After the stress and exhaustion of finding and buying a home, your Buyers will have another heavy-duty responsibility: moving in. We’ve all heard the horror stories surrounding moving, but those stories always seem to crop up no matter how many times we hear them. Today, we’ll share some tips that you can give your clients to make moving into their new home easier, less stressful, and more successful.
Budget for more than you need
One of the last things Buyers will want to hear after buying their home is “budget for your move.” As their trusted real estate professional, it’s crucial to explain why it’s important and what they should expect to budget for.
First, explain why it’s important to budget for more than they need. On top of the actual moving cost—especially if they hire a professional mover—your Buyers may experience phantom costs. Things like gas, takeout, and maintenance items (e.g., spackle, paint, packing supplies) can add up quickly. Keeping these potential costs in mind can make the experience less stressful for your Buyers.
Second, give them a sense of what they should budget for. If your clients need to move bulky furniture across the country, recommend trustworthy movers to help them at a fair price. If they have odds-and-ends repairs they need to make, recommending a repair person may help. Giving them the tools they need to budget for moving is a great way to continue showing value after the sale.
Don’t try to move everything alone
The temptation to do everything alone often stems from the sticker shock of a moving budget. But even if your clients are just moving down the street, they may underestimate how time and labor intensive moving is.
Encourage your Buyers to be smart and safe as they move. It’s easy to twist an ankle or pull a muscle trying to transport heavy items. It’s also easy to lose hours in a day trying to figure out how to get bulky furniture through a door. With help, especially from professionals, your Buyers can more quickly and efficiently get settled.
Expect something to go wrong
An unfortunate fact about moving is very few moves are perfect and seamless. The key to avoiding major moving problems is to identify them and prepare for them. With your years of experience, you can show your Buyers things that have gone wrong with clients in the past so that they can prepare for them.
Here are just a few tips you can provide to help your clients prepare for an inevitable hiccup.
- Don’t wait until the night before to do difficult packing.
- Know where important documents (e.g., birth/marriage certificates, passports) are at all times, and keep them on you if possible.
- Confirm dates and times with any professionals you’ve hired the day before.
- If you have pets, make sure you know where you’ll keep them during the move. The quieter the space, the better.
Don’t overwork yourself
Overworking can make enjoying the home much more difficult. If your Buyers follow these tips, it’ll be much harder for them to overwork themselves. But be sure to remind them to take care of themselves as they’re moving.
Recommend that they stay hydrated, eat regularly, and schedule routine breaks. Remind them to have an easily accessible box full of snacks and essentials (e.g., toilet paper, toothbrushes) to make breaks worthwhile.
Before the move, provide a home warranty
Helping your clients prepare for their move is a great way to differentiate yourself. Another great way is to provide a home warranty from 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty (2-10 HBW) for your Buyers at closing. Having protection against systems and appliances breakdowns provides peace of mind as your Buyers go through the stress of moving in and settling down.
2-10 HBW offers comprehensive systems and appliances home warranties to help protect your clients from unexpected repair and replacement costs. Contact us to learn more.
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