Moving to a new home is exciting, but can be overwhelming when it comes to navigating the real estate market for a new neighborhood, planning your transition and getting all the details right for the big move. Moving to a new home is an exciting process. However, navigating the real estate market, planning your transition and getting all details right, can feel overwhelming. Luckily, there’s an app (or several) for the big move.
Here are some tools for adding more tech and less stress at every stage of the process — from home buying to unpacking your final boxes:
On the house hunt
Shopping — Sometimes the hardest part of moving is actually finding your new dream home. Luckily, the three major real estate listing sites have apps for browsing (both new-construction and resale) on the go: Zillow, Trulia and Realtor.com.
Research — Spot your dream home in real life instead of online? Take a picture of it using HomeSnap, which instantly provides key information about the property.
Virtual tours — Sometimes a 2D picture or two just isn’t enough to fall in love. Take a virtual home tour and download floor plans with applications like Nocatee’s “Find Your Home” tool to get a better feel of a home’s layout and interior.
Loan pre-approval — With a first-come-first-serve real estate market, getting pre-approval saves you time when you need to move fast. Get price quotes from various lenders on Zillow’s app. It will even send you a pre-approval letter that you can show to your agent to get a head start on making an offer.
Moving day prep
Timeline — Apps like Move Advisor include a timeline tool that can really save you some energy you’d normally spend worrying. Get guidance on when you should be collecting boxes to the best time for booking local movers.
Donation pickup — Instead of lugging that table or other items you’re not sure you’ll use in the new space, use the Salvation Army’s app to schedule a donation pickup. The rule of thumb is if you can’t picture yourself wanting to move it next time, don’t move it this time.
Moving services — Whether you’re hiring professionals or renting equipment for a DIY move, book about a month in advance to avoid high-seasonal costs or not getting your first choice. Check Moving.com for special offers and coupons when choosing your moving services.
Spreading the word — Most homebuyers groan when thinking about updating addresses for all of their accounts and service providers. Luckily, Updater is an app that can save you about five hours of hassle by handling mail updates and forwarding, connecting utilities, updating accounts and finding move-in offers. Many Realtors and apartment complexes offer this app to their clients and residents for a less stressful transition. Download the USPS.com mover’s pack of coupons to celebrate your new address with discounts.
Inventory — Ditch the hard-to-read Sharpie scribble and use the Move Advisor app to keep inventory of your boxes, rooms and trucks with the drag of a finger. Pair it with some color-coded printable labels and you won’t be hearing, “but I don’t know where this goes!”
Moving day
Fuel — Need to order pizza or Chinese for your moving team? See nearby restaurants and delivery services to show your appreciation with apps like Yelp and GrubHub. Any Florida move, especially one during fall, spring and summer, will also require rehydrating with H20!
Forecast — Check The Weather Channel app to see if you’ll need tarps or umbrellas during your move. Also track real-time radar, temps and sunset time so you can be ready for whatever Mother Nature has in store.
No matter what happens on move-in day, you can feel good about changing homes by doing your homework and prepping beforehand. Don’t sweat the small stuff and leave time for breaks and, of course, a great first sleep in your new abode.
To learn more about available homes in Nocatee, explore nocatee.com or stop by the Nocatee Welcome Center.
