Are you ready to move house? Whether you are a young adult starting out or a family looking for more space, your home is probably the biggest investment you will make in your lifetime.
Signs It Might Be Time to Move
You might be thinking about moving because you have outgrown your home, need to be closer to work or family, or simply want a change of scene. Whatever the reason, it is worth thinking carefully about what you want from your next home before you start looking.
Plan Ahead
To get the most out of your move, plan it well in advance. Make a list of what you need from your new home, such as the number of bedrooms, garden space and parking, and what you would like but could live without. Without a clear plan, you could end up with a property you are not entirely happy with. For help from Estate Agents Cheltenham, visit Me and You Estate Agents
Research the Area
If you are moving somewhere new, do your research on the area. Find out about local schools and their Ofsted ratings, transport links, shops and amenities, and how safe the area is. Visiting at different times of day can help you get a feel for what it is really like to live there.
Organise the Move
Before moving day, get quotes from removal companies, start decluttering and packing early, and make a list of everyone you need to tell about your new address.
Related: 5 things to do before you move into your new house
Budgeting for the full cost of moving
Once you have decided it is time to move, good planning makes the process far less stressful and helps you avoid problems that could affect the whole family. Moving costs far more than the price of the house and the mortgage. Make a list of every cost so you can budget properly, and look for places to save.
Think about whether you need a removal company or whether you could hire a van and move yourself with some careful organisation. Some costs cannot be avoided, such as solicitors’ and estate agents’ fees, and stamp duty land tax needs to be included in your figures too.
Beyond the money, a new home should improve your quality of life. Look closely at the day to day practicalities of any property you are considering, such as how long the journey to work will take and which schools the children could attend, as well as whether the house itself suits the way you live.
Common reasons people decide to move
Moving is a mix of emotions: the stress of packing, sadness at leaving a familiar neighbourhood and excitement about a new chapter. The reasons behind a move tend to follow the stages of life. Many first moves are into a first home, whether alone, with friends or with a partner.
Later, people often move to be nearer good schools and local amenities when they plan to start a family. As the family grows, a bigger home becomes the goal, and once children have left, many choose to downsize to somewhere smaller and easier to run.
With each move, most of us have collected more belongings, which is one reason professional removal help becomes more useful over time. Cost also shapes when people buy. Saving a deposit can take years, although there are schemes to help first-time buyers onto the property ladder. Knowing why you want to move helps you decide what the next home must offer.
Practical jobs before moving day
Once the decision to move is made, a few small jobs make the first days in a new home far smoother. Contact your gas, electricity and water suppliers with your moving dates. That keeps bills simple to work out and avoids paying extra or arriving to no heating or hot water.
Sort out broadband well in advance. If your provider is not told early enough, you could wait weeks without internet while a connection is set up. Unless you only watch television through streaming, check whether the new home has a working TV aerial so you can watch live channels.
If you have a lot to move, book a removal company well ahead of the date. Finally, just before moving in, register for council tax in the new area and arrange for your post to be redirected, so nothing important goes astray.