Moving to a new home should be simple enough in theory, but it often becomes more complicated as things develop. Even people with several previous house moves don’t necessarily have an easy time of it and experience doesn’t always equal a smooth go of things. That’s often because it involves other peoples property sales, as well as lots of variables. Is there a way to work out the best month and day to relocate?
The answer is both yes and no, but we’ll do our best to go over the options in detail to help you. Anthony Ward Thomas has decades worth of relocation experience, which is vital for successful removals jobs. We’ll give you our expert advice, in addition to research from trusted sources. This should give you a better idea of when you should book for your move, with a specific focus on London.
Choosing the Right Day and Month to Move Home –
When it comes to choosing the best month or season to move, you’ll have to consider a few factors. The reason why it’s an essential part of relocating is simple enough. You have a lot to prepare for, and it’ll take several months to get anywhere near ready. Fortunately, there’s credible research like a recent article by Compare My Move, which uses sales data to calculate the best time for you to move per your location and other criteria.
When it comes to external factors you have little control over, mortgage chains tend to take on a life of their own. This makes it difficult to take control when you’re waiting for someone to sell their property, especially if several other buyers and sellers are involved. This is why some unlucky people spend months waiting to move because everyone can solve their side of the deal.
The only way to approach this situation is to understand you only have control over your side of things. With this in mind, concentrate on finding the ideal property, and organise a trip there at least once. You need some first-hand experience of the location at different times of the day to be sure it fits your lifestyle.
In this article, we’ll go through the pros and cons per season, but it’s worth remembering that Anthony Ward Thomas has exceptionally high standards. That means we’ll do everything within our power to accommodate your relocation, irrespective of what time of the year you plan on moving.
Thinking of a Summer Relocation in 2021?
It’s unlikely to surprise anyone that summer is the most popular season for moving to a new home. And because of this, it tends to book up quickly. For some people, they have more accessible vacation time over the summer holidays. This is perfect for those with young families as they don’t have to work around their school schedule. Add in the warmer days with more hours of sunlight, and it’s easy to see why so many people choose this season.
A typical relocation on average takes 4.2 months, which you should think about throughout the planning stages. While this figure represents the total time, including home improvements before listing the property, the calculation doesn’t factor in unforeseen problems. It’s your responsibility as the seller to make sure you don’t contribute to any delays by a lack of preparation.
This means that a summer move this year will need you to act now. You don’t have much time and will likely aim for late July or August as realistic dates. Get your house or apartment ready for market asap and consider home staging. There’s no time to waste if this is your preferred season; otherwise, you’ll have to go with autumn or winter. It’s worth noting that August is the first choice for a majority of Londoners, so this month will be competitive when booking.
Winter – Does Anyone Move Home During this Season?
We’ll get the more obvious piece of information out of the way – winter is by far the least favourable season for relocations. This can be for several reasons; the weather is worse with more hazardous conditions like sleet and ice. There’s less daylight to work with, making it more difficult for packing and unloading. Then there are seasonal considerations like Christmas and New Year when services reduce, and people don’t want to think about moving to a new house.
There’s a more positive thing to consider, and it’s worth remembering that there are fewer relocation bookings during December, January and February. Additionally, many removals and storage companies offer discounts when they have quieter periods. This could reduce your relocation costs and give you more available slots if you want a specific moving day.
Regardless of what season you choose, Anthony Ward Thomas has a fleet of vehicles and can accommodate relocations all year round. Nothing stops us from getting the job done, and we have all the right tools to undertake any relocation. So, if you want to give yourself more time by booking in autumn or winter, there’s no need to worry about the standard of service when you work with us.
Spring and Autumn – a Close Call for Second and Third Place –
In second place, spring is the next sought-after season for moving. Much like summer, people prefer the milder weather and an improvement in daylight hours from winter. A due to the higher demand in the summertime, many opt for spring to ensure they can confirm a removal booking with a reputable provider. However, this also means the spring months will book up in the same manner, so you’ll need to take action relatively quickly.
In third place but by no means unpopular, autumn has many similar positive aspects as spring but with more removal availability. September tends to enjoy pleasant weather, with moderate conditions typically lasting up until November. There is a slight reduction in sunlight but not significant enough to cause any problems. Autumn could be the ideal fit for anyone who wants to guarantee a booking and give themselves enough time to organise everything.
Your window for spring this year is too short as we’re nearly halfway through it already. Autumn would be worth considering, as you’ll have time to prepare your home for sale and negotiate a mortgage. It’s also worth taking the pandemic into account, which might cause a few more delays if an issue occurs with other buyers or sellers in your chain. Give yourself plenty of time, even if it means preparing now for a spring 2022 move.
How do I Pick the Best Weekday to Relocate?
If there’s one question we have no problem answering, it’s ‘what day is the most popular for moving?’ Without hesitation, Friday is the day most people request when booking their removals service, and it fills up quickly. This makes it difficult for you to secure your move for this day. If you’re confident that Friday is for you, then you’ll need to start getting your ducks in a row.
This also applies to the banking sector, where Friday is their busiest day of the week. And when the branch shuts early, the transactions follow suit. Why should this worry you? If your final payment doesn’t go through in time, the seller is within their rights to delay the handing over of the keys. Your removals job might need to be cancelled and rearranged, amongst a host of other problems.
The Homeowners Alliance’s article on the popularity of moving days notes their second favourite day is Saturday. Monday and Thursday also rank highly, with Sunday finishing in last place. With a relatively low percentage of people opting to move on a Tuesday or Wednesday. So, what does this mean in terms of choosing a day to relocate?
Although there are advantages to booking a Friday relocation, we’re going to suggest you think about earlier in the week. If you book on a Monday or Tuesday and there’s a delay in the transaction, no problem. You have several days to resolve any issues. Additionally, you’ll have little to no problem with securing your booking. With this in mind, it might be better to try and book a removal for earlier in the week.
Solving Delays in Moving-In with Self Storage –
There’s a specific issue that most people don’t anticipate when organising their relocation, and that’s a delay. It doesn’t happen often, but we have worked with people who couldn’t move into their new home on the agreed date. Rather than panic, you can contact Anthony Ward Thomas, and we’ll provide you with the solution – self storage. This service is crucial for anyone who needs somewhere to store their belongings at short notice.
There are instances where we undertake removals and storage jobs for people who need to move within twenty-four hours, sometimes even less than that. It’s essential for people or businesses who have nowhere to store their items and have little time to do anything about it. This is where self storage provides a perfect solution; your possessions or equipment will be safe and secure with us.
When things don’t go to plan, self storage can save the day and help you safeguard your possessions. So, if you need to move out quickly – we can help. Maybe your relocation has hit a delay, and you’re stuck with nowhere for your things. Contact us straight away, and we’ll help you with an emergency removal or storage service.
Anthony Ward Thomas – London’s Favourite Movers, All Year Around –
Anthony Ward Thomas excels in removals and storage throughout the year, and it’s worth the extra effort to find a company with an excellent reputation. We offer high-quality removal and storage services, and we boast a superior range of packages which attain the highest standard of service delivery. Your valuables will be safe from damage or breakages at every stage of your relocation, and we can also arrange extra insurance coverage.
For us, everything we do stems from putting customer service at the forefront of each package we offer. It’s all about assessment and looking after the small details because they add up to a successful relocation. And at Anthony Ward Thomas, we leave nothing to chance and prepare and plan thoroughly for every job we sign up for.
If you’re looking for a premium removals service in London, please contact us today. We’re able to relocate you, no matter which month, day or week you choose.