Some people like to move homes when they feel the timing is right. There are others that prefer to take a more calculated approach to the moving process. It’s for those people that we at The Mobile Attic created a guide to The Four Seasons of Moving. In this guide, we will go over what makes each season unique and what parts of the moving process is best to enact within them. It’s safe to say moving in the winter is a different experience than moving in the summer, besides the temperature change!
Winter
During winter months, many people are dis-incentivized to move because of the colder weather, kids being in school, and harsher road conditions. While these things could be considered reasons for someone to not move in the winter, they might contribute to the biggest reason for someone to want to move in the winter: Cost.
The winter months tend to be the slowest moving time of the year, with many looking to sell their homes having to lower prices to incentivise prospective buyers. The cheaper prices do not end with individual homes either, as moving companies tend to experience less business during the winter. They are more likely to have cheaper moving rates for customers and are generally more flexible with their availability. When there are less people wanting to move, there are more moving companies and sellers interested in making your moving process a priority.
However, moving in the winter is not for everyone, especially if you live or plan to live in an area with a colder climate. You could spend weeks to months preparing your move, only to find that when that day comes, a terrifying rain, snow, or ice storm has made the roads harder to traverse and the house harder to safely move into. Is it worth preparing for possible worse moving conditions to get a better deal on a house? Ultimately, that’s for you to decide.
Spring
Moving in the spring is widely considered to be one of, if not the best times to move in the year. The weather is better than winter months and in early spring (March to early May), demand for homes is still reasonably low. This leads to good prices offered by moving companies and deals in the housing market. Spring gives you some of winter’s advantages, in lower housing demand and better moving options, without suffering from colder and harsher weather.
The main issue with moving during the spring is school. If you have children who are in school, these months are often challenging as students prepare to take final exams and the school year comes to a close. We caution parents who have children in school about moving in the spring. Consider if a spring move is worth disrupting your child’s learning process. Pay attention to your child’s academic situation if you are planning on changing their school when you move homes.
Summer
The summer is the busiest time of the year to move, with roughly 70% of all moves taking place between Memorial Day to Labor Day. This makes it the perfect time for you to sell your house as the demand for homes is at its peak. Homeowners are more likely to sell their houses in the summer than any other time of the year. So if you are planning on moving in shortly before or after you sell your current house, then the summer would be the best time. Also, if you are a fan of warm weather, you have another reason to move in the summer.
Additionally, if you have school-age children then moving during the summer is very enticing. You will not have to worry about them changing schools during an academic year, dealing with homework assignments, and possibly threatening their academic growth. It’s safe to say there is definitely a reason why so many people try to move in the summer, especially if children are involved.
Unfortunately, moving in the summer isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Due to the summer season being so appealing to move in, there is high demand for homes. This gives sellers the opportunity to sell their homes for higher than they could at any other time of the year. Also as a result of the increase in demand, you are likely to find moving companies offering their highest rates all year during the summer months.
Another thing to point out is that moving in the summer does not necessarily guarantee perfect weather conditions. In fact, if you live in the south, much like we at The Mobile Attic do, then the heat and humidity can become a challenge.
Fall
Moving in the fall is in a lot of ways similar to moving in spring with temperatures usually not being too hot or cold. However, unlike spring, fall has the advantage of allowing you to move in before Christmas and the new year. This gives you the option to have friends and family over during the holidays in a new home. It’s important to note as the weather gets colder, prices of homes are likely to drop due to a decrease in demand while the housing market slows down in the months leading up to winter. The availability of moving services, such as those provided by The Mobile Attic, also tend to increase in the fall, especially when compared to their availability during the summer months.
There is one major issue with moving in the fall, however, and it once again revolves around whether or not you have school-age children. Fall usually is the beginning of each new school year for students, with classes typically beginning around late July to mid-September. With this in mind, if you plan to move mid-fall with your children shortly after their school year has begun, they may have a more difficult start to their academic year.
Fall may be the worst season for parents whose children would have to change schools following the move. The beginning of the school year is when most children make friends and develop an understanding of what the rest of the year is going to look like. By pulling children out of their current school in the fall, it could alter their academic development and social and emotional experiences. Otherwise, if you do not have children, or only have children that are not yet in school, then fall could very well be the best time for you to move.
The Verdict
A common theme you may have noticed in the discussion of each of these seasons is how school-aged children are likely to be affected by a move. Your decision to move in a particular season is likely to be very different depending on whether or not you have children in school. If this is not your first move with school-aged children or adolescents, you probably already know how important timing your move to coordinate with the school year is. If the opposite is true, you should be aware that children drastically alter the moving process in a multitude of different ways.
In general, if you do not have children (or if they are not in school yet), it is suggested that you move outside of the summer months to take advantage of lower demand and cheaper prices on homes. However, other factors that go against this way of thinking do exist.
The moving process should not be taken lightly and you should not underestimate the toll it will take on your family. There are benefits and drawbacks to moving at any time of the year. Ultimately, the decision of when you should move is completely up to you. You have to decide which of the seasonal benefits are the most appealing and which drawbacks are the most degrading.
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