[LowClass]

Ok im trying to get some general info here. For those of you that have moved recently or have moved in the past. What were the hardest parts about the whole process? (minus moving furniture if you did it yourself). What seemed most expensive in the whole process? Did you ahve to throw anything away that was worth money/ could you have liqudated alot of your stuff to make the move easier and more in expensive?



Was ti hard to get to the new house and plan things out? If the house was being built, Was it hard or annoying to have to go and pick colors and such? Were you weary of all those contracts you had to sign?



thanks for any and all input guys, i appreciate it.

I was trained to own only enough important things that can be scooped up in minutes on the way out the door.

Ooopppps! That was in a prior life.

[Trak Ratt]

Everyone should have a custom or semi custom house built at least once (actually once would probably be enough). It teaches you to pay attention to detail like no other! Picking out options, carpet, colors, light fixtures etc is the fun part! Waiting through the inevitable delays is the flip side. Did it once, had a wonderful floor plan, excellent builder, superior wooded lot and construction, sh**ty location (45 miles outside beltway).

- most people ID the things to get rid of after they move.

- everyone loses “stuff”, only to find it when packing for the next move

- never enough time to prep house

- everything you throw away is worth money to someone, you just can’t find them in time

- everything you throw away you will need in the next year

- counter to this is that it will cost more to move and store than it is worth and you won’t be able to find it until after you replace it anyway.

- Good planning is paramount but like in war once under way it’s how you react to the “now” not how you planned

- closing costs are always more than expected

- taxes will always go up, while expectations can only go down

- layers! nuf said (youngest just past VA bar!!!!!)

- Real estate agents – now who exactly do they represent?

[VaSteve]

If you are buying a brand new house...the entire place will need to be painted. Builders paint is cheap stuff. Hopefully, they will use a color you can stand while figure out what to do. You have to paint the trim as well.

It's far cheaper to buy your carpet/floor from the outside (not the builder). The problem is you can't finance that with the mortgage (but you shouldn't finance carpet for 30 years anyway). I got level "4" upgrades on the outside compared with a level 2 price from the builder.

If it's new construction. Remember that the previous owner left NOTHING behind you can use (window treatments, towel hooks, etc.) You need to buy all that stuff.

The Ikea furniture that looks passable in a 1500 square foot condo looks tiny in a big house.

The builder will probably lie to you at one point. Or multiple.

Get a home inspection at pre drywall and again at walk through.

The HOA will be underfunded and they'll raise it.

Taxes will go up because of the need to pay for roads and schools.

[Dave O]

If you have the option and the time and want to save $$$ (or are cheap like me ) and you can get access to the house when it is only framed, prewire all the rooms for whatever high tech system is your preference. You don't have to finish the connections at an outlet box, just mark on a plan where they end in the wall and cut into the wallboard after you move in. Or you could do like I did and run a 2 inch PVC pipe from the basement to the attic and then 1 inch pipes from the attic into each room and feed in your wires after you move in and can decide what the heck you want anyway.


Also I am a big fan of vinyl windows and vinyl or aluminum clad wood trim. All my neighbors got "high end" wood windows and trim, soffets, etc. and have to spend $2000 to $4000 every few years to get them repainted, and they look like heck just before they get it done. They all wish they had no exposed exterior wood to maintain. The latest stuff is very good. Not like the old cheap looking stuff.

Start selling extra stuff on ebay now. We waited until 8 years after we moved.

My $0.02 worth. YMMV.

[Greg]

If you're staying local it's the days that you have to stay home waiting for a truck to pull up. New furniture, cable dude, dryer outlet converted to 220v, phone lines, gas turned on and so on.
If you changing states it would have to be the days you spend waiting in line to get you tags & DL changed over. Murphy's Law states the info you need will be packed away and you won't be able to find it.

I have boxes that are 3 years old that I haven't unpacked, but I can't throw them away I might need something in it...right????

[LowClass]

Thanks for the information so far. i suppose i need to clear up what i missed. I am not currently moving or looking to move. ive done relocation cooridnation for many years personally and professionally and i was thinking of starting a consulting buisness geared twords making the relocation process easier and smoother from the shortcuts i have learned and such. Im trying to figure out right now if theres even any sort of demand for that type of buisness and which parts in specific. Thanks for all you input guys, keep it coming

[Trak Ratt]

Originally Posted by LowClass

Thanks for the information so far. i suppose i need to clear up what i missed. I am not currently moving or looking to move. ive done relocation cooridnation for many years personally and professionally and i was thinking of starting a consulting buisness geared twords making the relocation process easier and smoother from the shortcuts i have learned and such. Im trying to figure out right now if theres even any sort of demand for that type of buisness and which parts in specific. Thanks for all you input guys, keep it coming

No problem, the charge for my advice is $150 (and cheep at half the cost). I have PayPal. I’ll forward the address in a PM

[racer]

Originally Posted by LowClass

Thanks for the information so far. i suppose i need to clear up what i missed. I am not currently moving or looking to move. ive done relocation cooridnation for many years personally and professionally and i was thinking of starting a consulting buisness geared twords making the relocation process easier and smoother from the shortcuts i have learned and such. Im trying to figure out right now if theres even any sort of demand for that type of buisness and which parts in specific. Thanks for all you input guys, keep it coming

My move to NOVA was a corporate move. They had services in place to make the move very easy. Worked with some nice people (Mortgage company, local realtors on the selling and buying sides, etc). If this is the type of service you are thinking of it's a great idea. However...

If I was moving "on my own" I think I would have to seriously weigh the cost of such a "concierge" service. I imaging the $15k money the company spent to move my stuff was "bloated" but, then again, if it was out of my pocket I would have packed evertything into a U-Haul or two.

[LowClass]

very true, however i havent even stepped on prices. I still have to weigh what would be more efficient, fixed or hourly rate, or even a per price move. But i guess alot fo diffrent factors would go into that. i do imagine that 15k was quite bloated to snake the comapny of money however that total cost sounds like it was for the movers and closing costs and all that rolled into one as well.