Around a third of all home buyers are first-time buyers, embarking on a daunting but exciting journey. This often means moving from an apartment to a house, meaning there are not just big changes in the finances, but in the living situation itself.
For those who aren’t used to living in a house, that can seem intimidating. There’s no need to worry though — you’ll quickly adjust to living in a house.
If you’re moving from an apartment to a house, read on for our best tips on getting settled and things to remember.
1. Get to Know the Neighborhood
Although not always, moving from an apartment to a house often means that you’ll spend more time in the neighborhood itself. Apartment buildings often involve walking from the apartment itself to the parking garage, whereas being in a house, you might spend more time on the street — walking the dog, running short errands, etc.
That means you should get to know the neighborhood. Before you move, take a walk around it and see how you feel about it. Gauge if it feels as safe at night during the day so you know what to expect.
Because apartments are shorter-term living situations, for the most part, it’s also often true that neighbors don’t know each other very well. If you’re moving to a house, you might plan on staying there for a much longer time so you may want to introduce yourself to the neighbors.
This can be a great social aspect of living in a house, but it can also help when you need someone to check on the cats or water the plants while you’re away and vice versa. There’s often a much bigger sense of community in houses, so getting that head start on making yourself known can be very helpful for later.
2. Think About the Extra Space
Apartments are often smaller than houses so when planning a move, some people fail to consider the extra space. They may have been used to cramming their belongings in small rooms or just being unable to expand, stuck with the same old furniture they’ve had for years.
Make sure you consider the extra space before you move. While you should, by all means, get rid of things you don’t need or use anymore, there’s a big chance you don’t need to downsize.
You’ll also likely have extra rooms you need to think about what to do with.
Even though you don’t need to downsize, it’s worth considering if you should get rid of your old furniture and replace it with new sets (if it’s in your budget). After all, if your living room is much larger in the house, then your old furniture may be too small for the space and you may be unable to find matching pieces.
Considering this before you move is key, as then you’ll have a solid plan of what to do.
3. Remember the Outdoors
While many apartment residents are fortunate enough to have a shared outdoor space they can use, many have no outdoor space at all. In houses, this is much more unusual — chances are, you have a yard that you need to maintain.
Planning for this in advance can be very helpful. Lawn care can cost between $48 and $211 and if there’s other landscaping that needs to be done, this will rack up quickly. Look at the yard before you move and come up with a plan, setting aside the money in your budget to get that taken care of.
You may even want to spruce up the yard to make it an amazing space. Consider buying some patio furniture or some lights for the outside if you plan on spending a lot of time out there.
4. Ask for Help When You Need It
Remember that the moving process can be stressful and the best moving tips you can get involve asking for help.
If you have friends and family to help you with moving from an apartment to a house, ask them. This may not even involve physically moving, but coming to check out the house and offer their advice on things like what you should do with the yard, or what the function of that spare room should be.
Talking things out can also help make the move seem less daunting.
For the physical move outside, consider hiring a moving company. They can take the stress out of moving so you can focus on how to maintain the house and enjoy your new space, moving all of your belongings from the apartment to your new house.
When picking a moving company, make sure of the following things:
- They have good reviews, with a trail of happy customers behind them
- They’re licensed and insured
- They’re friendly, knowledgeable, and communicative
- They respond to queries in a timely manner
If a company has all of those qualities, you can hire them safe in the knowledge that they’ll take some of the weight of your move off.
Moving From an Apartment to a House? You Got This
Moving from an apartment to a house can seem like a momentous task but it’s also a very rewarding one. A house gives you more space and freedom, so it’s an exciting time in life — you just need to make sure you’re prepared.
Check out the neighborhood beforehand, consider things you may not have had to before like lawn care and extra space, and never be afraid to ask for help.
That’ll ensure a smooth move and a great start to your new journey.