This guest post was provided by Central Austin homes maven, Allison Allen.

One of the most steps to selling your home is making it attractive to prospective buyers. Showing the house is one thing, but showing it well is a whole different ball game. Even the most seemingly insignificant adjustments can transform your cluttered clamor into the house of people’s dreams.  Here are some tips to help you get started.

The first thing to do: remove clutter. Nothing hurts home showings worse than clutter and disorganization and there are plenty of easy ways to de-clutter.

Turn unsightly household objects into home buying appeal. If you have a bunch of old magazines and books lying around, organize them into a bookshelf, or use them to accent other home décor. Old books make great lamp stands when stacked. If you haven’t used the stuff lying around your house in a while, then get rid of it. Whatever attachment you felt towards those things will soon be replaced by a sense of relief for your clutter free household.

Clutter doesn’t just come from knick-knacks and other things lying around, it can also come from having too much furniture packed into your living rooms and bedrooms. Although it my have been a nice set up for you, the potential buyer will be distracted by the lack of space. The less furniture that you have, the bigger the house will look, and that’s a good thing when showing a house. The more space the buyer sees they are getting for their buck, the more willing they will be to meet with asking prices. Before you show your house, take some of your excess furniture and store it away until the move. It will let the house breath and make the space much more accessible to the potential buyer.

Once clutter is removed, and the house is looking nice and open, it is usually a good idea to replace fixtures just to give it that “new house” look. This is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to really give your home a visual kick

Just as important as the inside of the house, the outside must also make a great impression on the potential buyer. Basic steps are to landscape and touch up any blemishes on the exterior of the property. Mulch that flower bed and plant something! Got dirty gutters, clean them! Nothing will hurt a house showing more than a beautiful interior and the second they step into the backyard, there’s potholes, patchy grass, and dirty windows—another inexpensive, sure-fire way to help your For Sale by Owner experience.

But perhaps most importantly in the staging process is the first impression, or as we say in the real estate business, “curb appeal”. The entrance to your home will set the tone for the rest of the house. So, tidy up that entryway. Maybe even give that front door a nice bold coat of paint on it so that the entrance will be fresh and inviting.

When selling your home, the most important element of the selling process is how the home shows. No matter your price, an ugly, uninviting, cluttered home won’t sell and it won’t look good on the part of the seller. So remove that clutter, dust of that lampshade, polish that doorknob and present a respectable and asking-price-worthy home to the buyer. Hey, you never know–after you’re done staging, your home might look so good you’ll want to stay.

Spruce up your home with some curb appeal

By Relocation.com

Your front yard is one of the first things a homebuyer will notice. You may have brand new kitchen appliances, or have excellent hardwood floorings, but if  you don’t have curb appeal, buyers may not be interested in checking out the interiors of your home.  One of the best ways to reel in potential buyers is to curb appeal. Here are 10 ideas to make your curb look attractive.

1.)  The exterior home: Before starting on your yard, check the physical appearance of your house. Take a look at the entire neighborhood and get a general idea about colors. Try and choose colors that stand out among other houses but are not very loud. Pressure washing bricks and curbs is also an excellent idea.

2.) Highlight your home: Make sure to accentuate the features of your home. If you have a drive way you could install lights or have decorative pillars that lead a way to your home. Having beautiful plants and shrubs will also add in curb appeal.

3.) Interior decorations shouldn’t hamper the exterior appeal: Several homeowners decorate their home such that they hamper the exterior beauty of the house. Your interior furniture and fittings should not be seen if you are standing on your curb. Your curb should be an extension of your interiors but it should have its own identity as well.

4.) Entry areas and walkway: Your entry areas and walkways are one of the most important factors of your home. You can improve the look of your sidewalk, driveway, and stairs around your house by removing all debris, weeds, and washing your pavement. If you park cars on your driveway, make sure you clean all oil and petrol stains.

5.) Keep unsightly items away: Curb appeal is associated with the way your family lives. Garbage cans, debris, trash bags, and gardening tools must be kept away from your curbs. These items will give your house an unkempt look, and help homebuyers form negative opinions about your home.

6.) Manicured gardens: Make sure your grass is cut and trimmed at regular intervals. If you have flower beds or shrubs, they must be watered and cared for. For dead and dry spots on your garden, you can buy garden fixtures and hide them.

7.) Constant care is essential: Caring for your home must be a part of your daily routine. If you start caring for your house because buyers are coming, the effects may not have the same impact as maintaining it.

8.) Replace old items: Things like mailboxes, number plates and hardware that are installed in around your house have a major impression on the buyers. Buy new elements to replace the older ones.

9.) Spice up your outdoor furnishings: The appearance of your outdoor and patio furniture should be fresh and clean. These are considered leisure areas and should always appeal homebuyers.

10.) Add exciting colors: To get curb appeal, you must consider adding some color to your yard. Getting in colorful flowering plants and furniture will add additional color to the exterior section of your home.

Check out our tips before you move in with a roomie.

By Relocation.com

Living with a roommate is both exciting and daunting. You might have grown up having your own room, or sharing a room with a sibling, but living with a complete stranger is a task that should never be taken lightly. Conflicts arise only when things are unclear. Sometimes anything petty, like eating his or her food, or leaving dirty dishes in the sink can cause many fights.  An important piece of advice: keep communication lines open and be clear about everything with your roommate from the very beginning. This helps to avoid such conflicts and misunderstandings.

Here are some areas where rules must be set so that you and your roommate can maintain a good relationship and keep peace and harmony around your shared apartment.

Personal and “public” stuff.
This must be clear between you and your roommate: which among your stuff is available for common use and which is restricted. Do you share your books and CDs? Will you allow your roommate to use your kitchen utensils? Are you sensitive about the use of your shaver? These are some of the issues that must be addressed.

Visiting hours.
Your apartment building may set their own time for this, but you and your roommate must also agree with regards to your own apartment. Issues to address include: What time is considered to be available as visiting hours? Who may be accepted as visitors? How long can guests stay over?

Entertainment.
Some people love loud music while others don’t. Some like TV, while some hate it. Be sure to have an agreement as to how loud s the music can be played inside the room at up to what time should the television turned on. You might have to battle on who takes control of the remote.

Housekeeping schedule.
If you don’t have any experience in housekeeping, it may be a pain. This time it’s a necessity for both of you to keep it clean. Your mother won’t be around to pick  up after you. Make an agreement on the assignment of tasks and a schedule: Who deals with cleaning the floor, putting out the trash, dishes? The important thing is to be fair.

Lights out.
It is important to set a time for the lights out so both of you may properly manage the time. You may follow different timelines for your stuff, so plan your schedule. Say, activities that may need lighting should be done early on so that you will not need to go beyond your scheduled lights out time.

Bills payment.
There are cases where you may have to pay for some bills like water, electricity, as well as cable and internet. Since you might be sharing the use of these, be clear on how you would split the bill for each.

Kitchen and toilet supplies.
Have an agreement on how you will purchase or use your toilet or kitchen supplies. You may decide whether you should take care of buying your own supplies or just splitting the cost of those between each other.

It will save you a lot of trouble if you can arrive at a consensus on the areas enumerated above. Make sure that you always have an open line of communication with each other. Be proactive and take time to discuss problems with your roommate as soon as possible. Both of you should be able to live in peace and harmony.

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By Relocation.com

When deciding to rent your home or apartment there are numerous questions and a screening process that potential tenants should have. Before you advertise your place you should know exactly what you want in a tenant, and what the rules will be.

Of course you are going to run a credit check and a background check on anyone who fills out your application. But before you even get to that point, there are questions you can ask any potential renter that may help you decide if you even want to get to an application. Get a feel for their answers, such as hesitations or just a gut feeling you may have that they are not being totally honest with you.

• Ask them their full names. If they just want you to call them by their first names, this might indicate they have something to hide.

• Ask them where they work, and if you can contact their employer. Obviously you want tenants that are employed, and if they are not willing to let you talk to their boss, maybe they don’t have one.

• How many people will be living in the apartment or house? Are there children and if so, how old are they? You don’t want a family of eight moving into your one bedroom apartment.

• Do they smoke? If they do, will they be smoking outside? Smoke can really mess up the walls and any furnishings you might have.

• Why are they moving? Does their answer sound reasonable?

• Explain that you will need to contact their landlord. If they have a bunch of excuses why that is not a good idea, that will be a huge red flag.

• Do they have any pets, and if so, what are they? If you have a no pet policy, this should be explained upfront.

• Ask for their social security number. They should have no trouble providing it.

You will probably want to think of some other questions on your own that pertain to issues you may have. Just remember that there are certain things you can’t ask. Be sure and check out the laws for the Fair Housing Act. The more information you can get upfront, the more time you will save screening out people who are just not right for your rental property.

Be sure to throughly check a house before you buy

By Maria Belgado
Special to Relocation.com

Buying a home for the first time doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Several sellers stage their houses to make their homes look attractive, but keep in mind that after their personal belongings are taken away, the house may seem bare. Here are some amenities that you should look for when buying your first home.

1. Kitchen appliances: Appliances are the most costly and important aspect of your kitchen. Some homes have them already built it. When looking at home ask about the age and condition of all appliances – especially the refrigerator and the oven.

2. Materials: After you learn the cost of the house, you should also know what materials were used in the construction. If you are buying less costly homes, be sure that you will receive materials, which are not really top class. Cheaper homes come with cheaper amenities.

3. Look at the ceiling: Check the ceiling for water marks, cracks and leaks. These are indicators of structural damage.

4. Outdoor areas: Look at the gutters, patio, downspouts, and examine the exterior conditions closely. If you are buying older homes, you must have a record of the past major repairs that have been carried out.

5. Research the neighborhood: Before you buy, research the crime rates and accessibility of the neighborhood. You don’t want to live in a neighborhood that is dangerous or has a bad history.

6. Bathroom amenities: Bathroom and plumbing fixtures are one of the most important amenities. If you are going for older homes, you must find out what renovations will be needed for the plumbing, as these can get very costly.

7. Important systems: Closely look at the heating and cooling systems. These systems are costly and repairing them will also take a lot out of your pockets.

8. Upgraded amenities: Several homeowners upgrade their homes. Find out the approximate cost of the upgrades and if there is any difference in the rates that the seller is offering. Do not pay for unnecessary upgrades that may seem attractive but are not useless.

9. The paperwork: If you are buying a house, be it your first or your last, you must take a look the paperwork closely. Do not go for houses that talk about ‘settling the paperwork later’ or ‘the paperwork will be done in a while.’ Always go for houses that have ready papers with a legal stamp on them. You may also do research about the house in local government bodies.

Looking for your first home seems to be exciting, but you must know all that you need to look for. House hunting requires you to have really strong nerves and analytical skills. Before you start looking at houses, you must have a rough idea of the amenities you are looking in your house. Make sure you make detailed lists and stick to lists. However, some flexibility may be required while you are short listing and selecting your home.

Donotrent.com integrates real estate rental reviews and through social networking features where they can search and post reviews of apartments, rental homes, student housing, vacation rentals and more. Donotrent.com is also a trusted partner of Relocation.com, a complete moving resource where consumers can receive competitive moving quotes.

The newest user review and social networking website donotrent.com went live late November 2010. The review platform is based on tenant experiences, past or present, renting apartments, on or off campus student housing, rental homes, vacation rentals and more. The site allows users to search and post reviews in every city in the United States. Users can also post pictures of the apartment and rate it using a unique 5-star rating system that ranges from “Not That Bad” to “Absolute Nightmare.” Although the name, donotrent.com, implies and actually encourages negative reviews, users can also post positive reviews. “The reviews that users post are meant to help future tenants become more aware of possible issues and ask the agent or landlord tough questions before they sign a lease,” says Cerny, a Chicago based real estate professional and co-founder of the site. Landlords are welcome to respond to posts about their properties if they believe a review is inaccurate or if a problem has been corrected.

It happens all too often, an interested party walks through a beautifully furnished unit with an agent or landlord and decides to sign a lease because everything looks perfect. It is very obvious that the agent or landlord is not going to mention that they receive numerous noise complaints about the neighbors throwing parties all the time or that the unit has a mold problem in the kitchen ceiling which they continue to simply paint over. Donotrent.com allows users to easily share their experiences in order to help future tenants make an informed decision about signing a lease after they read the apartment reviews. The goal is to make leasing agents, landlords and property managers more accountable by disclosing more information to prospective tenants.

Besides the review side of the website, it is built around a social networking core, which includes a conversation forum, public blog and a classified ads section. The main difference between donotrent.com and their competition is that they appeal to the next generation of internet users with numerous social networking features. Unlike the competition that has dated features and no social networking, donotrent.com uses Facebook connect along with the AddThis sharing service. Both of these features will allow users to stay connected with friends by sharing posts and messages instantly on their favorite social networking sites.

The layout and review system of donotrent.com is similar to the popular review site Yelp. The main difference is that its niche is rental property reviews and not reviews of every single business in the world. It will only be a matter of time before we start to see other review sites startups that focus on niche markets since quality on a specific topic, business or interest will always trump quantity.

For more information regarding this website, please visit http://www.donotrent.com.

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By Maria Paulia Belgado
Special to Relocation.com

The United States has had a lot of trouble in attaining a healthy lifestyle. In fact, according to the World Health Organization, the U.S. is considered the 9th fattest country in the world! Although we are packing on the pounds, there are some places in the U.S. that focus on healthy living, exercise and eating. When looking to relocate for health purposes here are the top 5 cities that have tons of health programs and fitness gyms, focus on eating healthy and feature activities that have a good impact on an areas overall well-being and lifestyle.

Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is renowned for their love of sports. They continually rank as one of the fittest city in the U.S. for years as residents have access to wide plains and the great outdoors. Residents love to stay healthy by walking and biking and enjoying healthy eating like vegan and vegetarian restaurants.

Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is best known for hiking and backpacking, which puts this city to the second spot of this list. With regards to a healthy environment, pollution is held to a minimum thanks to numerous environmental programs. The city also offers a wide variety of clinics and shops and access to the outdoors that keeps its residents active and engaged.

Minneapolis, Minnesota
When the going gets tough and the cold gets colder, Minnesota still, never dwindles far from being healthy. Residents can look forward to number of great indoor and outdoor activities as well as excellent hospitals.

Denver, Colorado
Denver has no problems in being healthy.  Residents can look forward to a enjoying a number of health assessment programs and great activities that help keep their citizens in shape. Their interest in health has gotten stronger over time and projected to stay in the top of the fittest cities. Programs are still being promoted among its citizens to encourage them in participating activities and events regarding health awareness.

Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque has continued to spread the love among its people and by doing so has increased their status in the fit cities of the U.S. Caring for their old and having to deal with promoting health to their young is their unique way of getting healthy and toned.

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Home swapping is a great way to check out a new destination without having to deal with expensive hotel fees

By Relocation.com

Have you always wanted to go on an international holiday, but cannot do so because of the traveling and hotel costs? If budget is a major constraint, then home swaps are best option for you. Home swaps are extremely popular these days. These are some points that explain how home swap works.

The Fundamentals:
You can use online services to search people who live in holiday destinations that you choose. E-mail them and offer to swap homes for a frame of time. Using this method, both of you will cut down the charges of vacation lodging. Some home swaps are also available with cars, bicycles or subway passes. However, it is not compulsory to include vehicles or passes in your home swap.

This will help you save the money that you would have spent on hotels. Home swaps are extremely useful as they make your vacations more intimate, and it lets you stay there as locals. These private houses are more comfortable than hotels. A house will also give you a complete kitchen, along with additional amenities. With this, you will be able to save a great deal when it comes to food and laundry.

Where To Swap?
People who live in posh beachfront houses or luxury condos are likely to get more offers than the ones living in quiet suburbs. At times, swappers also choose places that are close to their relatives, hospitals, or business areas. Before you jump on the deal, you must do some research and find out the kinds of options available for you. If you have a house in the countryside and you are swapping it with someone who owns an apartment in the city, it’s a great deal.

Get Started:
Home swapping services are widely available on the Internet. You may have to pay a nominal membership fee to see the listings of the available houses. You can search for houses on the basis of amenities or location. For instance, you can look for beachfront condos or a house that has a hot tub. You can also look at user feedback and ratings about the houses. Few websites also offer to mediate in cases of disagreements.

Realistic Considerations:
Certainly, there are few realistic considerations while swapping homes. Follow these simple precautions while swapping homes:

• Know the person you are swapping your house with. Keep touch via calls and mails. If you find anything fishy, feel free to cancel your swap.

• Keep all your valuable and fragile items away while swapping homes.

• Get relevant information about the area and the address. Do not mingle with people who are not willing to provide addresses well in advance.

• Find insurance companies that cover home swaps.

• Mention and find out about the presence of pets in the house. This should be discussed well in advance.

• Several swapping services provide contracts. Make sure you read them well and beforehand.

Swapping your home can be really easy. When you realize how convenient, easy and frugal home swapping can be – you’ll never want to stay in a hotel during your holidays every again.

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Before you rent, make sure to check out our pre-rental checklist

By Relocation.com Staff

Is it safe? Is it clean? Are the essentials located nearby? Those are the types of questions to ask before you pick a new place to rent and before selecting moving companies. Here a list of things to watch for when you’re looking at apartments for rent or homes for rent.

Outside the Apartment:

Do you feel safe in the neighborhood and the surrounding area? That’s the first and most important question by far, and is always the first question to ask yourself.

If you visit the apartment during the day, think about how will feel coming home late at night, or early in the morning. If the thought makes you scared, move on. No amenities or cheap rent can compensate for the feeling of insecurity.

As part of this, ask your neighbors about safety, and check in with the local police about crime statistics.

Is the building close to major roads and public transportation? Do trial runs for how long it would take to reach your work, your daycare, or other frequently visited placed.

Is the building clean and well-kept? Are entryways and hallways well lit? Are unsavory types hanging about? How the building is kept up is a pretty good indicator of the vigilance of the apartment manager.

Is the laundry nearby? If you don’t have a car, it better be close, preferably in your building. Picture yourself trudging there every week or so and ask yourself how you feel about that.

Where are gas stations, supermarkets, restaurants, banks, drug stores, dentists and gyms – is the distance friendly or far away? If you’re on public transit, figure out how long it will take to get to these various places that you might visit often.

Inside the Apartment:

Before signing a lease and moving, make a quick check of the apartment, not only the appearance and cleanliness, but see that things actually work. Don’t take anything for granted – something that doesn’t work now you’ll have to deal with right away when you move.

Bathroom: Check the water pressure in the sink and shower, and flush the toilet to make sure it operates properly. Also, make sure the hot water works.

Walls: If the building’s near a road, can you hear the traffic? Can you hear the neighbors next door? If near an airport, how is that noise?

Appliances: Check the fridge, the heating and air conditioning, the stove and oven and any other appliances that might be in the apartment.

Windows: Make sure they open and close easily, and make sure there are no holes or cracks in the glass.

Electricity: With any switch you see, try it out to make sure it works.

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Be sure to do your research before moving to a new neighborhood.

Moving is a big step in your life that you really want the location you choose to be the very best for you and your family. Here are some things to consider when you are searching for the right neighborhood.

Check on the schools. If you have children, you are going to want to closely check on the area schools. You can start by reading online what ratings schools receive as well as online forums my parents. If you can, visit the schools and spend some time with teachers and observe how the school appears. Do they have after school programs? Do they appear to have supplies? Talk, if you can, to some parents and get a good idea of how they feel about the school.

Visit the local parks. Again, if you have children, check out the local parks. Are they well kept? Are there any activities held there? Do they appear to be safe, both during the daytime and at night?

Observe the neighborhood. Is your neighborhood well lit at night? How safe does it appear to be? Is there a neighborhood watch program? How noisy is it at night? And how is the traffic in the area? Is there adequate parking?

Check out the hospitals in the area. Are they close? Are they well established? How long is the average emergency room wait? You can find out a lot about local medical care by checking online. You might want to also look at pharmacies in the area, and perhaps check out urgent cares as well.

What types of stores are in the neighborhood? Do they open early (if you are a morning person) and what time do they close at night (if you are a night owl)? How convenient is shopping going to be for you? Is there parking available?

Check out the public transportation. Is it convenient to your home or apartment? How expensive is it? How late/early does it run? If you needed to use it to get to work, are you sure that it will be running when you need it? How about if you want to go shopping using it, or go visit a relative? How clean is it and does it appear to be safe and well-maintained?

Research the crime rates. You can usually find this information out online as well. What are police response times? Are there any sex offenders living close by? Look online for forums or message boards about your neighborhood. Many times, residents will complain about problems in the area that you will certainly never hear from a realtor. You may be able to find out a lot about things like local ordinances, property taxes or other problems.

Moving to a new neighborhood is a huge change in your life. Make sure to do your research so that you know you know you made the right choose when deciding on a new location.