Moving home can be both very costly and very stressful, so it’s important to do all you can to minimise both these factors, since moving on to pastures new can also be very exciting. The start of a whole new chapter for you and your family!
New research from MoneySuperMarket has just revealed that people spend, on average, £696 in additional costs each time they move home – and given that the average person also moves house 5.3 times in their lifetime, spending £3,688 in the process in hidden costs, trying to find ways to cut this down seems like a wise move.
According to the study, the five most common additional costs incurred when moving house are buying new items like bedding and kitchen utensils, buying new furniture, paying for post to be redirected, paying for WiFi installation and changing bill provider.
Home insurance spokeswoman Kate Devine said: “If you’re buying a home, our research shows that it’s not just stamp duty, legal and estate agency fees that should be on your checklist, but also things like cleaning, new household products, temporary storage space and professional movers to make sure your treasured possessions get from A to B safely.”
So what can you do to help keep costs down? The good news is that you can do a lot! First of all, think about what day of the week you want to move out on. The majority of moves take place on a Friday, as that leaves the weekend free to sort the new house out but if you’re using a removals service to help you, doing it during the week could help keep costs down.
Being ruthless with your belongings can also help you keep to a tighter budget, so have a good declutter of your house before you start to pack everything away into boxes. The fewer possessions you have, the cheaper it will be to move them all – and a lot easier for yourself as well.
If you do have plans to use a removals service, always shop around and get at least three quotes from different companies so you know you’re getting a fair price for the job. This can also help with haggling and you may be able to get it even cheaper, if you’re lucky.
But, by the same token, don’t just go for the cheapest quote as they may not be the best company out there and could end up costing you more, if items are damaged in the move. Also make sure you read reviews online and perhaps seek word of mouth recommendations if you do need help moving.
For help with residential sales in Forest Hill, get in touch with ACB London today to see what we can do.