Clients moving? Here’s how to help them make it less stressful

Your clients found their dream home, sold their old home, now all that’s left is… moving.

Carrie Niess, business analyst with American Financing, is here to help you make the process as easy as possible for your clients. The first thing to do when moving is create a timeline and follow a checklist, she said.

After that, get to work. Assuming the next tenants or homeowners will not be moving in immediately, homeowners should remember to defrost the refrigerator and unplug any appliances left behind, Niess said. Next, “ensure you have taken inventory of the items you’re moving. This is especially important when making long distance moves. You want to be sure nothing accidentally goes missing, and if it does, you’ll need to be sure you can account for it, not that it’s not misplaced elsewhere or thrown out. An efficient way to do this is to plan new rooms before you pack old rooms, and of course, keep a list of items that belong in that room,” she suggested.

Niess also recommended reminding your clients to cancel or transfer utility services and complete a change of address through the post office. While packing, create “an easily accessible box that’s packed with essentials, such as toilet paper, cleaning supplies, first-aid kit, paper plates, utensils, etc. Even if the movers arrive on time and your boxes are properly labeled, it’s never easy to find what you’re looking for,” she said.

And don’t forget about pets and children’s needs, she said. “A new environment can be stressful for them. Be sure to take the time to be sure they know what’s going on, they have some favorite toys nearby, and maybe even have an off-site play date scheduled during the physical move so they’re not scared or overwhelmed by the chaos.”

“Moving can be stressful. Real estate agents are expert movers, whether they realize it or not. Making recommendations on trusted moving companies, or suggesting apps like Nextdoor are easy ways to offer support without being too pushy or adding too much work to a client’s already full plate,” she added.