Moving Tips for Sellers

Real estate is moving and homes are selling here in the Green County area. If you are one of the home sellers in the area, here are some tips for getting ready for your upcoming move:

1. Give your forwarding address to the post office, usually 2-4 weeks ahead of the move.

2. Notify your magazine subscriptions, charge cards, and bank of the change of address.

3. Develop a list of friends, relatives, and business colleagues who need to be notified of the move.

4. Arrange to have utilities disconnected at your old home and connected at your new one.

5. Cancel the newspaper.

6. Check insurance coverage for moved items. Usually movers only cover what they pack.

7. Clean out appliances and prepare them for moving, if applicable.

8. Note the weight of the goods you’ll have moved, since long-distance moves are usually billed according to weight. Watch for movers that use excessive padding to add weight.

9. Have a “first open” box with the things you’ll need most—toilet paper, soap, trash bags, scissors, hammer, screwdriver, pencils and paper, cups and plates, water, snacks, and toothpaste.

Plus, if you’re moving out of town:

1. Get copies of medical and dental records and prescriptions for your family and your pets.

2. Get copies of children’s school records for transfer.

3. Ask friends for introductions to anyone they know in your new neighborhood or look for people from the area on social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook.

4. Consider special car needs for pets when traveling.

5. For safety's sake, let a friend or relative know your route.

6. Carry traveler’s checks or an ATM card for ready cash until you can open a bank account.

7. Empty your safety deposit box.

8. Put plants in boxes with holes for air circulation if you’re moving in cold weather.

adapted from the National Association of Realtors.

Moving is never simple, but hopefully with a little forethought, it can at least go smoothly for you.