Life is full of change. There may be a time when you experience one of these changes and you need to sell your home. It could be that you got a new job and need to relocate. Or your house no longer suits your family’s needs. No matter the reason, you may need to sell your house and move to another state. That’s incredibly stressful.
Selling your house and moving touches on several aspects of your life. You must contend with the financial, emotional, and logistical burdens it brings. It can cost you a lot of time and money to navigate the whole process.
What you need is a solid plan. A plan that answers your many questions and provides a clear roadmap. That’s what this article is–a roadmap to helping you sell your house and move to another state efficiently and effectively. Keep reading for our expert tips and strategies!
Steps to Move to Another State
Your specific timeline determines the unique steps to move to another state that best works for you. If you have a buffer of time before you move, there are more things you can do to prepare for the move. On the other hand, if you have to move suddenly, your options are more time sensitive, and you may have to make quicker decisions with less time to prepare.
No matter how much time you have, you should expect to do the following items:
- Budgeting to Move to Another State
- Selling Your House in Your Current State
- Finding Your Next Location to Move to
Budgeting to Move to Another State
First, a move can be expensive. It’s not great for planning, but the moving cost isn’t always foreseeable. Despite moving companies giving customers an estimate for their services, it is not until after the relocation that one can know how much money was spent. The same goes when renting out a truck–while you may calculate approximately how much you’ll pay upfront, additional expenses could pop up post-movement and surprise them at check-out.
Another part of budgeting your move has to do with your new house. You’ll have to decide how you’ll pay for it. So, it’ll be helpful if you get pre-approval for your mortgage and lock down your financing options before or as you move.
Being pre-approved for a mortgage shows lenders what you can do, though it does not guarantee the loan amount initially approved. If you have already sold your current home, a pre-approval could show prospective sellers that you are serious about purchasing their property and can help speed up the buying process.
Explore various financing strategies like bridge loans when selling your existing home but buying a new one. A lender will provide you with money – secured by your current house as collateral – that has interest charges attached and must be repaid. With this type of loan, you can get the capital necessary to advance with purchasing another property.
Homeowners can get a HELOC or home equity line of credit. This type of loan is based on your current house’s worth and provides a certain amount that may be used to buy another home. As soon as you pay off your balance, more funds become available again – so managing it is straightforward.
Selling Your House In Your Current State
If you need to move quickly, consider selling your home ‘as-is’ or pricing it competitively. This means even if a house inspection finds certain repairs are required -you don’t have the time for renovations or repairs – this route might be faster than any other option.
When making moves in the housing market, having options and a bit of wiggle room is critical. Timing can play a vital role when dealing with properties; however, predicting delays, such as financing approval, is only sometimes possible. Extra flexibility gives you peace of mind and ensures you are well-prepared for any eventuality. When selling your home, you have several options:
- Sell with an agent or Realtor
- Sell For Sale By Owner
- Sell it to a cash investor or cash buyer
Selling with a real estate agent includes:
- Determining an accurate sale price
- Finding the correct listing and selling agents
- Preparing your home for sale
- Paying commission fees to agents
Selling For sale by owner (FSBO) is a term used to describe a real estate transaction in which the seller of a property is selling without the help of a real estate agent or broker. The seller typically lists their home for sale and works directly with potential buyers or their agents. This can be beneficial for sellers, as they can save on commission fees, but it also comes with some risks, such as needing access to the same marketing resources that an agent would provide. Additionally, FSBO sellers may have different legal protections than those who use an agent.
Selling to a cash buyer has many benefits, including:
- A quick and easy online sale process – no need to worry about financing or appraisals
- No need to make repairs or upgrades before selling
- No closing costs or commissions to pay
- Guaranteed fair cash offer with no contingencies
- The ability to close quickly and move on with life
Finding Your Next Location to Move to
Although you may not be geographically close to your desired move, surveying the area and learning more about it can make all the difference between a successful second-home purchase and an unfulfilled one.
After all, who wants to live in a neighborhood that’s not a good fit? Doing your due diligence before committing will bring peace of mind knowing that you’ve made a suitable investment for yourself and your family.
The internet provides tons of tools (Google Maps, Streetview, or Nextdoor)to virtually explore the streets of your dream destination, allowing you to research cities, towns, and regions from the comfort of your home. With this handy tool, you can get familiar with specific neighborhoods, including nearby schools and stores.
Another thing you can do is visit in person. If you can work it into your plan, a visit is an excellent way to get the complete rundown on everything new – from where to buy groceries to the closest doctor. However, out-of-state travel can be costly and time-consuming, so this is only sometimes possible. In any case, scouting out your future home early may save you trouble later!
Costs of Moving to Another State
It can be expensive to move to another state. The costs of moving to another state include:
- Closing costs if you sell your home
- Moving fees from hiring a mover or moving yourself
- Cost of living changes like a new house payment or rent, insurance, and transportation
- Property taxes may increase
- Groceries and other shopping
Logistics of Moving to Another State
When you move to another state, there are a lot of varying demands. You’ll need to be strategic and prepared to reduce the stress on you and your family.
Here are the critical things you complete as you plan your move to another state:
- Research and visit where you’ll be living in-person or remotely
- Secure a place to live and find new schools for your children
- Budget for moving and packers or plan to do it yourself
- Contract a relocation assistance service (if feasible)
- Collect your essential documents: bills, tax documents, membership, mail, and utilities
- Plan to cancel or transfer for memberships, mail, and utilities
- Find local healthcare
- Take care of your pet: gather medical records, find information for registering and a new vet
Checklist for Selling Your House and Moving States
Moving to a new state can be intimidating and laborious without proper planning, but we have the perfect solution. Our comprehensive moving-out-of-state checklist will show you how to make your move more manageable and less stressful with step-by-step instructions, from packing boxes to setting up utilities in your new home. With our help, relocating out of state can be manageable.
Here’s our comprehensive checklist for selling your house and moving states
- Visit your new home’s location
- Research your neighborhood using the internet
- Use Google to help you approximate what your neighborhood looks like
- Find new schools for your kids
- Transfer school records
- Collect all your documents and organize them for a quick review: moving, mail, finance, health, and medical records (for you and your pets)
- Cancel or transfer subscription services like a gym membership, clubs, and internet providers
- Make a budget for moving, changes in the cost of living, and taxes
- Research and hire a dependable, bonded, and reputable mover, or plan to do it yourself
- Ask your employer about relocation assistance (if you’re moving for a job)
- Transfer your professional licenses and accreditations
- Find a place to live, either a new house or a rental property
- Find a local doctor for you, your family, and your pets
- Research things you need to live, like groceries, utility providers, and other services
- Choose a moving date and backward plan from that day
- Order moving supplies
- Develop a strategic plan for packing by room
- Make travel plans
- Divorced? Make sure to know child support and custody laws
- Ship or drive your car
- Clear out your storage unit
- Transfer your utilities: cable, internet, water, gas, sewer, electricity, and home security
- Forward mail
- Pack for yourself
- Provided you’ve sold your home, give the keys to the new owner
- Change your residence to the new state, also called establishing a domicile–you can find out more info on your new state’s official website
- Get involved with the community, meet your neighbors, and new people
- Get a new driver’s license, and while you’re at the DMV, register to vote
- Register your pet and forward vaccine information
- Find a home repair service to help you move in and for small projects
Conclusion
Moving to a different state can be daunting, but with proper preparation and planning, it doesn’t have to be. You can start by researching your destination and spending time there if possible.
The home selling process can be challenging. Home sellers can make the job easier with a good plan and our checklist.
Create a budget for your move, including the cost of movers and storage, and find a suitable moving company. Ensure you know what documents you need for your new house out of state. Finally, review our checklist of tips to ensure a smooth transition. With these steps in mind, you’ll be ready to move into your next home.
But there are better options out there for you.
Selling your old house to a cash-for-houses company or real estate investor is an excellent option if you need to move to another state fast. Working with an investor or a cash offer company can give you the peace of mind that comes with knowing you will have the funds ready to go immediately so that you can quickly close your sale and get a fair price for your home.
The process is often much more straightforward than traditional real estate agents or other methods since you only need to provide critical information about your house, and the company can handle the rest. You’ll have a flexible closing date that complements your schedule.
Although you may not get full market value for your home, the total proceeds are often similar because you avoid paying closing costs and agent commissions.
A cash offer is an efficient solution that can save time and hassle by avoiding protracted negotiations, invasive open houses and showings, and lengthy closing processes, making it perfect for when time is of the essence. You’ll have ample money for a new down payment while moving on from your old home.
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