Planning Your Move

We are able to refer you to professional brokers nationally and internationally. Fortunately, with our 20 year tenure, our repeat business hovering over 75% and working for Coldwell Banker, we have the resources of a vast and extensive referral network.

We can assist you in making wise choices regarding brokers anywhere you are moving to or from. Having a great broker can mean the difference between a transition that is difficult and a transition that you will remember with pleasure. With us as a resource, you can be assured of receiving from your referred broker a similar level of superior service that we ourselves offer.

To find a broker beyond the area that we service, contact us.

Below you will find a timeline and a comprehensive list of tasks that need to get done prior to moving.

Six Weeks Before Moving

• Make an inventory of everything to be moved.
• Collect everything not to be moved for garage sale or charity.
• Contact charity for date/time of pickup. Save receipts for tax records.
• Contact a few moving companies for estimates.
• Select mover, arrange for exact form of payment at destination (cash, check). Get cartons and packing materials to start packing now.
• Contact insurance agent to transfer or cancel coverage.

Four Weeks Before Moving

• Check with doctors and dentist for all family records and prescriptions.
• Get children’s school records.
• Notify all magazines of change of address.
• Check with veterinarian for pet records and immunizations.
• Contact utility companies for refunds of deposit, set turn-off dates.
• Dry clean clothes to be moved, pack in protective wrappers.
• Collect everything you have loaned out and return everything you have borrowed.
• Service power mowers, boats, snowmobiles, etc. that are to be moved. Drain all gas/oil to prevent fire in moving van.
• Check freezer and plan use of food over next 2-3 weeks.
• Remove all jewelry and other valuables to a safe deposit box or other safe place to prevent loss during move.
• Give away or arrange for transportation of house plants (most moving companies will NOT move plants, especially in winter). Plants also can be sold at garage sales, or are perfect “thank you” gifts for neighbors.

One Week Before Moving

• Transfer or close checking and savings accounts. Arrange for cashiers check or money order to pay moving company upon arrival in new community. Remember, you may want cash for tipping the movers.
• Have automobile serviced for trip if travelling a long distance to your new home.
• Fill out Post Office change of address forms and give to postmaster.
• Check and make inventory of all furniture for dents and scratches; notify moving company of your inventory and compare on final day.
• Dispose of all combustibles and spray cans (spray cans can explode or burn — don’t pack them).
• Pack a separate carton of cleaning utensils and tools (screwdriver, hammer, etc.).
• Separate cartons and luggage you need for personal/family travel.
• Mark and/or color code with dot stickers, all boxes that you pack with the room they will be going to in new home and a brief description of contents
• Organize at least one room in the house for packers and movers to work freely.
• Cancel all newpapers, garden service, etc.
• Purchase homeowners insurance for your new home.
• Arrange for utilities in your new home to be put in your name.

Moving Day

• Plan to spend the entire day at the house. Last minute decisions must be made by you. Don’t leave until after the movers have gone.
• Hire a babysitter or send the children to a friend’s house for the day.
• Arrange for the care of your pets while movers are in and out of the house.
• Stay with the moving van driver to oversee inventory.
• Tell packers and/or driver about fragile or precious items.
• Make a final check of the entire house, basement, closets, shelves, attic, garage — every room.
• Double check with the driver to make certain moving company records show the proper delivery address for your new house. Verify the scheduled delivery date and time.
• Give driver phone numbers for both here and in new community to contact you in case of a problem.
• Get complete routing information from the driver and phone numbers so you can call the driver or company while en route in case of emergency.
• Disconnect all utilities.
• Lock all the doors and windows.

Moving does take lots of time and energy, and can be a stressful experience for some people. Planning ahead can reduce the stress and make the move more pleasant.