Top 5 Relocation Headaches

Check your home thoroughly for all needed repairs before listing it for sale. Pay attention to details such as gapped caulking, chipped tiles, paint...its often these little things that potential buyers will notice. Also, have the home professionally cleaned, including carpets. If you havent had your home appraised in the last two years, do it before putting the home up for sale. Also, have one or two Realtors give you a Comparable Market Analysis. This will show what other comparable home in your neighborhood have sold for recently. Over pricing your home at the outset will result in slow showings and a delay in selling.

Many factors such as differing salary, cost of living, taxes and housing prices affect what the same dollar can buy in different parts of the country. Resources such as Mortgage 101s Power Relo Tools, the Chamber of Commerce, Realtors, and Runzheimer Reports can give you this information.

While pre-qualifying with a mortgage company doesnt provide final loan approval, it does give you a realistic price guideline and shows sellers that you are a serious and qualified buyer.

This goes for both the home youre selling as well as the one youre buying, although who pays for the inspection (buyer or seller) is negotiable in each separate contract. A good inspector should be: A member of the ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors); bonded, licensed and insured; able to provide references; up front about their fees and what is included (are termite inspections extra, for example.) Your Realtor or mortgage loan officer can recommend a certified inspection company.

When you first arrive in your new town, youll most likely need to have temporary housing arrangements until you can close and move into a new home, or find a permanent rental. This may be anywhere from a few days to a few months. If you foresee needing interim housing for less than 30 days, the easiest option is a suite hotel geared for extended stays, such as a Residence Inn or Lexington Suite. For a month or longer, corporate apartments or homes are much roomier, more comfortable, and usually 20-60% less than paying a daily or weekly hotel rate.

Depending on the size of your household and the distance of the move, you may want to consider hiring a moving company. Obviously, doing it yourself can save quite a bit of money; however, the time factor, experience of professional movers and the insurance they provide your contents may make hiring the better choice.

Moving companies can give you either a binding or non-binding estimate. Binding means that the cost is held to exactly the estimate they give; this means that they will actually physically inspect your home before giving the estimate. A non-binding estimate is only an approximation and no guarantee that the final billing wont be more. However, federal law sets a ceiling of no more than 10% additional charges over the estimate. You will also want a moving company that can guarantee the pickup and delivery dates.