The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word ‘Manifesto’ as “a written statement declaring publicly the intentions, motives, or views of its issuer”. The closest we would come to reading a manifesto is before a crucial election when a political party or an aspiring candidate would publish one. It is a detailed statement that tells people what the party/candidate is about and what they hope to achieve by contesting the elections.
The realtor’s profession or the Indian real estate industry, in general, was till recently quite unorganized and hence maligned and misunderstood too. However, in recent times, with new and relevant rules and laws being implemented, things have looked up, giving it a semblance of professionalism, and this has boosted its image. If realtors like us, who wear the tag of the professional realtor quite proudly, decide to pen down a manifesto, it would be a revelation to people outside of the industry and a stark reminder to most of our brethren too. It will also shine light upon the so-called “real estate agents” and highlight the difference between them and professional REALtors. So here goes:
The Indian Realtor may wear many hats during his workday but he isn’t any of the following: Continue reading THE INDIAN REALTOR’S MANIFESTO
Category: REALTORS
Social Proof and its Importance for Realtors
When a customer buys a product or avails a service, he is likely to leave a review or a
testimonial about the same on the social media. These social shares are known as social
proof and play a vital role in building up a brand’s image. Social proof is important in real
estate too as buyers are more likely to engage with realtors who receive positive reviews
and knowing that others have conducted business through them.
How does social proof work?
Imagine you are making an online purchase and are stuck between two choices. If one has
250+ positive reviews and the other has 10, which one would you choose? The first one
right? Imagine the kind of positive impact similar social proof from your clients would have on
your realty business. The higher the number of positive reviews and testimonials from
satisfied clients, the higher the possibility of conversion of sales for you.
As human beings, we are psychologically programmed to imitate something that others have
done. Studies have shown that when we are unable to take a decision, we look around for
clues to help us take one and more than often, we conform to decisions taken by others in a
similar situation. Social proof is extremely effective if it comes from experts a particular field
as it is then perceived to be of higher value.
How does social proof matter in a realtor’s business?
Choosing the right real estate consultant is tough and that’s why social proof assumes a lot
of importance in this business. Before they take a decision, home buyers would want to
gather as much information about a realtor, his method of work, his response time and his
charges. In order to reduce the uncertainty associated with this decision making, home
buyers are more than expected to reply on social proof.
Ways to increase social proof on your Real Estate site
The following creative ways should be helpful in adding social proof to your website:
Get testimonials from your best clients: When a mere star rating does not justify a
client-realtor fully, a detailed testimonial can work wonders to showcase your
professional attitude towards business. Do not hesitate to ask for a testimonial if you
think you have provided exceptional service to the client and you will be surprised
that most clients reply in the affirmative.
Provide dedicated space for reviews: Customers need to leave behind ratings and
review your services you provide as a real estate consultant. You may receive
positive as well as negative reviews. In case of a negative review, the best you could
do is to respond quickly and make a whole-hearted effort to resolve any issues.
Add a client showcase page to your website: Including an online portfolio of your
best clients and detailing how you helped them to locate their kind of home or
commercial property. You could even provide a case study about a particularly
difficult sale and how you gave it your best shot.
Why Selling your home without a Realtor is a Nightmare you’d never want to see!
If you plan to sell your home without recruiting the services of a realtor, think again.
You do not want to take such a massive risk while carrying out what is probably the
biggest financial transaction of your lifetime, do you? By sidestepping this critical
enabler, homeowners expose hard-earned money and valuable time to a larger risk,
while frittering away some significant benefits.
Most buyers/sellers who opt for this route, usually want to forgo the commission paid
to the agent but fail to pre-empt the valuable benefits he offers in return. In fact,
surveys have shown that such properties usually sell for a comparatively lower price
than those sold with the assistance of a professional realtor.
Before taking a decision, check out these proven benefits a realtor will bring to the
table if you engage his services to buy or sell a property
1. Availability of Time: Given the tight work schedules, you actually do not
have time to show around the home and play the role of a real estate agent.
How will you manage showing the home while you are out on a business trip
or a vacation? Your friendly, neighborhood realtor is ready to showcase your
property at a short notice and collect the right feedback from prospective
buyers about it too, by asking the right questions (could you do that?). He will
even offer solutions to problems a prospective buyer perceives, especially
those that could come in the way of concluding a deal.
2. Priceless Knowledge: The domain knowledge that a realtor possesses is
truly invaluable and as a layman it is difficult to match up to it. He knows how
to pick holes in the story that the property websites weave around the home
and provide valuable insights to the prospect. He is aware of the history
surrounding the home and is able to turn it into a selling point.
3. Marketing awareness: While selling a property, image is of vital importance
and you rarely get a second chance to create a good impression about your
home. Professional realtors know how to “prepare” a home when a
prospective buyer comes visiting or when property images have to be shared
with an interested party. Marketing your property will need the expertise of a
realtor and you wouldn’t want to miss out on this valuable quality for the sake
of commission.
4. Experienced negotiator: When you engage a certified realtor and entrust the
task of finding the right buyer for it, you get many bundled-up qualities too. His
expert negotiation skills (due to the endless hours he has spent doing this)
always keeps the buyer interested and he ensures that terms and conditions
always work in your favour.
5. Understands Closure: There are dozens of things to be taken care of, after
the deal is sealed in your favour. With a realtor managing things for you, you
can be assured that last-minute issues and unexpected delays at the
registrar’s office or loan formalities are taken care of. He is qualified enough to
carry out firefighting activities whenever needed and this truly makes a realtor
an indispensable part of a buying/selling process of a home property.
6. Safety: With property portals and online agencies making the buying and
selling easy, it has also attracted a lot of negative attention too. When you put
up your home, its images and other details on the internet, you can expect
unknown buyers wanting to see your home. You wouldn’t know the actual
intentions or background of the so-called “prospect” since there is no agent
who can verify that. Won’t this put your home and family at a risk? And all this
because you do not want to pay a commission to the agent. Think again!
It makes great sense to appoint a certified realtor to help you to sell your property
and avoid a lot of costly mistakes that could come back to haunt you in the future.
Use the professional services of a realtor who not only helps you to protect your
interests but will also justify your home’s value that is so rightly deserves.
Considering taking up a Realtor’s job?
Considering taking up a Realtor’s job? Take this reality check first!
Making a career as a realtor or a real estate agent is the easiest thing in the world. Absolutely wrong. Contrary to popular notions, building up a career as a realtor is NOT as easy as it is thought to be and needs as much dedication, sincerity, and effort as any other job in the world. The society, which is unaware of the hard work that goes into the making of a competent realtor, views it quite differently and forms its own misconceptions about this profession. We all would have known that “Uncle” who, banking heavily on “contacts and personality” jumped into the business of real estate and soon fizzled out after learning the hard truths well, the hard way.
If you are someone who has set your sights on becoming a realtor, it will be prudent to understand that it’s not a glamorous job and definitely not one for the faint-hearted. Generally, it is thought to be the ideal profession for someone who is gregarious, out-going and independent. However, it needs much more than these qualities to even qualify as a realtor and a lot of grit and determination to succeed as one.
Check out these real-life confessions by realtors who gave defined success in a brand new way and then decide if this is truly the profession you want to be in
It’s definitely not a “Work for 2-3 hours & earns millions” kind of a job
So what kind of a pay-check do realtors take home? It will surely be enough to cover all the expenses of running a shop, showing clients around and footing the occasional hotel bill. Realtors taking off large chunks of money in the form of commissions is close to being a myth as there are many expenses to be managed. Office rentals, utilities, staff salaries and many other miscellaneous expenses like advertising, promotional material, business cards, etc. have to be paid and you need to consider them before jumping with joy about the large commission cheque received.
Did I mention taxes yet? Well, you would have to pay taxes on the income received. Meeting up with clients, checking out properties, fuel expenses, and the works. Add them up and that large commission amount shrinks up a lot.
Can you sell “yourself”?
Selling homes is not a profession for the meek. Though an outgoing, gregarious personality may not guarantee a successful career as a realtor, it surely helps to be an individual who can connect to perfect strangers with ease. Building trust and confidence about your capabilities and your ability to conduct transparent transactions will go a long way in creating a long and loyal client list. But if you are one who constantly shoots off the hip, it is ultra-careful with your aim. Homes are large transactions that many of your buyers may conduct only once or twice during their lifetimes. This means that they will need to have implicit trust in the person facilitating this deal.
Realtors can easily get slotted in a category similar to insurance agents and are labeled as being “commission-hungry” or “pushy”, so ensure you are not one of them. Having a professional yet friendly attitude towards clients is the key to success as a realtor selling high-value properties.
Get ready for that “middle-of-the-night” call
I hope you are a light sleeper and even the faintest beep from your mobile can wake you up at unearthly hours. No, it’s not going to be a love note. Rather expect a call from a distraught buyer/seller who himself is spending sleepless nights over the biggest transaction of his life and expects you to join in and give him company in tiding over this difficult phase. Go ahead and hold his/her hand (strictly theoretically speaking) for a while to assuage their feelings and sing them a lullaby to put them to sleep.
Buying or selling a home is a long-drawn process and during this period, there could be occasional tiffs and tiny cold wars. Your client will always demand the moon (and not want to pay as much) so it is your talent that will come in handy to convince him/her that the moon does not have enough amenities that will do justice to their budget.
If BYOB is your mantra, then real estate selling is THE job for you!
You are going to be sailing off all alone in your own boat with no or little support when you decide to get into this demanding but highly satisfying profession. If you are comfortable chatting up clients, putting them at ease with your knowledge and a dash of humor, ready to spend days without a single prospect in sight (Who told you a realtor’s life is an easy one?) then you are primed to BYOB (Be your own boss).
However, this is a profession that will empower you with abilities to help others create their homes and settle down in life. Being a go-getter and a positive thinker will help since there will be days when nothing seems to be going right. Tiding over such situations will test your true caliber and transform you into a true blue realtor ready to take on the world.
You will do well to remember that we all buy or transact through people whom we trust. By creating the right visual imagery before a client and empathizing with their needs as yours, you can expect a lifetime emotional connect with them. Selling real estate is not about reading a book that says “How to”. Carry out a reality check for yourself before you get your feet wet in these turbulent waters of real estate buying and selling and you will never regret your decision ever.
How to ease Stress While Moving into your New Home
Moving into a new home can be a stressful experience for most, considering the hassles of packing, adjusting to a new neighborhood and unpacking. If this phase isn’t planned in a proper, organized manner, it can metamorphose into a stressful situation that could take days to address and lead to a chaotic life. Now that you have secured a beautiful home and landed yourself a new job(if the relocation has happened to a new city or country), it is time to take things in your stride and enjoy the moment. Moving can be a crazy time for the entire family but it can be made less stressful with a little bit of planning.
Here’s what you can do to make moving into a new home a joyful event than a difficult task:
- Plan well: Planning is the most important part of a glitch-free shifting into a new home. Carry a diary or a notebook and prepare a list of the things you will need to address while moving. It is better to clear your mind well in advance as this will help you to think straight. Things like school admissions, address changes, etc. will gain priority and have to be done way before you actually move. Book movers and packers in advance to save money and avoid last-minute hassles. Prepare your schedule in advance and you will sail through this event in a smooth and settled manner.
- Don’t Rush: While moving, it is necessary to give yourself and your family, time to soak in the idea of moving into a new home and adjust to it. If the decision is a planned one, then the process can be slightly easier, but in case of a short notice, things can move quite dramatically, throwing your life out of gear. Breathe deeply and begin thinking about the various options before you plan things accordingly. No one is ever an expert at moving since we move 2 or 3 times in our entire lifetime, so don’t push yourself too much. You will get through. If you have kids, take them around to the new locality you are moving in to, as this helps them to get an actual feel of the surroundings. This will help them to adjust emotionally and physically as well.
- Begin moving today: Do not wait till the day of actual shifting and begin removing the clutter from your home right from today. There would be a lot of stuff that you won’t carry to your new home and would rather dispose of it here. Identify such items and begin pre-work at the earliest. This will help to reduce stress on moving day and keep you free to focus on other important stuff. Order a few boxes and begin with small items that are not useful on a daily basis. De-clutter as much as possible and begin afresh in your new home, away from the past.
- Define priorities: Getting organized and prepared for moving is the key to remaining sane and reducing stress. Use that diary you have made, to good effect and split a task into daily and weekly ones, as this will help you to keep track of things yet to get done. Call up friends and family and ask for help. Delegating responsibilities helps a lot and allows you to focus better. Working with friends can be a fun experience too and you can use their calm demeanor and expertise to get work done. An additional pair of helping hands is always helpful and makes work easier and stress-free.
- Rest: It is easy to get lost in the humungous work that you can see before you while moving and we tend to skip a lot of our daily routine activities. Ensure you get a good night’s sleep in the run-up to your shifting and are having proper meals. Don’t miss or delay lunch and dinner times as you surely do not want to feel exhausted and tired before the big day. Reduce caffeine intake and do not compromise on your exercise/walk routine if you are following one.
While moving, keep a back-up plan ready, in case it rains or there is a truck-owners strike on the day. Knowing that there is an alternate plan ready to implement, is in itself stress-relieving and will keep you relaxed. Your movers and packers may miss the date by oversight so be prepared to take the next available day instead of picking up a fight with the company. Focus on your aim of moving and breathe easy.
Eight sure-fire signs that show you enjoy being a Realtor
Whether you are a full-time entrepreneur or working with a high-profile realtor, either way, you spend more than 8-10 hours at work, not to mention a couple of hours spent commuting to and from office. Overall, half of your day is spent at work-related activities with the rest being used up for sleep and leisure activities (Don’t worry, we won’t get into any details!).
There are a few unmistakable signs that show that you enjoy your work as a Realtor so let’s check them out:
- Remember playing your favorite outdoor game or playing a musical instrument you love, and getting oblivious to all that surrounds you? Whenever we do something that is truly our beloved choice of activity, we forget our worries and immerse ourselves in a world of our own. When we enjoy work, we become unaware of time and keep at it till we finish it that is because we are in love with what we do. Work doesn’t seem like a burden and time flows by without a hindrance.
- When humans connect to other similar beings, it fills them with joy and happiness but the feeling is further enhanced when we create something of value. When a job is completed, be it the smallest one, the unmistakable feeling of fulfillment and contentment is the highest form of reward one can get. As a realtor, cracking a lucrative deal for your client or getting a much-coveted property for them, can be extremely fulfilling. If this fills your chest up with pride, then be assured you are in the right profession.
- If the entire household is up in the morning and you are still in bed, trying to find a valid excuse to bunk office for the 4th time in the week, there is something seriously amiss. Those who are up and running, wanting to show that first client of the day a choice property or shoot that email the first thing in the morning, should be certain that real estate is the perfect industry to be in.
- When you relate to other people in your office as separate individuals (not a junior or a boss) and see them as someone who can contribute to making a deal ahead of or giving valuable inputs, these are signs that work for you isn’t a struggle. Working together is an essential part of the realty business and you certainly seem to be made for it.
- Listen to some canteen or coffee machine conversation at work or while commuting and you will realize that you will hear a lot of complaints about how far the workplace is or the timings are too early or the co-workers are insufferable. However, if you enjoy your daily commute, interacting with colleagues and going about your work schedule in a brisk manner, they surely point in the right direction for you and realty is the one job you are made for.
- Who said realty business is easy? Or for that matter, no job is easy. Artists may have to restart on their work if the final product does not match their vision or a writer may have to write pages, edit them, scrap them and begin from zero. As a realtor, a client may show tremendous promise but may not give great returns. But if you are one who does not lose heart and moves on to the next client (who knows when an earlier client could knock at your door again), then you are surely in the apt business.
- When someone at a party asks you “What profession do you belong to?” do you clam up or give them a complete lowdown about your realty business. If you are a part of the latter, then you have made the right decision by joining up at the real estate business. (Now, don’t go overboard and dole out visiting cards to the entire crowd). The first signs of loving what you do are when you can’t stop talking about it and if that’s what you identify with, then realty is the place to be.
- Work stops being work when one enjoys it and it becomes an extension of who you are, becoming a part of your personality. When you love something, your output maximizes and reaches the top, giving you the satisfaction of completing a marathon. Having accomplished a lot does tire one out but in a positive manner and if that’s how you feel at the end of the day, then you are doing it right for sure.
With a large chunk of time being utilized for work, it is necessary to ensure that you are enjoying whatever your work entails. Remember, we all get only one chance to live our lives.
Social Media as a Lead-Generation Tool- Truth or Myth?
Social Media platforms are a great way of connecting to long-lost friends, business associates, bosses, and peers. Apart from this, these platforms are a wonderful method of connecting to customers and potential clients. They can be relied upon to broadcast a premium property that is up for rent or sale and to announce a new service you have recently started to offer. But is it prudent to rely on social media to generate leads for your real estate business?
Realty Business is much more than only being active online
You surely do not think that once you post a property listing or an ad on Facebook or any other social media platform, leads will start gushing in, do you? If you do, you are not alone. A large number of realtors spend a huge portion of their productive time, posting property listings on social media and tweaking their status every few hours, hoping to grab the attention of buyers and sellers. Instead of supplementing their main activity of meeting and physically interacting with potential clients with a robust social media strategy, they work the other way round and often find themselves staring at the wrong end of the business funnel.
It would make greater business sense to connect to clients with whom successful transactions have been conducted in the past than looking for leads in the virtual world. The realty business is more about building personal contacts, asking for referrals and strengthening current relationships than fortifying an existing online presence. While there isn’t an iota of doubt about the ease and convenience that social media offers, it can never replace the face-to-face interactions and even a phone call. Social media can surely complement your efforts after you have had the initial meetings and discussion, but it cannot lay the foundations of a strong and long-lasting business association.
Send that friend request NOW!!
If utilized efficiently, social media possesses the power to take communication to the next level and strengthen a business relationship. Let’s see how:
- Follow-up: Right after a meeting or an interaction with a client, you would do well to follow it up with a personal note on a common social media platform. This small but powerful step can lead to generating a lot of goodwill and will come across a thoughtful one. Asking for referrals while doing so is also a good move if done innovatively and without sounding overbearing.
- Add value: Customers and potential clients are always looking for realtors who can provide value through information and services. Make sure your social media posts are relevant to your client base and have authentic information about areas like changes in Government regulations or property laws and even home loan procedures.
- Use it as a Platform to display your range of services: Social media can be utilized to establish your brand and the range of services you offer. If you specialize in commercial property, ensure that is highlighted well enough for clients to recall when required. Be selective about what you post and make sure your page isn’t cluttered with irrelevant posts. Images of completion of a project, keys being handed over and client testimonies are always the best bet so use them judiciously. This will build relationships and generate leads too.
Heady Cocktails for everyone to savour!
Remember, social media is a highly effective way of reaching across to clients and prospects when you are not meeting them face-to-face or haven’t called them up for a long time. It can never replace the physical connect a realtor builds with his customers but can serve timely reminders on his behalf. A personal visit or an appreciative gift does wonder for the health of a realtor-client relationship and so do likes on the Facebook page. Ensure you stir up a healthy concoction of one-to-one connects and online contact and remain in touch with existing clients while building up a steady pipeline of prospective customers too.
A peek into a typical work-day of a Realtor’s life
A very popular misconception amongst the common public about realtors is about their working hours and flexibility of timing that they are privy to. As a large majority of individuals are employed and following specific office hours, an individual who does not stick to a routine is looked at with trepidation and a certain degree of curiosity. Relatives, immediate neighbors, friends, and even clients are prone to ask this query, “What do you really do all day?” and the most believable and genuine answer should be “Work”. Most works from home or freelance individuals to faces similar queries about their work schedules and utilization of their time.
Being a Realtor is tough work and involves a lot of legwork since he or she has to show around properties (Yes, they drive around a lot too!), spend time with their clients explaining the positives & negatives about a particular apartment or condominium. Clients need a lot of assurances about the locality and the neighborhood and the realtors do calm a lot of frayed nerves while doing so. A client may not like any of the properties the realtor showcases and selection may take days and sometimes months too. The realtor may at times spend an entire day (well, a least a couple of hours) on the phone, speaking to buyers and sellers, massaging their individual egos and assuaging their many fears. This is work too.
Mobile is a strong tool that helps realtors in staying connected with their clients and the plethora of messaging apps help a lot too, to send and receive images of the property in focus and the neighborhood. Sending messages and replying to them is a part of the realtor’s daily responsibility and the realtor does it quite diligently too. The mobile was launched to provide mobility and comfort to the user but has encroached upon our lives and eats into our private time. Imagine its impact on a realtor’s life whose working hours are now stretched indefinitely (at least till the client calls it a day)
Calling up past and present clients is a part of a realtor’s daily routine too as he/she needs to be in touch with them so they connect to him whenever the need arises. Networking is a full-time activity that requires the realtor to spend time at brunches, lunches, evening coffee and for an occasional drink too. Though the realtor may not follow specific work routines, his working hours, at times may stretch beyond the regular. However, a flexible schedule allows some leeway for them and a smart realtor will take complete advantage of this.
Weekends are the busiest times for realtors since it is then that the potential clients are relatively free and available to browse through properties at leisure. Lounging at home on a weekend with the family is a luxury most full-time realtors would crave for. A realtor’s life is not only about getting fat commissions on selling luxury homes but involves a whole lot of sweat and grime that remains unseen beyond the façade of a so-called relaxed and chilled-out life.
Everything you wanted to know about Property Insurance… And more!
Insurance plays a large role in the lives of the modern man. We ensure our own lives, health, our vehicles, our gadgets and sometimes even marriage events are insured. We missed out our beloved homes from this list and you didn’t even notice, did you? Though the insuring property is very important, it is often given least priority by homeowners. Property Insurance is a wonderful tool to secure the residential and commercial property against natural and man-made calamities and the damage caused by it.
What is Property Insurance?
This is an insurance that covers an independent home or building structures along with its contents from damage that is the outcome of natural or manmade disasters. The homeowner can choose to include the contents of the home like big-ticket electronic items, expensive jewelry, and furniture or buy a plain vanilla cover that simply covers the structure. Due to this, the coverage isn’t fixed and can be customized to suit the needs of the homeowner.
How can you buy Property Insurance?
Property insurance is a legal document and contract issued by the insurance company in favor of the policyholder. The contract provides details of the damages and losses that the insurance company will bear in case of the property and its contents face a natural or manmade calamity. The policyholder pays a pre-decided premium to the company in exchange for this risk. Since the policy document is a detailed document, you should read and understand all the inclusions and exclusions before signing on the dotted line. It is best to compare different policies from leading companies in the market to make a prudent decision.
Types of Property Insurance
Homeowners can opt for insurance for private residences which cover a specific set of calamities like fire, arson, earthquake, floods, thefts, armed robberies, etc. If you have rented your apartment, you should opt for rental property insurance. It will cover damages or losses that arise due to negligence or a deliberate act by the tenants. Damage to items in the house like furniture or white goods can be covered in such insurance.
The property structure and the individual requirements of the policyholder will determine the policy terms. NBFCs and Banks often ask for property insurance when the property is mortgaged to them. So whether you are the owner or a landlord, ensuring your property is always a good idea to prevent losses during the future.
Why should one opt for Property Insurance?
Property insurance is often likened to a safety net that one can depend and fall back upon during difficult times. Since the value of any property, commercial or residential, is always large, any damage to it can cause a huge hole in your pocket.
- If you opt for property insurance for your home, any damage to your home can be easily covered by paying a small premium. Any repairs needed or reimbursement can be carried out from the insurance amount.
- Through liability insurance, you can cover every kind of medical expenses that may be needed in case of any accidents occurring on the insured property.
- As a homeowner who is renting out the property, all the expenditure for any acts of negligence or deliberate ones can be covered under property insurance.
- Damage due to theft, armed robberies or vandalism to a residential or commercial property is covered by the insurance company.
- Many property insurance policies cover the contents of the home/office/shop which includes jewelry, electronic goods, art, etc. Any damage or theft to the contents is covered under the policy.
Ready to take the plunge?
Make sure you have compared the terms, conditions and premium amounts of the property insurance before choosing one. Check which policy provides maximum coverage by paying a premium that is affordable and justified. Finally, find out how much time is taken to claim the insurance amount in case of an untoward incident and if the procedure is too complicated. Once these checks are done, go ahead with your decision. Whether the claim will arise in the future cannot be predicted, but buying property insurance will surely help you to sleep peacefully at night.
Top Common sense Tips to be used while moving home!
Shifting into a new home seems like an exciting event in one’s life as you look forward to new environs, better amenities and of course, new neighbors. It is the process of moving to the new address that is the scary part and most people look for a fool-proof and easy way to do this. We know that and here’s a useful and comprehensive list of hacks which will ease the moving process helping you to navigate through the tricky waters.
For your convenience, we have divided these useful hacks into three parts:
- Before you move
- While you move and
- The day you move
Before You Move:
- Makes sure all perishable items, frozen food, opened containers, etc. are consumed prior to your moving out so that you do not have to carry them to your new home. Plan your lunches and dinners accordingly!
- Reduce the volume and quantity of items to carry into your new home as this will reduce the clutter. Old clothes, unused furniture, utensils, footwear, etc. can be donated to orphanages or old homes. Create a separate area to store these giveaways for easy identification.
- If you are moving into a resale flat, make sure the bathroom and toilet have been thoroughly cleaned.
- Update your new address with utilities, banks, credit card companies, magazine subscriptions, etc. and leave your forwarding address with a neighbor for any mail you may receive.
- Your furniture must fit into your new home so make sure you measure your furniture before you move in. What doesn’t fit should be left behind.
- Unless you have a large group of super-enthusiastic friends, you would want to use a packer & mover service for shifting. Check as many services as possible and we are sure you will save some money
- If you are staying in a rented place, it always makes great sense to leave it in a nice condition. Use toothpaste or soap to fill holes you have drilled in the walls. Also in your new home, while hanging picture frames, glue eraser pieces to the back of the frame to give them stability and prevent scuffing.
While you Move:
- A few smart moves will help you save money and time while making this entire process hassle-free:
- Get as many boxes from the local “raddiwala” to pack in all your stuff. Believe us, you will need them all.
- Pack glass, mirrors, and other delicate items along with magazines and newspapers to avoid damage. Similarly, clothes and linen are the best packing materials for dishes and another crockery.
- Instead of folding clothes that are hanging in your wardrobe, put them in large trash bags while they are still hanging. This will help you to unpack quickly.
- Organize the boxes room wise and make sure you have labeled them as this will save you a lot of headaches when you reach the new home. Use colored tapes for different rooms to identify the boxes easily.
- Very Important: Any marking/identification you make, have to be on the sides and not on top/bottom so you can read them while they are stacked vertically too.
- Writing the contents on the box is also a great time-saving idea so you know exactly where the stuff needs to go.
- Remember to defrost the refrigerator the night before to any smell or leakage during transit. Plastic wrap is the best way to pack the refrigerator and lock the refrigerator if you still have the keys with you.
- Large pots and utensils can be stuffed with spice jars, and small kitchen items to save space and avoid many small packages/boxes.
- Laundry baskets, suitcases and trash cans (clean ones, of course) serve as excellent packing boxes, so make sure you use their space effectively.
The Day you move:
- Buy ready-to-cook, instant breakfast mixes, milk, and bread for your moving day so you and your family have enough food available for the day after.
- Keeping kids busy on the day is critical. To make them feel a part of the entire effort, entrust them with small jobs that they can manage. If possible, ask them to gather their toys and books, etc. in a box.
- Keep water, a pack of biscuits, chips or snack bars to keep you refreshed through the day.
- Important documents like your driving license, Aadhar card, PAN, registration deed of the new home, etc. need to be handy so keep them together on your person for easy retrieval.
- If you are going to reach late in the night, pack your overnight bag with nightclothes, toothbrushes, medications, and toiletries so you don’t have to rush into unpacking in the middle of the night.
- Having a good night’s sleep is crucial as moving day is always stressful and tiring.
- If you have a pet, try to maintain its routine of a walk or food/snack time, so they settle down easier in their new surroundings too.
- A clear plastic bin with an “Open this first” label on it, will go a long way in calming your nerves for items needed first thing in the morning. Believe us!
The more you try to stick to a proper schedule and adhere to these hacks listed above, the easier and stress-free your moving day will be. Your moving process just became easier with these 25 simple, common sense moving tips, go try them!