How to Move to Another State

Moving to a different neighborhood or home is difficult enough as it is. Moving to an entirely different state is even more complicated. Between finding the perfect moving company to get the job done and tackling the various tasks that will transition your life from one state to another, interstate moves are lengthy and multifaceted. The good news? If you're organized, you can make the process a great deal easier. 

That said, it's crucial to understand the ins and outs of the process before taking it on. You'll want to know where to begin and how to successfully move everything from one home to another in order to make plans and put together a budget. The following tips will help you simplify the complex moving process.

The FMCSA can help you determine if your prospective movers are licensed and insured.

Perform Preliminary Moving Research

As with most endeavors, the first step of making a move to a new state is to gather as much information as possible. That means you should start with research. Here are a few things to look into before even taking a trip to your new home state:

Neighborhoods
No matter where you're moving, you'll want to make sure you find a neighborhood in which you feel at home. What does that mean? Look into the culture that each area in your new city has - is one neighborhood better for young professionals or people who are interested in being close to nightlife? Is there a neighborhood that provides easy access to restaurants, grocery stores and other necessities, while maintaining a quiet, residential vibe? Do some research online and talk to locals in the city to get a realistic feel for the areas in which you'd thrive. Also, consider your commute. If you already know where you'll be working, you'll want to make sure it's a relatively painless distance from your home, whether you're planning on owning a car or taking public transit.

School Districts
If you have children - or even if you're planning on it - you should also look into the school districts around your new home. Which districts and schools are considered superior? This may affect where you decide to live within the city.

Housing and Real Estate Trends
If you plan on buying a home, you'll want to know what the real estate market is like. What square footage and amenities can you expect within your budget? Are there certain neighborhoods that will give you more bang for your buck? 

Cost of Living
It's not just real estate you should look into, though. In general, it's important to know how far you can expect your salary to go in your new home. If you're moving to a smaller market, the cost of living will likely be a little less. How will that factor into your overall budget, both for the move and buying a new home?

The more you know about your new city and state, the better prepared you'll be to move and settle in successfully. Do your due diligence, and you'll have enough information to make plans.

Find a Realtor in the State

If you hope to buy a home, you'll want to start looking for options well before you make your move. It's generally recommended that people travel to their new city to look at housing and job options at least a couple of months beforehand. This gives them enough time to make these important decisions about home and work before packing and moving.

Prior to making this trip, though, you should connect with a realtor in the area and begin narrowing down your options from afar. Look at reviews online and ask friends and family members for recommendations for reputable and efficient agents with whom you can work. Collaborate with him or her to determine the homes that are your best bets in your desired neighborhoods.

Consider Job Opportunities

Some people move to a different part of the country because they're looking for better jobs and more career opportunities. Others are relocated for their current job. If you're the former, look into potential job options well before making the big trip. 

Begin applying for jobs months in advance, and aim to set up interviews either over the phone or in person when you're arranging your pre-move travel to the area. Moving to a new state without a job lined up can be risky.

Make a Trip

After doing all of your preliminary planning and research, it's time to travel to your new city. There are a few tasks you'll want to complete during this trip.

Find Housing
If you've been working with a real estate agent, schedule time with him or her to visit potential houses. If you're renting, plan to set up apartment or rental home viewings during this time instead. Remember that, even if you're looking to buy a home eventually, renting for a short time right after moving can give you the chance to get to know the various areas of the city better before committing to a long-term mortgage.

Interview for Jobs
Are you relocating for your current job? If so, you'll want to visit your new office and meet some of your future colleagues in person. If you're trying to line up work, use this trip to interview at prospective companies.

Get a Better Overall Understanding of the City
It's hard to get a true sense for a city and its diverse areas from afar, so use your pre-move travel as a chance to gain a better understanding of the area to which you'll be moving. Talk to locals, take public transportation and try to immerse yourself for a few days.

Create a Moving Budget

Your moving budget will determine which company you can afford to hire and how many services it will provide for you, so it's important to develop a working budget before you begin researching movers. Moving is a complicated process with a lot of hidden expenses, so your budget may take time. Here are some expenses to consider when developing a budget you can comfortably afford:

• Hiring a moving company.
• Extra services you'd like to include, such as professional packing and moving large items or appliances.
• Gas, accommodations and food if you're planning to drive to your new location.
• Deposits and fees if you're planning to rent an apartment or home.
• Additional insurance coverage, if necessary.
• Packing supplies, including boxes, packing tape, bubble wrap, plate protectors and more.
• Expenses associated with selling your current home, including realtor fees and home improvements.

Research Interstate Movers in Your Area

Once you've developed a budget, you can begin to look for a reputable interstate moving company that can help you transition from one state to another. Begin your research by looking online and asking friends and family members for recommendations. Then, make sure the companies you're considering are legitimate and professional.

Check With the FMCSA
All interstate moving companies are required to comply with federal laws, which means they're all part of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Call the FMCSA at 202-366-9805 to determine whether the movers you're considering are registered with the U.S. Department of Transportation and have the appropriate licensing. The FMCSA can also tell you if movers are properly insured and if any complaints have been filed against them by consumers.

Hire a Moving Company

After ensuring your prospective moving companies are reputable, you can begin to get in touch with your top choices for estimates and further information.

Ask for Estimates
Interstate moving companies charge by weight, which means you'll be responsible for paying by the pound or the kilo for movers to drive all of your stuff from one state to another. To give you a proper estimate, moving companies will send a professional to your home to assess how much you own, including valuables and larger items. That means, to get a more accurate estimate, it's crucial to get rid of anything you're not planning on keeping before you set up an estimate-assessment appointment. 

Go through your home room by room, and throw away, donate or sell any items you no longer need or haven't used in over a year. Remember, the fewer belongings you bring with you, the less expensive your move will be.

Consider the Contracts
After receiving quotes from three or four different moving companies, make sure you have a full understanding of whether those estimates are binding and exactly what services they cover. Reputable moving companies will be glad to go over the contract with you to ensure you're comfortable with the price, any potential extra costs and the terms.

Binding contracts are preferable, since the estimates provided in them are set - that means you won't have to pay more than the quote, even if your belongings end up weighing more than expected. Nonbinding estimates aren't ideal. Instead of an overall cost, they list a rate, which means you'll have to pay for exactly how much your belongings weigh, no matter what the initial quote was. 

Aim to hire a company with a binding contract, as having a firm number in place will help you better budget for the rest of your moving costs.

Get Insured
Whether you need to purchase more coverage for your move will depend on two factors: The type of liability coverage offered by your moving company and the coverage provided in your current homeowner or renters insurance policy.

Speak with both your movers and your insurance company to determine whether your valuables and expensive electronics are covered partially or fully. Typical policies may not cover damage that occurs in transit, so it's likely you'll need to purchase at least a little extra coverage.

Pack Your Belongings

Unless a moving company is going to pack your belongings for you, it's important to begin boxing everything up as early before the move as you can to stay organized and efficient. Here are some packing tips to make the process a bit easier:

Keep Track Carefully
Organization is key to a successful move, so keep this in mind while packing. Come up with a system to keep track of which items are in which boxes. Are you a more visual person? Take photographs of the items inside a box before closing it up, then take a picture of the box number so you know which box contains what. One easy packing solution: Number each box, and write a list of everything that goes into it in a notebook. That way, if you're looking for something specific, you can simply reference the inventory in your notebook to find it.

Pack Heavy With Light
Professional movers agree that it's best to pack boxes with a mixture of both heavy and light objects. So, rather than filling an entire box with books, line the bottom of the box with books, then add lighter items on top to keep the weight manageable.

Determine What You'll Want to Keep With You
Whether you've hired a moving company to professionally pack for you or not, there are certain items you'll want to pack yourself and keep with you during the transition process. These include:

• Valuables, including jewelry and heirloom items. 
• Medications.
• Moving and first-day essentials, such as toiletries, clothing, toilet paper, and other kitchen and bathroom necessities.
• Important documents, including birth certificates, passports and Social Security cards.

Cancel and Transfer Services

During the complex planning process, people often forget to transfer or cancel utilities, set up Internet and cable installations, and transfer vehicle registrations and licenses. 

Utilities
Call your utility companies at least two weeks before the move to set a cancellation date - usually the day of the move. In some cases, such as Internet and cable, you may be able to transfer the service to your new state. Then, get in touch with the utility companies in your new home state to set up installations and service start dates - you don't want to move to a home with no electricity or water.

Vehicle Registration
Some states require you to leave your license plates behind, while others offer partial refunds for your registration if you move before the year is up. Contact the DMV in both states to get the information you need to properly transition your registration and get a new driver's license.