Moving ‘Moving’ From Nightmare to Dream

Remember when moving was fun?

If you share the sentiments of just about everyone in town, your answer to that is a definite “NO!” Picking up and moving a household has never been fun or easy -- and long distance moving can be even worse. When you need to relocate from another state to this state, you can’t just hop back across town to take care of a few last minute details: likely as not, you’re a jet plane ride away!

The logistical concerns of moving your belongings, coupled with the expenses and the stress of locating a new home, can combine to be close to overwhelming. Thankfully, there are specialists to help with the situation. With focused training and years of experience, relocation specialists help save time and money (not to mention mental stability). With assistance from a relocation expert, you can move ‘moving’ out of its traditional nightmare category. 
 

When a local agent lists ‘Relocation’ among their qualifications, it means more than just first-hand knowledge of the area’s schools, shopping, commute times and home values. While people tend to be more or less familiar with the real estate market in their current neighborhood, it’s challenging to get up to speed with an unfamiliar real estate market. Agents qualified in relocation are particularly aware of the need to familiarize their clients with local values -- especially since they often have a small window of time in which to secure their new home.

For anyone planning relocation to our area, there are a few steps you can take to find the right agent for you. First, put all potential agents through a telephone test. Call several agents during the day and leave a brief message, stating your needs. Then sit back and wait for return calls. Avoid any agent who doesn’t call back within 24 hours. Relocating to a new area is stressful enough without having a real estate agent you cannot rely on.

Next, ask the remaining candidates a lot of questions. Find out how much experience he or she has in relocating clients to this area. Determine how much the agent knows about the neighborhoods that fit your baseline criteria – have they successfully relocated clients there? Finally, ask for references – the names and phone numbers of past relocation clients. And don’t skip calling those references! The most reliable referral is one obtained from someone who can report from experience.
For a long distance or logistically complicated move – the kind that happens when you need to simultaneously sell one home and buy another – being able to rely on an agent who lists ‘relocation’ as a specialty may be the key to success. If you are considering a move to our town, give me a call anytime to discuss your timeline and needs.