Are you looking to add to your stress levels? Are you looking to see your once healthy bank balance disappear? If you have answered ‘yes’ to both those questions, then we have a solution for you.
Move home!
That’s right, moving home is high on the list of stressors in life, and it can also be very expensive. Still, assuming you didn’t really answer ‘yes’ to the questions we posed you, you can cut down on stress and the expense when you do decide to pack your boxes and move elsewhere in the future. You can find out how to reduce stress in one of our previous articles on WAHWM, and today we are going to help you reduce some of the larger costs you will face in the moving process.
Reduce your mortgage
Don’t accept the first mortgage rate you are offered. Shop around at your local banks to find as low a rate as possible. Alternatively, choose a mortgage broker instead. This is especially useful if your credit rating is low, and you are struggling to get a mortgage elsewhere. Their rates are often lower as well. Check out https://altrua.ca, just one example of the brokers available to you. There are other things you can do to reduce your monthly payments. Extending your repayment term is one good idea if you are keen to make savings, as is paying down a larger down-payment at the outset. Your mortgage is a necessary evil, but costs can be reduced.
Reduce real-estate agent fees
If you are selling your current home with a real-estate agent, don’t go with the first agency you approach on the high street. Shop around, and you may find lower fees elsewhere. Don’t be afraid to haggle, either. They want your business and your positive word-of-mouth, so they may be prepared to reduce their fees to keep you on their side. Alternatively, side-step their fees altogether by doing the hard work of selling yourself. You can reduce the cost of advertising on property sites by promoting your home on social media, such as Facebook Marketplace,https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/, as well as Gumtree, eBay, etc.
Reduce removal costs
You have to get your stuff from A to B, and if you’re traveling a fair distance, the price will rise. Still, you can save money in a number of ways. For starters, forego a removal service by getting your friends and family together to help you with the move. Provided you offer them an incentive, such as a housewarming party at the other end, they should only be too happy to help. However, if you do use a removal service, book them at non-peak times, such as during a weekday or out of summer season, as costs will often be reduced. Decluttering your home beforehand will also help, as the less stuff you carry, the less you will have to pay on delivery costs.
Final Note
Moving home is expensive, but you can save money if you follow our simple tips. Let us know if you have any advice of your own, too. To help us all save money (and stress), you may have words of wisdom that can help any of us who are moving home soon. In any case, thanks for reading, and if you are about to move house, we wish you every success!