What’s The Best Time Of Year To Find A New Place?

What’s The Best Time Of Year To Find A New Place?

If you have moved flats and changed homes before, you are aware of the many choices you have to make regarding your next place. These include:

• Location
• Size of the place
• How close it is to your office if you work or own a business, and schools if you have children

However, once you are done deciding on the home you want, comes the dreaded moving organising where, once again, some decisions have to be made. While the decision to move solely rests on you, there are some practical tips on how to score great rentals that are accessible all year round, how to budget for moving, money and time-wise, and more. In this article, we will explore different phases when moving house, the options you are spoiled with, and tips and tricks to make your next move stress-free.

Phase One: The Master Plan

Every execution that requires readjusting your life requires a certain level of planning in order to avoid rainy days – both figurative and literal. So, when moving, consider a few things in the planning stage to have a stress-free move. The first thing you probably understood about your move is that it’s going to cost you money. However, if you plan for it well in advance, you stand a better chance of having a breezy moving process. Here are a few things to plan around and how to go about doing so:

1. If you have children, ensure the move is happening around the school holidays to have them settle into the new adjustment easily.
2. Decide on your move date, preferably two months in advance or as soon as you hand in your notice. You have to start picking out a moving company and consolidating a list of things you are going to need to move.
3. Decide what you are moving, selling and giving away. You want to manage your costs by taking everything you are going to need and use, as opposed to packing everything and having to declutter only after the move. Do it before and move clean.
4. Plan your work schedule to work with your move. You may think you are able to do both, and maybe you are, but the tasks might both be exhausting, needing you to take a break from each, so rather have it planned out and do the moving and packing on days you aren’t working.
5. Plan to have your move around the off-peak moving season; some moving companies reward you with discounts for things such as early bookings, paying the full price upfront and if you are packing your things yourself.

There is merit in planning your move day early in order to give yourself time to go through items you want to take and those you don’t intend keeping.

Phase Two: Your Own Move

Essentially, moving house is dependent on you, the mover. The best time of the year to move geographically would be in the summer days, as moving companies can be at your place earlier in the mornings. Speaking of mornings, it is also advised that you move in the morning to give yourself time to offload at the new place and start unpacking into your new home. Remember, the hard part about moving is the fact that you have to pack and unpack at both the old and new place, which needs time. Give yourself enough time from one spot to another. It could be better if you are moving provinces, as that will afford you a break while you wait for your items in the new place. However, there is no ‘best time to move’ per se; it is more the best time for you to move. Rental agencies, moving companies and estate agents are always available to help you and make your move easier.

The Money Phase

When wondering about the best time to move out, think of it this way – the best time to move out is when your finances, needs and wants are finally met, and you are happy with your choice of accommodation.

Besides selling some of your furniture, another way to save or score some money would be to hire moving kits instead of buying them. Some moving companies have eco boxes with packages designed for different sized homes. This makes it easy to move, and you don’t have to worry about littering once you are done, as the box company will come to collect their eco boxes once the agreed-upon time arrives. So, cut costs and invest in an eco box. You can also opt for moving companies that do shared loads. This way, you and a few other people share one moving truck, and your costs become less. The risk here is that you may receive your items later than usual, but nothing a bit of solid communication can’t fix.

In Closing

Deciding to move house cannot be easy, especially if your reasons are motivated by the havoc the Covid-19 pandemic has wreaked on us. The best time of the year to find a place is up to you, and we know this makes it difficult. This is why the JHC (Johannesburg Housing Company) offers affordable housing in Johannesburg and other areas for you to receive affordable comfort and convenience daily.