Buying a home is exciting, nerve-wracking, at times confusing, and, of course, very stressful. I talk about this mix of emotions and stressors often, particularly the blend of excitement and stress. I see it every day, and it’s my job to make the stress part easier so my clients can more fully enjoy the exciting aspect of buying a home.
One of the biggest and more underappreciated stressors with buying a home is moving. We collect lots of stuff in our places – A LOT! In fact, we tend to underestimate how much stuff we have, and the physical aspect of moving that stuff can become daunting quickly.
In today’s difficult market for buyers many folks are so happy with going under contract that I can’t blame them for getting a little too distracted.
So I wanted to spend this month’s blog post talking about options for making moving easier. With a little preparation and diligence no buyer will be surprised by their closing and moving-in date.
Of course, I shouldn’t exclude seller clients from this topic too. Getting your house empty and broom-swept for the final walk-through might even be more challenging than simply moving into a new home.
Seeing as sellers have a little more experience in navigating a home sale with the logistics of moving, I hope perhaps this month’s topic and post will serve as a refresher, and I welcome any added tips in the comments below from all my clients who’ve been through this process.
I’ll start my discussion with emphasizing the need to get started early. You should be evaluating and going through your moving needs within the first few days of going under contract.
Inventory the items being moved, including large furniture items and fragile pieces. Make sure not to forget items outside, including items in your garage and/or shed.
Knowing what you have and what you can handle to move on your own is essential because hiring a moving company should be a thorough process, and, if you end up using one, being able to schedule movers early takes a lot of the stress away.
In my humble opinion, based on my own personal and professional experience with real estate, hiring a moving company is worth the money. Still, I understand that buying a home can be a financially tight situation for folks and hiring movers might not fit into your budget.
No matter your financial situation as you prepare to move, I think it’s still worth taking the time to explore your options, especially with hiring movers to help with the transition.
You can hire movers for your entire place, or hire them to move specific pieces of furniture and items.
Moving companies offer a lot of different options, including some that pack and move your items for you, or simply move your furniture and packed boxes, or move specialty items like pianos and antiques.
Before contacting a moving company, you should have a clear idea of what you need help with. This might include a budget-based approach where you tailor your moving needs with what you can afford.
Whatever your needs, finding several local companies is the first step. Get quotes from multiple companies to ensure you don’t overpay.
Try to get multiple quotes for different types of moves. Doing so will help those with a budget-based approach. Perhaps a full move is too expensive, but you can afford a little help with larger furniture items.
Cost is not the only important thing, however. Doing your homework and researching a company’s certifications and customer reviews is important too.
After all, as nice and pain-free as movers can be, we’re still talking about your stuff! You want to make sure you’re using a reputable company to handle and move your valuable possessions.
Take the time and ensure you’re hiring trustworthy people to help you with your move.
Another consideration many clients forget is the stuff that you don’t want to take with you! Moving can be a great time to reevaluate your furniture and household needs. But getting rid of your junk isn’t easy.
Most towns won’t allow you to put larger items on the curb for disposal. Consider hiring a junk removal company to help, if necessary. Or consider these DIY methods too.
I want to conclude this month’s topic on navigating the moving process by talking about scheduling your move. I’ve spent some time previously talking about the logistical difficulties of buying and selling a home at the same time.
Take the time to read through those tips to help you navigate scheduling your move if that situation applies to you.
Timing your move isn’t always simple. Unless you’ve worked out specific details in your signed offer on your home, you can’t move in until after your closing. If you’re renting a place, it’s important to make sure your lease is good until at least the day of your closing, though I’d recommend giving yourself days or even weeks.
This will take some of the pressure off yourself and give you extra time to pack and be ready for moving day.
Work on these details as early as possible to ensure that when you do have a moving date set, the company you chose is available. Or, for those who aren’t using a moving company, having lots of time will allow you to schedule and rent a moving truck and/or find friends and family to help out!
It’s important to me that my clients have a great experience in the real estate process. I can’t stress enough the importance of due diligence when it comes to moving. Taking the time and preparing well ahead of a closing date is key.
There’s no bigger headache than moving. Add in all the other complications that come with any real estate transaction, and it’s easy to see why buying and selling your home can be such a mixed bag of dream and nightmare, stress and joy…
If you have any questions, or need recommendations or more advice, feel free to reach out to me any time!
