Who Should I Hire When Moving Home?

Moving home is no easy process. Hiring the right people can make it easier, but there are times when you may not always need these professionals. Here’s a guide to the people commonly hired when moving home and when you’re likely and unlikely to need them.

Real Estate Agents

If you’re selling your home, an agent can help to advertise it to buyers and arrange viewings. Agents can also help you to find a property to buy. Tenancy agencies meanwhile can help those finding somewhere to rent. Going through an agent takes a lot of the stress away but there are often hidden costs such as commission and tenancy fees involved. Those wanting to save costs may be able to manage without an agent, but be prepared to put more work in whether you’re selling a property or searching for a new place to live.

Surveyors

Surveyors are handy to hire when buying a property. They’re able to check the condition of a property to ensure that there are no expensive future repair costs. This could prevent you from buying a home that’s cursed with faults. Surveyors charge different rates depending on how thorough an inspection you want. You don’t need to hire a surveyor when renting a property as any repairs are the responsibility of the landlord.

Mortgage advisors

Again, this only applies if you’re buying a property. Mortgage advisors or mortgage brokers can help you find the best loan deals around – they may even have access to exclusive offers that you can’t find on the market. Some will charge a fee, whilst others don’t. They can be worth considering if you’re struggling to find a decent mortgage.

Real Estate Attorney

A real estate attorney may be necessary to handle all of the legal paperwork associated with your purchase. It’s not advisable to do this yourself as it can be very complex without legal knowledge. Attorneys will charge a fee, which is typically billed hourly or on a “flat fee” basis. You typically don’t need a lawyer when renting a property.

Moving companies

Moving companies can take away a lot of the stress of moving your possessions from one property to the next. They have the facilities to make it easier such as a lorry and access to self-storage, whilst they’re also trained to do it in an organised and timely manner. You can save costs by hiring a van and doing the move yourself, which may be useful for short journeys with few possessions. However, if you need to travel a long distance and have lots of possessions to move, it may be much more economical to use a moving company and reduce the number of trips.

Cleaners

Once you’ve moved out of your previous property, you’ll need to clean it for the next owner/tenant. This is a job that you can do yourself, but as with hiring a moving company it can save you a lot of stress to use professionals. You can also ensure that your property will be spic and span to meet the requirements of any agent/landlord.