Sometimes, we like to ask a salesman trying to sell us something, "How do you like your own product?" If the vacuum salesman sells a great vacuum, he must obviously be using the vacuum himself, right? In this post, I want to share what we have learned from our own moves to different homes over the past 13 years. Hopefully, this will help others who are considering moving homes.

First, not every shiny thing in the distance is worth pursuing. While we have not regretted any of our moves, we have learned to disregard shiny things that turn out to be only pennies lying in the street. This can be tricky to avoid. For example, if someone does not know the home they are looking for, the location, the amenities, the schools, and a host of other factors, that person may feel pulled to purchase a beautiful house in a rough area or ignore a home that needs a little work in a great area. We have avoided this by researching the major things that make a beautiful home for us: size, rooms, age, lot size, garage space, school ratings in the area, sex offender registry, and a balance of distance from crowded areas while still being connected for commute times. This is something we have paid close attention to for nearly 20 years. When we have looked to move, we can more easily find the homes that best fit our family's needs. Even if you are not ready to buy or move right now, but think you may in the future, there is no harm in studying what best fits your needs and seeing what is out there.

Second, organizing your home packing is a top priority once you have decided to move. Our initial moves were really clunky, often packing on the day we were supposed to move. As we have progressed through these moves, we have found that the more systematically we packed the home - room by room, with clearly labeled boxes, discarding things we no longer need - the easier the move and unpacking have been. Once you are certain that you are moving, start organizing and periodically working on packing your home, eventually leaving out only those items needed to live for a week leading into the last week before you move. This will not necessarily eliminate the stress of moving - who can promise that? But it will limit the stress and help things move more smoothly.

Lastly, learn to embrace uncertainty. While a home purchasing contract should spell out expectations for selling and purchasing homes, there is always something that throws a wrench into the works - deadlines you are not prepared for, inspection items that need to be taken care of, weather delays on home construction, financing delays, job changes midway through the process, and a host of other possibilities. Being willing to negotiate firmly but patiently through these setbacks will ensure the best possible outcome for your move.

Our family has learned so much more than these three things in our moves, but these are the ones that stick out to me the most as they seem to be common issues that people deal with in their moves and can be resolved using these lessons. In this way, our family has also used our own product, and we have used these and many other experiences helping others buy and sell homes to create an amazing team and impeccable processes to make your next move awesome too! If you have any questions about your home, how to prepare for your move, or anything real estate-related, reach out to us today, and we will be excited to help.