When Is the Best Time to Move? A Real Estate Guide

You’ve been following real estate trends, and you found some of the best house negotiating tips. Now, you’re wondering, when is the best time to move?

Part of knowing how to buy a house is knowing when to buy. Then, you can make moving as stress-free as possible for you and your family.

Keep reading to learn more.

Best Month of the Year

While the best time to move can depend on your situation, certain months are generally cheaper than others. If you move at a peak time, you may need to pay more for movers.

To save money, you can move between late September and late April. Many people move during the summer to keep from having to change schools in the middle of the year.

If you can move during the school year, you won’t have to compete with as many people. Then, you may be able to get a more affordable rate from a moving company.

Best Week of the Month

Regardless of the month you plan to move, you may still be able to find less competition for movers. A lot of people choose to move during the first or last weekend of the month.

Movers may charge more for those dates because they know there will be more demand. Consider if you can move during the second or third week of the month.

Then, you may not have to pay as much for the same service. And you can settle into your new home without as much stress. But make sure you won’t mess up your schedule to move in the middle of the month.

Best Days of the Week

As with the month and the week, certain days are better to move than others. Regardless of when you need to move, consider doing so between Monday and Thursday.

Many people prefer to move on the weekends because they don’t have to take off of work. However, that means you may need to plan ahead more to schedule movers.

If you have the time, take off a day or two during the week. Then, you can move all of your stuff to your new house, and you won’t have to fight any weekend crowds.

Best Time of the Day

Moving during the morning is the best time of day, no matter when you decide to move. If you hire movers, they will usually like to start early so that they can avoid the heat, especially in the summer.

However, starting early is also beneficial if you don’t hire movers. Unless you’re a night owl, you probably have more energy in the morning, so you can pack and move more easily.

Even if you are a night owl, starting early in the morning means you can get to your new house sooner to unpack. For longer moves, you’ll be able to get on the road earlier, so you may not have to stop overnight.

Other Factors

While you should consider the most convenient times to move, they may not always work for your specific schedule. For example, you may put an offer on a house the month before your current lease ends.

You may not be able to move on the second Wednesday of the month. Or you may have other factors that limit when it would make the most sense to move.

The best time for someone else to move might not be suitable for you. Think about your moving situation and how it might affect the best times to move.

Your Work

Of course, you have to consider your work schedule and if you can take time off. If not, you may have to move on a weekend so that you have more time in the day for everything.

On the other hand, you may have a moving deadline so that you can start a new job soon. If your job requires relocation, you might have to move during the middle of the summer.

Consider your work schedule and if you have to move by a certain date. Then, you can find the best time for your family to move. It may be a busy time, but that’s okay if it’s your best option.

Your Kids

If you have kids, you may also want to think about them and their schedules. While moving during the school year can be a great way to save money, it means your kids may need to switch schools in the middle of the year.

Now, the answer to “when should I move” is up to you. However, you don’t want to throw off your kids’ schedules. If you need to move during the middle of the school year, try to do so during a school break to help your kids adjust.

When you’re moving within the same neighborhood, this isn’t as big of a deal. But it will still take time for your kids to pack, unpack, and acclimate to their new home.

Climate

Another factor to consider is the climate where you live and where you’re moving if you have a long-distance move. If either place has severe winters, you may not want to move in December, January, or February.

You might want to avoid the middle of the summer if you’re moving from or to a really warm place. Similarly, consider if your current or new home is somewhere with a lot of rain.

In general, the spring and fall are pretty safe when it comes to avoiding extreme weather conditions. However, you should consider the situation where you live. Watch the forecast and come up with a plan if you can’t move on moving day.

When Is the Best Time to Move?

Whether you’re looking to relocate or you want to move down the block, you should know, when is the best time to move? The answer depends on your situation, but some months and weeks are better than others.

If possible, try to move during the middle of a month outside of summer break. Then, you can save money on movers because of the lower demand.

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