Moving out of your current residence should be the result of careful preparation and consideration and not just a spur of the moment decision. Otherwise, you might end up regretting not having thought about it in the first place. As you prepare for this transition, here are some tips to help you adjust well at your new place.
•Decide on what kind of property will best suit your lifestyle and purchasing power. Are you single and do you prefer living in the city; or would you rather have your children grow up in a quiet environment?
•Ensure that the new place is better than your current home in terms of facilities, accessibility, and financial value. Prepare a listing of your basic, non-negotiable needs/preferences to narrow down your choices.
•Clean up your house inventory. Come up with a garage sale for reusable items or throw away those things that have just accumulated space over time.
•Label move-out boxes accordingly. Aside from indicating the contents of each box, try adding in which part of the house the contents are for so you can easily organize and sort them out. (E.g.: Kitchen – plates, cups, and saucers)
•Prepare two sets of spare keys for the house and all the rooms. Do not keep them inside the house though.
•When loading, start with the heaviest and biggest items first. The last ones should be the stuff that you will need right away at the new place.
•If you intend to hire movers, seek recommendations from your peers or hire an experienced service provider.
•Finally, consider insuring your new home. A standard insurance policy for homeowners usually includes dwelling coverage, contents coverage, and personal liability coverage. Other coverage options include flood, earthquake, fire, and ordinance/law insurance, among many others.
For those who plan to lease out a portion of the house or the apartment, hiring an experienced property management consultant may help you save time and money in the end. Remember that the issues related to single rental homes are different from those associated with common interest communities and apartment complexes.
By Dez Duran-Lamanilao