Moving Guru Blog

Pros and Cons of Glendale, AZ

Posted on June 16, 2013 by Devie Lin

Glendale, Arizona, is a big suburb of Phoenix. The two cities run length-wise next to each other for dozens of miles, but it’s Phoenix which contains the downtown and centralized business districts, while Glendale is mostly residential neighborhoods and strip malls. That being said, since the mid 2000’s, Glendale has begun to come into its own, now the home of the Westgate shopping center and a business hub on Bell Road.

Here are the pros and cons of Glendale, Arizona moving companies know full well about.

Positives of Glendale, AZ

  • Outdoors activities – Golf and hiking are popular past times in Glendale. The city has plenty of courses and is close to wide open, mountainous desert. It’s also only 20 minutes away from Lake Pleasant, a large, cool lake in the middle of the desert.
  • Westgate – Westgate is a relatively new entertainment center that includes upper-class shopping and dining, bars, a movie theater, and, most notably of all, the Arizona Cardinals’ football stadium, which is routinely home to Super Bowls and the Fiesta Bowl and attracts hundreds of thousands to the area each year.
  • Driving – Driving in Glendale is a necessity, but, fortunately, there are a lot of wide roads to do it on. The average road in Glendale is six lanes (three on each side), and the 101 and the 17 both curve through the city, giving residents good highway options.
  • Affordable – Glendale is growing quickly, and at its outer reaches are very affordable homes and apartments. However, even where the city borders Phoenix, it’s filled with affordable housing.

Negatives of Glendale, AZ

  • Strip malls & parking lots – Glendale exemplifies urban sprawl. The city has grown incredibly fast, leaving no time for dense development. Strip malls and neighborhoods is pretty much all you’ll see.
  • Unwalkable – Because it is so spread out, the city is pretty much unwalkable. For those who live in a neighborhood, the nearest store of any kind is probably at least a mile away, let alone the store that you want to go to. Worse, the city relies on a bus system that is tediously slow. It can take up to two hours simply to get from western Glendale to central Phoenix (~20 minute drive).
  • Poor selection – Glendale has all the fast food options you can want. Beyond that, though, good luck. The city does not have many good, local spots, and those it does have often don’t survive very long. Even Westgate is full of big, commercial spots, the Margaritavilles of the world, rather than locally-owned places.

Check out some Glendale, AZ movers today.

 

 

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Pros and Cons of Anchorage

Posted on June 15, 2013 by Devie Lin

If you’re thinking about moving to Anchorage, there are a few things you should know, some good, and some bad. Here are our pros and cons of Anchorage:

Pros

  • Summer – Summertime in Alaska is often sunny, with days lasting up to 20 hours and temperatures pushing into the 70’s regularly. Additionally, the surroundings are in full bloom. Alaska in summer is beautiful.
  • Fishing/Hiking – Notably in the summertime, fishing and hiking are tremendous. Outdoors enthusiasts take note.
  • Aurora – Alaska in the wintertime enjoys great views of aurora borealis, aka the northern lights. Particles from the sun collide with earth’s magnetic field causing ribbons of green and pink to form in the sky.
  • Locally owned – Anchorage lacks many of the big chains present in most cities, making more room for locally-owned diners and watering holes. This is a good thing.
  • Job market – Anchorage is growing and has a stable job market in both the blue collar and white collar industries.

Cons

  • Expensive – Getting goods to Alaska isn’t cheap. The nearest large city, Vancouver, BC, is a 3.5 hour flight to Anchorage, and over 3,500 miles driving (can’t cut across the ocean that way…). This creates a logistical nightmare for transporting resources, and causes prices to rise for your average head of lettuce.
  • Bugs – Summer in Alaska births the joys that are swarms of mosquitos the size of your fist.
  • Winter – Winter in Anchorage, though devoid of mosquitos, is cold, dark and icy. Trust us when we tell you that 10-degree temps and four hours of sunlight is not fun.
  • City – Anchorage’s cityscape isn’t exactly that of San Francisco, or Austin, or even Portland. It lacks many of the attractions that large downtowns have, like large sculptures and unique architecture.

 

Learn more about Alaska, and talk to some Anchorage moving companies today, at MovingGuru.com!

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What If My Moving Company Keeps My Stuff?

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Devie Lin

It happens more often that you’d expect. A moving company moves the stuff, then parks their truck outside and demands far more money than expected. When the people don’t pay up, the movers hold onto their possessions like hostages.

The moving company basis this act on what’s called a mover’s lien. The mover’s have an interest in the possessions they move for the amount they are owed for their services. If the customer doesn’t pay, they can sell the customer’s stuff. The law has good intentions, but it can be abused by moving scammers.

In many cases, movers low-ball an estimate to reel in a customer, then hit them with unexpected fees and a higher, sometimes bogus price. The customer is left with the decision to pay thousands of dollars more than expected or to potentially forfeit their stuff.

However, it need not be that way. If you are sure your movers are scamming you, do the following to get your stuff back:

  • Read the contract – Your moving contact is the basis of your relationship with your movers. Hopefully, you have it in writing, but oral contracts are contracts, too, and, to be frank, if you’re in this situation, your written moving contract probably does not touch on the things that should be in a moving contract. But try to figure out what charges aren’t supported by your contract, and make your argument to the moving company.
  • Pay what you owe – Pay what you know you owe and nothing more.
  • Call the police – If your movers are scamming you, the police would like a word. It’s one thing for there to be a legitimate contract dispute; it’s another to be ripping someone off. The mover’s lien won’t apply in the latter case, because the mover is trying to collect money it knows is not owed. In essence, the mover is defrauding you – mover’s liens do not protect fraud – and the police may be able to put an end to it.
  • Call an attorney – If calling the police doesn’t work (probably 50/50), it’s time to lawyer up. Lawyers know how to handle these situations. If need be, they can get the proper court orders to help you out in the immediate sense, and then file suit to get you back where you belong. Simply getting a lawyer on your side may be enough in and of itself to get the movers to back off.
  • Call the AMSA – If your movers are a part of the AMSA, call them and complain. Also, get your movers’ licensing credentials, and contact the appropriate licensing agency. If your movers do not provide licensing info, refer back to the police – you’re probably dealing with an unlicensed outfit (note, however, that in some states, local movers need not be licensed).

 

Learn how to make a moving contract that avoids all hidden fees and costs.

Posted in Moving Safety, Moving Scams | Leave a comment

Moving Company Overcharges

Posted on June 13, 2013 by Devie Lin

It’s not unheard of – moving companies do sometimes overcharge their customers. Certainly not all of them do, but there are shady types around. However, how exactly do they overcharge their customers? What should you look for?

Here are the most common ways moving companies overcharge their customers:

  • Low estimates – The classic gimmick is to give the customer a very low, but not guaranteed, moving price, then jack up the price considerably upon moving. So, they might estimate your stuff will weigh 5,000 pounds, when they know 8,000 is more accurate.
  • Hidden charges – Movers might charge for stair cases, gas, lunch breaks… really, anything. Make sure you get a moving contract that doesn’t allow them to add charges or that addresses all potential costs.
  • Penalties – If your move takes a little longer than expected, or if the company needs to hold on to your stuff for an extra day or two, you might find them charging you exorbitant  penalties.

 

Find a reputable moving company by checking online reviews.

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Places to Notify Change of Address

Posted on June 11, 2013 by Devie Lin

Changing your address with USPS is just the first step. That’ll ensure that you mail is forwarded for a year. But what about after that?

Well, you’ll need to change your address with everyone on your own, otherwise, they’ll send mail to your old address, and that’ll be that.

Here are some common places to notify of a change of address:

  1. Magazines and news sources
  2. Your job
  3. Insurance providers (e.g. health insurance)
  4. Family doctor, dentist, vet…
  5. Online stores (Amazon.com)
  6. Phone service providers
  7. Banks and credit card companies
  8. Your school
  9. Placement agencies and clients
  10. Friends/family (duh)

Learn more about how to change your address and where to do it for free at MovingGuru.com.

Posted in Moving Logistics | Leave a comment

Mail Forwarding vs. Change of Address

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Devie Lin

What’s the difference between mail forwarding and changing your address, you ask? Well, nothing, really. They’re essentially the same thing.

You change your address with USPS to ensure that mail is forwarded from your old address to your new one. Then you change your address with everyone else to ensure you mail gets to the right place after USPS’ forwarding ends (one year).

To say it in another way, in order to forward your mail, you must change your address with USPS. They are the same thing.

Now, you can choose to only forward for a specific amount of time (let’s say six months), in which case you aren’t changing your address permantly. Nevertheless, this is the only distinction, and it does not apply to most people who move.

Learn more about how to change your address with USPS online.

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When Should I Change My Address When Moving?

Posted on June 9, 2013 by Devie Lin

Wait for it… wait for it… okay, now! C’mon, hurry!! Aww, too late…

Okay, changing your address isn’t that tough. However, there is a window for you to do it in. If you don’t, you might miss some mail.

You can choose the exact date mail starts getting forwarded to your new address. You just need to do it before you actually move, so you don’t miss any mail.

To be safe, have mail forwarded to your new address five (5) days before you move. That way, everything that enters the system starting five days prior will make its way to your new home and will probably be waiting for you when you arrive. Don’t do it any sooner, otherwise you’ll miss mail for too many days before you move.

For more questions about mail forwarding, check out how to change your address.

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Changing a Mailing Address

Posted on June 8, 2013 by Devie Lin

Changing your mailing address is one of the most important things you can do when moving. If you don’t, you’re gearing yourself for a real bad time, because you’ll end up missing:

  • Checks
  • Magazines
  • Notices (important ones, like tickets)
  • Bills
  • DMV documents
  • Cards from Mom

And missing those things, plus whatever else you depend on getting in the mail, can lead to all sorts of bad, most notably in the form of late fees and fines.

So, how do you change your mailing address? Well, it’s really easy, actually. Either walk into your nearest post office or head to USPS.com and simply change your address with them. It’ll give you a year grace period, during which all of your mail will be forwarded to your new address.

In the meantime, make sure to change your address with everyone else. Here’s a list of places to change your address with.

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What Is It Like Living in San Francisco?

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Devie Lin

Living in San Francisco is like living in perfection, if perfection could be a place. Sure, San Francisco, California has its negatives, but its culture, climate and beauty can’t be beat. Here’s a rundown of what it’s like to be living in San Francisco:

Daily sweaters – The weather in SF is weird, because it is incredibly consistent. It rarely breaches 40 degrees (low) or 80 degrees (high), and there is rarely humidity, storms, or, really, anything but fog (summer) and rain (winter). This leaves a lot of time for 60’s and sunny weather.

Walking places – San F is not fun to drive in, but this is not a problem, because walking is so easy. Public transit is great, the city is dense, and there are plenty of places to stop along your sidewalk trek.

Rent checks make you cry – Paying rent in SF is like throwing a wad of hundos into a fan, every time.

Awe-driven gazes – Sometimes you’er just walking around San Francisco, and the view of things just gets you. It’s a gorgeous place, and views of the city, of the Golden Gate Bridge, of the Oakland Hills, of the parks, and of the Pacific never get old.

Random-corner unique – The city is filled with hole-in-the-wall spots, whether five-star Italian restaurants, kindly coffee shops, or boutique clothing shops. There’s always something to discover.

Someone is naked – Living in San Francisco will subject you to a lot of naked and scantily-clad folk in SF. Some do it legally. Others not so much.

The Giants are on TV – This city loves the San Francisco Giants, and the Giants’ ballpark, located ~ 1 mile south of the city center, is a local shrine.

That beer just ran me $6, but it was good – SF has some great selection with respect to wine, spirits and beer. There’s no shortage of unique drinks or bars. However, it’s not very cheap, either.

 

If that all sounds like your bay breeze, check out some San Francisco movers today!

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Is Oakland Cooler Than San Francisco? Yes, yes it is.

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Devie Lin

Oakland is well known as an awful city. The Detroit of the West Coast, if you will. A place where not only will you get mugged, you will see a shooting in the process. No, but really, you’ll at least get mugged. My friend’s friend’s friend once got mugged near Lake Merritt. It happens to everybody. Oakland is scary!

Yes, I’m being sarcastic. Oakland is an urban place, but it’s not unduly dangerous, despite what people from North San Francisco have to say. But if it’s not scary, then what is Oakland?

Well, it’s pretty cool, really. Oakland is blossoming into an artsy, foody haven for young folk. Now, many people would prefer to live in Oakland over SF. That’s right. Oakland, and not Oakland, Michigan, is becoming cooler than San Francisco. Little brother is dunking on bigger brother, here. Jack London just fist pumped in his grave.

Here are the ways that Oakland is becoming cooler than the city that gets all the screen shots, San Francisco:

Weirdos – Both SF and Oakland specialize in the strange, but walk around Oakland, and you’ll see more strange per capita, if you will. People dress the way they want to dress, look the way they want to look, and are who they want to be. Weird is the norm in Oakland.

Sunshine – Oakland is way sunnier in the summertime than San Francisco. Heinold’s First and Last Chance in Jack London Square provides a great place to watch the cold fog rush over SF while wearing sandals and a tee-shirt.

Non-existent sports scene – You hear a lot about the A’s and the Raiders, and certainly there are some fanatical spots in the city, but most of Oakland can apparently care less about sports. I remember watching the A’s-Tiger’s game 5 at Make Westing, one of downtown’s most well-attended bars, and five people aside, nobody seemed to care.

SF is closer than for people who live in SF – Fact: it takes 12 minutes to get from 12th St. BART to Montgomery in SF. An Oaklander can get to Dolores Park with a bottle of Lagunitas within 45 minutes, door to grass. Those who pay more to live in the Richmond and Sunset and the likes can’t say that, unless they drive, and who wants to drive?

Race is dead – Oakland is an all races sort of place, from its housing to its bar scene. There is no better example than downtown on a weekend night, and no better example in downtown than the Layover.

The hills have views – Yeah, yeah, yeah, Golden Gate Bridge, the parks, the calico rows of petite homes… SF is beautiful. However, the Oakland Hills have more vegetation than I’ve ever scene, and their views of the entire bay are astonishing.

A’s games cost $10 – I’m writing this article while trying to buy tix to the Giants-Jays game in SF. Standing room is $30. Standing room, on a Tuesday, while playing one of the worst teams in the league. Actual seats at an A’s game are $15, tops. I’ve gotten them for $7 before. Then I sit where I want. I mention this because it represents the dichotomy between the two cities quite well. Oakland, though not cheap, is cheaper than SF in many respects, which makes life a lot easier for people who don’t have great jobs, or who have bad debt, or who don’t have Mom and Dad to fall back on. And, no doubt, those people tend to have some character that SF is losing due to its exorbitant rents.

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