Moveme Blog

Quick - moveme.com is hiring! We want geeks!

admin — Wed, 21 May 2008 14:29:14 +0000

We’re looking for an ASP.Net and Javascript developer to join our little family very soon, to work on our Yahoo! award-winning Ajax-based move planning application. If you have a lust for designing intelligent systems, both on the server side in C# and in the browser in Javascript, drop Andy a line on andy.skipper@moveme.com or 0207 808 5925. Be prepared to show some examples of your work so far - we want to see some serious bling!

Here’s what we’re looking for:

- ASP.Net with C#
- Javascript/Ajax/JSON - we use the Prototype and Scriptaculous frameworks, but any experience of Dom-level coding and XHR will get you by
- SQL Server 2005 - indexing, stored procedures, optimisation, etc
- Some server administration, IIS, SQL Server, Windows 2003

You’ll be joining a team of seven web ninjas sitting in the orangest tech zone you’ve ever seen. If you have any experience in creating widgets, both for the web and for the desktop, we’d be especially intested in speaking with you!

Call Andy on 0207 808 5925

Identity Fraud

Jessica — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:13:17 +0000

Identity fraud is now one of the fastest growing areas of crime with more than one in four people claiming that they have either been a victim themselves, or know someone who has. Recent Home Office figures suggest that it is currently costing in excess of £1.7 billion, or £35 per adult, annually and is rising every year. So what is identity fraud and what steps can you take to prevent it from happening to you?

Identity theft is the appropriation of an individual’s personal information, which can then be used to fraudulently obtain goods, loans, credit, employment and mortgages. Any personal information such as your bank details, utility bills, and national insurance number – or even something as innocuous as your date-of-birth – can be enough to

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Cue the drumroll and spotlights - the new moveme.com has arrived!

Jessica — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 12:54:38 +0000

You’ve waited long and hard; we’ve worked longer and harder! And now, at last, it is here…
The changes you have asked for have been made, your wishes granted, your moving problems solved… the Home Move Revolution has come…

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What to do if… You’re Struggling to Pay Your Mortgage or Your Rent

Jessica — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 09:45:39 +0000

For many of us 2008 hasn’t got off to a great start; according to The Council of Mortgage Lenders repossessions rose by 21% last year - as the affects of the credit crunch began to take hold - and Britain’s financial regulator recently warned that over one million families are at risk of losing their home in the coming 18 months; with rising interest rates and higher fuel bills cited as major contributing factors. The Bank of England responded last month with a quarter percent reduction in the base rate, but thousands of people still find themselves struggling to meet their financial commitments. What then, to do, if you find yourself unable to meet your monthly mortgage or rent payments?

Mortgage arrears

• Act quickly - the longer you leave it the more difficult it will become to tackle your arrears.

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How to Improve Your Credit Rating

Jessica — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 09:30:23 +0000

The recent credit crunch has not only prompted high-street lenders to tighten their lending criteria but, for the time being, has also put paid to 100% plus mortgages aimed at first-time buyers. However, first-time buyers are not the only casualties of the credit crackdown. The Financial Services Authority has voiced its fears that up to 1.4 million home-owners could struggle this year when their fixed-term mortgages expire; borrowers with a typical fixed-rate repayment mortgage of £200,000 could see monthly payments rising by as much as £200 once they revert to the standard variable rate. So with the onus firmly now on would-be borrowers to demonstrate that they are a sound financial prospect, a good credit track record is essential.

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Quick Tips for turning your new house into a home

Jessica — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 20:19:03 +0000

So you’ve survived the move, just – although your back and bank balance are still reeling – and you’re finally in your new home, but what now? The first few days (or even weeks) in a new place can be totally overwhelming, especially if the last of your budget has been swallowed up by moving costs.

While you’re probably desperate to get going and stamp your mark resist the temptation to start knocking down walls in a gung ho fashion; major decisions are best left until you’ve had time to acclimatise. There are slightly less radical ways of settling in and making your new house feel more homely without giving either your walls or your finances a hammering.

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Getting it right on the day

Jessica — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 19:25:19 +0000

For many the stress of moving house climaxes on removal day. Uprooting your-self, family and belongings is never easy and has the potential to wreak untold havoc. There are things, however, you can do to minimise the mayhem; the secret to a successful move is usually in the planning.

First things first: arrange removals as far ahead as possible, good firms tend to get booked months in advance, particularly during the popular periods of spring and summer. You can book a removal company through the moveme.com MovePlanner or from searching for your local removal companies here. - here you can also compare reviews and access discounts to the local companies in your area.

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Moving tips - 2 weeks to go

andy — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 21:54:16 +0000

As moving day fast approaches, it’s natural to start panicking. Try not to. If you’ve followed the handy tips so far you should be well on the way to a smooth(ish) transition.

With a fortnight to go it’s time to tackle the loose ends you’ve successfully managed to sideline over the past few weeks. A good way to approach tedious tasks (as always) is with a list as per the moveme MovePlanner – never underestimate the psychological boost of a big tick next to a completed job.

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Moving tips - 4 weeks to go

andy — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 21:39:27 +0000

Four weeks on a sun-baked beach holiday can seem to stretch out forever. When you have a three-bedroom family house and a lifetime of possessions to pack, they somehow don’t seem as long. The moveme.com MovePlanner will help you to prioritise what you need to do, but here are a few tips.

With just a month to go until D-Day start packing away non-essential items such as out-of-season clothes and shoes, duplicate crockery, occasional kitchenware, books, CDs and vinyl. Tackling non-essential items in advance offers a gentle introduction to the packing process for any novice movers – who will find it gets progressively easier after the first few boxes, we promise. Clearly marking the contents of each box (including which room it belongs in) makes unpacking at the other end less of a guessing game. Many people like to use a coded inventory, just ensure it stays close at hand to prevent accidental migration into any open packing crates. If you opt for sticky labels attach them securely, they do have a habit of becoming misplaced, especially when boxes are stacked on top of one another for any length of time.

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Moving tips - 6-8 weeks to go

andy — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 12:00:00 +0000

In terms of life events, moving house rates high in the stress stakes. While a certain degree of hassle is inevitable, moveme.com can help to keep your blood pressure under control. Aim to get started on your ‘to do’ list as soon as your offer is accepted. Arranging a survey is one of the first things to tick off, although choosing which type presents many buyers with a dilemma. There are three main kinds of survey: a basic valuation (the cheapest), a homebuyer’s report (the most common) and a full structural survey (the most detailed). Which you choose is partly determined by the age and type of property you are buying. For example, a new build should be contractor guaranteed for a period of time. In this case a basic valuation may be adequate, whereas if you need a mortgage your lender is likely to insist, at the very minimum, on a homebuyer’s survey. As a rule of thumb the older the property, the more detailed the survey required. Don’t rely too heavily on advice from the estate agent involved, it’s not necessarily within their interest to recommend a full structural survey that could reveal problems and create delays – most just want a quick sale.

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