To move house successfully, many things must go right at once. It’s no wonder why this can take some time to achieve. It’s not uncommon for some owners to have their house on the market for years. That’s because even if an acceptable offer has been, well, accepted, there’s still a fair amount of processing to go through.
To begin with, your home needs to be inspected by a third party to ensure that the full property listing and condition is in line with what was being offered, thus justifying the price. On top of that, the buyer has to want to keep to the offer they submitted and continue on with the purchase, as usually, they can drop out at most times without any real blowback. Oh, and all of the processing that happens when you’re selling is also something you experience as a buyer.
For this reason, ensuring your moving dates line up with both might not be the only guarantee that the move will be correctly processed, but it’s certainly one of the last to get right. As simple as it sounds, mistakes or difficulties can happen here too. Here’s how to overcome that with clarity and care:
If You Have Specific Deadlines, Make Them Clear
Sometimes, we assume that our buyers or sellers have the same timeline in mind. But that’s not always the case. If you have specific deadlines, such as needing to be moved out by a certain date or wanting to move into the new property before a particular event, make those intentions known early and from the start. Perhaps your child needs to be in the new house before term time starts at their new school – this is a pretty clear and valid justification.
Ultimately, you have to continually confirm this need, because clear communication can help both parties plan better and avoid unwanted stress. It also ensures that third parties like removal services, cleaners, and even childcare arrangements can be organized in advance and you can run those approved dates in advance.
Consider Payments For Flexibility Either Side
If you have a somewhat unreasonable new need to move by a certain date, then offering a small financial incentive for flexibility on either side can make the process smoother. For example, paying rent for a few weeks to remain in your current property after the sale completes gives you time to finalize the move, and your current landlord might be fine with that if they don’t have anyone to move into the property just yet.
In the same kind of spirit, offering to cover storage costs for the buyer if they’re delayed on their end can show goodwill. These gestures may seem small but can make a significant difference in smoothing over issues or letting one small issue become a big disagreement and even a suspended process.
Have A Flexible Moving Schedule & Amenities To Help
It can feel like time pauses when you’re moving and have to reconfigure your life elsewhere, but life doesn’t stop just because you’re moving. Having a flexible schedule is a nice ideal and allows you to handle unexpected changes without stress, but you may need to be more disciplined with it in practice. So for instance, booking moving companies or services with cancellation or adjustment policies helps, as does making certain you’re not cramming every task into a single day.
Certain conveniences like temporary accommodation, self-storage units, or even keeping a week’s worth of essential items easily accessible can help you pick up the gaps even if a small and annoying delay arrives at your feet That way, if there’s any delay, you’re not left panicked to try and fix the issue.
Provide Accommodations To Make The Process More Streamlined
If you’re selling your home, providing small accommodations to buyers can make the transition easier for both, especially if most of the negotiations with the new buyer are still ongoing and you don’t really have time to deal with your seller asking you a thousand questions.
For example, leaving behind appliance manuals, spare keys for lesser-used doors, or even a small guide to the local area (like nearby schools, shops, or services) can leave a good impression and it also means they don’t need to ask you about all this.
That’s not to say you shouldn’t be kind and accommodating, but it can simply save you time, especially if you’re staying in temporary accommodation before the move in date is free.
Have Your Solicitor/Lawyer Make Your Teams Clear
Having legal representation for your property sale and purchase is essential, but ensuring they’re in communication with everyone involved can also provide some backup and helps you legally show the notices you gave in either direction. Your solicitor or lawyer can handle contracts, negotiate situations, and follow up on important dates too. They can even make certain that both parties agree to the deadlines you’ve accepted, perhaps giving you space to argue a breach of contract if they’re not followed.
Don’t Just Stipulate Dates, But Times, Too
It’s easy to assume that agreeing on a moving date means everything will go without a hitch, but specifying times is just as important. For example, if your buyer expects to move in by 9am, but you planned to be out by noon, that creates an awkward overlap where they might just be sat in their car outside and you get everything together.
Be as precise as possible, then, as it helps you save this awkwardness. Planing with a reliable local relocation company and a cleaner is much easier when everyone knows the exact schedule, and if they’re a day early, that’s fine.
Have An Emergency Backup Option, Just In Case
Having a backup option is always a smart move. This could mean arranging temporary accommodation in case your move-in date is delayed (at least you’ll have somewhere to sleep) having a storage unit ready if items can’t be moved immediately, or budgeting for last-minute services if needed.
With this advice, we hope you’ll be able to properly manage your moving dates more easily.
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