House hunting may seem like a straightforward process on the surface, but it’s often full of surprise interruptions that can affect the timeline moving in to your new home. We sat down with real estate agent Adrienne Towner, from LONG Real Estate, to learn about common hiccups and what you can do to prepare for them.
Common Surprises You May Encounter During Your Closing Period
One of the first questions Adriennes clients ask is, “How long does it take to buy a home?” The stock process of buying a home takes 40 to 60 days, on average, from contract to closing However, the reality is much more fluid as there are plenty of chances for hiccups along the way that can slow down your timeline after your offer has been accepted.
Issues Revealed During Inspections
Even if the house you’re putting in an offer for seems perfect, Adrienne notes that the journey to your new home can have bumps in the road.
“I recently helped a young couple who were buying a home for the first time,” she shares, “and the house inspection revealed thousands of dollars worth of repairs that led to them withdrawing their offer.”
In addition to the overall cost of repairs maxing out your budget and causing you to withdraw from the sale, other common findings from your inspection period that can affect your home buying timeline include:
- Required repairs that have to happen before you can move in
- Any damage that occurs while you’re under contract or haven’t yet closed
- Weather events that slow down necessary repairs
Your Closing Date Doesn’t Align with Your Lease
Whether your inspection period goes well or not, timing of your current lease is another factor to consider when purchasing a house.
“While my clients felt withdrawing their initial home offer was the best choice, there was definitely the pressure of knowing they only had about two months left on their apartment lease,” Adrienne says. “Fortunately, the seller of a previous home we had toured reached out asking if my clients were still interested, and they said yes!”
To make the situation even better, Adrienne shares that the seller’s closing date lined up well with the end of her client’s apartment lease. However, his isn’t always the case. Your closing date can be anywhere from a few weeks to several months out, which can leave you living among packed boxes in your current living space or scrambling for temporary accommodation while you wait to move.
Whether it’s because of repairs, withdrawing your offer to continue the house hunt, or a closing date that’s farther out than you planned, self storage gives you more flexibility during your home buying process—read on to learn why you should make a storage unit part of your checklist for moving!
How to Use Self Storage While Closing on a Home
With so much to do and think about before closing on a home, self storage can help you stay organized even when setbacks arise—which Adrienne says is vital for your moving day. “The sooner you can strategize and pack your belongings, the smoother your moving day can go!”
1. Reduce Clutter
Even if you move into a larger house, space can feel small when it’s cluttered with boxes needing to be unpacked. Excessive furniture, a lack of organization in your kitchen, and office supplies can quickly take up a lot of space. With a storage unit, you can temporarily house these belongings while you plan your best course of action.
2. Move at Your Own Pace
“Packing ahead of your move may seem convenient,” Adrienne says, “but it can often leave you navigating through stacks of boxes and living in tighter quarters for weeks leading up to your move.” Don’t put added stress and try to move everything at once. With self storage, you can stage your move and bring in items at your own pace.
We recommend making a plan for when to bring items into your home to unpack. Consider which items you need on day one and bring those items in as soon as possible. Keep non-essential items or those requiring more time to unpack and organize in your storage unit everything else has been organized.
3. Easily Tackle Renovations and Cleaning
Are you preparing your home for sale while hunting for a new one? If you’re trying to increase the value of your old house before the appraisal, self storage can help make room for renovations and keep your belongings away from dust, plaster, or paint while you work.
You can even use self storage to tuck away your large furniture while you do a deep clean of your property before the inspection period, or handle small but messy repairs around your new home.
How To Find the Right Storage Unit for Your Move
If you are in the home buying process and looking for a storage unit to help make the move go more smoothly, first factor to research is each storage unit type. As you gather information, determine which storage type best fits your needs. For those storing several temperature-sensitive items, like electronics and clothing, renting climate-controlled storage is the best choice.
Another factor to consider is the size of the storage unit you’ll need. Go through everything you need storage for and estimate how much space you’ll need. Not sure where to start? Use our online size guide to see which storage unit fits your belongings best.
Find the Right Storage Unit for a Smooth Move
At Saf Keep Storage, we’re here to help you find the perfect fit for your needs, whether you require climate-controlled storage for delicate items or a spacious unit for larger belongings. With our convenient online size guide and a variety of storage options, you can store with confidence. Contact us today to find the right storage solution for your move!
