MOVING LINKS 4 YOU

The “D” word I’m looking for is DECISIVE!

What do paragliding and moving have in common? There are some “D” words, for sure. Read on…

I recently returned from a week in Costa Rica where I was enmeshed with a group of paragliders for several days. Here you see 3 of them. There was Nick, the instructor from Oregon, on the right. Then Fred, a seasoned paraglider pilot from the East Coast of the U.S., getting a push from Zion, a beginning paraglider pilot from Costa Rica. They each brought something valuable to the table which created a choreographed team. That brings me to the subject of moving since paragliding is all about that! (nice segway, yes?) 

I Wish I’d Known About Moving Links 4 You

Who likes to move? I’m not sure I’ve met anyone enthusiast about the act of moving households / relocating. The “D” word, DREAD, comes up frequently.

And I wish I had a nickel for every person who said they wish they’d known about the service Moving Links 4 You provides as they would have surely called. I continue to spread the word about Moving Links 4 You but it’s a big territory we cover – the U.S.A. Maybe you can help some people out by letting them know ML4You can ease a lot of the work in their relocating. The service is focused on helping those selling, buying, and / or moving near or far.

I indicated paragliding and moving have something in common. I will pick another “D” word here.  It could be a DISASTER if you’re not careful with paragliding or moving. I think we’ve all heard horror stories about folks selling or buying a home via an agent who didn’t know how to negotiate (leaving money on the table or it took months longer to sell or the escrow fell out because they were not paying attention to the details) . There are numerous not-so-good household mover stories out there right now. Advice: It’s s a tricky time to go online to get a bid from a mover you have found by yourself. If the bid is low, why? You often get what you pay for. A tactic some movers are using is to quote low and hold you ransom for a large difference once they have your belongings on the truck. You do want a smooth trip and safe landing, don’t you? Be it paragliding or moving!

Careful Selection of Professionals via ML4You’s Networks

With strong and trusted networks in place, simply call Moving Links 4 You at 530.515.6299. That is my direct line. Imagine that. A real person on the end of the phone to talk to! Let’s discuss your goals and timeline. Then I will go to work to contact people in my networks across the country where you need them – and align you with the best of the best in that area with the expertise you need – be it a good listing or buyer’s agent, household goods mover, auto transporter, lender… Tell me what you need and we’ll work to get you organized within 24 hours.

Cost of Moving Links 4 You Service

You do not pay extra for this service* (<– see below) which will give you back time and lower stress. It’s been my pleasure to help people in this way since 2003. It is a Nordstrom level service (not Walmart). Our niche is working with professionals, families and seniors who are not keen to go DIY route knowing the work involved. It’s revealed itself to me over and over.

To be able to offer this service to you at no added cost, it is geared at helping those who have a home to sell and or buy. If you are going to rent for 6 months and then purchase, let’s talk. I can help. If you are going to be a permanent renter, Moving Links 4 You is not your answer. There are other businesses geared to assist you but there may be a fee involved. It often takes being in the community to lock in the rental as in so many areas they go quickly.

The Right “D” Word When Moving

Whether it’s paragliding or moving – it’s good to have a DECISIVE team around you. If you’re interested in paragliding, I can get you organized. And I can certainly get you organized from start to finish when it comes to your move near or far. One phone call and you’ll understand how easy it is to eliminate a lot of the work and reduce the hassle.

I look forward to talking with you or anyone you send my way who could use some relocation assistance with selling, buying, and / or moving.

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* ML4You’s niche is full service. It is not geared toward DIY referrals. You will pay no more for the ease provided by Moving Links 4 You. ML4You is paid a referral fee / finder’s fee by the professionals/ businesses referred to without them raising rates to you. It’s a win-win for all. You get great attention and service from those who wouldn’t have gotten the business had we not referred you to them.

Contact me: Mary Lascelles | ReloMary with your questions regarding selling / buying / moving / relocating. My networks are in place to match you within 24 hours typically with the professionals you’ll need to get the job done right. Ph.  530.515.6299 | relomary@gmail.com

A personal letter to you from ReloMary…

I am sitting here on a spectacular Northern California January day. It’s 65 degrees which, while not unheard of, is warm for this time of year. There’s no precipitation to talk about. We need it at the 500′ level let alone the mountains. The skiers and snowboarders are dying for it and we surely don’t want to be heading into a drought. Lake Shasta needs rain plus the snowmelt to fill up for summer sports. I put feelers out today and realized there’s not much precipitation very many places in the U.S. I had people check in today from Colorado, Texas and Minnesota. Same there. I’ve got them working on a rain / snow dance. Please do join in. Maybe we can make it happen! The good news is, I understand from relatives that winter came a month late in the Southern Hemisphere but it did come. Maybe we can anticipate the same in the Northern Hemisphere.

Getting down to business…

Do you know anyone relocating in 2012? I am someone you should know about if you do. Whether you are an individual, family, professional, or senior – I help everyone relocate.

Think of me as your own personal move assistant. I save you major time and stress without adding to the cost if you are going the full service route. Note – I do not make connections with DIY businesses but rather full service businesses. (think Nordstrom vs. Walmart) Moving Links 4 You gets paid from the businesses / people referred to without them raising costs to you.

When you ask me to assist you, I research my robust networks to align you with the people and services you need to get the job done right. I am available to you the whole way through by phone or email. The connections I make for folks work 99.5% of the time. Since I am human, I will always leave the door open in case the match is not right. We can make a change. The goal is for you to have a good experience. Here are some endorsements that will tell you more about how the service works.

A real person to talk to. There are a number of things to figure out when you’re selling a home, buying, a home, and moving all your household goods. Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone to talk to rather than talking to an automated machine? THAT’S what I’m getting at. That person would be me. I am one who doesn’t like having to listen to a menu of items to know who to talk to. That’s far too confusing. When you call me, you will either get me right away or you can leave a message to which I’ll respond very soon. We will talk and when you give me an overview of your goals, I can go to work for you. Put the panic button away.

Getting you organized within 24 hours…

The most common kind of feedback I get is, “Mary, you were spot on and it made all the difference!” It makes me love this work!

Listing Agent. You have a home to sell but you are not sure what Realtor to list it with. Like others, you know a lot of agents but only casually or you know some you would not use. The market is tough and you know you need a solid professional who will be able to advise you along the way and negotiate well for you. Who is that person in this market? I can find that person once you and I talk via extensive networks I’ve got across the country. Yes, Canada, too.

Buyer’s Agent. Whether you are staying in your same community or moving to a new one, wouldn’t it be great to have an unbiased opinion in selecting your Realtor for you? I can do that. I talk to you and get pertinent information from you about your timeline and things you want in your new home and your new community. Again, my networks are researched with this information in mind and I find you a Realtor who will be good to work with.

Benefit of working with the best Realtors: We owned a sizable real estate company for years. Realtors come with different interests and energy levels – they’re real people. I focus on working with Realtors who are true professionals. They get satisfaction out of being their clients’ “feet on the ground” when the client cannot be – what a difference it makes. It is key to work with agents who have the experience, tools, and resources available to work through the challenges that come up along the way. Just like any profession, you want to be working with the best if you’re interested in getting the best end result!

Rental before purchase? If you are selling a home and want to rent a home prior to buying your next one, I can find you a Realtor to list your current home and a property management company to assist you in finding a temporary rental. Rentals are typically not available too far in advance so it’s often good to actually be in the community close to the time you are going to rent. It certainly helps to be introduced to a rental agent in the area who can assist you in finding a rental and will keep their eyes and ears open for something that matches your criteria.

Household Mover. What a jigsaw puzzle this has turned into – finding a reliable household mover. If you’ve moved before and are looking for your old mvoer, they may have gone out of business or their name may be completely different. It’s easy to go online now to get bids but you really have NO idea who the bid comes to you from. Too often, you will receive a low ball bid which will get you interested. You sign a contract, they load your furniture, and you pay them another sizable sum before your furniture is unloaded.  This is an excellent resource for finding a reputable mover. Or you can simplify it again by calling me to do it for you. I work with movers who are professional and straightforward. They work hard to do the best job possible for the customer – you. They communicate and are not into trickery! Note: The busiest moving season starts in May. It works best to think ahead  and plan so you are not without your things for any longer than necessary. You can find a link to the Mover’s Handbook here.

Auto Transporter. I can certainly help you with getting your car transported from A to B. What I need to know is the make, the year, whether it’s in running condition, and where it will be picked up and dropped off. (zip codes are good) It’s a good idea to have photos of your car at the time of pick up and also to remove things from the car prior to shipping. I have a close working relationship with one of the busiest auto transporters in the country who focuses on reliably shipping your car safely in the shortest amount of time.

Lender and Appraiser - When you are entering a real estate transaction, you may need a lender and or appraiser. One of the benefits of connecting to an excellent Realtor in the area is he / she will know who is good to recommend. This component can make or break a real estate transaction so it’s best to get it right! Of course, you can use your own if you know of trustworthy professionals.

Do you have any questions for ReloMary? I’d loved to hear from you. No, I’m not ‘Dear Abby’ but you could say I’m ‘Dear ReloMary!’ I’m here for you or anyone you know who is moving across town, state or country. And yes, I have connections in Canada and beyond so, if you know of someone who could use this help there, let’s talk! I look forward to hearing from you.

2012 feels good to me. Is it the even number? People seem to have a lift in their step again, don’t they? I’m anticipating it’ll get better and better as 2012 proceeds!

Contact me: Mary Lascelles | ReloMary with your questions regarding selling / buying / moving / relocating. My networks are in place to match you within 24 hours typically with the professionals you’ll need to get the job done right. Ph.  530.515.6299 | relomary@gmail.com

Happy Holidays from ReloMary!

We had family here for a few days last week which encouraged us to take some time out. To slow down. To breathe. They had arrived from New Zealand and would be spending a few weeks in the U.S. catching up with the rest of their family. I just wanted to tell you a bit about our Saturday.

It was a glorious, sunny Saturday and the day we would drive Paul and Jane to SMF to fly to points north to join up with more of their family. We decided to make a day of it. Loading up their things in the car about 10am, we wandered down I-5. For anyone not familiar with this stretch of road south of Redding, it is a flat and straight road that screams cruise control if you don’t want a ticket. It’s always on when we’re driving on I-5. How many times has it saved us from the CHP? 

Our first stop was the Sacramento Wildlife Refuge. This is 60 miles south of Redding and 90 miles north of Sacramento. (Hhhmm, I’m now wondering why it’s not called the Redding Wildlife Refuge!) When you drive I-5 this time of year, you will note lots of geese in the air. Well, this is where they land – at least for a spell. We counted 999,999 snow geese while driving through the refuge. That may be only a slight exaggeration. Throw in the Canadian geese and varieties of ducks and cranes and other varieties of fowl, I’m sure we saw a million birds without any problem! What fun it was to see 1000′s of snowgeese take off in flight all at the same time. It’s a tremendous sight!

Second stop was Granzella’s Delicatessen in Williams, CA. It is like a magnet for anyone traveling in this area. I doubt there has been a time I’ve stopped that I didn’t see someone else I know who had stopped at the same time – from Redding. On this day, it was Brian Busk and his family traveling to the Bay Area for a family get together. The place was abuzz with activity – people sitting down to eat, ordering sandwiches from the deli, and shopping their delectables. It’s worth a stop – each and every time!

Before long, we were at Sacramento International Airport. For anyone who has not been there lately, you will be impressed with the renovations. It’s a beautiful airport and getting “high 5′s” from those flying in and out of there. We unloaded Paul and Jane’s bags at the Horizon terminal, said our farewells and gave hugs. The time had gone too fast but we were excited for them seeing more family soon. And we were on our way north again. 

Third stop, Winters, CA. Rather than hurrying back to a house that would feel empty, we decided to go to make a detour to Winters, CA. It looked festive with Christmas lights and great little shops. The sunlight was just right on this day to cast a glow over the downtown. We stopped into an artisan’s shop where we had fun poking around and found a couple of cutting boards that were beautifully handcrafted. We thought they’d make useful and thoughtful gifts for some folks so made a purchase. Then we found ARC Guitar which captured our curiosity. We wandered in and found several guys making acoustic guitars. Interesting place and now I wonder if we’ll be heading back that way to handcraft a guitar! Next door to this shop is Turkovich Family Winery. The window was beautifully dressed for the Holidays and lured us in. Inside we found a burning woodstove and a wine and cheese tasting bar. Who could resist? Two brothers run the operation, a winemaker and a cheesemaker. We’ll be back. But, before then, we’ll be enjoying some purchases we made that day. Thank you, Turkovich Family Winery!

Last stop before home? Gino’s Steakhouse in Colusa. Not far off I-5 near Williams is the town of Colusa. We were seated in “the booth” at the front of the restaurant and enjoyed looking out at the now dark sky and the Christmas lights glistening outside. I don’t know when the last time was that I had prime rib, but this was the day. Nicely done!

So that’s a little about the lead up to our Christmas and New Year. How about you? Will you be surrounded by family or join up with friends? What I know is this. No matter what is going on, it’s great to take moments like this to savor. We can’t always have everyone we’d like to be with together on “the day” so it’s important to take those moments when we can be together and savor them. This was a Saturday we won’t forget anytime soon.

Gift for you. If you’ve read this far, there’s a reason. I’ve got a gift for you if you are interested in Quotes. They are called ‘Quote Actions’. You can receive them 2 or 5 days a week. Your choice. I get regular feedback from people about specific quotes saying, “That hit home today!” They are simply a quote with an action attached – and a great way to start out the day. Here is the Quote Action link for you to subscribe. Don’t forget to check for the confirmation email in order to activate them.

Contact me: Mary Lascelles | ReloMary with your questions regarding selling / buying / moving / relocating. My networks are in place to match you within 24 hours typically with the professionals you’ll need to get the job done right. Ph.  530.515.6299 | relomary@gmail.com

“We want to be moved in to our new home by Christmas.”

It was mid-October. I got an email from a young business man regarding a move from to a new city from where he and his family had always lived. He had accepted a great job with a very good company. The move was exciting indeed. His family of 4 was setting out on a sort of life adventure. As is often the case, moving and all that is involved can be a daunting task.  The question he asked was, “Can you help me, ReloMary?“

It started with emails. We emailed back and forth and then talked on the phone. I got pertinent information from him getting their timeline and learning what they were venturing to do. They had been online and selected a few homes to share with me that were “currently on the market.” This was helpful. But, as is so often true, the homes were all over the map and some were no longer available. What you see online isn’t always an accurate or current picture. It IS helpful, however, because it gives a keen visual of what looks interesting and appealing.

Time for me to go to work. Computing all the information in my head that I’d been given, it was my role to select a good Realtor for them to work with. It’s more than choosing a Realtor who can find them a home. It’s rather choosing that Realtor who can become a major source of information for folks moving to a new area. That will happen if the Realtor is keen to work with people relocating and addressing all of their needs. Some thrive on this but not all.

The right Realtor. I put my thinking cap on and did my search for the right Realtor match to begin with. My networks are in place across the country to aim for a bull’s eye each and every time from the get-go. The Realtor selected for this family had worked years with people relocating. He thrives on it. He enjoys filling in all the gaps of someone moving to a new area which is key to a good outcome.

Ala Carte. We also got them organized with a good lender and temporary storage facility. They are keeping their existing home to rent out but, down the road, they can seek my help in choosing a Realtor to list and sell it. I assist with household movers and auto transport and appraisers. It is really a matter of what you need as one size does not fit all.

“We want to be moved in to our new home by Christmas.” Their wish was our command. The family closed escrow and got possession of  their new, beautiful home this week. (mid-December) They are ready to settle in to their new community and new life. I have the strong feeling they will love their new community that started with getting a new and wonderful job. Oh, and did I tell you I love MY job?

Contact me: Mary Lascelles | ReloMary with your questions regarding selling / buying / moving / relocating. My networks are in place to match you within 24 hours typically with the professionals you’ll need to get the job done right.  Phone:  530.515.6299  Email: relomary@gmail.com

Jump on Board the ‘Red Kettle Challenge’

Moving Links will donate $1.00 to the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle for each new LIKE (up to 100) on our Facebook page this week up until Friday, December 9th, at noon PST. 

Here’s how it works.

1. Go to our page: Moving Links 4 You on Facebook
2. Click the LIKE button at the top and make sure it disappears – otherwise it won’t count
3. If you have already LIKED this page, share this with others who have not
4. Leave this comment: ‘Another $1 for the Red Kettle’
5. If you like this idea, share this idea with others to do the most good.

It’s the Holiday Season and it becomes most meaningful when we can do some good for others.
Together we can do more.

Thanks so much for your LIKE on our FB Fan Page and sharing the idea.

> Contact me: Mary Lascelles | ReloMary with your questions regarding selling / buying / moving / relocating. My networks are in place to match you within 24 hours typically with the professionals you’ll need to get the job done right.  Phone:  530.515.6299  Email: relomary@movinglinks4you.com Is ReloMary the answer for YOU when relocating?