Bend at the knees. Don't over pack your boxes. Rent a dolly. Heavy boxes go in the truck first. Wear closed toe shoes. . . You have read blog after blog on how to physically relocate your belongings, but what about everything else that goes into your move?
We have 7 tips on how to sell a house and protect your move from start to finish.
Every move is different and will require lots of attention and hard work. No matter what your situation is, protecting your move is a critical component of successfully selling a house.
1. Start your move early and be prepared
Some people will know for 6 or more months that they are going to sell their home while others will have to sell their home on a tighter time line. We suggest, realistically, giving yourself at least 6 weeks from the time you decide to sell until you place your house on the market. The list of things to be completed before putting your house on the market may be a lot longer than you think. For Sale By Owner offers some great detailed information on exactly what it takes to get your home on the market.
2. Do your house selling research
Realtor. Handyman. Repairman. Cleaners. Packers. Movers. Stagers.
You get the idea. The list of people that you will be interacting with over the course of selling your house is quite long. You can make sure that you are protecting your house, family and move by researching the people that you are hiring to assist with the process. Use online review sites like Yelp and Angies List, along with word of mouth recommendations to verify that the people and businesses you are hiring are legitimate and safe.
3. Protect your identity and forward your mail
A 'For Sale' sign in the front yard can be a signal to someone that you are no longer at home or checking your mail and that it is theirs for the taking. With people in and out of your home for viewings, a neighbor might not notice a random person removing mail from your mailbox either. Years of identity theft issues can be avoided in as little as 2 minutes on the USPS website by forwarding your mail.
Many people wait to forward their mail because they either don't have a forwarding address or they just don't realize how long the process can take. If you don't know what your new address will be, have your mail delivery temporarily paused, have the post office hold your mail for in-person pick up or have it forwarded to a trusted friend or family member.
Don't forget that services like Fedex and UPS must be updated independently of the USPS change of address.
4. Limit your distractions
Moving is stressful. Moving with 2 dogs, 1 goldfish, and 3 kids under the age of 7. . . that is next to impossible.
Make a plan for your children and pets to be somewhere other than at your house when you plan to physically move out. If you know that your children and pets are safely out of the way, you will be able to focus on all of the activity inside of your home.
Make sure that you have all of the activity planned and scheduled so that you can supervise everything that is happening. If you are using movers and packers, make sure you pack anything that is extremely valuable or sentimental and remove it from your home prior to them arriving. If you are able to have an extra set of eyes, get your help to keep an eye on where and how the boxes are being loaded in the truck.
5. The importance of staging a home
"My home is empty. Why would anyone break into it?"
The truth is, your home isn't empty. There are plenty of things that someone would want to take out of your home such as appliances, light fixtures, copper wire/pipe, etc. There are also people that target empty homes for sale as a good place to 'squat' or throw a little party.
Staging a home isn't just a good technique to get your home sold quickly. Staging your home also protects your home. If someone approaches a staged home for sale and it appears that the home is still occupied, they will likely pass on the opportunity to break in and stay the night.
6. Your home security system
Your home security system isn't just used to protect you and your family while you are in your home. Don't make the mistake of disabling your security system before you sign your house over to the new owner. You are responsible for anything that happens to your home and leaving your security system on can give you extra peace of mind during the selling process.
If you need more information about transferring an existing system or starting a new home security monitoring service, click the link below.
7. Pay attention to your trash, other people are
We hear this a lot around Christmas time but it applies here too. A burglar is paying attention to your moving truck, your new home and your trash.
The steps you can take to keep your family and your home safe during your move are endless and we hope that these tips help you get off to a safe start. Comment below and let us know some of the things that you have done to stay safe during a move.
