Tips and Tricks for Moving in a Hot Real Estate Market

As summer heats up in Florida, the housing market continues to sizzle nationwide. Homebuyers are being pushed to the brink as they scramble for moving supplies, moving companies, storage units and even accommodations for our furry four-legged family members. What’s more, the pandemic has shown employers and employees that business can carry on as usual even when working remotely, which has allowed many to relocate cross-country while maintaining job security.

The name of the game is to prepare and plan as early as possible. Depending on your priorities, planning early can save you time, money or both. If you know the city you’ll be moving to but not necessarily the home or neighborhood, you might even find it sensible to make moving arrangements before an offer has been accepted. So, here are some tips for making sure your move goes as smoothly as possible.

Reserve your moving company early

As mentioned above, if you are dead set on a city or region in which you want to purchase property, try to book your moving services at least six to eight weeks before your move date. The earlier you book, the less likely it is a company will run out of trucks, storage space, or personnel on the day of your move. When using a moving company that offers comprehensive services (like ours), you can often get all of your needs met with one phone call if it’s far enough in advance.

Send some belongings down first into storage

The decorations inside our homes are what make it our own unique space, but they are generally less important to the daily operation of a household. Items like photographs, posters, paintings, books, lamps and trinkets can be boxed and sent ahead of your move into storage. Find a storage facility with climate-controlled units where you can safely store these belongings until you’ve moved in your heavier pieces like sofas, beds, buffets or dining tables. This will also save you time since packaging fragile decorative pieces accounts for a disproportionate amount of time relative to their size.

Consider your route

Summers already see our interstate system brimming with vacation travel. This is especially true now that recreational attractions have slowly opened up to greater foot traffic following the pandemic shutdowns. In Florida, for example, Interstate 40 in and around Orlando can be backed up all year round but will be doubly so this summer. So, finding alternate routes to avoid traffic jams can shorten your drive time even if it lengthens the total distance. When possible, also look to avoid driving through major metropolitan areas between 4 pm and 7 pm when rush hour traffic tends to be the densest.

Cutting out clutter can save you cash

With real estate prices seeming to go up daily, it’s essential to consider ways to make up some of the cash going towards inflated prices. If you’ve lived in your current home for a while, you might have lots of items that you no longer need or are out of date. Consider selling or donating these items to either make some extra cash or save money on the size of your moving truck, the amount of moving supplies, and/or a storage facility. It’s also less stuff to move around once you get to your new home.

Don’t get too caught up sorting items as you pack

You’ve just closed on a house and are on a tight deadline to leave your current home: time is of the essence! As you pack your belongings, save yourself some time by packing first and sorting later. Once you’re in your new home and not operating with the pressure of a looming deadline, sorting through your boxes is less stressful.

Consider hiring a cleaning company

To limit the amount of work you miss during your move, consider hiring a cleaning company to deep clean your new home before you move in. This way, cabinets, bathrooms, closets, countertops, floors and windows will all be clean before you bring your belongings into the new home, giving you a good, clean start and the peace of mind that all surfaces are sanitized.

Moving? We can help.

We pride ourselves on having a loyal, dedicated team of movers. On average, our moving team has been with Yarnall Moving & Storage Solutions for more than 17 years. And over the decades, we have changed with the times and expanded to offer needed services. As problem-solvers, we help customers overcome their unique moving and storage challenges. We’re here to help every step of the way. Learn how.