Friday, March 31, 2023

Shipping a vehicle? Rates starting to creep up!

 Shipping a vehicle and have some flexibility in timing?  Then now might be a good time to do it.  We are seeing rates inching up, and expect a big jump in vehicle shipping rates by May.  June and on during the summer is definitely the peak in rates for shipments. 

Image result for auto shipping pictures 

Consumers Relocation ships hundreds of  vehicles each year and only uses the best carriers and providers.  You can feel confident that your vehicle is in safe hands, with no surprises in rates or services.  All carriers are fully insured.  Our network or carriers covers the entire USA and we ship internationally as well. 

Call us for a quote. 802-824-3496


Monday, March 13, 2023

Interest rate hikes by the Fed effects Household Goods shipments!

 Interest rate hikes over the past months intended to slow inflation has cerntainly put a damper on the relocation business!



During the first quarter of this year Van Lines are reporting significant reduction in business over past years.   This has resulted in some cases loss of drivers who are already in short supply in the industry.  

What this means for those planning to relocate during the traditionally busy spring and summer months is perhaps a shortage of trucks/drivers available for moves, and desired move dates being unavailable with some Van Lines.  

People desparate to move may scramble to find solutions which may not be in their best interest.

Consumers Relocation offers customers a safe alternative since we work with multiple reputable, world class van lines and local agents to ship household goods.  Call us and ask to speak wtih a moving Consultant 



Monday, April 11, 2022

Why plan ahead for your move! 6 Good Reasons Why

6 Reasons To Start Planning Your Move As Early As Possible

Relocating is a part of life, and every one of us switches households at least three times in our lives. This is a tolling process, both emotionally and physically, and you want to help yourself make the right choices when the day comes. Because of that, you need to start making the schedule on time, and here, we are going to list some of the reasons why you need to start planning your move as early as possible.

1. You will be able to evaluate items

The most important rule of every move is that you need to decide which things you want to keep, which items should be donated, what can you sell and make some cash, and what things should be just thrown away.

When you need to pack in just a week or two, there is no way for you to do it, and chances are, you’ll end up keeping things you never use, and you’ll throw away items that you are going to need. So, instead of rushing, and doing everything on the last day, you should give yourself time.

Start going through every room, and make separate piles of things. Find places where you can donate your goods, and don’t forget to have a yard sale to make some money.

2. You won’t have to rush

Source: spacer.com.au

When we rush, we end up breaking things, and in the middle of the process, we start throwing things away that can be useful or can be donated. This is the part when we just want to get rid of as many items as we can because we realize how many things we actually own.

On the same note, when we are near the end of the packing, we just start giving up on separating things, and we end up being clumsy, we tend to break or damage a lot of our possessions, and when we just have a small portion of goods left, we decide that we need to pack all of that, we just throw things in boxes and hope that we can get them sorted out later down the line.

When you have a lot of time to move, and when you can plan things in advance, you won’t have to rush through this process, and you can take all the time you need to make decisions.

3. You can book the service you want

If you need to move, chances are, you cannot do it on your own, especially if you are moving across the country. Because of this, you will need a trustworthy and reliable service to help you out. More often than not, these companies are booked far in advance, and the ones that are left last minute may not be as careful or as reliable as you would need them to be.

If you don’t want to end up having to go with just any service, it is best to start planning and researching at least a few months before the move. You should see which companies are available for you, and what services they provide.

For more information on storage and moving services, and how they can make a difference for your relocation, check out https://m25group.co.uk/.

4. You won’t feel stressed

Source: kidsinthehouse.com

Stress is our biggest enemy, and everyone who has ever moved from one place to another knows how difficult this can be. You need to face the fact that you are moving away from the people you love, the habit you have, and the place where you have made so many memories. Relocation is always good and it makes room for new and better things, but that does not mean that we won’t feel sad about the things that we leave behind.

In these emotional moments, the last thing that you need is to have to worry about technicalities, and when you do it at the last minute, you will definitely add to the stress you are already feeling. So, instead of dealing with anger, being upset, and instead of getting headaches over all the small things, you should start planning your move as early as possible.

5. You will have time to clean

We all know that we are not going to just leave our home looking like a wreck, and no matter if you were planning to sell it, rent it, or if you are leaving a place that you used to rent, you will need to do some cleaning. It is hard to pack and clean at the same time, and having to do it last minute means that you are not going to do a good job.

More often than not, people who plan to move in the last week end up calling cleaning services, and that will add an additional financial toll on you. If you want to save yourself some cash, and if you don’t want to rush to do everything, then it is far better to start planning now and do things one step at a time.

6. You will avoid making mistakes

Source: ssrelocation.com

It is said that during the moving process, everyone is bound to make mistakes. This is all normal, and there are going to be things that you forget, items that you throw away, and you will even break an item or two. Once again, this is all expected, but you can easily minimize all the mistakes that you make if you start planning on time.

When you have the luxury of time, and when you can do proper research, you will avoid mistakes and you will be able to do it all within your budget. Starting from selecting the right boxes and bags for the move, up to researching and booking services, you can do it all properly and you won’t have to pay thousands of dollars extra for everything.

Have these things on your mind when you think you have months until the move, and remember that the earlier you start planning, the better it is going to be for you. You will have time to adjust to the fact that you are relocating, and you will be able to make the right choices. Know that there are always services that can help you out with the process, and you don’t have to do it all on your own.

Categories Life, Tips Tags , , ,

 

Tuesday, January 11, 2022

How omicron will affect the housing market

 What follows is an interesting take on how this new variant will effect the housing marketing in 2022.   This excerpt was taken from an article published on Realtor.com® written by By Janet Siroto

Jan 5, 2022.
 
 

Before the omicron variant of COVID-19 appeared on the scene, the 2021 housing market was rebounding healthily from previous waves of the pandemic and turned downright bullish as the end of the year approached. In spring 2021, a Realtor.com® survey found that only 10% of homeowners planned to sell within 12 months. By fall, that number had ballooned to 26%.

These factors had portended a tidal wave of home sales in the new year. And then the new omicron strain hit in November, followed by a December dip in new listings.

Was this sudden drop due to omicron, or just the typical holiday season lull?

George Ratiu, manager of economic research at Realtor.com, isn’t sure, but feels optimistic that omicron won’t halt the housing market’s momentum, particularly since this variant appears milder than its predecessors.

“We are not through it yet, but so far, this virus seems to be a lot more contagious, but also a lot less negatively impactful in terms of sickness and death,” Ratiu says. He also points out that data from epidemics in 1918 and the 1950s have also shown that viruses become more contagious but less severe over time.

Indeed, indications from South Africa, where the COVID-19 strain was first detected, showed a steep surge in cases followed by a rapid decline. So there’s some reason to expect that this latest wave of the pandemic in the U.S. will follow suit.

Omicron doesn’t seem to have hit the economy as hard as previous waves, either.

“The GDP and economy have survived fairly well,” Ratiu explains. “We’re seeing housing weather the variant so far. Retail sales, consumer confidence, and other indicators show guarded optimism in the road ahead.”

Bottom line: Even as COVID-19 infection rates climb, most experts aren’t bracing for a shutdown like we saw during the first wave of the pandemic in spring 2020.

“I do not believe that omicron will have much impact on the selling season,” says Cara Berkeley, a personal financial expert at Penny Polly. “The delta variant did not seem to slow things down here [in Tennessee], so omicron should not either. The number of homes sold in Nashville in November of this year was higher than the number sold in November of last year. The upwards trend both in sales and in the median price per home is continuing.”

Tuesday, November 23, 2021

Americans didn’t move nearly as much as you may’ve thought during the pandemic - Could have fooled me!!

Americans didn’t move nearly as much as you may’ve thought during the pandemic

Amanda Peacher Nov 18, 2021
Heard on:
New Census data show surprisingly low relocation rates over the pandemic. Above, a mover places boxes in a moving truck in New York City. Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images

Over the past year and a half, Marketplace has talked about how people have relocated during the pandemic — say from big cities to little mountain towns, or upgrading from a small house to a more “work-from-home-friendly” house.

New Census data actually show that relocations were down this past year. In 2021, Americans actually moved at the lowest documented rate in over 70 years.

Now, a lot of Americans did move around during this past year and a half. But whether or not someone picks up and moves has a lot to do with access to resources.

That pandemic narrative of urban residents escaping and then driving up home prices in rural Vermont or Central Idaho? It’s not like that’s false.

“It’s possible to hold two truths in our minds at the same time,” said Rachel Franklin, a professor of geographical analysis at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom. “People did flee cities, but it was temporary or reflects maybe a more sort of dynamic lifestyle where people move back and forth.”

What Franklin is talking about here is not migration but mobility. People may not be picking up and moving permanently; some are buying vacation homes or working remotely from the beach for a couple of months.

“And it’s also in sort of a socio-economic niche,” she said. “This is not the way most people have experienced the pandemic for sure.”

It’s not how Roberto Echanique, who lives near Washington D.C., has experienced it.

“Must be nice to have that flexibility,” he said.


Echanique and his partner have thought about moving. “You know, greener pastures, a little more space, a little less crowded,” he said. “For what we make, there’s no way we could afford anything at all, within, you know, one or 200 miles of here.”

If you think about the kinds of big life events that often prompt moves — say, going away to college, getting married, starting a new in-person job — a lot of those things have been on hold for the past two years.

“A lot of them were not happening anymore,” said John Logan, a sociology professor at Brown University.

Americans, in general, are moving less than they were say fifty years ago, Logan said. Still in the past decade, a third of Americans, at the least, moved neighborhoods.

“That’s characteristic of the United States. So we’re not a pioneer society with a frontier anymore,” Logan said.

But compared to other countries, Logan said we’re still a pretty mobile society.

Thursday, November 18, 2021

An Ultimate Guide for Moving Interstate with Pets!

A great article from the California News Times 11/17/21

Moving isn’t an easy task to perform with ease. Instead, moving is one of the most hectic jobs that impact physical and mental state a lot worse. However, adding your pets into it can make the job more critical for sure. This isn’t only for you and your family members, even moving can be stressful enough for your pets too.

So, while moving interstate with your pets, it is necessary to have proper planning. Failing to make a proper plan can make you a real worried during your move. However, being a caring person, it is solely your responsibility to take care of your pets during the move.

However, if you’re a bit worried about your upcoming move with your pets, we are here to guide you. This article genuinely describes the ways so that you can have a stress-free relocation with your pets. Let’s dig in!

Consulting with Your Vet is Essential

Once you have tried letting your pets know about the recent relocation, it is essential to consult with your vet. Your vet can help a lot in the moving process if you’re moving with your pets. As already stated that your pets can be emotionally down during the moving process. So, you must perform a thorough health check-up before commencing the move. If there are any health hazards arise in any circumstances, your vet can eliminate the risks associated with this before you commence the move. Your pets are just like your kids. So, taking risks won’t be a wise decision for sure.

Do You Have Vaccination Certificates of Your Pets?

The best out of state movers in the network of Moving Feedback explain that it is crucial to have the vaccination certificate for your pets. Checking all the vaccination details of your pets is essential in any situation while you’re moving with your pets. It won’t be a wise decision to travel with your pets without vaccinating them properly. Getting an authentic health certificate of your pets will eliminate several difficulties during the move for sure.

However, ignoring these things will not only be a threat to your pets, but you can also face several legal complications during the move as well. Especially if you’re moving with dogs or cats, having authentic rabies vaccinated tag is essential for getting an entry to the new state.

Break the News to Your Pets

Well, you may be wondering that how you can let your pets know about the upcoming relocation! How they will understand about the recent relocation that is going to take place!

However, you might be surprised to know that several studies showed that pets could feel and read the minds of humans. So, while you’re planning for a move, try to let them know about the fact beforehand. If they can even feel a bit of the upcoming activities, it would help them to cooperate with the moving process.

Do You Have Travel Identification Tags of Your Pets?

Only having vaccination certificates for your pets isn’t enough if you’re moving interstate. In addition to the vaccination certificates, you need to have authentic identification tags of your pets as well. The identification tags must have the name of the pets, the name and address of their parents, and an alternate person’s details.

The details of an alternate person are mostly mandatory for travelling with pets in the USA. In any circumstance, if the pet owner can’t be located, the authority will contact the alternate person to hand over the pets.

Transporting Pets Have Restrictions 

Well, you might not know that transporting your pets to another state has some restrictions. You can’t relocate your pets in a moving truck. The pets aren’t the household items that you can move through a moving truck. However, there are a couple of ways with which you can relocate your pets securely.

By Air

One of the best ways to relocate your pets is by air. Of course, you can’t relocate them in trains, buses, or even in a hired moving truck. However, you can relocate them by air for sure. In such scenarios, you can either move with them or consider an appropriate container for moving them to the new destination.

In the Personal Motor Vehicle

However, if you don’t wish to relocate them by air, you can consider moving them in your vehicle. Moving them in a personal motor vehicle is always best for your pets. They are already habituated to travel in your vehicle. So, if you choose to relocate them in your vehicle, it will eventually help your pets get emotionally strong during the move.

Conclusion

So, we hope that you’re now better ready to move your pets to the new destination. However, if you still have any doubts to clear, you can ask in the comment section. We will try answering them for sure.

Additionally, if you have any suggestions regarding moving with the pets, let us know in the comment section. Finally, wish you all the best for your upcoming move with your loving pets!

 

 

Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Families should expect moving delays this summer as companies recover from COVID

 This article was published specifically about Military families moving, but it applies to all families moving this summer.  We all use the same logistics, moving companies, van lines and mover employees to accomplish all moves.  

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After a rocky year moving to new orders during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Air Force is warning its troops that supply shortages could make transitions difficult this summer too.

April to September tend to be peak moving months around the nation, but after coronavirus forced many civilian and military families to put off transitioning to their new homes, moving companies were forced to downsize. Now the demand is overwhelming what the moving industry can handle in its smaller state.

“Department of Defense demand this peak permanent change (PCS) of station season has greatly exceeded commercial industry capabilities, largely due to resource constraints associated with the COVID-19 pandemic,” an Air Force Personal Property Activity Headquarters memo states. “Per industry, this resulted in a 25% decrease in their labor pool, resulting in decreased personal property movement capacity necessary to support private sector and government demand.”

This summer has the potential to be one of the biggest moving seasons for military families since many had to defer their PCSs due to COVID.

DoD put restrictions on who could travel or access bases at the beginning of the pandemic. It eventually settled on a color-coded system to dictate which installations were cleared for travel.

Now 90% of bases are in the “green” zone, meaning that service members can move to new orders or visit bases without any special authorization. The number hovered in the 40% to 65% range for a large part of 2020.

Katie McMichael, director of moving and storage conference at the American Trucking Associations, told Federal News Network, this summer is that “perfect storm” for moving demand.

“COVID obviously hit everyone hard,” she said. “The commercial market slowed down during COVID, but it has come roaring back. You are seeing it in the relocation trends, people are moving with the changing way people are working now.”

McMichael added that third party freight services were affected by COVID and not as many are available to ship goods.

To mitigate the impact, the Air Force Joint Personal Property Shipping Offices say they are employing all available tools and options to accommodate shipment and delivery requests. DoD services and U.S. Transportation Command are working with commercial industry to modify business rules and add flexibility to achieve maximum carrier capacity.

McMichael said those efforts are extremely helpful, but there is not a magic solution.

The Air Force said there are some actions airmen can take to add more flexibility and ease the burden of moving:

  • Get shipping requests in four to six weeks prior to the pickup window.
  • Ask about expanding pack/pickup (a.k.a., “spread date”) windows from the current seven-day requirement to 14 days.
  • Contact the assignments team to determine if they can postpone the move by changing the report-not-later-than date.

Airmen also have the option of “do-it-yourself” moves. DoD now offers 100% reimbursement of costs plus a fuel surcharge and other accessory costs.

“In addition to the old “rent a truck” option, airmen now have access to new modes within the commercial industry called portable moving and storage containers,” authors of an Air Force release wrote. “These containers are dropped at the home, the service member packs them and the company picks up, transports, stores and then delivers at the destination. Some companies also offer a menu of associated services including full or partial packing.”