Moving House in January/February Archives

Moving House in January or February

Posted on December 18, 2021 by Peter Donaldson

Five Tips When Moving to Berkshire Berkshire is becoming one of the most sought-after counties for relocation in the UK, and it's easy to see why. With the backdrop of some of the most beautiful landscapes in England, Berkshire is home to many quaint villages and unique towns. You’ll find something for everyone here, and we're confident that you'll find your ideal home. Newbury is one of Berkshire's favourite relocation spots, especially for people escaping London for somewhere with more character and a better quality of life. To help would-be Berkshire residents to find the right place for their next relocation, Camp Hopson has some top tips for moving to Berkshire. We'll go through the best ones in this blog, in addition to other best practices for relocating. Five Tips when Moving to Berkshire – Go online – the best way to start looking for your ideal new home is to do some initial online searches. The first thing to do is work out what type of house or apartment you're looking for. If you're moving to Berkshire, you might be downsizing, so a comfortable cottage would be an excellent place to start your search. Then you add the number of rooms, bathrooms, garage or storage spaces and what sort of garden you want. Many people move to Berkshire for its green spaces and fresh air, so you might want to try your hand at gardening. Make a list – It's not just the perfect property you're looking for; it's the whole package. Where you live should suit your tastes and interests, as well as your typical weekly schedule. If you need to visit a GP regularly, it's a good idea to live near a surgery. More importantly, you want to be able to live life and enjoy yourself. If you're a bit of a thespian, you'll naturally want to be near a local theatre. Everything that matters to you needs to go on your list for your ideal relocation. Contact an estate agent – this is an important one. Getting in contact with an estate agent will help you pool a list of potential properties. They can send you photos with full specifications well in advance of viewing. That way, you can get them to help you keep the potential winners to save time. The last thing you want to do is waste effort with places you don't like, especially if you're travelling to visit them. Visit the area – there is no replacing getting some first-hand feels for your potential new location. Plan on a visit to your preferred area at least two times, more if you are able. You need to see what the place is like at various times of the day, just to see if it meets your preferences. If you're looking for a quieter place to live, it's worth making sure that you aren't near any main roads or vibrant pubs. It's also another great excuse to get to know the area. Reliable removals company – Much like an estate agent, it's worth contacting a reputable removals company as early as possible. You'll know you've made the right choice if they're happy to discuss your move, even if you're still planning it. The Camp Hopson team is always available to chat about your potential move and give some insights into our favourite places in Berkshire. Newbury and Other Sought-After Places in Berkshire – Newbury – the Camp Hopson team, is slightly biased with our top choice, but it's easy to see why. We believe that Newbury is one of Berkshire's best-hidden secrets, and it's becoming a favourite relocation town for ex-Londoners. It's a vibrant market town that retains its charm while being a great place to live. Bracknell – this is one of the most popular commuter towns. That's due to its reasonable house prices and excellent transport links to London. This is ideal if you want more for your money but still need to work in the capital. Windsor – home to Legoland, there is plenty of things to do in this tourist favourite. Windsor has excellent transport links and a healthy economy. It also has some first-rate education institutions, making it a popular choice for young families. Woolhampton – this small village between Reading and Newbury offers a more tranquil setting for Berkshire life. If you're looking for a traditional English village with a few local shops, a friendly pub and lots of green space, then Woolhampton is for you. Go Online and Start Researching – To elaborate on this point, there are many opportunities to learn more with a few clicks of your mouse and some dedicated time. Get onto Google asap and start looking to see what you can find out for each potential area of interest. You can learn about things like average property prices per city, town, or village. And get even more specific regarding the number of bedrooms and recent sales per area. That should give you an idea about what your budget needs to be. Next, think about things in terms of what you need from the amenities and nearby facilities. List down items specific to your family that are a must-have for your new home. If there are education and healthcare needs – ensure they're close enough to your address for convenience. Then you can also think about activities and entertainment to keep everyone happy. Transport is often an important factor for relocations, especially if you're moving property but not the job. If you need good links to larger cities for work, do your homework to see if the area has decent links. It might be beneficial to consider locations with direct trains within an hour's commute in one direction. That will help you narrow down your search and avoid overextending your journey time. Make a Moving Checklist – You'll need something to act as your anchor during the relocation because the waters can be choppy. This is where you create and use a moving checklist to your benefit to help you focus on what's happening now and the relocation as a whole. You can read an example of one here to get an idea of what they look like. Then you can add or subtract tasks that are relevant to your situation. We also suggest using a blank calendar in conjunction with your list to give you an idea of timings and dates. This gives you a timeline to accurately plot how long you have until your moving day. That will help you break down larger tasks into manageable action points. And you then place them into a weekly schedule to make sure you're always making progress. You should also start as you mean to go on and set the standard for your preparation. Once you're moving checklist takes shape – complete an initial task straight away. If you're able to do one, why not begin today? There's no such thing as too much preparation when it comes to moving to a new home, and every day counts. Contact an Experienced Estate Agent – You'll need to start thinking about lining up viewings for potential properties, and you might already have some ideas. But it's a bit like doing things in the dark if you don't know the area in enough detail. Plus, you might be a first-time buyer, and the process is confusing and often difficult to find specific information. This is where a seasoned professional comes in handy and saves you plenty of time. An experienced estate agent will discuss what you need the property to have and items that would also be preferable but not essential. Then they'll help you calculate a budget range and match this against what's currently available. From there, it's a case of letting them take over the search and waiting for feedback. They'll filter out unsuitable properties and leave you with a list of the best houses or flats on the market. They can also arrange block viewings for when you visit the area, which will help you get the most out of your trip. Technology also makes it easier to do remote viewings if you're far away, and some seller's even have pre-recorded walkarounds. Estate agents also know the right questions and understand reports and surveys. It's in their interest to line up somewhere you'll buy and will also ensure there are no defects in things like the building's structure, plumbing or electrics. Arrange a Visit to the New Area – You will undoubtedly find lots of excellent information from going online and doing your research. However, there's only so much you can learn from trawling the web, and it tends to lack that personal touch. You're making a big decision that will last years and will represent a significant financial commitment. It's time to go offline and get some in-person experience before you decide. Arrange an overnight visit to each potential area and get the whole family involved. The best idea is to do at least a weekend trip, and it would be even better to plan one over a bank holiday. You're doing this to get to know what it's like at various times of the day and night and to see if it fits your family's personality. Think of this as a good way of checking whether your sleepy town doesn't suddenly become loud and lively at night-time. Doing this will also give you a chance to find your favourite places to eat and enjoy time as a family. Furthermore, this will provide you with a better introduction to the area if you have kids. It's often trickier to convince your children that a relocation is in their best interests. Hoodwink them into the move by lining up some of their favourite activities and hobbies. Who knows, they might even make a friend or two during the visit. Use a Reliable Removals Company – This might sound obvious if you know how relocating works and have an eye for reliable moving companies. For newer hopeful homeowners, it might be vague and confusing to suggest this. You need to work with a reliable moving company to get the best results. This means arriving and completing on time and with no unnecessary breakages or damage. You can vet companies via their online rating on Google Review and Trustpilot platforms. Get at least three or four quotes from separate movers so you can compare prices and the services on offer. Then balance costs and potential customer service to see which company performs both. Don't forget to read write-ups from previous customers. Camp Hopson gets plenty of five-star ratings and excellent reviews from the people we relocate, and we often have repeat customers or referrals from happy ones. We have a Quality Policy in place to evaluate and improve performance. That's our commitment to the highest standard of customer service, and we strive to provide the best service delivery in Berkshire. Camp Hopson – Newbury's Favourite Removals Company – If you're planning to move to Newbury or anywhere in Berkshire, you should choose Camp Hopson. We're Berkshire's favourite moving and storage company, and we've earned our reputation by offering the best service at affordable rates. We plan every aspect of your relocation to ensure that we're as efficient as possible. We'll discuss the day of the move in detail to work around your schedule and ensure that we avoid any traffic congestion and roadworks. Our team are experts in their industry. We provide them with the necessary tools and equipment to undertake any removals job. We offer storage for as little as £14 per week, and we have a variety of storage options to suit everyone's needs. Camp Hopson's ethos is to work closely with our customers to offer them the service they need. Click here, and we’ll guide you through the planning stages of your relocation. And if you need storage, we guarantee that your possessions will be safe and secure.

Moving house during January and February, the final throes of winter, may not at first glance seem like the best idea. But if you approach it the right way – there is no reason why it should be any more complicated than moving at any other time of year. Plus, there are some benefits to relocating during this season that people might not consider when they begin planning their move.

Depending on where you are in the country, the icy temperatures, adverse weather conditions, and reduced daylight can all pose complications, but none of them is insurmountable. We’ll use this blog to explore the upside to choosing to move home in January or February. Then you can see if this would work for your situation.