Regular visitors to the site may know that about two and a half years ago I relocated from the town in the south west London/Surrey borders where I had always lived, and moved a 100 mile drive away to Wiltshire. A major deciding factor behind this move was a financial one. I was working in a job I didn’t particularly like, slaving away for a one bedroom flat. This flat was the only place I lived after leaving home with my parents, and for a long time, it felt like a dream come true. I eventually grew out of it, though and after many family discussions, a move seemed like the best solution.
Now however, as I sit in lockdown in a 3 bedroom detached house, with a garden of my own, I know I am so blessed to be this fortunate. I have space for friends to come and stay, I have more space than I and the cats could really need, and the house was cheaper than I sold the one bedroom flat for!
Not only are property prices in this part of the world a lot cheaper, but so is the cost of living. Two and a half years down the line, I still sometimes find myself expecting things to be more expensive and being pleasantly surprised. I know I made the right decision, and I am happier than I could ever have imagined being, but it wasn’t plain sailing getting this far. The most difficult bit was extending the lease of my flat which was needed in order to sell it on. Thankfully I started that process before my flat was on the market, as the freeholders were not exactly speedy at replying to emails.
Important things to know before you move
There are many things I learnt whilst going through the relocation process – and I will share a few of them to hopefully make your next move less stressful.
- Thoroughly research your removal company. You can search online for removal companies in your area for example removal company east London or ask friends, relatives or co-workers for recommendations. Make sure any quote you receive is accurate and that there will be no additional costs. As I was relocating, there was quite a long drive involved, and when completion was running late, the removal company wanted to set a deadline that they would leave by, which obviously stressed me out – so make sure you ask for any timings or restrictions.
- Another thing I would highly recommend researching and asking for recommendations or looking for reviews for is your solicitor. Unless you have a solicitor you have used before, I would make sure you do your due diligence. Solicitors can make or break a house sale and purchase, and luckily I had a great one, but the buyer of my flat had a terrible one who caused no end of issues.
- Estate agents are another thing which can make or break a move. I switched estate agents as the original ones I signed up with were terrible. The second agency I went with did get me the sale, but I wouldn’t exactly highly recommend them. The agency I purchased through were (from a buyer’s point of view) excellent however and I would have no qualms recommending them to people in my new area.
Online reviews will be a big part of your research in these areas. If, like me, you are relocating, the move has bigger stakes. I had only visited the area once before I started house hunting, and put an offer in on my new home on my third visit. I had to go by my gut as well as researching the area. Thankfully for me it turned out well! Good luck with your next move, whether it’s 100 metres down the road, or 100 or more miles!