The cost of moving house can cost over £14,000. That’s a lot of money if even you’re making a cost-saving move. Many people looking to be more frugal and environmentally friendly are downsizing. Neither of these reasons for moving should come with such a cost, especially if it’s not entirely necessary.
Luckily, there’s a lot of competition in the housing market. This goes for selling agents all the way to businesses that specialise in helping you move. Some things can’t be avoided, though. So, its worth knowing that you’ll likely have to pay full stamp duty, which averages out at around £6,500, and for your energy performance certificate (£55).
Here are some places to look to try to make the moving process as frugal-friendly as possible.
You can avoid fees charged by agents
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Most people selling a house turn to some sort of agent. Online or on the high street, it makes sense to do this. You’re putting the complicated process of selling a house in the hands of professionals. They’ll also need to work hard to get your house sold for a good price. Plus, people go to them to buy, offering more eyes for your sale.
Agency fees tend to be close to or the outright most expensive part of moving house. This is particularly true if you’re selling and buying all at once. However, there are platforms that will sell your house for free. They can do this by having already established a pool of pre-qualified buyers who are ready to buy properties.
The platform has already done much of the work of getting eyes on the property. All that needs to be done from there is to have them evaluate the property via their website. Using this avenue, you can avoid the high commissions of high street agents. Solicitor’s fees, disbursements, and administration charges can also be dodged.
Little adjustments to make moving cheaper
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Moving your stuff across the country or to a new country can be very expensive. There are enough moving companies that prices are competitive. Still, moving so much stuff and furniture simply can’t ever be that cheap because of what’s involved in the process.
To save money in this way, it’s good to think outside of the box. The first thing to do is have a fire sale of anything that you don’t want or need anymore. This will also make you a bit of cash as it goes. After that, think a lot about your big furniture pieces. Heavy bed frames, sofa sets, and units all ramp up that cost of moving.
In many instances, you’ll find that you can get better stuff online through free item networks made to distribute stuff that’s not wanted anymore. Alternatively, you may see new items that you like and only have to pay a little bit more than you would have to move your old stuff in the first place. Sofa sets can be cheaper to replace than move. Consider other ways to increase your income too by decluttering before you move.
Avoiding agency fees and moving on from some of your old stuff are great ways to make your move cheaper.