Step 8: Work Up an Action Plan

You can save a lot of time, money and agony by making a step-by-step action plan. It will help you avoid errors and will contribute substantially to your peace of mind. Here are some of the items you may want to include: 

  • Selling your house
  • Finding a broker
  • Getting it ready (cleaning, repairing, dressing up)
  •  
  • Departing issues
  • Debts
  • Close accounts (banks, safe deposit box, pharmacy, insurance, lawyers, stores, water, electricity, gas/oil, trash/garbage, lawn care, telephone, newspaper)
  • Mortgage
  • Other properties you may own
  • Medical/dental records
  • Legal records
  • Medications for the duration

    Serious visiting
  • Neighborhoods (you buy a neighborhood first)
  • School (minors in your care, continuing education)
  • Housing
  • Church
  • Finding a transition helper (friend of a friend)

    Choosing a home
  • Rent/buy/build
  • House/condo/apartment
  • Remote/neighborhood/development/life care
  • Looking
  • Buying
  • Financing
  • Home inspection
  • Insuring (title, renter’s/homeowner’s)
    Disposing of unwanted/not needed items
  • Give to family/friends
  • Tag sale
  • Charitable donations
  • Dump

    • Arranging the move
  • Get estimates from movers
  • Special problems with pets
  • Furniture
  • Cars, boats, RV’s
  • Valuables

    • Settling in
  • Bank (account, loan)
  • Lawyer
  • CPA/Tax person
  • Insurance
  • Doctors/Dentists
  • Licenses, wills, medical records
  • Trash/garbage pickup
  • Water, electricity, gas/oil, telephone, newspaper
  • Mail
  • Safe deposit box
  • Pharmacy

[Download and print this Checklist]

When to move

Considering all the things you must complete on your action plan, when is the earliest that you can move? Add time for things that will take longer than you planned. Note: If you have any other big projects or events that will take a lot of your time in the near future, you may want to complete those before starting the relocation project.