Full Service Real Estate

• Head to the post office and fill out a change of address form. You can also do this online from USPS.com.
• Make a list of all your accounts: bank, credit, subscriptions, newspaper, etc. Start calling the companies or submitting the necessary information online for each of your accounts.
• Create an e-mail or e-card to send to all of your friends and family with your new address and estimated date of arrival in your new home.
• Clean out and prepare any appliances that you are taking with you.
• Know what your homeowner’s insurance will cover during the move. If you are using movers, know what their policy covers.
• Call all of your utilities and have them disconnected at your existing home and connected at your new home.
• If you are using movers, know the weight of everything that will be moved because cost is usually based on weight. Padding is important and excessive padding may add a lot of weight which will up your moving costs.
• Label the moving boxes by room so that you know where things are supposed to go when you arrive, and then you can have the movers place the boxes in the appropriate place. In addition, have a box ready with snacks, toilet paper, paper plates and cups.

Moving Out of Town

• Contact all of your doctors (including veterinarians) and get copies of your records to give to your new physicians.
• Contact your family’s schools and start the transfer of those files to the new schools.
• If you have pets, take into consideration what they will need and how that will affect your route – hotel policies, walking stops, food, etc.
• If you have a safe deposit box, make arrangements to close it and transfer the items within it.
• Plan your route ahead of time and have an emergency contact person who knows where you should be along the way.
• Don’t carry too much cash! Traveler’s checks and ATM/credit cards will work at most places.
• Before you arrive, ask the people you know in your new neighborhood to introduce you to people that they know in the area.

Help Out the New Owners of your Home

• Pull out warranties and owner’s manuals for all appliances that stay with the home.
• Leave a quick list of your favorite services to help them get acquainted with the area. Include dry cleaners, pet sitters, salons, lawn services, etc.
• Put the garage door opener with an extra set of keys on the counter to easily be seen by the new owners.