How to Sell Your House in Utah and Move to Another State

There’s a moment when you realize your work in one place is over, and it’s time to move on. Because you’re a responsible adult, you know you can’t just walk off into the sunset. If you’re ready to sell your house in Utah and move to another state, there are things you need to know, keep in mind, and follow up on.

You’ll need a plan, a budget, maybe some contingency plans, and if you’re not yet sure where you’re going, a destination. Since the cost of moving to a new state can be sizable, since the logistics of moving to a new state can be overwhelming, you need some guidance on budgeting, selling your house in Utah, and finding and reaching that new city in a new state.

Selling Your House in Utah and Move to Another State

We’ll take a look at what you need to know, do, remember, and plan for as you sell your house and move to another state. Selling your home in Utah can be the easy part, but all of this has to happen before you can move, unpack, and make new friends in your new house.

Steps to Move from Utah to Another State

We’re assuming here that you’re asking, “How do I sell my house fast in Layton?” and moving states for a new job, new climate, or something similar, not running from the law. This means you’ve got time to undertake some steps to move from Utah to another state that will make everything go a little smoother.

Unless you’re pretty well-off financially, you’re going to need to sell your house in Utah. Since this can be tricky depending on the market, interest rates, and the like, one of the most straightforward first steps you can take is contacting CashQuickBuyers to sell quickly and easily, because we buy houses in Utah. That’s just one of three initial steps we need to take.

Budgeting to Move to Another State

Things cost. Sometimes a lot. We’re going to assume you don’t have bags of cash piled in your garage, so let’s talk budgeting. You need to plan for the expenses you know you’re going to incur, and you need to be ready for those surprise ones, too, so here are some things to think about, and we’ll look more in-depth at those below.

For now, understand that before you move, you need to have saved up some money. It is nothing short of grievously irresponsible to decide on Friday that you’re going to a new city and then start loading the moving truck on Monday. You’re going to have costs that you know will occur, so budget for them.

Do you know people who fret about not being able to afford a Christmas present for their spouse? Do you think those people didn’t realize that Christmas was going to happen? No, they just didn’t plan for an expense they knew they were going to have.

Plan for your moving expenses. Start saving a few months ahead. Gather your important documents and keep them handy. Moving is stressful enough without adding money issues to the mix.

Selling Your House in Utah

So much to consider here. You need to decide whether to use a realtor, then choose one, then factor in the commissions and fees that will come out of the sale price. Maybe you look for companies that buy houses in Salt Lake City. When to sell, what to ask for, hoping someone will buy your house, so it doesn’t languish on the market months after you’ve already landed in another state.

That all sounds awful, doesn’t it? There’s the for-sale-by-owner option without a real estate agent, but that has its difficulties, and doesn’t a big move already have enough of those?

No matter which path you choose, you may have to deal with repairs, you may have redecorating costs related to showing your home, or you might be selling during a buyer’s market.

The simplest solution may be selling your house to a cash home buyer (link) like CashQuickBuyers, which will quickly, painlessly, and fairly buy your home in any condition. This eliminates the need to put on a new roof, or find a realtor you like, or having strangers tour your home as they decide whether they want to live there while judging you for the size of your television.

Selling your house in Utah can be as painless as homeowners let it be, or it can be a big headache they deal with in addition to the trials of moving states. Just keep in mind that there are creative ways to sell your house.

Finding Your Next Location

If you’re moving for work, you may not need this section because you already know where you are going. But if you’re looking for something outside of Utah just because it’s time to go, you should think about what you want. Make some lists.

Cost of living. This may be the most significant factor. There are many ways to estimate COL, and there are lots of calculators online to help, like this one from Money Geek. Your best bet in assessing this accurately may be to check out several of these cost-of-living calculators and look at some averages.
Infrastructure. If you want to bike to work, research into a potential location might reveal that the city has no bike lanes. You’d like to know this before moving there, right?

Think about what you want and need in a new place– public transportation? Some cities have great options, and some have terrible ones. Are you big into culture and the arts? There are cities out there with great live music scenes, terrific theatre offerings, and the like. If those things are important to you, factor them into your search.

Schools. Everyone wants a good school for their kids, so spend some time looking into what’s available in a possible destination. There are good and bad school districts, and there are good and bad schools in every district. They’re your kids, man, so take the time to look into their education. And if home-schooling is your thing, investigate the options and services available to you in a possible relocation spot.
Climate. People who hate the cold shouldn’t look for a house in Chicago. People who hate humidity should avoid Houston. If climate matters to you, spend some time reading. Local climate can have a considerable impact on your happiness with your new location.

If you didn’t research, for instance, you might not know that although summers in Arizona see lots of 100-plus days, the lack of humidity makes it not as unbearably hot as you’d think. Some people like that.

Industries. Pay attention to the types of jobs available. If you are a coal miner, you probably don’t want to move to Los Angeles, as there will not be much work for you there.

You probably know the hotspots around the country as they pertain to your career. Use those in your search so your move can be as good for you and your family as possible. Some cities even offer incentive programs like Tulsa, Okla’s Tulsa Remote, which provides cash incentives for moving there.

If you’re not sure about your career or are just starting, there’s a pretty comprehensive list of cities that are good and bad for getting started over at Wallet Hub.

Costs of Moving to Another State

This one can hurt. We all know it. You already budgeted for your move, though, so that’s at least something. You’ll need to plan for as much as you can, but remember that budgets are guidelines, so if you end up having to pay the movers an extra $150, it’s not the end of the world.

Some costs nearly everyone moving to a new state will face include:

A professional moving company. You have the option of packing your things into a rental truck and hauling them to another state, and it would probably be cheaper than hiring pros. But professional movers are good at it. They are paid to take care of your things as they move them, and they’ve got insurance that you probably don’t have in the case of damages or losses.

Also, you’re an adult. Gone are the days of buying your friends a pizza for helping you move some third-hand furniture up to your fifth-floor walkup. Budget to hire a professional.

Packing supplies. These costs can add up quickly, and if you’re hiring a moving company to do the packing, too, you’re looking at more money still. Professional movers will charge you for those materials, which will likely cost more than a DIY pack job.

Maybe you don’t raid the liquor stores for their empty boxes like when you were in college, but coming up with your own packing materials will save money. Either way, consider these costs as you begin budgeting to move to another state. And remember that the cheapest way is not always the best way.

Transportation costs. The movers pay for their own gas, but you are likely driving your car to your new state. If you’re moving just across the border into Colorado, that’s one thing. But if you’re going to Florida, you need to budget for gas, food, a hotel for at least one night, and probably for a hotel once you get there.

There’s every possibility you’ll beat the movers there, and unless you want to sleep on those hardwood floors you were so excited about in the new place, you’ll want to have budgeted for a place to stay for a night or two while you wait for the moving company.

Deposits. Depending on the state you move to (and the city), you may need to provide deposits. Renters almost always need to put down a security deposit. If you’ve bought your new home, your local utility services may require deposits. Check before you move and budget as necessary.
The Unforeseen. Something is going to happen. Your TV might get broken, or the moving truck is a week late because of a snowstorm, you name it. Expect the unexpected by building a cushion into your budget. Nothing ever goes exactly as planned, but if you have budgeted to deal with it, things will seem a little less dire when they go sideways.

If you’re relocating because of your job, your employer has a reimbursement schedule to help cover the cost of moving states. This can help if your move is a long-distance one. If you think this might apply to you, check out your company’s moving services first.

Many of these moving costs can be estimated relatively accurately to help you with your budgeting to move from Utah to a different state. Check out MoveBuddha’s calculator, and Updater.com has one that requires a little more of your time for information input.

Relocation.com’s calculator is comprehensive and in-depth and sits in a suite of estimators and quotes for various relocation services. It is worth checking out.

Don’t forget to think about living expenses, either. You may need to eat take-out a few days in a row, and you’ll need to put gas in the car at some point. Keep these in mind, and don’t be surprised by them.

Logistics of Moving to Another State

Selling a house to move states can be a huge pain, or it can be relatively easy. But that’s also just the beginning. You will need to forward your mail, deal with your pets, transfer school and medical records, fill out change of address cards, get a new driver’s license, establish residency in your new home state, and a hundred other things.

Your best bet in planning these logistics is to find a checklist that works for you. Your local professional mover likely has one for you, and there are many online, including these three solid options:

Use these to tailor a list that works best for you. Maybe it’s one of these, and perhaps you make your own, but do not try to move from Utah to another state without some preplanning.

Conclusion

Moving states can be awful, traumatic, stressful, and brutal. Or things can go badly, and then you’re really in trouble. Planning, budgeting, and doing your best to know what’s ahead are how you ensure a successful long-distance move. A terrific place to start is by selling your current home, and CashQuickBuyers is an easy solution to that first step.

Utah is a beautiful place to live, but if it’s time for selling your house and moving to another state, take advantage of all the tools available to you and plan, plan, plan. Look at the cost of living in possible destinations, what an interstate move might cost you, and what your proposed new area has for you.

With the right planning before moving day, you can relax in your new home state as soon as you finish unpacking.