Moving house is complicated at the best of times and even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic. You should be prepared for extra delays and practical considerations on top of the usual complexity of relocating. Here are some things everyone should know about moving house during COVID-19.
Attend Virtual Viewings
Many real estate agents are carrying out virtual viewings, which you should take advantage of to protect against coronavirus. These are either done by video call software or a pre-recorded walkthrough. You should view a home in person before buying, but use this method to narrow down your choices.
Stay Conscious Of The Dangers Of COVID-19
You should take all precautions necessary to protect you and your family against coronavirus. You should wear facemasks, wash your hands and carry hand gel when entering a home or realtors office.
You should avoid paperwork and ask your movers and realtor if you can complete any documentation online.
Be Prepared For Delays
As social distancing will have to be enforced, you should be prepared for delays from your lawyers, realtors, and moving home. You will not be able to have multiple movers and help from friends and family, as this may increase the risk of transmitting the virus. You should allow extra time for every step of the process to account for this.
Figure Out Your Funding
You should get your finances sorted well in advance. Many banks are closed due to the virus, so you should be prepared to do much of the work by phone and email. Take a look at this article about getting loans during shutdown from The Home Loan Expert to understand what to expect.
Pack Well In Advance
You should pack your home in advance to reduce the need for movers. This will also ensure that the process goes smoothly and reduce the risk of contamination when loading your things into the moving van.
Give Yourself Plenty Of Time To Move In
To further reduce the need for movers, you should give yourself plenty of time to get settled into your new home. You should have an overlap of a few weeks between getting the keys to your home and giving back the keys to your old place.
Plan For The Worst
You should prepare for the possibility of you or someone crucial to the move contracting the virus. Put plans into place to reduce the impact, which should include a list of alternative contacts that can take over the work of your realtor, movers, and more. Ask all the professionals what their plan will be if someone contracts the virus.
Conclusion
Moving during the COVID-19 pandemic can be done, provided you give it extra thought and planning. You should ensure that everyone involved in the move understands and is willing to follow the current guidelines in place. If you or anyone else becomes unwell, you must stay home and reduce the risk of spreading the virus.
Leave a Reply