Zillow.com

Zillow.com is an easy-to-use online real estate website that allows you to simply type in your city or zip code in order to find houses on the market. You can choose from options like homes for sale or rent, or you can simply learn more about topics like mortgage rates. This resource also has categories for professional advice, local information and blogs that can show you what has worked for others.

ApartmentFinder.com

If you’d rather play it safe and buy or rent an apartment before starting your new job in the U.S., ApartmentFinder.com is one of the most reliable ways to find a complex. Since many apartment managers require credit scores, you can use the website’s features to determine your financial rating before receiving a specific quote. When browsing through your city, you’ll even have access to a list of featured apartments, giving you the option to choose luxury over simplicity.

Loopnet.com

Many people simply prefer building their own house. If this is the case with you, Loopnet.com might be a useful tool. This website allows you to type in your city or zip code to find empty lots for sale across the U.S. You even have the option of browsing properties for a potential business venture, as you can choose by categories such as automotive, health care, hotels, churches and convenience store properties. In addition, you can get more specific by learning about zoning details and available acreage.

Today, we’re excited to announce the launch of our “2012 Best Restaurant of Vancouver” Facebook contest. We have picked some of the best restaurants in Vancouver for customers and fans to vote on starting today through May 18.  The winning restaurant will be awarded its inaugural title and one voter will be randomly picked to win a $150 gift certificate at the winning restaurant.

We selected the following 10 Vancouver based restaurants based on several factors including reputation, food category, local buzz and individual awards.

• Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie
• Blue Water Café + Raw Bar
• Glowbal Grill & Satay Bar
• Lift Bar Grill View Restaurant
• Lupo Restaurant + Vinoteca
• La Terrazza
• ORU Cuisine
• Provence Marinade
• Simply Thai
• Q4 Ristorante

The contest runs from Monday, May 7th to Friday May 18th at midnight PST.

Here’s how you can participate:

1. Become a fan of the QMM Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/QMMVancouverAllied
2. Click on the “Best Restaurant” tab.
3. Vote for your favorite restaurant
   1. Note: Each valid Facebook Profile can vote each day during the promotion. So log-in and vote every day!
4. The winning restaurant and individual winner will be announced the week of May 21, 2012.  Promotion details and rules can be found on the Facebook fan page.

Once you vote, make sure you get your friends and other fans of the restaurants to vote too!  Every vote helps!

Quality Move Management Inc. has offices and warehouses in Vancouver,Calgary and Edmonton and specializes in corporate moving services as well as local, long-distance consumer and cross-border moving. For more information about Quality Move Management, visit http://www.QMM.com.

1. Make a system in the garage. This is the last space people organize, but the place where everything seems to end up. Make sure there are shelves for items relating to the car and yard, and a place for tools. Hang bicycles from the ceiling with hooks, and organize storage items like holiday decorations in plastic bins with labels. Keep hazardous materials up high out of children’s reach, and sports equipment and outdoor toys where kids can find them.

2. Get your entryway organized. Have waterproof mats for shoes, a hook for everyone’s coat, and a place for kids’ backpacks. If each person can have a bin for the random things they bring in and out, like scarves and hats, it will organize a potential mess.

3. Work on the kitchen. Put everything away except what you use on a daily basis. Put things in logical places, like the cookie sheets near the stove and the glasses near the fridge where people will be finding drinks. Conquer the “junk drawer” with dividers for like items.  Make a rule that the top of the fridge remains cleaned off; this is a tempting area to make a mess with underused items.

4. Get ready for important home office work by setting up a clean and organized work space. Find a spot in the house where your desk can remain undisturbed and uncluttered. Have a place for bills, mail, catalogs, and all the items you need at your fingertips such as a stapler, tape, etc. Make it known within the family that office items stay in the office, or things might walk away!

5. Tackle the closets. Make sure each person in the family has what they need to keep a tidy closet. Are there enough shelves and bins? Do they need a shoe rack or an over-the-door hook? Help children to separate seasonal clothing and provide under-the-bed zippered bags or boxes to keep out of season items.

Once you have a plan, you will be much more likely to keep your home organized. After the chaos of cross border moving, you will definitely need a plan! Make one and stick to it.

(Photo attributed to Flickr member @LizMarie_AK via the creative common license)

Cross border moving to Canada may leave you pining for the restaurants of your old neighborhood, but rest assured, there are wonderful restaurants waiting for you up north. Whether in Ontario, Victoria, Edmonton, or Montreal, you will be able to find a lovely place to sit and have highly recommended faire.

The Black Cat Cafe in Ottawa, Ontario

This is a small place with seats for only 30. The owner is the sommelier and can pair your meal with the perfect wine. Expect jazz music, and fresh, surprising ingredients. When was the last time you had lobster pudding served with chorizo sausage? Take a date and enjoy the hip atmosphere.

Sotto Sotto in Toronto, Ontario

Meaning “Hush, Hush” in Italian, you can guess the mood of this restaurant: romance. The Italian cuisine is accompanied by the choice of over 5,000 bottles of wine. This menu is comforting and classic, and comes with a feeling of friendship.

Corso 32 in Edmonton

Corso 32 was the address of the chef and owner’s Campania childhood home. As the restaurant’s name harkens to the past, the food forges ahead to the future of Italian. The chef has been said to be a show-off, but who cares when the food is this good.

Ulla in Victoria

Named after the mother of the chef, Ulla is a young, urban hot-spot located in Chinatown. The menu is mostly organic, and ushers in the new generation of connoisseurs. The atmosphere is bright, with quirky decor, and a place for anyone. Try their version of the chickpea snack; pickled, deep fried and salted.

Van Horne in Montreal

Van Horne isn’t shy with its totem pole (nicknamed Bill) in the dining room and Lichtenstein silkscreened paper plates on the walls. The food tends to come by color, with the sense of style similar to the decor. With only four main courses, your decision will be easy, and your trip will have been worth it.

Cross border moving may bring you in close proximity to one of these gems. If so, take time to stop in and see what all the buzz is about.

(Photo attributed to Flickr member @stuart_spivack via the creative common license)

After cross border moving, you’ll be getting settled in your new home, and your kids will be adjusting to the new house and city. After they are out of school for the summer, the first thing they tend to complain about is boredom. Prevent this pre-emptively by planning for activities that will keep your kids occupied.

Set up a small garden for them to tend all summer. Look at www.kidsgardening.org. This National Gardening Association site provides multitudes of ideas for different garden types and layouts. A fun choice might be a butterfly garden. You need an area with six hours of sunlight, colorful flowering plants, and leafy plants that attract egg-laying butterflies and become food for the larvae.

Be an idea-generator for your kids. Set up a “boredom box” that they can choose 1-2 ideas from each day. Include ideas such as making sidewalk chalk art, creating a scavenger hunt, and playing dress-up. If they don’t like what is in the boredom box, they aren’t allowed to complain anymore about being bored.

Every kid needs to try a lemonade stand. Teach your kids how to have a really good one. Have it at the same time as your or a neighbor’s garage sale to increase traffic. Give each child a job; money-keeper, lemonade-mixer, sign-maker. Try to sneak in a little math as they add up their profits and subtract their expenses.

Help your kids out by setting up play dates. This is really a babysitting swap service with your friends, but will seem to the kids like a special day out. And do try to make it special. Make ice cream or go to the neighborhood pool. Choose something they can all do together despite any age differences.

You might want to invest in a museum membership. Do you have a history museum or children’s museum? Members often get special access to activities, and you can go anytime you want. Give the kids disposable cameras and make a game out of finding a list of items you create and photographing them.

With these ideas, your kids will forget their cross border moving experience, and will be excited about the summer ahead.

(Photo attributed to Flickr member @sfajane via the creative common license)

Although it’s usually an incredibly rewarding experience, Moving to the U.S. can also be an arduous process. One thing you can do to get yourself adjusted to the cultural changes and perhaps speed up the citizenship process is research educational institutions that cater to working immigrants. Here are three educational resources that can point you in the right direction.

Literacy Information and Communication System

The Literacy Information and Communication System (LINCS) website can direct you to a useful tool known as America’s Literacy Directory, which allows you to type in your location and helps you determine where to sign up for necessary classes. The directory offers results that can help you read and write, study for the GED program, obtain citizenship education or learn English as a second language.

The University of Texas at Dallas

If your primary reason for moving to the U.S. is receiving a college degree, you should consider speeding up the process by applying to the University of Texas at Dallas. This school offers a wide variety of degrees, and it’s located in a city that has some lenient immigration policies. According to The Dallas Morning News, the state of Texas spent $33.6 million for in-state and institutional financial aid to immigrant students, legal or illegal, between 2004 and 2008.

Driver’s Education

Even though you likely know how to operate a motor vehicle, you must become familiar with the local state traffic laws and basic traffic patterns because these are almost always different in every country. You can refer to the Driver’s Ed website to take all the coursework online and prepare yourself for the driving test at your nearest DMV facility. Once these steps are taken, it might be much easier for you to commute on your own time and find suitable employment.

Allied Van Lines Inc., one of the world’s largest moving companies and a subsidiary of SIRVA Inc., announced that Quality Move Management Inc. received two top awards at its US Operations Conference held in Lombard, IL.  The Canadian-based firm was named the 2011 Cross Border Agent of the Year, and was also recognized as the 2011 Safety Agent of the Year.

For the fifth year in a row, Quality Move Management earned the prestigious Allied Cross Border Agent of the Year award, which recognizes the agency with the highest volume of US-Canada cross-border tonnage, among more than 400 Allied Van Lines agents in North America.  Hauling over 6.5 million pounds across the border in 2011, up 20% from 2010 levels, QMM achieved a quality score of 4.63 (out of a possible 5.0), placing them in the “Excellent” category of agents.

“Once again, Quality Move Management continues to set the standard for our cross border agents,” said Bill Lyon, Vice President and General Manager of Allied Van Lines.  “Being recognized multiple times for both awards is indicative of a culture that can successfully perform at the highest level.”

“Even though we moved the equivalent of 300 truckloads across the border in 2011, our goal was do it safely and securely,” said Quality Move Management President & CEO Kevin St. George.  “Winning these awards multiple years is a testament not only to the quality of our leadership but also to everyone on our team who contributed with their passion for excellence.”

Quality Move Management Inc. has offices and warehouses in Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton and specializes in corporate moving services as well as local and long-distance consumer moving. For more information about Quality Move Management, visit www.QMM.com.

For additional information, please contact Shelby Slater by e-mail at sslater@qmm.com or by phone at 604-523-3752.

About Allied Van Lines

Established in 1928, Allied Van Lines, with more than 400 agent locations in North America, is an experienced leader in household goods moving and specialized transportation services. Allied is one of the world’s largest moving companies and one of the established global brands of SIRVA, Inc., a leader in providing relocation services to corporations, consumers and governments around the world. For more information about Allied Van Lines, visit www.allied.com. Allied Van Lines, Inc., U.S. DOT No. 076235

About SIRVA, Inc.

SIRVA, Inc. is a leading provider of relocation solutions to a well-established and diverse customer base around the world. The Company handles all aspects of relocation, including home purchase and home sale services, household goods moving, mortgage services, and home closing and settlement services. SIRVA conducts more than 300,000 relocations per year, transferring corporate and government employees in addition to individual consumers. SIRVA’s well-recognized brands include Allied, Allied International, Allied Pickfords, Allied Special Products, DJK Residential, Global, northAmerican, northAmerican International, SIRVA Mortgage, SIRVA Move Management, SIRVA Relocation and SIRVA Settlement. More information about SIRVA can be found on the Company’s Web site at http://www.sirva.com.

Montreal, which is in the province of Quebec, Canada, is one of the most culturally-diverse cities in the region with both English and French heritage. If you have your sights set on Montreal, consider doing some research on four local attractions that can make the prospect of Cross Border Moving a little easier for your family.

1. Old Montreal is a district in the heart of the downtown area that’s home to numerous architectural restorations, preserved shops and boutiques, as well as swanky hotels that have thrived since the city’s founding. There are also a number of museums, exhibitions and community events that can teach your family about Montreal’s culture.

2. Montreal is located between two of the most impressive waterfalls in the region. Niagara Falls, one of the world’s most awe-inspiring natural wonders that borders the United States near the town of Buffalo, New York, is a spectacle that everyone should see at least once in their lifetime. On the other hand, if you’d rather travel a little closer to home, the towering waterfalls of Parc de la Chute-Montmorency is about an hour or two northeast of Montreal, just a few minutes from Old Quebec.

3. Notre-Dame Basilica is one of Montreal’s most renowned historic landmarks, boasting a gothic exterior and spectacular stained glass murals on the interior. Since this building was constructed in 1656, your family will likely appreciate the mind-boggling craftsmanship.

4. Whether you want to simply enjoy local scenery or indulge in activities like cross-country skiing and fishing, Mont Saint Bruno is merely 30 minutes northeast of downtown Montreal. During the spring months there are hundreds of unique species of flowers and trees that bloom along the massive network of nature trails.

Cross border moving can be stressful, and often exercise is the first thing to go out the window. When you arrive in Edmonton, you will find that there are many options for getting out and getting fit. Here are five great ways to start your fitness goals.

The North Saskatchewan River is a recreation spot for all the locals. In the spring, you can canoe and kayak, and while you are there get in a little fishing. Make a day of it with the family. Pack a picnic. Don’t forget to keep belongings in waterproof containers!

The river valley in Edmonton is lovely, and perfect for biking, walking, and jogging. Edmonton has over 100 miles of maintained multi-use trails. The parks department keeps them clean and debris-free, so that you can get along with ease.

If you are more of an indoor person, try the Kinsmen Sports Centre. Located in the river valley, minutes away from downtown, it’s Edmonton’s best multi-purpose sports facility. There are indoor and outdoor pools, two indoor tracks, two fitness centers, courts for squash, racquetball and walleyball, and a field house for badminton, tennis, volleyball, and more.

If you are more of the graceful type, sign up for dance classes at Foot Notes Dance Studio. They teach courses in American style ballroom, Latin dance for beginners, country and swing, and the argentine tango. If you want more cardio, they have a fitness dance program that includes belly dancing!

The best way to keep fit is to join a group. Try the Edmonton Hikers Meetup Group. They are dedicated to keeping active by hiking together. Go with them into the Rockies for a big adventure, or stay in Edmonton and experience the recreational areas around the city. Just sign up to participate.

After cross border moving, you will have plenty of options for keeping fit, and they will help you get out into your new city and meet your fellow Edmonton residents.
(Photo attributed to Flickr member @C.G.P. Grey via the creative common license)

Moving to the U.S. is a large undertaking, and organizing a new home is an equally large task. If you have been settled for several seasons, it may be time to think about spring cleaning. Here are five easy steps to get you started:

1. Start off with a thorough de-cluttering. Look at all the surfaces and make tough decisions about what really needs to be there. Go through the linen closet, the hall closet, and other places where junk hides. Think about donating items you no longer use.

2. Start at the top. Take a broom and stick a sock on the handle. Go room to room dusting corners and taking down cobwebs. Use the brush attachment of your vacuum cleaner to suck up dust on heating vents, draperies, and windowsills. Work your way down the walls, over the furniture, and to the floors and baseboards.

3. Now is the time to actually move the sofa, beds, and other heavy furniture. Pull items from their place and vacuum the floor. Wipe the baseboards behind beds and sofas.

4. You have two options, doing one room at a time, or doing the same task in all the rooms, task after task. The benefit to the latter is that you will have the tools out that you need. Also, you will be focused on washing rugs, dusting plants, etc., and things might go more quickly.

5. Engage the whole family. Assign someone to the garage, shed, and yard. Have them also start with de-cluttering and donating unused items. This person might also be willing to wash the outside of the windows.

After moving to the U.S., spring cleaning will seem like small potatoes. Make a plan and attack your dust bunnies with gusto.

(Photo attribute to Flickr member @nimbupan via the creative common license)