Packing, moving, unpacking… what we do to avoid it

An eye roll or a sigh usually accompanies the thought of packing up and moving house. It’s disruptive on every level and while some people do it easier than others, it still requires time and energy – or money. Even when the task is outsourced the need to sort, cull and direct box handlers remains if you want your belongings to be placed where you’d prefer them.

Our Easter Long weekend was spent packing, moving and unpacking. Happily the cat finally calmed down.

Aside from the sheer energy required to move possessions, other hurdles remain, such as:

• logistics (whether moving down the road or interstate, it’s likely that furniture will need to be moved with a truck or van)
• breakages, replacements, hard waste, rubbish, second hand sales and pickups etc.
• redirecting mail
• sorting new commutes, particularly if children are moved further from their regular places they attend
• meeting the new neighbours and keeping the peace when you most likely need them to cut you some slack with trucks in driveways and unsightly boxes on the verandah
• retrofitting the new property for your own needs
• vacate clean, bond handling or clearing for commencement of works (if coordinating a renovation)
• moving from a home you love if emotion is tugging at your heartstrings
• dealing with pets who aren’t too happy about the idea (we know… we have a vocal siamese cat), and most challenging for most –
• the financial impact. From taking time off work to finding bond money to paying additional rent or a dual set of mortgages, the cost of moving certainly resonates for many.

Interestingly we often get a sense of the sheer difficulty for buyers and sellers who face a short or medium term move with dread and in many cases we can find a way to ease that burden with a bit of creativity and empathy.

The reasons why buyers and sellers move for short to medium term time frames vary, but some of the common reasons are:

• the gap between their sale and their purchase wasn’t bridged
• they are doing a renovation and need to find temporary lodgings for the construction period
• they have arrived from interstate/overseas and wish to familiarise themselves with the area before they commit to a purchase
• they are building a new home in a house and land estate but need the sale proceeds of their current home to pay for the drawdowns
• they have very specific needs  (or are moving to the country) and wish to free up the cash in their current home and then take their time finding the next home
• they are doing a stint interstate overseas for the short term and will return to their new home

The reasons are endless but careful questioning applied in the right way with the agent can often help us work out a way to eliminate the stress that moving in a short term can cause a buyer or seller.

It’s all about having an idea and creating a win/win.

Three of my favourite examples come to mind, all for different needs and situations.

The first example is one from Deer Park just late last year where it came to our attention that the vendors were building a new house in a nearby housing estate and had decided that the sales proceeds of the house they’d called home for over twenty years would enable them to make their move. However facing the prospect of short term rental was something that was troubling them. Our investor client happily offered them a leaseback arrangement at market rent so that they could make their move in one swift go (as opposed to a temporary rental property). They happily agreed to maintain the property to the same standard as it was presented during the sale and also allowed us to advertise and show prospective tenants three weeks’ out from their intended vacate date.

Another couple purchased a renovation project just over a year ago. While it had been rented at the time of sale, it was a rugged property and didn’t really offer too much in the way of creature comforts. With a mortgage on it, the requirement to save for renovations and the cost of short term rental facing them, they made the bold decision to clean up the old house and move their young family into it during the planning phase. The 15 month arrangement has saved them well over $25,000 in lost rent and they’ve had a brilliant community around them to welcome them into their village life.

The last exciting example was a nail biter for the buyers but they trusted my assurances and signed an offer that featured a settlement date on their home in the midst of their two month special family holiday around the world.

“Just pack up your house, put your stuff in storage and board that plane” I told them.

We did the final inspection for their new home, the settlement went through on their old house without a hitch, they enjoyed their last night in Melbourne with packed cases and a trip with Aunty to the airport, and surprisingly – while they technically had no home in the interim, they had a bank account full of sale proceeds, a lawyer who had coordinated cheques and settlement documentation prior to their departure, and a beautiful new apartment ready and waiting for them when they arrived home.

Had they rejected the mid-holiday settlement date they would have lost the buyer and his offer.

There is no doubt that moving is a pain for many, but while we have just spent Easter weekend with boxes, tape and a whining cat I do feel excited too.

A lovely local agent said to me “I have moved many times Cate. It makes you a better agent.”

And I think she’s absolutely right. Being able to think through other options and in particular, understanding what our buyers and vendors face is another facet of what we do as agents.