Did you know that the average American moves at least five times in their lifetime? This means that moving away is quite common. However, that doesn’t make it any easier.
Are you about to take the plunge and move away from your current home? You’ve probably heard horror stories of costly moves gone wrong, but if you give yourself some preparation time before relocating, the process can be much easier (and enjoyable even).
Moving to a new state is full of unknowns and possibilities for adventure, so we want to help you make sure all your bases are covered as you embark on this journey. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll provide insight into everything you should know before moving away.
From finances to finding movers, unpacking tips, and what to check out in your new city — by the end of this guide, you may just find yourself looking forward with eager anticipation toward building roots in a whole new place.
What to Do Before Moving Away
Planning a move to a different state is an exciting experience, but also one that can take a lot of planning. To make sure all of the details are taken care of, it is recommended that you begin planning your move as far in advance as possible.
Consider factors such as job hunting and locating housing in the new city and make sure you set aside time to research all the details related to moving away from your current home. With planning and preparation, relocating to a different state can be an overwhelmingly positive experience.
If you’re not sure where to start, here is a list of simple tasks to complete before you even consider selling your house.
Research Your New City
Before taking the big leap, it’s important to research your new city and narrow down whether or not it would be the right move for you. After all, you’re uprooting your life.
There are many factors to consider when searching for a place to call home such as the:
- Cost of living
- Job opportunities
- Relevant educational institutions
- Transportation system
- Healthcare system
- Entertainment options
Your research success may depend on your current financial or professional situation and preferences, but understanding available resources within the area are key in ensuring that you make the best decision.
Regardless of what you’re looking for, make sure you set aside time to ensure moving out makes sense. Think about things that don’t seem that important right now, such as the weather, dining, and the possibility of making new friends.
Overall, conducting research thoroughly will provide a secure foundation for starting over in a new city and help you determine if this is really where you want to be.
Understand the Cost of Living
We briefly mentioned the cost of living above, but it’s so important we had to make it a separate point. While you may already have a job lined up, it’s crucial to take into account how far your salary will stretch when faced with higher rent prices, the cost of food and other necessities, taxes, and other lifestyle expenses.
Knowing these cost differences ahead of time will allow you to make an informed decision about whether this move is realistic for you financially.
How can you accurately compare the cost of living in one city or state to another? Use a cost of living calculator. Or, join online groups or forums as a way to speak with locals about the real cost of living they experience.
Budget Effectively
Moving to a different state involves many expenses that most people forget to budget for, so budgeting effectively is critical. A good budget should account for the cost of moving your belongings, necessary home goods or furniture, insurance, and any other expenses that you may face when you arrive in a new location.
Doing this ahead of time will ensure you have the funds you need when the time comes and help take away some of the stress from your move. What you include in your moving budget is ultimately up to you. However, it should, at a bare minimum, include things like moving fees, packing services, storage, insurance, and contingency costs.
Tips for Selling a House
So, you’ve decided that moving away is right for you and your family. Congratulations! Now, it’s time to figure out how to sell your house quickly. To make the selling process easier, here are some tips for selling a house quickly if you’re moving to a different state.
First, consider having a pre-sale inspection so potential buyers know the condition of the house before making an offer. Then, make sure your home is staged in all rooms to show off its best features. This includes decluttering your home. This can help personalize the home and improve its appearance to make it more attractive to buyers.
Next, reach out to local real estate agents and ask them what they think could improve the liquidity of selling your home in the area. Finally, advertise that your house is for sale on platforms like social media and listing sites to give it the most exposure possible.
These tips should be helpful for those interested in a traditional selling process. However, don’t forget that you can also get a cash offer on your home.
Cash offers are attractive to both buyers and sellers in that the transaction process is expedited by skipping the step that would normally include obtaining loan approval and waiting for loan funding.
Homeowners looking for cash for their property can expect to sell at a preferential rate over more traditional techniques due to cash considerations, such as avoiding having to make expensive repairs after an appraisal. This helps reduce some of the stress involved in moving away (but you’ll still have to pack your own bags, unfortunately).
Tips for Buying a House
Now that you’ve (hopefully) sold your home, it’s time to consider buying a house. If you’re buying a house in a different state, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Before you move, try to make some visits to the area and check out potential neighborhoods. It’s important to get an idea of what housing prices are like since they can vary greatly from state to state.
Additionally, make sure you hire an experienced local real estate agent who can handle the details of buying a house, especially if you’re buying one out of state. Finally, don’t forget that buying a home involves other costs beyond the purchase price (such as property taxes) so it’s important to research these expenses before committing to anything.
Moving Out: A Quick Checklist
You’re almost ready to move into your new place! Once you’ve sold your current home and purchased a new one, it’s time to think about the small but incredibly important details. To help you prepare for the big move, here is a quick checklist of things to take care of.
Buy Packing Supplies
The first thing you’ll want to do is get packing supplies. Make sure to secure packing materials like boxes and packing tape at least two to four weeks before the large day. Using this timeline will give you plenty of time to pack everything safely, as well as save you from making any last-minute trips for additional packing supplies.
Around the same time, it’s a good idea to label all things that need to be shipped so they can arrive safe and sound at their new destination. If you’ll be moving yourself (instead of hiring movers), you might not have to worry about this. However, it’s still a good idea to label your belongings as thoroughly as possible.
Pack Each Room Separately
With so much to pack and prepare for the move, it’s important to create an organized system. Packing each room of your home separately is a great way to stay organized and keep track of what items you have packed. This also helps to keep like items together, such as keeping kitchen items in one box and bathroom items in another.
Additionally, having each room packed separately will make unpacking faster when you reach your new destination. Having all of your belongings sorted into different categories and boxes can save significant time in finding the things that you need on moving day.
Rent a Moving Truck
Now, it’s time to make the big decision. Will you hire movers or get a moving truck and drive yourself to your new city and home? There are pros and cons to each option but it always comes down to your personal needs and preferences.
Hiring movers can ease the burden of transporting multiple heavy items from place to place, saving you time and energy in the process. On the other hand, with a moving truck, you get the freedom to take complete control over when and how you load or unload your belongings.
Whichever option you choose, it’s important to plan far in advance. For example, we recommend you rent a moving truck a few weeks in advance. This is because moving trucks tend to be in high demand during the moving season, which means there may not always be one available if you wait too long.
Set Up Utilities Before You Arrive
Moving to a new house can be stressful enough without having the added inconvenience of incorrectly set up utilities. Setting up utilities in advance is crucial for any move as it ensures that essential services such as electricity and gas are ready upon arrival at the new property (oh, and WiFi, too!).
What happens if you don’t? Oh, nothing major. You know, it may just take weeks before these services are installed, leaving you without basic amenities. Therefore, making preparations in advance when moving to a new house will save time and ensure that your move goes smoothly.
Update Your Documents
Once you’re moved in, it’s important to update your driver’s license and other documents with the new address as soon as possible. In most cases, you should update your license within 10 to 30 days of moving, depending on your state.
You’ll also need to update other documents such as:
- Insurance cards
- Wills
- Bank accounts
- Credit cards
- Shipping addresses
Staying on top of these changes will help make sure your finances, driving record, and identification are accurate. It’s a tedious task, we know. But it’s an important one.
Give Yourself Time to Adjust
Finally, be gentle with yourself. You’ve just uprooted your entire life and moved to an entirely new city!
It’s important to give yourself the time and space to adjust and give room for all of the new emotions that may come up. During this process, give yourself at least three months to settle in before considering taking on more moves or any big commitments.
Taking the time to give yourself proper transition space allows you to get comfortable with your surroundings, meet different people and grow more settled into your new home. Don’t rush it. Although it may seem like too much in the beginning, give yourself enough time so that you can properly enjoy yourself.
Sell Your House Quickly
Are you moving out of your home in Tennessee or Mississippi? If so, we can help you sell your house quickly. We understand that moving away can be stressful, but we also believe that getting an offer on your house doesn’t have to be. We buy any house, in just about any condition, and provide cash deals quickly and easily.
All you need to do is complete our easy form with basic information about your property and contact details. We’ll get in touch with you in a few minutes and arrange a time to come take a look at the house. Our offers are typically given within 24 hours or less. No strings attached!
If you’re moving away soon and looking for an effortless way to sell your home, get in touch with us today.