If you are a renter, you’ve moved house a time or two (or more). For that reason, you’re probably conscious that moving to a new Austin rental home takes time and cash. Numerous factors go into estimating the cost of a move, and it can be complicated to get it right. In this blog post, we will share some tips on estimating the cost of your move and provide a few resources that can help make the process easier!
Getting Organized
The first step in estimating the cost of your move is to figure out how much stuff you have. A smart method to achieve this is to list all the items you plan to take with you on your move, then assign a rough estimate for each item based on size and weight. This will enable you to create an approximate total cost for packing, loading, and transporting all of your possessions.
It’s also important to consider the distance of your move since the price depends on the miles you need to cover. If you’re moving within your city, it may be less expensive than if you’re moving to another state or country. Still, you’ll need to figure out the best way to move your belongings from one home to another, whether that means taking multiple trips, renting a moving truck, or hiring professional movers to help you.
Hiring Professionals
Once you’ve evaluated how much it will cost to pack and transport your belongings, you will need to determine if it’s favorable to hire professional movers or do the work yourself. Professional movers can be a massive benefit, particularly if you have a lot of furniture or heavy items. But they commonly have a price tag. Don’t forget to obtain quotes from a few different companies and compare them to the cost of doing it yourself. Ideally, try to book these services well in advance to lock in the best rates.
When you gather your estimates, don’t forget to include common expenses, like:
- Packing services
- Moving insurance
- Specialty item packaging services (moving pianos, safes, artwork, etc.)
Moving Yourself
If you opt to rent a moving truck and do the move yourself, you may be able to save a little money. But there are a lot of considerations as well. First of all, you’ll have to think about the size of the moving truck you’ll need to rent. Smaller moving trucks may be affordable, but you may be unable to fit all your belongings in them. Various rental companies charge by the mile as well as by the day, so make certain your cost estimate includes both!
Other costs to account for in your DIY moving budget include:
- Gas, tolls, and parking fees
- Moving insurance
- Additional moving equipment rental (ramps and dolly)
- Packing materials (boxes, tape, covers, etc.)
Other Costs
Lastly, there are a couple of other expenses associated with moving that you will need to address. Depending on the move, you may need to consider other costs such as temporary lodging, meals, storage costs, and expenses related to moving out and moving in (cleaning costs, security deposit, and utility set-up deposits, for example). Your new Austin property manager is an excellent resource to ask about setting up utilities for the home you’re moving into.
By using these guidelines and conducting some research on your own, you should be able to get a good idea of how much your move will cost. Even though it’s not easy to predict all potential expenses, following this advice should help you avoid any unwanted surprises down the road.
Are you on the hunt for a new Austin rental home? Real Property Management Advisors has an inventory that’s always being updated. Check out our listings online.
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