No one believes moving house is cheap – aside from the property price, there are many processes, professionals, and sometimes, problems for it to be low cost. Here are 6 top tips on moving home on a budget.
Where have moving costs increased the most?
New figures from a recent report, show how inflation has made a costly event more costly. The report suggests it’s now 4.7 per cent more expensive to move home than a year ago. And that’s despite some estate agents’ fees dipping in line with average house prices.
The largest increase has been reported in a 10.5 per cent jump for hiring removal services which now average £528, being greater in big cities and on the busiest removal days. A more affordable option is to hire a self-drive van at £71 per day. Although this has also seen a 5.1 per cent year-on-year cost increase.
Practical tips on moving home
Here are some practical tips on moving home and how to make the process as smooth as possible, in the knowledge that reducing time and possible pitfalls will help keep your costs down.
Moving home tip 1: make your sale process simple
Get a mortgage agreed in advance, a conveyancing solicitor hired, a survey completed on the property you want to buy and have all the paperwork lawyer-ready on your side. Here’s one of several useful guides we’ve prepared on selling a house with a mortgage and once you’ve sold and found the next home of your dreams…
Tip 2: keep communicating
Another great tip on moving home is to keep communicating! The biggest risk of a fall-through in 2024 (this is where a buyer or seller pulls out of a deal) is difficulty with getting an affordable mortgage. Daily calls or emails to your mortgage broker, solicitor and estate agent may catch problems quickly.
Tip 3 on moving home: declutter
It’s a cliche but true, and it doesn’t apply only to viewings by buyers. If you get rid of unwanted belongings, you will not pay a removal firm to take them to your new home. Where perhaps you may pay again to dispose of them if they do not fit or are not right for your new home.
Moving home tip 4: book a removal team early
The closer you wait to a moving date, the more expensive the removals may be. Some removal firms charge less on ‘non-peak’ days like Mondays. Or if different customers’ house moves are coordinated to make more efficient use of van space.
Tip 5: pack in advance
Our removal partners suggest creating an inventory of what you want to move and then adding 20 per cent extra space. They are experts and have seen hundreds of families underestimating what they have in a home. Pack cleverly too – using socks, bubble wrap, towels and curtains as a protective material for fragile items can reduce the risk of costly breakages.
Tip 6: still more communications
In the days leading up to a move you’ll minimise the risks of late problems. Give yourself peace of mind, through a daily call to your solicitor and agent. And then your removal team if you think it necessary.
House moves done right with tips on moving home
This is a difficult sequence of jobs to pull off but even in this challenging year for the housing market. 2024 will see around one million house moves across Britain. So, with these tips on moving home, it can be done! Make sure to also look into council tax when you move home.
With the right planning and commitment, it can come in at a reasonable price too. Good luck!
Last Updated: January 26th, 2024
