Moving costs and setting a timeline

Tensions are flying high, you have to be out of your house in 1 month and you have no idea what to do with the 20 years of stuff you have accumulated. It is an ever to real scenario when you put your house on the market. Unsure of the outcome and then boom you have an accepted offer at the first open house and close in 45 days. The market today is so competitive moving accommodations and costs become an even more important part of the selling equation.

I have always found that when I work with a seller you have two different types of people. The “DIYers” and the “who do I call to get this done”. The same is true for moving if you want to move all of your homes contents by yourself it can surely get done. Head down to Uhaul rent a box truck get your friends and family over and fill the truck. This could cost a few hundred dollars between truck rental and supplies. Things you have to think about would be actually getting bulky items out of your house. You could break railings, dent walls, scuff ceilings or break your personal items. Unfortunately this will be on your back, you’ll have to rush to fix items before the walk through and risk pushing the closing or loose the deal all together.

I came across a breakdown of Home Advisors moving costs when it comes to hiring a company.
Size of house Estimated time of move Average price range
1-bedroom apartment 3-5 hours $200-$500
2-bedroom apartment 5-7 hours $400-$700
3-bedroom house 7-10 hours $560-$1,000
4-bedroom house 10+ hours $800-$2,000+

The prices will obviously fluctuate depending on the area and different obstacles they may face at the home. The plus side to hiring would be these people are PROFESSIONALS they do this day in and day out and know how to move a couch down two flights of stairs without breaking the railing off. On the off chance they do break valuables movers have insurance and it is important you never hire a mover who is uninsured.

Timeline is the easiest hurdle to overcome. As soon as you have a confirmed offer and your home inspection deadline has been completed. This would be a good time to reach out to movers and price shop around and check availability. That way when you sign the purchase and sale you can call the mover you chose that day and schedule them for the projected closing date. This should give you plenty of time to plan accordingly and lock in your date with a mover.

Selling your home can be a crazy process, the last headache you need when you have a great offer is not getting out of the home in time risking your sale. I would recommend to anyone selling a home and has things to move make a plan that best suits your needs and timeline.