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How Long Does It Take to Move Into a New House?

Sep 21, 2020

Are you wanting to move, but aren’t sure how long the process takes? In 2016 alone, 11.2% of Americans moved. 

How long does it take to move into a new house? What’s the process you can expect?

In this article, explore the answer to this question when you’re planning a move. Read on to discover this complete guide so you can be prepared for your future move, and make the process even easier. 

How Long Does It Take To Move Into a New Home? 

When you’re planning a move, you’ll notice there are several factors in order to answer the question to, how long it’ll take. It’s a good idea to have a moving timeline to know what to expect next. 

Finding a Home

Whether you’re in a rush or not, many factors can play into how long it’ll take you to find a new home. For example, it’ll depend on the temperature of the market, and how fast homes are going. 

If you have kids, you’ll want to figure out how the schools are in that area, if you’re moving to another location. You’ll also want to take a look at the neighborhood, safety, and things to do in the area. 

For those who aren’t in a rush, you might just be searching for a home for months. Don’t ever settle on a home because you feel pressured. 

Buying the Home

Before searching for a home, it’s a good idea to have a pre-approval letter to speed up the process. Once you find the home you like, you’ll need to work with your real estate agent to get the process going of putting in an offer. 

Once you make an offer, the seller can either reject, accept, or counteroffer. Counteroffer is where instead of rejecting it, they offer a different deal that you can accept, decline, or counteroffer. 

Keep in mind that if you don’t accept their counteroffer, it can wind up going to another buyer. Once they accept your offer, you can begin the home inspection. 

A home inspector will come and take a look at the entire house. They’ll let you know if there are any problems that aren’t noted before. Based on what the inspector finds, you can adjust your offer. 

Once all of this is complete, then you’ll need to choose your closing date. This is when you sign all of the paperwork necessary from the bank. Normally when this occurs you can’t move the day of closing.

Moving In

While it’s rare to move in the same day as closing, it can happen. Often, you’ll need to wait at least a couple of weeks before you can begin. In certain situations, you can wait up to a few months. 

Once you decide on a date you’d like to move in, your realtor will speak to the seller/realtor. They might approve it or request a different day. It’s a good idea to compromise and work with the date if necessary. 

Selling Your House

How long it takes you to sell your old home will determine how long it’ll take before you can move into your new house. Selling a home, depending on the market and location, can take a while. 

For example, if you’re in a cooler market, you’ll want to consider staging a home and having professional photographs taken. You might want to also consider drone footage of your home from the exterior. 

There’s the process of potential buyers touring the property, making an offer, and then having inspectors and assessors come, etc. This process will take a couple of months at the least. 

Hiring Movers

To speed up the process and arrive at your new home sooner, it’s a good idea to hire a professional moving service. You can receive moving quotes, get recommendations of different movers in your area, and compare the prices of the different movers, and what they offer. 

This part of the process should only take about a week depending. Before your move begins, it’s a good idea to reach out to potential movers in the area. 

Preparing for the Move

When you’re planning a move, it’s a good idea to start in advance and get everything ready. For example, you’ll need to change your address, transfer utility services, and cancel any subscriptions. 

You’ll need to have all vaccination records and health certificates for your pets. Have your child’s school records handy, and get a new registration certificate for a drivers license. 

The Packing Process

When moving to a new house, you’ll want to pack as soon as possible, and give yourself time to organize. Some rooms will take more time than others such as the attic, basement, or garage. 

Choose what day you’ll pack which room. For example, on a calendar, write down the master bedroom and bath on Monday, attic on Tuesday, etc. 

It’s also a good idea to have all packing supplies necessary right away. This includes boxes, tape, and any other items you’ll need for your move. 

Donating Items

Any items that you don’t want to bring on the move with you, you can either donate to a charity, or sell them at a garage sale. Remember that the more items you keep, the higher the price tag of the move. 

How Long Does It Take To Move Into a New Home? 

Now that you’ve explored the answer to, how long does it take to move into a new home, you should have a better idea of the entire moving process. Are you looking to save time on your move, and hire a professional moving company?

Contact us today and we’ll make sure that we come up with an action plan that fits your needs. We cover residential, commercial, and other services such as packing! 

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