10 Moving Tips and Tricks from a Cross-country Realtor
3 Moves in 6 Years
Personally, moving cross county thrice hasn’t been the easiest on my stress level or sanity. But there have been some valuable lessons learned along the way. As a real estate agent, I experience this emotional time with each client during the transaction. NOBODY is a saint during moving time; just nobody! And how do I help them through it? I recall my long distance moves. I’ve moved, and packed while my house was on the market. I’ve had to keep it “show ready,” and leave my property with a newborn and two dogs. “I’ve been there; I’ve done that,” I remember, as I listen to my normally sane client, tell me with either rage or gulps of tears in their voice that they can’t think straight over negotiations. I coach them through it and listen. Because it hasn’t been long since clutching onto my newborn for fear that the packers would pack him away if I put him down for one minute!
- Start packing earlier than you think. Do a little each night. A corner, a room, a floor.
- Hire professional packers: I’ve done both self-packed moves, and professional moves. Less stuff gets broken, lost, or disorganized with a professional move. Professional movers have insurance and a very organized system of lists and stickers. If they lose or damage your property they have a way of amending that. With self-packed damages, you only have yourself to blame.
- Buy the extra insurance coverage for the moving van, rental car, travel, pet, booking, whatever. You just never know what will happen! And while your life is up in the air (and in bags in the air), you don’t want to be SOL when you land where you are going and have no back up plan.
- Save money ahead of time for the move. Budget for it: meals on the road, gas, tolls, entertainment for the kids, boxes, tape (you always run out and need more!), etc.
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