Our heaviest most awkward stuff was moved with the biggest UHaul van (pulling our 18’ flatbed trailer with Steve’s jeep on it) Steve made three trips both to and from Maine. The last one was with me and the cats the big truck and horse trailer (filled with our irreplaceables).

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Originally posted by jodi:
Our heaviest most awkward stuff was moved with the biggest UHaul van (pulling our 18’ flatbed trailer with Steve’s jeep on it) Steve made three trips both to and from Maine. The last one was with me and the cats the big truck and horse trailer (filled with our irreplaceables).

Three trips cross country! Yikes!

Your reference to irreplaceables is interesting. I don’t think we have any. Pictures come to mind (and we have several hundred pounds of them) but no one ever looks at them and I doubt they ever will. The rest of it the same mass produced American middle class stuff you can get anywhere.

I think we need a bigger dumpster.

I filled at least two dumpsters, maybe three, before I moved to Oklahoma.

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Originally posted by Steve Miller:

quote:

Originally posted by jodi:
Our heaviest most awkward stuff was moved with the biggest UHaul van (pulling our 18’ flatbed trailer with Steve’s jeep on it) Steve made three trips both to and from Maine. The last one was with me and the cats the big truck and horse trailer (filled with our irreplaceables).

Three trips cross country! Yikes!

Your reference to irreplaceables is interesting. I don’t think we have any. Pictures come to mind (and we have several hundred pounds of them) but no one ever looks at them and I doubt they ever will. The rest of it the same mass produced American middle class stuff you can get anywhere.

I think we need a bigger dumpster.

Half the trailer was filled with my paintings, antique frames and art supplies. The supplies were not irreplaceable, but are very expensive per pound. We also moved some big plants. And then the important papers, jewelry, silver, and stuff from the safe, and several containers of volatile garage/art stuff that the movers wouldn’t move. My saddles. Suitcases of clothes for the trip (which took 5+ days)

The super heavy metal yard art and rocks (yes, we moved freaking rocks) two canoes, way too many bicycles, super heavy art supplies (lots of tiles and glass for mosaics), gardening equipment, tool chests and tools, camping stuff, stove collections and all the books went in the uhaul. Steve’s first trip is always with his little truck/popup camper towing his drift boat.

Bottom line is, between the two of us, we have a lot of hobbies that require a *lot* of stuff that neither one of us it willing to give up! Our kids will curse us when they have to clean out our space after we die, lol. we (Steve)hve done two or three trips each for move ever since we lived in Idaho.

Oh, and that last move cost between 25 and $30K, and I think we were reimbursed $5k. Prices have gone way up since.

I hate to say this, but now is not the time to get rid of furniture. With all the supply chain problems, you have no idea when you'll be able to replace it!

My mother ordered a new sofa ages ago, she might get it by February....

Ugh. What a mess!

We have been running to that as well. There is a big shortage of foam right now.

When my neighbor moved back here from California a couple years ago, he bought a used 20-ish foot enclosed car trailer and towed it with his full-size Dodge truck. A few months later, he sold the trailer here for what he paid for it there.

We've already gotten rid of one set of china. This is what's left - the Christmas china and some glassware. The Christmas plates and bowls are already packed.

My folks used to buy us pieces of the Christmas china every year at Christmas (natch!). At one time it was hard to find but the internet changed all that. I had no idea there was so much of it - service for 14 (!) and "completer pieces" only a Victorian could appreciate.

There is more of it on another table that isn't shown. We're keeping about 1/3 of it and have found someone who wants the rest. About half of the clear glass stuff is going away too - we just don't use it.

And it's heavy.

Called six different fence companies and they are all booked up through spring.

Covid.

Next up - plumbers and painters.

Ugh, you have my sympathies!!!

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Originally posted by jodi:
Oh, and that last move cost between 25 and $30K, and I think we were reimbursed $5k. Prices have gone way up since.

I guess I'm way out of touch with reality here, but I'm stunned your last move ended up costing you so much, considering all the daring DIY aspects you attended to yourselves.

I realize you moved a great deal of stuff - much of it super large - but still! I'd think you and Steve saved yourselves at least twice your final net cost, and still...THIRTY K$!?!

For me, alone and unable to lift and carry stuff, it sounds terrifying."DIY" just doesn't apply...

Wondering (Steve) what kind of prices you're running into if the differences you're running into are at least $8K so far.

Speaking of charging by weight, what are the bases companies charge according to? By weight, by volume - do they vary? And how much difference does it make if they pack and/or unpack your stuff?

I'd guess you'd want to arrange for your originating house and final destination to be deep cleaned before landing (?). Maybe you all do that yourselves too, but again for someone with severe physical limitations like me, that too would add a ton (how much and how do you find reliable cleaners to take care of that part?)

Wondering too how you insure their work, especially against theft for what they manage when you're not present. Must be so hard to keep track of every single thing they're handling.

Sounding like much of the cost of changing houses is moving itself rather than expenses of realtors and lawyers.

Apropos, there seem to be considerable variations in realtors' fees - especially in whether they're divided between buyers and sellers and if so, how? How much is that a matter of the norms for that part of the country, or can one negotiate? If so, what are tips on how to go about it?

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Wondering (Steve) what kind of prices you're running into if the differences you're running into are at least $8K so far.

From one of Steve's earlier posts:

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Quotes are in. Four of them. $22K to $35K. 15,800 pounds to 21,000 pounds

Price per pound varies too, as does the price of insurance and packing. Base pricing is all by weight, not volume.

Our plan is to do as much packing as we can and haul about 4000# ourselves to cut costs.

Kim's FIL is a great guy and will be looking after things until we move in. He has a lot of connections, including painters, cleaners and such who we will be using for the work.

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Originally posted by Amanda:
Apropos, there seem to be considerable variations in realtors' fees - especially in whether they're divided between buyers and sellers and if so, how? How much is that a matter of the norms for that part of the country, or can one negotiate? If so, what are tips on how to go about it?

You really need to become familiar with how home sales work in your area. Based on my limited experience in two states, there are differences. But FWIW...

Any realtor fees come off the sale price, so basically the seller pays both sides. And I think it's usually a 50/50 split, but that's determined when you sign a listing agreement with the agent.

In the Chicago area, if you go with full service agents the commission runs 5 to 6 percent of the sale price. Some agencies try to get 6 but 5 is easy to negotiate.

Sometimes you can get down to 4.5 or even 4 if you allow dual agency where a single agent represents both the buyer and the seller. Probably not a good idea for a lot of reasons.

Also should note that the term "dual agency" has different definitions in different states. I found that out when we were selling in Wisconsin. It's different there than in Illinois.

Redfin has cheaper commissions, but I'm not sure what their rates run. A friend used them successfully to sell two different properties and was very satisfied. I think it's a viable option.

Up in Door County (Wisconsin) there were basically no discounts. Six percent, take it or leave it. But the agents do a ton of work and nobody uses lawyers for the closing, as opposed to here in the Chicago area where most people have a real estate attorney. So there's a bit of a tradeoff cost-wise there.

Also something to take into consideration....if a buyer is interested in two properties, and the real estate commission is much lower for yours, the realtor may be inclined to talk the other property up to the buyers because they'll be earning a higher commission on it. It might end up sitting on the market longer, which could cost you money and/or opportunity.