How To Prepare For Buying And Moving To A New Home

When you’re looking to buy or sell a home, there’s plenty of work that needs to be done to get everything ready to go. Outside of nailing down the mortgage, you have to think about a lot of other details along the way. The environment, the neighborhood, amenities in the area, and more are important considerations. How long is it going to take to get to the grocery store? Are there public services available in the area? Is there a library nearby? These and other pertinent questions are all essential to the process. If you’re buying and moving to a new home soon, here are a few other vital things to do throughout the process.

Assess The Area

Before buying your new home, it’s wise to check out the area and neighborhood to see if it’s a good fit for you and your family. A neighborhood should be a place you want to be. After all, you’re going to be spending a lot of time there. So, find out if you can get around easily. How quickly can you navigate the area and is it walking-friendly? Find out how easy it is going to be to commute back and forth from your job to home.

Try to get to know some of your neighbors and the people who live in the area. These are all just basic things, but they can be quite meaningful as you acclimate to your new surroundings. Finally, you want to understand the crime rates in the area and property values. When it comes time to move again, it would be nice to know that your property is valuable and retains its value rather than depreciating. To keep your family safe, knowing the crime rates is essential. If you have a good understanding ahead of time, it gives you a solid foundation for loving your new home. 

Preparation

After you’ve finished buying your home, it’s time to get ready for the move. Keeping everything organized during the move can be complicated. That’s why you should probably establish a checklist or folder for all the activities as you get ready. Be prepared to budget for the move including any moving services, truck rentals, or any other key concerns for getting your stuff to your new place. Set aside some time to work on these things so you’re not overwhelmed or doing things at the last second. Ultimately, a little bit of preparation goes a long way so make sure that you’re ready for the move and everything it entails.

Packing

One of the most inconvenient aspects of a move is probably packing up your valuables and putting them on the truck. Pulling everything down, neatly packing it, and getting it’s new destination can be a challenge. Always be sure to pack things carefully, use wrap or cushioning as needed, and be careful with things like dishes. The last thing you want is all of your dishes to be damaged when you get to your new home. It’s also important to label your boxes. You need to know what’s in your cargo so that you can unpack it accordingly. It might be helpful to label it by room as well. For example, you may want to write kitchen or living room on any dishes or media that you’d use in those rooms. This simple system is surprisingly versatile and can help you as you pack for your move.

Storage

Sometimes, you’re going to need to rent a storage unit or Self Storage of some kind to store some of your stuff. Whether it’s stuff you’re planning on sorting through at a later date with the intention to get rid of or something you just don’t have the space for in your house at this time, self-storage can be a great help to the moving process. First, you need to determine what size storage unit you would like and whether or not it needs to be climate controlled. Your important documents, media, some instruments, and other things might require some climate control so they don’t get damaged while in storage. Keep that in mind. Decide how you’re going to store your items. 

Are you going to put them in boxes or totes and stack them vertically? If so, you could probably get a smaller size unit and stack items appropriately. If you’re planning on storing furniture, is there a way you can dismantle it for temporary storage? If so, you can go with a smaller unit. 

Larger units are also available to help with more stuff. When you are seeking quality Seattle storage facilities, look for something close to your neighborhood, within your price range, and understand how you’ll be able to access it. That way, you can keep an eye on your stuff while organizing the rest of your world.

Moving Expenses

Budgeting and understanding your expenses is one of the more important parts of moving to a new place. Typical costs associated with moving are knowing the price of the transportation and movers, understanding how much things are going to be when you get to your destination, planning on any unexpected expenses. It’s a good idea to obtain a few moving quotes before starting the process.

Deciding on whether or not you’re going to hire a professional or tackle the move yourself is also critical to the process. Budgeting for professional help might be a better bet because you won’t have to worry about that aspect of the move, but at the same time, you may decide you want to do things yourself. Regardless of the case, budgeting and understanding you’re moving expenses will save you a headache down the line.