Six ways to make your home move less stressful

Moving home, when there is buying or selling of property involved, is one of life’s more stressful events.

It is stressful because there is so much at stake and because much of what is going on feels beyond your control.

However, there are things you can do, and decisions you can make, that will help to make the process much smoother.

There will still be challenges on the way, but by taking control of as much as you can, and by approaching your house move in the right way, you can help to feel as ‘in charge’ as possible.

At Browell Smith & Co Solicitors we have helped thousands of people to move into and out of their homes with the minimum of fuss. Our experienced conveyancers have pretty much seen it all – and have compiled these tips to help you prevent your move becoming too taxing.

Plan carefully

Carefully planning the process will help you to feel like you’re in control, and hopefully reduce your stress levels.

Create a comprehensive and detailed to-do list, with deadlines if needed, and stick to it. Add to it as you go along so you don’t forget anything. Even if the list ends up being pages long, it will help to reassure you that everything is under control.

If you prefer a high-tech solution, then there are free list-making apps such as Keep or Trello that you can share with the entire family and add to all your devices, including your PC and phone. Every time someone adds an item to a list, it will appear on everyone’s phones!

Budget carefully

Moving house can be an expensive process, and we understand that most people will have had to scrimp and save to get the money together to make their house move happen.

We have launched a new Conveyancing Calculator that will give you a simple quote for our services based on the value of the property you are buying or selling. It will also outline what mandatory fees and taxes you will need to pay, including Stamp Duty, search fees, etc.

It’s a fixed price that helps you to plan your budget with the peace of mind that there won’t be any nasty surprises.

You should remember to budget in all the other bits and pieces – even packaging can work out expensive if you buy it new, but everyone has spare boxes lying around so beg and borrow as much as you can!

Remember ‘cheaper’ does not equal ‘better’

This is true in all walks of life – you get what you pay for – but because money can be so tight when you’re moving house, it can be tempting to cut corners wherever you can to save money.

The problem is, if you opt for cheaper services – from the removal men to the solicitors – you may end up creating a more stressful experience.

The problem with good service is that sometimes you can take it for granted. You don’t necessarily realise that you’ve had a smooth house move until you’ve experienced a problematic one.

Our advice is to use suppliers you trust, or who have come via personal recommendations from friends and family. Don’t make ‘cost’ the only benchmark for choosing a service provider.

But beware of paid referrals

It’s likely that your estate agent, or house builder if you’re buying a new build property, will refer a solicitor to you.

There are some things to consider before going down this route:

• The solicitor in question will be paying a referral fee to the estate agent or house builder. This means the solicitor is likely to need to do the work as quickly as possible. It’s therefore likely that your move will be handled by a junior member of staff.
• You are at liberty to choose your own solicitor – and we strongly recommend you at least look around to find a solicitor that is not just within your budget, but who will handle your move in the way you want and offer you the service levels you expect.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help and advice!

If you’re a first-time buyer, speak to people who’ve done it before and take on board their advice. Don’t be afraid to ask questions of your solicitor, especially if you’re unsure of the process and want anything clarifying.

Maybe a family member has room to store non-essential items in the run-up to the move – it’ll clear space and mean you have less to shift on the big day. And when that day comes, try to rope in as many friends and family as possible. You can never have enough muscle, even if you’ve hired professional movers.

Make a list of who has your address

Most people nowadays have a huge number of online accounts – clothes and grocery shopping, Amazon, eBay, online banking, membership organisations, loyalty card schemes – it can quickly become a very long list.

It’s important to develop an idea of how many organisations have your details and is something that we at Browell Smith & Co have to consider whilst helping people to prepare wills, for example.

Start to make a list of all the places that have a record of your address. It can take a while, but it’s in your interests to make sure all your online accounts are up-to-date when you move.

Contact our expert team today to arrange a no-obligation chat at any of our offices, in Newcastle, Cramlington, Ashington and Sunderland, or alternatively by 0800 107 3000, to discuss your particular requirements.