Moving home is renowned for being a stressful time, but with some careful planning there is a lot you can do to reduce the stress and make it a smoother process for everyone involved.

According to data published by Lloyds Bank, the number of people moving is at a 10-year high, so here are our top 5 tips to help make your move as hassle-free as possible…

1) Budget your expenses

There are so many costs to consider when moving house it is well worth taking the time to sit down and create a list of all associated costs so you can budget properly and avoid any nasty surprises further down the line.

Do this as early as possible and allow yourself time to get comparative quotes for the various services. Some considerations include: conveyancing, surveying fees, removals, skip hire, stamp duty and estate agency fees.

2) Appoint a good conveyancer

Make sure you use a professional conveyancing solicitor to help you through the legal process of buying a house as efficiently as possible. Try and seek recommendations from friends and family who have recently moved home, as quality and speed of service can vary.

It is recommended that you use companies regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority or the Council of Licensed Conveyancers to help make the process as stress-free as possible.

3) Get a Building Survey

Buying a house is a big decision and before you sign on the dotted line it’s a good idea to invest in a building survey to get the professional opinion of a Chartered Building Surveyor. Yes, it is another expense, but it could help you identify some costly issues or at the very least, provide you with extra peace of mind.

The type of survey required depends on the type of property you are buying – it is always best to take advice from an RICS regulated Chartered Building Surveyor.

4) Use a professional removals company

Given the importance of the task in hand, make sure the company transporting your belongings is professional and experienced. Arrange a pre-move visit to your property so they can assess your requirements and be fully prepared on moving day.

A professional removals company will also offer a packing service and whilst this is a bit more expensive it can be a huge help in the lead up to the move, saving you both time and energy.

5) Get ready for the big day

With the big day looming it’s best to be as organised as possible and create a checklist of things to do in preparation. Here’s some of our ideas you can add to your checklist:

• If you have pets, consider booking them into a kennels/cattery to make the day easier for everyone in the family.
• Order a food shop to be delivered on your first morning in your new home.
• Subject to budget you may want to book cleaning services of your old and new homes.
• Pack overnight bags and put them to one side where they can be easily found – you may want to transport these in your own car.
• Prepare a separate, easily accessible box with essentials for the day eg: kettle, tea and coffee, milk, sugar, phone chargers, house documents, contact numbers for utility companies, snacks, toilet roll, pen and scissors.
• Label all boxes according to what’s inside and which room they are to be put in. It’s a good idea to stick these labels on both the top and side of the box so you know what’s in them when they’re stacked up.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that moving into a new build home is often a lot less stressful than moving into a previously occupied property. As well as the obvious benefit of there being no upper chain, there will also be no hidden surprises when you arrive at the new property, as can so often be the case when former occupants vacate a house.

With an Anvil Homes new build property, the moving in process is very smooth from picking up your keys to walking into a clean and modern house with no maintenance issues to worry about and a 10-year LABC warranty to give you peace of mind.

For further information on our current development in Great Whittington please follow this link https://anvilhomes.com/