For many people, moving and selling a house isn’t a fun thing to do, even if the move is for good reasons. There are many things to keep in mind, like setting up utilities in a new property, changing your driver’s license, figuring out if you should hold on to your old house and rent it out and what moving company to hire. Moving isn’t cheap either, so setting a moving budget would help if your company isn’t moving you. To make the process a smooth transition, planning how you will sell your house and move out will help make this big step less stressful. Below are some helpful tips on how to sell your house in Nebraska, steps to moving out of state, and costs to consider when moving.
How To Move To Another State And Sell Your House
Moving Out Of State
If you’re moving out of state, it could be an exciting time and an overwhelming time all in one. Maybe you’re moving out of state to live closer to your kids or to live in a warmer climate than Nebraska offers. For other people, perhaps this move is for a fresh start in a new state or to take a new job position that is requiring you to move. Whatever the reason may be that you’re moving out of state, you have plenty of things to do before you get there. An interstate move will require you to wrap up things in Nebraska and set new roots in this new state. Planning will help your move go a lot smoother and should help you stay on budget than a disorganized move would. You will need to make some early decisions like if you plan to move states on your own or hire a moving company and if you’re going to keep your current house or sell it. The task at hand may sound like a lot, but following the steps below will help you stay on track to make this move a success.
Steps to Take When Moving Out of State
Once the decision is made that you are making an interstate move- to stay organized, it would be helpful to follow these steps and add them to a moving checklist. This will help you to stay on track and to remember certain things during this hectic time. Let’s take a look at what steps to take when moving out of state.
Step 1: Visit The New City Or State
It wouldn’t hurt to plan a visit to this new state you’re about to move to, especially if you’ve never been there. It is a good idea to get a feel for the area and see what parts of town you like. Even if you’ve been there before to visit family, you may want to visit with a fresh set of eyes since you will be moving there, not just visiting.
Step 2: Research The Area
If you have children, it will be important to research the best schools in the area for them to attend or the best communities for families. If you don’t have any children, researching the best areas and schools wouldn’t be a bad idea because that would be good for resale value down the road.
Step 3: Create Your Budget
The next step to moving out of state is to create your budget. Moving to another state isn’t cheap, so you will need to figure out how much you would like to spend. The average cost of having professional movers to move you out of state is $4,300. Even if you decide to move on your own, you will still need to pay for a moving truck or storage container, moving supplies, and other expenses. Moving on your own may be a cheaper option, but you will need to do all the heavy lifting. A few ways you can save on moving costs are to pack on your own; some moving companies charge extra to pack your belongings, so if you’re able to do it on your own, it can save you some cash. Another way you can save some money is by calling local supermarkets for their unused boxes. A lot of places have shipping boxes they can give you for free.
To determine your moving budget, figure out how much you would be willing and able to spend. Then make a list of all the necessary moving expenses, including a little extra for unexpected expenses.
Another helpful tool to use is a moving cost calculator; that way, you will have a good idea of a realistic moving budget.
Tip: The cost of selling your house and moving states can be expensive so, if you’re moving for a job, check with your new employer if they plan to move you or help cover some of your expenses. It doesn’t hurt to ask.
Step 4: Find A Place To Live
After you determine your moving budget, you will need to figure out where you plan to live. If you’re moving in with family, that’s easy, but if you need to purchase a house or lease an apartment, it would be good to figure that out before you get there. Connecting with a local real estate agent may be helpful in your house hunt, or simply searching online can help you find some available houses to buy. This is when visiting before you move comes in handy; you can schedule to look at some places you like or visit some apartment complexes while you’re there. You will also need to line up financing if you plan to purchase something or possibly put down a deposit on an apartment you’d like to rent.
Step 5: Research Moving Companies
If you plan to use a moving company for your interstate move, you will need to research the best moving companies to use. It’s important to find a reputable company when it comes to moving your personal belongings. Make sure you read reviews, look at ratings, and even see if they are a part of the Better Business Bureau. It wouldn’t hurt to contact a few moving companies; that way, you can get quotes from three or four. Usually, moving companies will want to do it in person or a video call to access your belongings before giving you a quote. You may find movers offering quotes online without looking at the items they’re moving or seem pretty inexpensive compared to the other quotes; just be cautious; this could be a moment where you may get what you pay for. Just make sure whoever you decided to work with is licensed, insured, and has good reviews.
Step 6: Come Up With A Packing Plan
You can pay for movers to pack for you, but you can pack yourself to cut down on the expense. Before you pack your belongings, it would be good to go through everything, so you’re not packing and moving things you don’t plan to keep. This can be where things get tricky if you have a lot of stuff to go through. You could either hire a professional organizer or enlist some friends to help to go through everything. Once you’ve gone through your stuff, you may discover you have quite a few things you’d like to get rid of and could have a yard sale. You may be able to make a few hundred dollars and use that money towards your move or for new stuff in your next home.
After you’ve gone through everything, it’s time to start packing; if you don’t move for a few weeks, go ahead and start packing things that you’re not using. Pack your winter clothes if it’s summer or summer clothes if it’s winter. Books you’re not reading, holiday decor, extra kids toys, anything that isn’t being used daily, pack it. You will be glad you got a jump on packing early.
Also, it wouldn’t hurt to number each box you pack and keep a notepad with detailed information about what is in each box. So that way, when you move into your new place, if you’re looking for a specific item, you can refer to your notepad and know exactly which box it is in.
Step 7: Schedule Utility Shutoff And Connection
Don’t forget before you leave to schedule the utilities to be turned off in your old home and to get utilities turned on in the new place. Ideally, you will want to do this a few weeks before the move so you won’t get charged a same day turn-on fee. You will also need to give the old utility providers your new forwarding address that way; the last bills can be sent to your new home.
Remember to call the new utility companies you will be using and to let them know when you need everything turned on. Utilities that may need to be turned on would include electricity, gas, and water. You should also find out if you have to pay for trash pick up or if the city handles that.
Even going ahead and scheduling someone to come out to set up the internet and cable if you plan to get that at the new house would be a good idea. Just make sure to get that turned off at the old home and return any equipment those companies provided you.
Step 8: Forward Your Mail
The next step to moving out of state is to get your mail forwarded to your new address. If you don’t have an address yet, you can always set up a P.O. box in the city you will be moving to. The easiest way to get your mail forwarded is by visiting the USPS website and filling out a change of address form. This will start the process of delivering your mail to your new residence or to a P.O box. As soon as you move there, make sure to start changing all your contact info so that mail will get sent to the new address correctly. Any mail that comes in with a forwarding address label, make sure to call or go online to change your address information.
Step 9: Notify People You’re Moving
If you’re moving for your job, they will likely know about your upcoming relocation, but you may need to share with your co-workers about your upcoming move to another state.
If your job isn’t aware of your move, make sure you give them a two-week notice before relocating that way, you’re leaving on good terms. It would also be a good idea to let your neighbors, friends, and family know too- that way, they know where you are and that you are ok. If you attend a church or are part of any group activities, make sure you let people know you will be moving; that way, they aren’t looking for you or wonder why you’re not attending anymore.
Step 10: Establish Residence In The New State
The final step to take when moving to another state would be establishing a residence in the new state you’re moving to. To find out what you need to do to establish residence simply visit the state’s website you’re moving to for more information. And don’t also forget to change these important documents:
- Tax information
- Drivers license
- License plate
- Voters registration
- Car insurance/ Homeowners insurance
Once you’ve made your moving checklist with all the steps above and have an action plan together, the next big thing to address is how you’re going to sell your house in Nebraska.
Selling Your House in Nebraska
The next thing to figure out is if you’re going to sell your current home or keep it and rent it out. Both options have their pros and cons; let’s look at each choice to figure out what would be best for you.
Sell Your Home
Selling your house in Nebraska isn’t a bad idea. If you don’t plan to move back and would like to use the proceeds from the sale of your house to put towards your next home, it’s a good idea. If you plan to go this route, you will need to decide how you will sell your house. Here are your options:
- Sell with a realtor
- Sell by owner
- Sell to a homebuyer
To sell with a realtor, you would need to find an agent you feel comfortable working with and sign an agreement for them to sell your home. Usually, these agreements last for 6 months and state your realtor has that amount of time to sell your home. The real estate agent will handle many of the selling processes like listing and advertising your house, showing the home, negotiating with the buyer’s agent, taking calls, and handling paperwork. In turn, for their services, you will be charged a 5-6% commission upon the sale of your property. If your house sells for $245,000, your agent stands to make $14,700 (6% commission). For a lot of people this is a con to selling a house with a real estate agent. Ideally, you could use that commission to help pay for your interstate move or put towards a downpayment on your next home.
After hearing what an agent would stand to make from selling your home, you could always sell by owner. The only thing about that is all the things mentioned above that a realtor handles when selling a house would fall to you to do. Would you be up for that, all while trying to look for a home in another state, pack your belongings, and make moving arrangements?
At the end of the day, selling with a realtor or selling by owner doesn’t guarantee a quick home sale. And if you need to sell fast to move to another state, that is a big deal. If you’re wondering how long does it take to sell a house in Nebraska on average? Currently, the average days on market in Nebraska from listing to closing is 54 days- so if you need to move pretty quickly, those two options may not be for you.
Home Repairs and Cleaning
The next thing you will need to do is figure out if your home is ready to sell or if it needs repairs before you can list it? Unless you sell your house as-is, typically, you will need to make repairs before listing your residence. If you don’t make them, the buyer’s inspection will reveal the necessary repairs and likely require them to be fixed before closing on the property. Repairs can be costly and time-consuming, and if you’re on a tight budget and need to move quickly, selling as-is to a local homebuyer may be a better idea.
Once you finish getting the necessary repairs done, you will need to do some cleaning. Make sure to dust, mop, and vacuum to get ready for interested buyers to walk through your home. This would be a good time to pack away any personal items or photos. Also, make sure to clean or paint over any marks on the walls and get your carpets professionally cleaned if dirty or if you have pets.
→Check out these 7 Best Projects To Do Now To Sell Your House Fast In Nebraska.
Hire a Photographer
If you’re working with an agent, usually, they have a photographer they use to take listing photos. Still, if you’re selling by owner, you will need to hire a professional photographer to come to take pictures of your property. This will be something else to include in the moving budget, you will likely spend a few hundred dollars on hiring a photographer.
Sell Your House Fast To A Homebuyer
Instead of going to all the trouble of getting a house ready to sell, repairs, cleaning, hiring a photographer, consider selling to a local home buyer instead. Element Homebuyers is a local home buyer that buys houses in as-is condition (no cleaning required) and can close within 7-14 days. They also don’t charge realtor commissions and pay closing costs, saving you thousands of dollars and months of uncertainty.
It’s an option to consider if you need to sell a house fast in Nebraska and are looking for ways to save money on your interstate move.
Renting Instead Of Selling
Instead of selling, a lot of people consider holding on to their home and renting it out. Renting it out isn’t a bad idea if maybe one day you’d like to move back or would like the additional income. The only thing about leasing your home is you will need to have some things in place before your long-distance move.
Before you leave, make sure you have a legal lease agreement ready; having a verbal agreement isn’t a good idea. Furthermore, you will either need to find a tenant while you’re there or hire a property management company to handle that for you.
Something else to remember is that you will need to figure out the cost of rent. It needs to include paying your property manager, property taxes, mortgage, and maintenance. If your paying utilities or your tenant is responsible for them, that also needs to be noted.
If you end up not hiring a property manager, you will need to have someone available to check on the place and answer any maintenance issues that the tenant may have.
You may also need to be prepared financially if your tenant walks out and leaves you covering two mortgages.
For some people, this sounds more like a hassle than a benefit of holding on to their house. But, if you do decide to rent, just make sure to have all these arrangements in place, even if you’re planning to rent to a family member.
Conclusion:
Moving to another state is a big deal whether you’re moving alone or with your family. Hopefully, this list of steps to move out of state has helped and brought to your attention some things to consider when making an interstate move. Having a checklist will help you to stay on track and not forget anything. When it comes to moving states the biggest challenge you’ll face is figuring out what to do with your current home.
Worrying about covering two mortgages, finding a good tenant, and wondering why your house hasn’t sold, isn’t necessary though when you can sell your home to Element Homebuyers. When you sell your house for cash, the closing is so much easier and quicker than with a conventional closing. You wouldn’t need to hire a real estate agent or figure out how to sell your house by-owner while living in another state.
Selling your home to Element Homebuyers is one big thing you can mark off your moving checklist by asking for a cash offer on your house today!
To learn more about how it works, visit their website for more information. You can also compare selling a house to Element Homebuyers vs. listing with a Nebraska real estate agent by clicking here.