Guest Blog submitted by George Miller writes for Securablilities.com, an online resource for fraud prevention, home security, and online safety.
As exciting as the prospect of purchasing and moving into a new home can be, people dread the process. Fortunately, there are a few steps you can take to make getting into a new home go smoothly. Our tips will help you reduce stress and make the process a little less painful.
Work with a Realtor
When you plan to move to a new home, contact a realtor. You may not be familiar with the area, but realtors are. They also have all the time required to search for a home that meets your needs and must-have list. Save yourself the hassle of searching online for a home and researching school districts, crime rates, and other demographic information by hiring a realtor.
The other major benefit of working with a realtor is the money you will save. More often than not, realtors are master negotiators, and they know the housing markets around the country better than anyone else. If you love a home but think it’s out of your price range, your realtor may be able to find a comparable house that is more affordable, or he may be able to strike a deal with the seller to get you a better price.
Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have a look around online before you decide to bring in the help of a realtor. By doing some simple online searches, you can find the neighborhoods and price ranges that suit your budget and needs, which will make your realtor’s job that much easier starting out. For example, a quick search on Redfin reveals that home in Des Moines sold for around $152,000 on average over the past month. Of course, that number will ultimately be determined by which neighborhood you select and the size of the house you require.
Start Sorting and Packing Early
After you work with a realtor and find the home of your dreams, the next stressful part of getting into your new home is packing. To make this process as easy on yourself as possible, start sorting your belongings and packing early.
The less stuff you have, the easier it is to pack and move it – this can also make it cheaper to move. So, start decluttering and choosing which items you want to keep, donate, sell, or trash. First, pack items you don’t use often, like seasonal decorations or clothing that you don’t need for this particular time of year. Remember to label boxes clearly to make unpacking at your new home easier. For even more moving and packing tips, check out the list from MakeSpace.
Another way you can make sorting and packing go more smoothly is to have a packing party. Invite a few of your closest friends or family members for a night of packing. Supply the boxes, bubble wrap, newspaper, tape, and markers, and set up a buffet of food and drinks.
Keep the party hopping with upbeat music and songs everyone will want to sing along to. To keep everyone on track and make sure that the party stays focused on packing, separate your belongings and give clear directions to people so they know what they need to accomplish. A packing party is a sure way to keep your stress at bay.
Hire Moving Help
Your stress will build again as moving day approaches if you don’t plan carefully. First, contact movers and determine their availability. Hiring movers also gives you time to start unpacking and organizing at your new home. You won’t spend time carrying boxes and making trip after trip from the truck to the house; instead, you’ll be able to direct the movers to the appropriate rooms and make sure things run smoothly. Of course, remember to budget carefully for movers, as they could run you between $700 and $1,000 — possibly more if you’re moving out of state.
To make moving day even easier to manage, HGTV recommends making moving your only task for the day. Schedule cable installation, phone service, and internet hookup once you’re settled in your new home. Tackling one task at a time will help keep your stress to a minimum.
Help Everyone Adjust to Your New Home
As stressful as moving is on you, it can be even harder for children and pets. Once you’ve crossed the threshold of your new home, be sure to start taking measures to help them ease into the transition. One of the best things you can do for your children is to maintain their routine as much as possible, even with everything that has changed. HuffPost suggests keeping familiar bedtime and meal rituals, and for young children, reading the same comforting stories that put them at ease in their old home. Older children may feel more relaxed by having some say in making your new house a home, so grant them the freedom to organize and decorate their bedrooms and even common areas of the house where they will be spending a lot of time, such as the family or living room.
Similarly, pets — especially dogs — thrive when they have a routine they can count on. However, you help them find their four-legged footing by establishing a space just for them, and ideally, one that is organized in the same way their safe space was in your old home and with their favorite items, such as their bed and toys. Be sure to keep them on a schedule that resembles their old one as much as possible when it comes to feeding and walking. Soon, they’ll think of your new abode as their home.
Buying and moving into a new home should be more exciting than stressful. To achieve this, work with a realtor and start sorting and packing early. Then, hire movers to do the heavy lifting so you can focus on organizing, unpacking, and settling into your new home. After the move is out of the way, help your most precious family members adjust to – and embrace – all of the changes you’ve made together.
George Miller writes for Securablilities.com, an online resource for fraud prevention, home security, and online safety.
