. Provo, Utah

3. Raleigh, North Carolina

4. Fort Collins, Colorado

5. Lincoln, Nebraska

6. Denver, Colorado

7. Omaha, Nebraska

8. Huntsville, Alabama

9. Lexington, Kentucky

10. Austin, Texas

Many Americans planning to purchase homes in the future

With all the news about foreclosures and bankruptcies, and confidence at an all time low about the economy, a new survey shows that many Americans who are renting are planning a future home purchase. The survey conducted by relocation.com and reported by credit.com states that 24% of the 60% renters were previous homeowners and are currently searching for a home to purchase.

The report went on to say that those that were looking to buy again were not renting due to foreclosure, and that foreclosures had declined by 70%.

"While the housing market continues to flux from month to month, we're seeing strong, continued interest as consumers looking to move start their research with us," said Relocation.com chairman and founder Sharon Asher. "These findings suggest that more Americans may be poised to re-enter the housing market this year."

Still most feel that employment is the key to a stronger housing market, and the unemployement rate did drop last month. However, that drop was largely attributable to a large number of workers dropping out of the labor market, and suspending their job search.

It's all very hard to figure out these days. Just when you think you understand where we are headed, another surprise comes up!

Hidden Costs in Relocating....

And I am not talking about the move. We all know that moving CAN be expensive (but not if you move with CRS!), but there are hidden costs when relocating that you should look into before deciding on a new home. These costs vary depending on your new location. Michelle Lerner from Bankrate.com has put together some information regarding this topic as well as some advice when relocating. Before moving, you should look into the following costs:

-Transportation: Transportation is the second largest expense for households. Purchasing a home is the first! Whether you are driving your own car or using public transportation, it is important to look into the costs so that you can budget that in to your expenses. Many people budget home taxes, mortgage and insurance but they don't always budget for transportation which can be a large chunk of change.

-Taxes: Taxes are especially important when comparing the overall cost of living from one are to another. Property taxes, sales taxes and state and local income tax should all be reviewed before relocating to an area.

-Insurance & Utilities: There are several types of insurance to look into when relocating. Car insurance, homeowner insurance and hazard insurance if you are moving to a flood-prone or tornado prone area. Utility costs also vary from place to place.

So before choosing a place to relocate to, or in some cases, are forced to relocate for work, make sure you look into the different costs of living to prepare yourself and your budget for the change.

Will the extension for the first time homebuyer credit improve the real estate market activity?

Approved! First-time home buyers now have until Sept. 30 2010 to close on their home purchases and qualify for the $8,000/$6500 tax credit under a new extension bill passed by Congress and signed into law by the President; but for sales that were entered into on or before April 30. This extension is for the closing date on these qualifying sales.

Per the IRS site these are the guidelines.

Deadlines
You must meet the required deadlines to be eligible to claim the credit. For other information on eligibility requirements, see our questions and answers.
You must have bought — or entered into a binding contract to buy — a principal residence on or before April 30, 2010.
If you entered into a binding contract by April 30, 2010, you must close (go to settlement) on the home on or before Sept. 30, 2010 (recent legislation extended the June 30 deadline previously in effect).

Too bad this decision doesn't enhance new sales for the rest of the summer.