Moving tipsAlways check the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Registered Moving Database when hiring a moving company. Check the number of complaints.Interstate movers must be registered with the Federal government and have a U.S. DOT number Mover Database. Information you can review includes:The location of the moving company's headquartersContact informationRegistration statusIs the moving business a carrier, broker, freight, or forwarder?Complaint informationSafety informationCheck this link to find out about Brokers vs. MoversGet several in-person estimates. Pay with a credit card. And if the company requires a deposit, it should never be more than a few hundred dollars.Remind buyers and sellers to verify movers with the Federal Motor Carrier SafetyOne of my frien... 05/13/2022

 An early morning conversation with my AR friend Elyse Berman, PA inspired this post. She shared a joke: The telegram read:'Start worrying; details to follow.'And I was thinking about Communication the Rome Way! Knowing your buyers and sellers is the first step in how you communicate. Always ask upfront how and when they would like contact from you. Some only want a text, others are happy with an email, and others need a direct phone call.Here are some of the responses and observations when I ask about staying in touch. -Only contact me if you have an acceptable offer. In other words, you take care of selling my house.-Call me every day and let me know what is going on. They need constant contact.-Call me before and after each showing of the house. But of course that I do.-Call me when ... 05/15/2022

 How Do You Handle This Stress?                                                               When others find out I am still in my first home, there is some surprise after more than 40 years.  My reasoning: I am not about to put myself through what you will be experiencing during this listing and selling process.That is where my counseling sessions come in...starting at the beginning of a  listing...explaining the stress of selling.  As a former RN, stress can manifest many different emotions. Moving is one of the top stress producers, including death, illness, divorce, job loss, and other life-changing moments. I go on to explain....If you get along well, you may experience some slight bickering. If you are a bickering couple...there might be some arguments...and if you are a family t... 05/10/2022

There was a call from a potential buyer who saw one of the homes on my website. He was interested in this mid-century rancher and was having trouble finding this style.  He was not aware of any homes of this type in the Baltimore area.  Even though the property he called on was sold this past year, I offered to help find a similar one.  Asking for his wish list, the following are the particulars we are looking for in either Baltimore or Howard County -Three or more bedrooms - A rancher at least 3000'-One-two acre lot-A two-car garage.-Basement is optional-Price range under 1.2 million-Move-in turn-key condition.  And they are ready to sell their fabulous colonial when we find this single-floor living California-style contemporary rancher. The home above is the style they initially calle... 05/12/2022