BOSTON — It is the time of year when many people think about moving. But whether you are moving down the street or across the country, you need to know your rights.

One young couple learned about their moving rights the hard way, according to WCVB-TV in Boston.

Tricia Cronin and her fiance, Dave Wheeler, said they had a bad experience with Integrity Relocation Services while moving to Massachusetts from Florida. They said they were supposed to get their belongings within two weeks, but said after a month, they were still waiting.

“They said they were coming at 9 a.m. today, and they said they were coming the day before yesterday, and no one shows up. That’s how it’s been for almost a month now,” said Cronin.

The couple said their problems began the day they moved. They said when Integrity arrived, the original estimate of $998 more than doubled to $2,100. The driver allegedly took $900 in cash and promised that a supervisor would call with a solution. But no one did, and the couple said the company didn’t return their calls.

“It’s sad to come home and know you don’t have a place to sleep. I mean, we have an inflatable futon in the loft upstairs — and that’s where you sit to watch TV, where you sleep, where you have dinner at night. It wears on you,” said Cronin.

The television station contacted the company, but a spokeswoman refused to discuss the couple’s situation. The missing belongings, however, were delivered later the same afternoon.

The couple’s experience is an important lesson about hiring movers, according to the station.

When hiring a mover, you should:

Always make sure the company actually sees your belongings when offering an estimate.

Get the deal in writing — especially an exact delivery date.

Make sure the company is insured and registered with the U.S. Department of Transportation.

If a mover demands cash up front, find another company.

“It’s very discouraging that businesses can take advantage of people like that. We’re kind of helpless. We’re at their mercy and they know it, and that’s what’s really painful about it,” said Cronin.

While the couple did finally get their belongings, they came damaged. The couple does have some recourse against the company under federal law, the television station reported.

Thursday, March 24, 2005

Harley E. Rouda Jr.

Moving to a new city is, at times, a shot in the dark. Although you’ve probably learned some information about your new neighborhood before the actual move, the details may still be sketchy. Sure, your prospective area is only a 10-minute drive from your office. However, is it close to a good school system? Is a veterinarian located nearby for your pets’ yearly checkups? Is a 24-hour pharmacy nearby for late-night prescription refills?

A survey by the National Association of Realtors supports the idea that although home buyers consider cost and affordability when purchasing a home, location is a major selling point. Even though you may feel as if you’re getting a deal on the home of your dreams, consider its location: if it is next to a run-down neighborhood or lies a half hour or so from any nearby schools, what you’re saving in price could cost you when it comes time to resell.

Consider these additional points when scoping out your new home’s location:

Evaluate your family’s day-to-day lifestyle. Do you enjoy a morning jog before heading to work? Ensure your new neighborhood’s streets are safe and well-lit. Is your spouse a movie buff? Check out the proximity of theatres and video stores. Does your daughter take dance lessons twice a week? Determine if a studio is located nearby. Otherwise, you’ll rack up the miles on your car and lose valuable time driving to and from your favorite activities.

Remember the value of educational facilities nearby. Even if you are a newly married couple, single person or empty-nester — all without school-age children — homes near schools tend to retain their value over time. And when it comes time to sell your home, families will readily invest in a home that is close to schools and college campuses.

Take a look at established neighborhoods. True, older neighborhoods often feature homes with higher price tags. On the other hand, a house in a new neighborhood that today faces a sprawling field may one day look upon a parking lot, depending on the zoning of nearby land. Do your research. When viewing homes, be sure to ask your Realtor about any vacant property near the home.

Make a priority list. What’s most important to you and your family? Since it’s nearly impossible for you to be close to every amenity, decide which ones are at the top of the list. Once you narrow down the priorities, it will be easier for you to find a neighborhood that fits your needs.

Remember, many tools are available online to help narrow down your location search. Some programs allow users to identify those amenities at the top of their priority list and immediately view which are closest to their selected home via a detailed map. When you’re pressed for time, services such as these take the guesswork out of relocating.

It is, after all, these conveniences that make your house and the surrounding community a home — and the harried moving process often only allows you a few weeks (or at times, days) to check out your new neighborhood. Nevertheless, any background research you can do prior to signing on the dotted line brings you that much closer to visualizing a seamless transition.

A study by National City Corp. has spotted risky bubbles forming in 16 of the nation’s largest housing markets, though economists found no runaway prices in Ohio’s biggest cities.

The study said the most overvalued housing prices are found in cities far west of the Mississippi River, though two from the Midwest — Detroit and Saginaw, Mich. — were among the places where prices are overvalued by 20 percent or more.

Among Ohio cities, the study said, buyers in Cleveland typically pay a 7 percent premium to buy housing. But in Columbus, prices are undervalued by 7 percent, while housing in Cincinnati is undervalued by 6 percent, the study reported.

Study author Richard DeKaser, chief economist at Cleveland-based National City (NYSE:NCC), examined population, income levels, interest rates, and 2004 and historical prices to arrive at his findings.

“While the headline remains unchanged — there is no housing bubble in America — there is a growing risk of ‘bubblettes’ in certain places,” he wrote in the study.

The city with the most overvalued housing: Chico, Calif., where the study said a buyer would pay a 43 percent premium for a house. Eight California cities were among the 10 most overvalued housing markets, the study found.

The most undervalued housing market was Salt Lake City, by 23 percent, followed by Memphis, Tenn., by 20 percent.

Of the 29 cities identified by the study as overvalued by 10 percent or more, four are in the Midwest: Detroit, 22 percent overvalued; Saginaw, 21 percent; Chicago, 11 percent; and Minneapolis, 10 percent.

DeKaser wrote that housing prices may be at record highs, but interest rates have kept mortgage payments relatively low. He said 22 percent of income was needed to pay for a median-priced house last year — unchanged for more than a decade.

“While overvaluation in home prices presents a risk for future declines, these risks may well go unfulfilled,” DeKaser said. “The true test of today’s premiums … will be the economic environment, especially incomes and interest rates, in the years ahead.”