moving tips Archives - Houses for Sale in Charlotte NC

Moving Success Tip #3 – Staging Your Local Move

While I am in great physical shape for my age, I do not have the strongest of backs! I am very conscious of protecting it and moving is one of those times that I have, in the past, abused my back. I wanted this move to be different. Having watched many, many clients move during my tenure as a real estate agent, I have learned that organization is key for making a smooth move. Isn’t that the way of the world though? When you’re organized, things just tend to fall into place a lot more smoothly!

Since I was making a local move, I knew the companies I wanted to interview to help us with the move. I keep an updated list and interview my buyers and sellers following their moves to get their testimonials on the movers they used. One complaint and the moving company is removed from my list; I keep a very tight list so that I never refer a company who has had a complaint from one of my clients.

I digress…

Choosing a Mover

One particular company seemed to stand above the rest both in customer service and in pricing. I had previously used them when we had our hardwood floors refinished in our last house and we had to move out the entire main level. They were focused on making my life easier and their pricing was very attractive. Seeing what others had struggled with during their move, I noticed that oftentimes, sellers got to the day of Closing, having to push out their deep cleaning crew as they simply ran out of time. I was not going to get caught like that – being the only one physically able to get those final items done, I did not want that falling on me.

SO, I decided that the cost of the move was the same if done in stages; that is exactly what we did. We had the movers help fill our POD storage unit (through NewMove) first. We had the storage unit delivered to be filled in 3 days. I had used stickers to denote all items in the house that I wanted the movers to move into the storage unit. They arrived that day and within 2 hours, our POD was filled. A nice, deep-cleaning was done and then photos and video was done the following week. The POD storage holds items that were not key to our day-to-day activities – in fact, they are delivering that next week and I doubt seriously that a lot of it will be taken into my house! I am confident we will be donating a lot of it instead of bringing hit into the house.

Staging Your Move

The second stage came after we Closed on our new house. We decided to schedule the move of the upstairs the day after our Due Diligence Period (DDP) ended on our old house. During the DDP, I boxed up the upstairs. So, the day after the DDP, the movers loaded our upstairs and delivered it to the new house, placing everything in their respective rooms. I spent the rest of that week unloading boxes in those rooms as I had time between clients & work. I also began packing my most valuable, breakable items and packed them myself. The following week, I delivered those to the new house and prepared for the final move, TWO DAYS prior to Closing.

Final Stages

Why two days? JUST in case we had residual items to pack, surprise repairs, etc., I wanted that additional day. The afternoon after the movers left my old house, the cleaners did their magic. Simultaneously, I was directing the movers for furniture and box placement and we we were settled enough to sleep in the new house that night.

The following day, I took care of yard ornaments (shepherd’s crooks, bird feeders, hoses and flower pots). I checked (and found) for storage items (in garage cabinets) and throughout the house. I had hooks on the backs of doors that I found hanging items that we had missed on moving day! There wasn’t a lot but it really did help that the morning of Closing, we were only focused on Closing and welcoming our buyers into our former home.

Had we not purchased our new home first, I would still have recommended moving 2 days prior to Closing. Most of my clients spend a night or two with their families or friends who are local and some even spend a night or two in the hotel. Most of us don’t account for the ‘little’ things and the incredible amount of dust bunnies that are buried beneath the furniture! We always want to leave our home in the best possible condition for the new owners.

Want more moving tips? Let’s talk! Call or text me at (704) 491-3310.

Let’s get down to the nuts & bolts of marketing your home. Moving is done in stages, as is selling your home. In our area, we are allowed to share our luxury listings as ‘coming soon’ listings, which better promotes them for our sellers – and we do just that. Sellers often put together a ‘highlights’ list but, there are several things to consider about marketing your home while you are doing your initial physical tasks – decluttering and putting mobile storage to use if necessary.

Here are 10 things that are must-dos when selling your Charlotte luxury home:

Know your competition. Let’s review how the competing homes are being marketed…then, let’s explore how we need to market YOUR home.
Work with a luxury home specialist. Affluent home buyers & sellers occupy a particular niche, not just in the Charlotte Metro region but, globally. Our affluent buyers and sellers expect “white glove service” – and they get it.
Professional photos & videography must tell a story – and in sequential order AND labeled with detailed descriptions in the MLS.
Give the high-end appointments the spotlight. I have found that appliances, lighting and yes, garage unfitting (epoxied flooring & custom cabinetry) are important to our local luxury buyers – so, flaunt them!
Views, views, VIEWS! This is EXPECTED so, promote it!
Market features like high ceilings, unique ceilings, large spaces.
Is the home move-in ready? If so, market that!
Let’s talk lifestyle, community… Yes, buyers want to know about your neighborhood and the surrounding community, especially if they are relocating to the Metro region.
Think social media – Instagram, YouTube and FB as well as open houses are preferred by luxury buyers – so, sellers, take heed! Be SURE that you are hiring someone who knows how important these social media sites AND open houses are to luxury buyers.
Sell the experience – walkability, nearby amenities and eco-friendly appointments are key to many luxury buyers. Share this valuable information with your agent so he/she can help you sell the experience.

BONUS TIP – I am a big believer in knowing your buyer and staging your home for them. Remember staging and decorating are two completely different things. Let’s talk!

I am a proud Guild member of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing of Dallas, Texas. The training and support we receive through this organization better helps us serve affluent buyers and sellers. Having recently experienced a personal luxury purchase and a luxury sale, I learned first-hand how important this certification is. Let me share my experience and knowledge with you! Call or text me at (704) 491-3310.

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