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Complete 8 Week Moving Guide

March 31, 2021
You’ve likely heard us say it before BUT moving is cited as the third most stressful event experienced in one’s lifetime. THIRD! If you’re planning on moving soon or even have a move date already scheduled but are feeling overwhelmed with everything that needs to be accomplished between now and then, keep reading. While it’s our job to help on the financial side of your move, we can’t do much about the physical move itself. In this blog, we’re giving you our best advice and a complete moving guide that will hopefully help you navigate the moving process.

If you’re making your move in 2021, this guide will be especially helpful in planning. In a market that is moving fast, there’s no time to waste. If you’re serious about starting the home buying process or even have your pre-approval ready to go, it’s time to start planning. 

8 - 6 Weeks Before Move-In Day

Research Moving Services - Moving to a new house takes a lot and you shouldn’t do it all by yourself. Do some research into different moving services and create your moving budget. How much you’re spending on this move will depend on how far you’re moving and what kind of move you’re looking to do. Narrow down your search, nail down a budget, and decide if you’ll be doing the move yourself, with professional help or a combination of both. By the end of the 6-week marker, you should schedule your movers and move-in date! 


Appointments & Important Docs - You’re not just moving your stuff, you’re moving your life. Make a list of all the necessary appointments you’ll need to make and use the next couple of weeks to finalize these plans. This means things like setting up your utilities, school enrollment, and inspections. Now is the time to start gathering all of the important documents you must keep track of and taking inventory of what you have and what you’re missing. You may also consider backing up these important documents onto a computer in case anything gets misplaced during the move.


Inventory - Take inventory of everything you’re moving. This will help you to organize and remember everything you need to pack as well as help you decide what can be donated, sold, or thrown away. You can get super detailed in this inventory and organize it by room, or you could simply write down the most important things. This is also the time to take furniture measurements and compare them to the measurements of your new space. You don’t want to be stuck in a situation where your new sectional doesn’t fit. 


Supplies - Start to gather your boxes and moving supplies. You can contact local grocery stores and warehouses to find free boxes and then buy the rest. Consider things like packing tape, paper, bubble wrap, etc. Check with your chosen moving service to see what they offer as well.


Small Repairs - Make quick and small repairs you’ve been putting off. Start to putty over dents, replace that broken toilet paper holder, etc. If you’re selling your home and moving, this could help the process move along and it’s considerate to whoever may be moving into your home next.


Time Off - Once you’ve scheduled your move, request time off. This will give you enough time to move without stressing about getting work done during the process. Also, take this time to ask friends and family to help with your move. Like we said before, you don’t want to do this alone, and the more help you can get, the better.


5 - 2 Weeks Before Move-In Day

Start Packing - Get a head start on your packing and box up any non-essential and seasonal items. Go through your storage closets and garage area too. This means you can get things like winter coats, Christmas decorations, and even some larger items packed and out of the way. The more you can do before moving day, the less stress you’ll likely experience. Make a packing plan so you make steady progress as your move-in date gets closer. Unfortunately, you can’t take off weeks for a move, so schedule packing sessions after work and during weekends to stay on schedule.


Forwarding Mail and Transferring Services - Once you have your new address you can start the process of forwarding your mail and transferring (or canceling) services. Look at all of your subscriptions or memberships and figure out which you can keep and which you need to change. Maybe you need to cancel that gym membership but can change your address on your monthly food service subscription. Also consider things like changing pharmacies, what utilities you need to transfer, bank and card information, etc.


Donate, Sell, & Throw Away - Remember that inventory you made? Now is the time to go through the things that aren’t on it. Decide what you can donate or sell and sort out what needs to be thrown away. You could hold a yard sale, post items to an online marketplace, or schedule a drop-off at a donation site. Not only are you getting rid of the clutter, but you could make some extra cash too. 


Order New - Now is also the time to go through your inventory and fill in any gaps you may have. If you have the means to, take this opportunity to order new furniture pieces to make your new space feel like home right away. If you are still in the thick of the mortgage process, avoid making large purchases or opening new credit cards as it could impact your loan. For more information on what NOT to do during the home buying process, check out our YouTube video all about the mistakes you should avoid during the home buying process here. 


The Week Before Move-in Day (It’s Getting Real)

Pack Pack Pack - Now is the time to put packing into high gear! Tackle it room by room to help you stay organized and keep your most-used spaces livable. Disassemble large furniture pieces, take photos of valuable items (just in case), and just pack. This task can seem never-ending, but if you’ve planned ahead, have an inventory, and started your packing weeks ago, you should be in good shape. You should aim to be done packing before moving day. Leaving anything for the day of the move is likely why it’s ranked as the third most stressful thing ever.


Suitcases - Pack your day-to-day essentials and a couple of days worth of clothes in a suitcase for each member of your family. You won’t want to sort through all of your boxes to find your toothpaste the day after moving. This will help you feel more like you during your move and keep you from stressing over not having deodorant on hand or clean clothes for the next day.


Clean Up - As you finish packing each room, clean it too. You’ll want to dust surfaces, vacuum, or mop the floors, and just make sure you leave your space ready for the next family moving in. Cleaning will help you feel like you’re crossing things off your list, make the space more attractive to potential buyers if you’re selling, and is a nice courtesy to whoever is moving into your space. 


Last Minute Errands - Head out for extra cash to tip your movers, collect any keys and garage remotes, and pick up anything else outstanding. Do a final sweep of your house to make sure you didn’t miss anything in all the packing and take photos/video of your space.


Move-In Day

It’s the big day! If you follow this guide and prepare well in advance, this day should go off without a hitch. Load up the trucks, order some pizza for those helping you, and get moving into your new home. 


Moving houses is a huge process with lots of little steps you may not immediately think about. For a more extensive and complete moving guide, head to https://www.moving.com/move-planner/ to create and print your moving checklist.

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Finding The Right Listing Agent For You

By Sarah Rubin • December 15, 2022
Buying a home is a huge investment and one we talk about often - BUT the flipside is that you have an opportunity to cash in on that investment when you’re ready to sell your home! While you do have the chance to cash-in, a lot more work goes into selling a home than you might think! If you are considering selling your home, working with a listing agent will help you market your home, negotiate with potential buyers, work through paperwork, and ultimately close on your home! So what is a listing agent? In its most basic terms, a listing agent is a real estate professional who represents the seller in a real estate transaction. The listing agent lists the home for sale and works on behalf of the seller to sell the home at the best price and terms for their client. Listing your home is a BIG deal and it is not a place to try and DIY. But why can’t you just grab a sign at Home Depot and try and sell yourself? Well, there are lots of reasons some of which include: Professional consultation: A listing agent will walk you through each step and tell you what to expect along the way! They should understand the specific community you’re in and the current market environment and will help you determine a competitive but realistic asking price for your home. Marketing and selling your home: Your listing agent will list your home on the multiple listing service (MLS) in order to better market your home to potential buyers. They also can make staging recommendations and hire a photographer to best show off your home and its features. They’ll schedule house showings, and can be present to answer any questions. Communication and negotiation: Communication is key to both buying and selling a home in order to minimize stress and misunderstandings. Listing agents take care of this important task, by staying in touch with interested buyers and their agents, fielding questions, handling paperwork, and negotiating the final sale price and terms. Recommendations: Seasoned listing agents might come with a list of professionals who they have worked with in the past that they enjoy working with in order to make the selling process smoother for you! Some of these professionals include: real estate attorneys or title companies, inspectors, stagers, those who specialize in home improvement AND of course trusted Loan Officers. How do I find the right listing agent for my situation? In order to find the right listing agent for you, make sure your agent is licensed and has experience, references, and a professional website where you can learn more about them and their qualifications. Most real estate agents work with both buyers and sellers, but some might specialize in one or the other. Once you find a few agents through referrals or online research, meet with them in person to ensure they meet your needs and work well with your personality. It is also important to ask questions during your meeting with them and it’s imperative that you determine what you’re looking for in an agent so you make sure you are happy with the product being delivered. Selling a home can be stressful, especially for first-time sellers. A listing agent can help by taking on some of the burden and providing the information and resources needed to help sellers make informed decisions. We work with agents on both sides of the transaction – if you have any questions or would like a recommendation for an agent in your area, please reach out to us!
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