A Breakdown of Moving Costs

A breakdown of moving costs and how to budget or plan for the entire moving process.

You’ve already done the bulk of the work by prepping your home and preparing for your long distance move – now’s the time to put on those finishing touches and enjoy the ride.  In addition to actually purchasing your new home, you’ll encounter fees and obligations for everything from packing supplies to realtor costs.

Prices will vary depending on where you live and what services you use, so we can’t set your budget for you. However, what we can do is create a list of all the hidden moving costs you can expect to encounter along the way.

Home Selling/Buying Costs

The act of balancing the sale of one home while you purchase a new one is almost always difficult. Even if you do manage to time it perfectly so that you don’t have to pay two mortgages for a few months, you also have to figure in the costs of renovations, staging, and your real estate agent.

> Home purchase price (including escrow, down payments, mortgage fees)
> Realtor fees
> Home updates/improvements (either required by the buyer before the sale goes through, or to spruce up your home and make it marketable)
> Temporary double house payments
> Travel to/from your new city while you search for a house and meet with your real estate agent

Moving Costs

The moving process is what most people budget for. While you probably have enough money earmarked for the actual moving company or van, you might also want to budget for these additional costs.

> Moving company
> Valuation protection (extra care protection for your items, either through the moving
company or your own insurance provider)
> Packing supplies
> Gas/travel (your moving company may charge a per-mile fee, but you’ll also need to figure in the cost of your own gas or airplane tickets)
> Hotel/temporary lodgings
> Storage facilities
> Kennel costs/pet transportation

Miscellaneous/New Home Costs

Your new house is likely to need a few upgrades before it feels like home, and you’ll need to start thinking about replacing all those items you decided it would be cheaper to buy new than move.

> Appliance hookup/disconnect (especially for gas appliances)
> Restocking your fridge/pantry
> Dining out (understandably, this happens more than usual the first few weeks after a move)
> Deposits on rent and utilities (many electric companies require you pay for the first and last month)
> Changing locks on all the doors
> Updating smoke detectors
> Renovations and updates

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all these moving costs, which is why it’s good to start with a budget that makes sense for your family. Be realistic about the hidden costs of buying a new home and give yourself some wiggle room in the budget—it will all be worth it in the end!