Front Door Dilemmas?

Your new home's front door is the welcome party for every visitor. It reflects the vibe of the home itself and the people who live there. Is your front door a mirror image of your personality or does it look more like the reflection of its former tenant? Here are some neat ways to spruce up your front door and put a little of your flavor into your home's first impressions.

There are nearly limitless possibilities for decorating your front door. You could simply paint it a different color (or colors), hang a wreath in the center or add a dramatic house number above or to the side. Other options include installing long shutters on either side or adding a playful, historic or decorative specialty door knocker. Online retailer Architectural Depot sells a wide range of knockers, from chili peppers to poodles, that are sure to make you smile when you come home at the end of a long day.

— 5 Ways to Dress Up Your Front Door

Keep Your Credit Safe While Moving

Everyone knows the best way to protect fragile items during the moving process. We carefully wrap glass figurines and china plates inside layers upon layers of paper, fabric, bubble wrap and tape. Protecting important personals and treasures is a part of the normal moving routine. Protecting our credit, which is just as important if not more vital, isn't a common practice in the process of moving. This article points out why you should be more concerned with protecting your credit than your china.

Packing up and moving can be challenging. With so many things to remember and do, it is easy to place thoughts about your credit’s well-being in the background. Moving will occasionally be part of your life story, and there are ways to approach this new chapter — and protect your credit score in the process.

— Protect Your Credit During Your Move

Why Every Renter Needs Renter's Insurance

You've finally found the perfect rental for you and your family. Now it's time to pack up and move. Don't forget one vital piece in your transition, renter's insurance. This insurance benefits both parties in a rental transaction, covering your assets and your new landlord's. Take your time when choosing a policy and be sure to read all of the fine print before signing!

Renters insurance protects both the interests of the tenant (by protecting their belongings from covered perils) and the landlord (by keeping tenants safe, satisfied and paying rent for the full term of the lease). However, only about 35 percent of renters purchase insurance protection; that compares poorly with the percentage of homeowners who purchase coverage — around 96 percent, according to the Insurance Information Institute. A big reason for the disparity: Virtually all lenders require mortgage holders to buy and maintain homeowners insurance. But that doesn’t explain why more renters don’t protect their valuables. Likely reasons include mistaken assumptions about tenant/landlord responsibilities.

— Why Renters Insurance Matters

A Room with a View

Be sure to get all the details regarding your property's sight lines for your next big move. There are many factors to consider when relocating and highlighted view points are usually expensive bonuses for home purchases. Check for zoning regulations and review your new communities ordinances for any rules that will affect your landscaping and home improvement plans.

A view can often be the most valuable part of a piece of property. Water, mountains, even territorial views of foliage add a sense of wonder, serenity and enrichment to what we see when we look out our windows. Therefore, any encroachment or threat to that highly prized view should be taken seriously. But what, if anything, can a homeowner do when someone — or something — threatens to take that view away? It all depends on where you live and who has jurisdiction over your neighborhood. And it ranges from absolutely nothing to very specific rules.

— Tips for Protecting Your View

Tips for Finding the Perfect Rental

After the financial meltdown of 2008, renting became a much more common practice among Americans. At Bulwark Moving, we help families in the Phoenix area relocate to new rentals quite often. We thought it would  be great to share a few tips for choosing the right rental to make your search a little easier. Check out this article for helpful tips on renting the perfect place for you!

Before beginning your search, decide what kind of rental best fits your needs. Renters with pets, for example, should consider leasing from private owners rather than multi-family property managers. Finance writer Michelle Schroeder gauged practicality before deciding which lease to sign. “We knew we wanted a house so that we could have a dog. I was a naive 18 year old, but luckily a family member was looking for a reliable renter,” she said. You should also pay close attention to amenities and exterior features before making final decisions. Rand Owens, vice president of marketing at Happy Inspector, says high rises and rentals in noisy environments, or rentals with close proximity to freeways or train tracks were all eliminated from his search.

— How to Find the Perfect Rental

Don't Let This Happen to You...

A Very Common Scenario:

The customers are excited because they received an online moving quote at an hourly rate that is very low priced. When the movers arrive, the customers sign the contract. As the crew begins the move, they load the most expensive items first. Everything is fine until the movers are at the final destination and almost finished unloading. At this point the movers begin to strong arm the customer by telling them about all of the extra fees that they have incurred. There are items on the bill that reflect charges for additional travel fees, lunch breaks, stairs, shrink wrap, long carries, fuel, fueling time, blankets and moving heavy or large items. They might have also charged extra for the dismantling and reassembly of beds, tables, cabinets and sofas, These additional fraudulant charges are the 'Bait and Switch' of a dishonest mover. They will point out to the customer that they signed and agreed to these conditions on the contract. If the customer refuses to pay the amount, the movers close the truck and threaten to drive away with the customers furnishings. After reviewing the contract, it is obvious that the only way to regain the belongings is to pay the unexpected extra charges.

This is never the case at Bulwark Moving. We are 100% committed to providing superior customer service with honesty and integrity. We take your trust seriously and plan to keep it by exceeding your expectations with every service visit and relocation we provide for you and your family.

Why You Should Break Up with Your Insurance Company

There are many things to consider before deciding on your home insurance provider. It sort of reminds us of dating, you should get to know a little about each other before making any rash decisions. Be sure to cover all of  the variables  attached to home owners insurance. Premiums, coverage,service and flexibility are huge determining factors. Here are five compelling reasons why you should break up  with your insurance company.

When you and your home insurance provider entered into holy insurance matrimony, you may not have noticed all the little things that bothered you. You may have been blinded by love — or convenience — and rushed into a policy without getting to know the company. And now, you are feeling trapped in a relationship with a carrier that isn’t your best match. Luckily, home insurance policies aren’t forever. And if you have serious problems with your current provider, it may be time to part ways. So how do you know if it’s time to throw in the towel?

— 5 Reasons to Drop Your Insurance Company