Moving can be a joyous occasion when you move out of your current home and onto your next home. It’s like starting a new chapter in your life. To make things easier for you, we’ve laid out what you need to know and do to get you ready without any worries or stress – much less hassle!

BEFORE YOU LEAVE

Address Change

Post Office: Give forwarding address

Change Account, Credit Cards

Subscriptions: Notice requires several weeks

Friends and Relatives

Bank

Transfer funds, arrange check-cashing in new city (if needed)

Arrange credit references

Insurance

Notify company of new location for coverage’s: Life, Health, Fire, and Auto

Utility Companies

Gas, Light, Water, Telephone, Fuel, Garbage

Get refunds on any deposits made

Delivery Service

Laundry, newspaper, changeover of services

Medical, Dental, Prescription Histories

Ask Doctor and Dentist for referrals; transfer needed prescriptions, eye glasses, X-rays. Obtain birth records, medical records, etc.

Pets

Ask about regulations for licenses, vaccinations, tags, etc

DON’T FORGET TO

Empty freezer; plan use of foods

Defrost freezer and clean refrigerator

Have appliances serviced for moving

Clean rugs or clothing before moving

Plan for special care needs of infants or pets

ON MOVING DAY

Carry enough cash or travelers checks to cover cost of moving services and expenses until you make banking connections in your new city (if needed)

Carry jewelry and documents yourself, or use registered mail

Plan for transporting pets; they are poor traveling companions, if unhappy

Carry traveler’s checks for quick, available funds

Let close friends or relatives know route and schedule you will travel including overnight stops; use him or her as message headquarters

Double check closets, drawers, and shelves to be sure they are empty

Leave all old keys needed by new tenant or owner with REALTOR or neighbor you trust

AT YOUR NEW ADDRESS

Obtain certified check or cashier’s check necessary for closing Real Estate Transaction

Check on service of telephone, gas, electricity, water, and garbage

Check pilot light on stove, hot water heater, and furnace

Have appliances checked

Ask Mail Carrier for mail he or she may be holding for your arrival

Have new address recorded on driver’s license (if needed)

Visit city offices and register for voting (if needed)

Register car within five (5) days after arrival in state or a penalty have to be paid when getting new license plates

Apply for state driver’s license (if needed)

Register children in school (if needed)

It can be difficult to figure out which fixtures or other items should be included in the home sale and which items to take with you when you move. As a rule, any objects that are attached to the house or property itself, whether they are nailed, screwed, planted or otherwise affixed, stay with the house and are included in the sale.

In some cases the attached items are obvious – light fixtures, built-in appliances or a mailbox that is firmly planted into the ground.

However, sometimes what stays and what goes isn’t completely cut-and-dried – a buyer may incorrectly assume the chandelier in the dining room stays, perhaps that mailbox is a family treasure you intend to keep. It’s best to outline in the sale contract all of the items in the house that you plan to remove, as this can help you avoid any last minute negotiations.

If you’re worried that a chandelier or other pricey light fixture, window treatment or some other item may become a negotiation point you’d rather avoid, consider removing the items and replacing them with fixtures or treatments you’re willing to include in the sale.

Spend some time with your Real Estate Advisor going from room to room and itemizing the properties you plan to take with you and those that you will include in the sale.

Your Real Estate Advisor has probably seen some fierce negotiations crop up over some seemingly mundane items and likely can help you circumvent some of these issues by pointing out items that buyers typically like to see included in the sale.

Should you buy or sell first? The answer to this question depends on a number of variables specific to your situation. Whether you can afford to buy first and can financially manage two concurrent mortgage payments will most likely answer this question for you.

Real estate market conditions also may factor into your decision. Your Real Estate Advisor is an invaluable source who can tell you approximately how long it may take to sell your current home and provide you with information about homebuyers’ market conditions, the inventory of for-sale homes and estimate how long it may take for you to find and close on your next home.

Professional help is particularly useful if you are selling and buying in two different markets. Your Real Estate Advisor will be able explain and help you with the differing market conditions that could affect the transactions.

Generally, selling first is considered optimal because it frees up your equity and more precisely helps determine how much you can afford to spend on your next home. This tactic also helps relieve some of the stresses associated with the dual transaction.

Many home seller/buyers need the equity that’s tied up in their current home for the purchase of their next home. Once that home is sold, you’ll likely become a powerful homebuyer because the sale may leave you with a substantial down payment and plenty of cash for closing costs.

Being in this financial position typically will afford you the most favorable financing terms and a stronger buying position – home sellers prefer serious homebuyers who have proven that they have the funds necessary to close on the home purchase transaction.

Another way to capitalize on your current home’s equity is to take a bridge loan, a short- term loan that bridges the gap between the sale of your current home and the purchase of your new home. The process is straightforward: the mortgage loan you use to purchase a new home will use your old home as collateral.

In order to qualify for a bridge loan, you must have an income that can cover the cost of the two simultaneous mortgages. A bridge loan can be a useful tool for buyers who plan on selling but who need financial flexibility in a hot housing market.

Looking at things from a seller’s perspective, it’s simply less stressful to sell before buying. Finding the perfect next home and the perfect homebuyer to purchase your current home and timing concurrent closings is possible and it does happen.

But for some home sellers, it’s simply too stressful to coordinate the optimal timelines, as the pressure to do so could creep into either or both transactions and result in some rushed decisions.

Selling first does have its drawbacks. If your current home sells before you find or close on your next home, you may have to rent in the interim and this means moving at least twice. While this isn’t an optimal situation, it may be better than making rushed and poorly thought out decisions regarding the purchase of your next home.

You already know that enhancing your property’s curb appeal, keeping the house sparking clean and uncluttered are essentials for the home showing. If you’re thinking of going the extra mile and enhancing your home’s amenities or appearance in an effort to garner a higher sales price or close on a quick sale, keep in mind that going overboard can be a waste of time or even a costly mistake.

Just about any real estate veteran will tell you that as a general rule of thumb, a home seller who sinks $10,000 into pre-sale home improvements likely won’t regain that full amount in the home’s sale. It’s best to keep the improvements simple and low cost.

Applying a fresh coat of neutral-colored paint to the property’s interior walls is the number one improvement that can make your home shine, result in a faster sale and in most cases provide a decent return on your investment. If you can afford it, consider a professional exterior paint job, which can return up to 75 percent on your initial investment.

“It’s best to keep the improvements simple and low cost”

Your home’s kitchen and bathrooms are the rooms homebuyers will scrutinize the most. Upgrading their appearance by refinishing dingy cabinetry and replacing the hardware, throwing down some new flooring and slapping on some fresh paint can work wonders. Keep in mind that you want prospective homebuyers to be able to easily imagine living in your home and this means keeping colors neutral and fixtures simple.

Other simple enhancements include brightening the home’s interior with some new light fixtures and new electrical cover plates; professionally cleaning the carpeting or if necessary, replacement. Try planting a few strategically placed shrubs or flowerbeds; and brightening up doors with shiny new hardware and doorknobs.

Your REAL ESTATE ADVISORis an invaluable source who can tell you more about what is selling in your neighborhood. He or she knows which upgrades sell and which amenities homebuyers in your market are looking for; and most importantly, where your home stacks up against the competition.

“Your REAL ESTATE ADVISOR is an invaluable source who can tell you more about what is selling in your neighborhood”

If most of the for-sale homes in your neighborhood feature freshly swept chimneys and new HVAC units, you may want to consider offering the same. Keep in mind that not all home improvement projects are equal when it comes to enhancing a property’s salability.

Home repairs or maintenance, for example, shouldn’t be confused with home improvements. Homebuyers expect the home’s plumbing and electrical systems to work properly and safely, and they won’t want to buy a house with a roof that leaks. It’s worth the effort and cost to get these systems in order but don’t expect to recover the cost associated with these repairs.

However, making sure the property’s systems are in ship- shape will improve its overall marketability. Homebuyers like homes that are in move-in condition and that means one with a working furnace and hot water heater.

Definitely avoid costly luxury upgrades like a swimming pool or hot tub or an elaborately landscaped yard. While these types of amenities may make your home more appealing to homebuyers and ultimately could tip the scales in your favor, it’s unlikely that you will recoup the cost of such upgrades.

Your home likely is the largest financial asset in which you’ve ever invested and now it’s time to make that investment pay. Hiring a professional Real Estate Advisor to help you with this significant transaction is the best way to ensure that you’ll get top-dollar for the house and the widest marketing exposure possible.

Additionally, your Real Estate Advisor is a professional who will organize and coordinate a vast array of administrative work, and help minimize your vulnerability to certain liabilities.

A Real Estate Advisor has a fiduciary duty to work as an advocate on your behalf, representing your best interests in the real estate sale transaction. This means helping you negotiate the best terms and price for your home sale, and making sure the property disclosure requirements applicable to your real estate transaction have been met.

• Pricing: A professional Real Estate Advisor can help you avoid the pitfalls associated with either under pricing or overpricing your home, it’s his or her job to stay abreast of changing market conditions and the constantly shifting supply and demand factors that can affect your sale price.

• Real Estate Advisors also can provide you with a professional comprehensive market analysis (CMA), which compares the list price and final sale price of like properties in the neighborhood.

• Marketing: Your home won’t sell itself. The complex and time consuming job entails much more than simply planting a for-sale sign in the yard and hosting the occasional open house. Hiring a professional Real Estate Advisor can provide you with the best and broadest marketing effort available.

• A primary tool employed by Real Estate Advisors is a cooperative arrangement known as the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), which combines and markets virtually all of the for-sale home listings in a given area or region. Typically access to the MLS is restricted to licensed real estate professionals.

• A listing agreement likely would include a number of additional marketing services provided by your Real Estate Advisor including the yard sign and flyers, newspaper advertisement, Internet exposure, outreach to the brokerage community and various showings.

• Professional services: The Real Estate Advisor manages the entire the transaction from beginning to end by helping you set the best asking price, and prescreening prospective homebuyers by weeding out the hopefuls and reeling in the serious homebuyers who are financially capable of closing on the transaction.

• Additionally, your Real Estate Advisor will collect and evaluate purchase offers, handle negotiations and close the deal. A Real Estate Advisor also can help you navigate the complex state-mandated disclosure laws that require home sellers to disclose certain types of information about their home that could impact the property’s appeal and a homebuyer’s decision to buy it.