9 Ways to Have a Smooth, Stress-Free Move
Moving is considered one of the most stressful scenarios one can endure in a lifetime, and with good reason. With so many details — and costs — to take care of, the process can feel extremely overwhelming. However, it is possible to have a smooth and stress-free move if you’re organized and arm yourself with the resources available to you.
The Buying Process
1. Know When to Buy: If you haven’t purchased your new home yet, don’t be too hasty. Knowing when it’s the right timeto buy can save you money or give you more room to negotiate. You want to purchase a home when it’s a buyer's market — this is when there’s a surplus in homes versus buyers. Prices tend to either rise slowly or fall. If you’re trying to sell during this phase, keep in mind that homes are typically on the market longer.
2. Research Your Purchasing Options: Securing a home loan is arguably the most important part of buying your new home. There are a lot of factors you should consider when shopping for a mortgage, from securing the best interest rate to choosing the right lender. If you’re a veteran, consider exploring the many advantages that come with pursuing VA loans, including no required down payments.
3. Stay Within Your Means: While it may be tempting to pick a home at the top end of your budget, it may not be your best bet. Choosing a home in the middle of your price range will lower your monthly payments, allowing you to save for unexpected events. To give you an idea of average prices, you can search the housing market online. For the past month, homes in Peoria have been selling for an average of $310,000.
Your Old Home
4. Compile a Home Inventory: While it’s an arduous process at first, conducting a room-by-room inventory of everything in your home will help you keep track of everything at your new place to ensure nothing gets lost in the move. It’s also just a good idea to have a list on hand for insurance purposes in case there’s ever a robbery, fire, or natural disaster. While there are plenty of readily available spreadsheets online, if time is of the essence, document everything with a smartphone video and handle the paperwork later.
5. Get Rid of Things Before Packing: The less you have to pack, transport, and unpack, the better. Declutter your home and donate as much as possible before your move — remember, it’s tax deductible. If you need help, don’t hesitate to bring in an expert, but keep in mind that a decluttering specialist can easily run you around $320.
6. Consider Hiring Professional Packers and Movers: While there are some things like important paperwork that you’ll want to handle yourself, hiring a professional packer and moving company can save you a lot of time (days, if not weeks) and stress. Not only that, the costs of handling everything on your own are likely to surpass those of professional assistance. Items are less likely to become broken in the hands of pros as wrapping, protecting, packing, and transporting are their expertise. Also, moving companies aren’t liable for boxes packed by others, but when you hire professionals, they are liable for any damaged goods.
If you do decide to seek the help of professionals, make sure you do your research. There are a lot of moving-related scammersout there, so make sure you’re working with legit businesses. A loss of funds and additional stress is not a good way to start the next chapter in your life.
Your New Home
7. Clean Your New Home Before Move-In Day: It’s a lot easier to clean your new home when it’s empty than when you’ve got boxes and furniture scattered everywhere — especially for a deep clean of cupboards, baseboards, and shelves. If you can swing it, hire a professional cleaning service to do the job for you to alleviate stress around moving day.
8. Make a Change of Address Checklist: There’s a little more to this than simply going to the post office and redirecting mail. You should also contact all state and federal agencies, doctors, babysitters, schools, leisure organizations, banks, credit cards, utility companies, etc. Make a change of address checklist so you don’t miss anything.
9. Don’t Forget to Switch Your Utilities: Moving into a house without running water or electricity is an absolute nightmare. Make sure you do this in advance of the big day to ensure you don’t run into any problems.
Buying and selling your home, and packing and moving can be a lengthy, taxing process. But staying organized and having a plan gives you a leg up and paves the way for an easier transition. Keep these suggestions in mind when you prepare for this major life event, and you’ll be on your way to enjoying your new home and a new chapter for your family.
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