Add the KW App to your phone for a great home search tool!!!!

For a great app for use of  your home search go to www.LynnNicholsApp.com, you can use this app anywhere in the country, it is GPS driven. It has so many great functions, and you can share it with whoever you like. If there are any questions please contact us here at the Military Relocation Connection Network.

Introducing our newest Realtor, Jim Muscatell

The Military Relocation Connection Network is happy to announce it's newest Realtor from the state of Washington, Jim Muscatell. So here in his own words is a little about him.

I retired from the military as a Brigadier General after 35 years and we returned home to Puyallup Washington.  I started the next chapter of my life as a Real Estate Agent with Gateway.  My wife is an interior decorator and offering free staging advice for my listings through 2014.

People are my passion! As a servant leader I led thousands in the military.  Now I continue serving others by helping them accomplish their real estate dreams.  I promise the highest level of customer service while assisting you in achieving your real estate goals.  We commit to treat your dream as if it was our own.

The most important part of my job is to listen carefully to your wants and needs. I promise to always communicate and promptly return your text, calls and emails.

On my website you can search MLS listings, get the latest Real Estate news and even explore bank owned properties in Puyallup, Spanaway, Graham, Lakewood and Bonney Lake/Lake Tapps.

Sincerely,

 Jim Muscatell Real Estate Broker                              

Phone: 253-254-8547

Email: Jim.Muscatell@gatewayre.com

Website: JimMuscatell.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/jimmuscatellreator

         

New Listing in Clayton, New York

This new listing is presented by our Realtor in New York, Melanie Curley. Melanie sevices the Fort Drum military base. She has been with the Military Relocation Connection Network since the beginning when we first started in 2009. Please take a look at her new listing in Clayton New York. Just click on the picture and it will give you a virtual tour.

Here at the Military Relocation Connection we can help you from your current station to your next station. Please contact with any Relocation questions you may have.

Aloha from Hawaii, where this beautiful home is for sale

Good Afternoon Everyone. Our Realtor located in Hawaii, Wanda Ortiz Thayne has a great new listing that I would like to share with you. You can click on the picture and take a tour. If have a PCS move to Hawaii please call Wanda, she will take care of you. If you have any other Real Estate needs anywhere in the country please contact us here at the Military Relocation Connection Network and let us help you.

5 Tips for Creating a Fun-Filled PCS Trip

Found this great article on Military by Owner website. Knowing that it is PCS season thought this may have some fun ideas. As always if there is anything the Military Relocation Connection Network can do please contact us, we can help you to and from your next station.

Whether you are planning your PCS route or taking a Griswold type family vacation, it can be a great opportunity to see some amazing sights across this great country. Better yet, there are a number of opportunities for military service members and their families to minimize the financial toll of the trip.

National Parks

There are more than 2,000 federal recreation sites across the United States and the National Park Service is offering a free Annual Pass to all military members and dependents in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard, as well as Reserve and National Guard members with valid military ID.

Annual Pass for U.S. Military holders will receive the following benefits:

“Free admission at sites that charge entrance or standard amenity fees for one full year from the month obtained (through last day of that month).

• Allows pass owner and accompanying passengers in a single, private, non-commercial vehicle to enter federally operated recreation sites across the country.
• Covers the pass owner and three (3) accompanying adults age 16 and older at sites where per person entrance fees are charged. No entry fee charged for children 15 and under.

The pass does not cover or provide a discount on expanded amenity fees such as camping, boat launch or interpretive fees.”

(National Park Service Website http://www.nps.gov)

Passes can be obtained at Federal sites that charge an entrance fee, a list of which can be found here.

If you are PCSing with more than one vehicle, keep in mind that the pass is only valid for one vehicle and its passengers. However, if another military member or dependent is operating the other vehicle, you may want to inquire about obtaining a second Annual Pass.

With the number of incredible national parks, this Annual Pass is a great way to make the most of your summer travels.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Military Fee Waiver

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is now accepting the National Park Annual Pass for U.S. Military at the more than 2,500 USACE managed recreation areas, which include boat launches and swimming areas across the United States.

They also waive the camping fees for active duty military members and their dependents that are currently deployed or have just returned from deployment. To qualify for the camping waiver, the member or dependent must present a copy of leave orders as well as military ID or Annual Pass.

If you are truly adventuresome during your PCS move, you could camp for a night, which would certainly cut down on any lodging expenses. Otherwise, this is just a great opportunity for summer family fun!

View a list of the USACE sites across the country.

Blue Star Museums

Stopping at a children’s museum during a PCS move can be a great way to let the kids run off some energy. Of course, visiting a museum is also a great way to beat the summer heat.

Blue Star Museums is offering free admission for military families at more than 2,000 art centers, museums and exhibits through Labor Day, so be sure to take advantage of this incredible opportunity.

Find a Blue Star Museum near you or along your route

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

Any fan of the Food Network will be familiar with Guy Fieri’s show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, where he showcases the hole-in-the-wall restaurants that only the locals would know and love. Everyone loves to eat and what better way to try out some local flavor than to map out stops at some of the DDD’s that Guy has visited?

If you are traveling with kids, this is another way to involve them in the planning process by having them choose different places to stop. This may also eliminate any complaints about where you are stopping for lunch.

Oddly enough it seems, I am not the only fan of DDD, as there is an individual who has mapped out each stop that Guy has made and has created a Google map that provides the name, address, phone number, web address and quotes from what Guy had to say about the restaurant. This is a great way to plot out the stops along your route.

Cool Stops & Side Trips

There is no shortage of fun, odd, beautiful and amazing things to see across this great land and there is no better time than during a PCS trip to take advantage of the opportunity to stop and see the sights.

If you have planned out your route and have set stops for each evening, visit the Chamber of Commerce website for the area to see what type of events or entertainment may be taking place while you are there. Catch a minor league baseball game, visit an art festival, play at a park or catch a concert while you are in town. After driving all day, it may just be the thing you need to gather your energy to drive on. Stopping on side trips to see the Meteor Crater, the World’s Largest Ball of Twine or The Amazing Maize Maze may be the thing that makes this the most memorable trip of your life!

To help you get started with your travel plans, we have included some fun sights and side trips along the most frequently traveled PCS routes. If you have some fun ideas of places to stop or things to see, please share them with us.

Travels along I-40	Travels along I-10	Travels along I-80

Vacation Security Smarts

Hello Everyone:

With the vacation season upon us I got an article written by Pillar to Post home inspectors about security measures for the summer season while you are on vacation.  Have a very safe and great June.

Vacation Security Smarts

As summer gets into full swing, it makes sense to review some simple but important steps you
should take to secure your home during vacation season. Amidst all of the decisions about
where to go, where to stay, and what to do when you get there, taking some time to plan for
leaving your home safe and secure will give you added peace of mind while you’re away.

Here are some useful reminders and tips for protecting your home while you’re away:
 Make your home appear occupied by using timers on a few lights throughout the house,
scheduling them to turn off and on at various times after dark. You can also use a timer
on a radio to provide background noise to deter potential intruders.
 Use caution when communicating about your vacation dates on Facebook and other
social media . Information spreads quickly, and you don’t want it to get into the wrong
hands.
 Advise your friends and trusted neighbors of your travel plans and when you’re
expecting to return. Provide your cell phone or another number where they can reach
you in an emergency.
 Suspend delivery of your newspaper and have the post office hold your mail, or ask a
neighbor to collect them for you each day. A buildup of mail or uncollected papers is an
obvious sign that no one is at home.
 Ask a neighbor park in your driveway on occasion so it looks like there is someone at
home.
 If you have landline phones, turn off the ringers so they can’t be heard from outside.
Leave a note on at least one of the phones as a reminder to turn them back on when
you return.
 Arrange to have someone mow the lawn in your absence if you’re going to be gone for a
week or more.
 Close the window coverings on any ground-level rooms where displays of silver or other
valuables are visible from outside.
 Unplug appliances such as the coffee maker, toaster, microwave, computers, video
systems, stereos, and televisions. Be sure to leave the refrigerator and freezer plugged
in.
 To avoid the potential of water damage from an unpredictable leak or a burst hose, turn
off the water supply lines for the toilets, sinks, washing machine, dishwasher, and ice
maker. It’s easy to do and can help avert coming home to a disaster.
 Adjust the water heater to its lowest setting or to vacation mode if it has one. Maintaining
the hot water at its everyday temperature while you’re away wastes energy and money.
 If possible, pack your vacation gear into the car while it’s in the garage so that you’re not
announcing to passersby that you’re leaving for an extended period.
 Lock the garage, gates, and storage structures. Don’t forget to lock any standard entry
doors to the garage, either from the house or to outside.

Enjoy your well-deserved time away, knowing that you’ve taken these smart measures to keep
your home safe and secure.

If there is any questions  Military Relocation Connection Network can answer or any relocation needs you have please contact us here, leave a comment. Please feel free to contact Lynn Nichols the founder direct if you would like, you can e-mail, call or text her at 443 694-0028

What is an Military Relocation Professional???

The Military Relocation Professional (MRP for short)  is a new Certification that is obtained through the National Association of Realtor's. Here is a brief description from the MRP website, along with the logo

 When military staff and their families relocate, the services of a real estate professional who understands their needs and timetables makes the transfer easier, faster, and less stressful. This certification focuses on educating real estate professionals about working with current and former military service members to find the housing solutions that best suit their needs and take full advantage of military benefits and support.

Here at the Military Relocation Connection Network, many of the Realtor's have already obtained their certification, along with many other designations, such as CRS, ABR, Associate Broker, E-Pro, etc, so you can be assured our Realtor's are experienced and very knowledgeable. You can relax knowing that you are going to be paired with a Realtor that understands the Military life, whether it is through living it, being a spouse, being brought up in it, or working with many Military Clients. Our Realtor's also know about selling houses.  Please if you have any questions please feel free to contact us. You e-mail, call or text, the direct line to get a hold of us is 443 694-0028, that is the Lynn Nichols's, the founder personal line. Thanks for visiting us and come back soon.

Military Relocation Overview-Tips for PCS

Depending on your service branch, the name of the government office which will handle your relocation varies. Contacting these offices will put you into contact with personal property entitlements counselors who can advise and assist you on your move. I copied an article for Military.com on the different offices you contact for shipping your goods. If we can help you in anyway contact the Military Relocation Connection Network, we would be more than happy to help, we have over 40 Realtor's waiting.

Depending on your service branch, the name of the government office which will handle your relocation varies:

The Department of Defense - Joint Personal Property Shipping Office

Air Force - Traffic Management Office

Army - Installation Transportation Office

Navy and Marine Corps - Personal Property Shipping Office

Coast Guard - Household Goods Shipping Office

Contacting these offices will put you into contact with personal property entitlements counselors who can advise and assist you on your move.

Peak season for relocation is usually May through August. Most people prefer to move during the summer months, and most commands are in competition with other military activities as well as both the commercial market and the corporate market. This creates shortages of drivers, packers and helpers, not to mention trucks and warehouse space. Because of this added competition for service, most van lines are saturated during this peak season, which causes added stress for all.

As a result, it is best to plan and book shipments of household goods as far ahead of time as possible. In fact, many offices require 30 days from the scheduled appointment to set up a shipment. During non-peak time many shipments can often be scheduled within 10 days of counseling.

To ensure a successful move, be sure to provide the following to your personal property entitlements counselor:

• Alternative pack/pickup dates (just in case the dates you want are not available)
• Accurate contact phone numbers
• In-route point of contact phone number/address

When meeting with your counselor, be sure to also bring the following:

• Six (6) legible copies of the member's orders (per shipment)
• Proof of dependents, from the member's service record
• Dependent Entry Approval
• A Power of Attorney or Letter of Authorization, notarized or countersigned by a commissioned officer, if someone other than the member will be signing documents on the member's behalf
• Information on prior shipments if household goods will need to be moved from a location other than the member's current residence
• The registration for any motorized vehicle, motorcycle, boat or trailer that is being shipped
• The make, caliber, and serial number of any firearm being shipped
• For a home of record move, in addition to the above, members will need to bring two (2) copies of their enlistment contract or officer home of record papers, and two (2) copies of every set of orders received up to the current duty station (this additional paperwork is required to correctly calculate the entitlement)

Thanks for stopping by today and again anything we can do please contact us, at www.MilitaryRelocationConnection.com

Lynn Nichols, Founder