Sunday, May 26, 2013 4:04 AM
Janet Ford
Study Reveals Americans' Rising Faith in Housing Market
Study Reveals Americans' Rising Faith in Housing Market
Nearly half of Americans (47 percent) say they feel more
comfortable purchasing a home today than at any other time in the past five
years, according to results of a recent survey by Mayflower. And nearly a third
say they are now ready to make a move.
Compared to 2012, residential
moves were up 18.9 percent in the historically slowest moving months – January
through April.
The survey data is also consistent with other national
data showing continued rises in existing home prices and sales. Growth appears
to be the strongest in the West, where data showed 54 percent of survey
respondents are now comfortable purchasing a house.
The data reflect an
easing of the wariness Americans have felt in recent years in the aftermath of
the bursting of the housing bubble in 2008. Although the average American
reports moving six times throughout their adult life, nearly half of Americans
(49 percent) say they have put off moving since the bubble burst nearly five
years ago.
Among those now interested in searching for a new home within
the next year, the survey showed the desire for a new or better home is the
leading motive. Other important motives include a desire for a more attractive
neighborhood and the desire to become a homeowner.
Most mobile are the
young, with half of Millennials (18-34 years old) more receptive to buying a
home than renting and looking to move within the next year. While younger
consumers would be more likely to move due to a change in employment or a
growing family, half of adults over the age of 65 would consider moving in the
next year because of retirement.
The peak moving season begins in May and
will continue until September. Here are some tips to help consumers save time
and money throughout their move:
• Move on a weekday. Weekends are the
time when most people want to move, but on weekdays, moving trucks often go
unused. Book a truck on a Monday or Tuesday and use the weekend to prep for the
movers' arrival.
• Move in the early part or middle of the month. A lot of
household moves happen at the end of the month, which means prices will be
higher.
• If given a choice, avoid moving in the summer, especially June and
July. You can save big on your moving costs.
• Book in advance. Once you
know the date of your move, book your mover right away.
• Do some of your
own packing. You can easily pack clothes, blankets, pillows and other
non-fragile items yourself. For the breakable items, consider letting
professionals pack them to avoid having to replace broken items.
• Consider
a do-it-yourself option like a container. Portable moving and storage containers
allow you to pack and load your things at your own pace. A professional will
pick up your loaded container and deliver it to your new home, so you don't ever
have to drive a truck.
• Bundle other services into the price of your move.
Look for a carrier that can arrange for services like cleaning, PC and network
assembly and disassembly, and ID theft protection. Bundling these services with
the cost of your move can help you save hundreds of dollars compared to hiring
separate companies for each service.
Source: Mayflower
Janet & Graham Ford
Phone: (918) 798-4428
4105 S. Rockford Ave
Tulsa, OK 74105
www.janetford.com
info@janetford.com