A Realtors Guide to Moving Companies

The Realtors Guide to Moving Companies

Having been a realtor way, way back in the day – I used to cringe when clients asked me for a referral.  I know what you are thinking – that’s one of the most crucial parts to being a real estate agent – giving people good advice – right?  Wrong!  I had the pleasure of taking my real estate courses by a broker  who scared the bejeezus out of me.  In my dreams – I could hear him chanting his favorite phrase “displace responsibility, remove liability.”  Essentially, explaining to us that referring a service/company/lawyer may find you in a defendant’s chair.  Well, that broker is almost out-of-business now and I have found a new calling.  I have been a part of the moving and storage industry for 15 years now and am excited to write the:

Realtors Guide to Moving:

Realtors Guide to Moving
Realtors Guide to Moving

 

To Refer or Not to Refer: 

Referring a moving company these days – is actually pretty darn easy.  There are a few moving companies that have really set themselves apart form the mistrusted industry.   Another bonus – their movers will actually sponsor an open house for your broker tour!  You can download a moving comparison sheet here – or send the link to your clients – it has all of the pertinent questions to ask your moving company.

 

Scenario: Your Clients Need Overnight Storage or Short Term Storage

In the case of a bridge loan or new construction, your buyers may need overnight storage or short term storage.  This is one of the most common moving needs – and storage is tricky.  First off, pods are not recommended.  After a few years, their reputation has taken a serious hit and the amount of people complaining about stolen items is too much to risk.  I suggest finding a mover in your area who  will let you keep your clients items on the truck overnight – it’s called on-board storage – a quick search moving overnight storage should give you a good list to start with.  On-board storage should run about $100-$200/night in the peak months.  Short Term storage will require two separate moves as well as a monthly storage fee.  It is very important to find movers that have clean, secure storage – you can always google map their location to take a closer look.

Scenario: Your Sellers are Moving Out-Of-State

This is your last chance to help your sellers out.  The long distance moving industry is in the middle of a much needed overhaul.  Long gone are the needs to wait up to 14 days for a van line to haul your customer’s belongings across the country.  Private long distance movers are doing this much faster ( about 4 days MA to FL) and are even less expensive.  How you ask?  Private long distance movers don’t load/offload items into multiple storage units/trucks.  They also don’t charge all of the typical van line fees like: fuel surcharge, mileage fee, taxes, tolls, fees for stairs, elevator and the biggest doozy – the shuttle fee.  The shuttle fee is added if a larger 53 ft tractor trailer cannot access your storage facility/house/condo.  Very common in Boston, New York City, Miami, Washington, DC and Los Angeles.

How to Get a Quick, Surprisingly Accurate Moving Estimate

Moving Cost Estimator
Moving Cost Estimator

 

Here is a quick link to a quick yet accurate moving cost estimate form.  You or your clients plug in the furniture they have and a vitally instant moving price is generated and sent to your email.  This comes from a private company so your information is never shared or distributed.

 

Ultimate Moving Checklist

By now, if you have ever looked up moving checklists you will find thousands – maybe even millions.  I think Martha Stewart alone has about 100 moving checklists.  This moving checklist has everything your client will need – from who to call to what to pack.  There are links as well to specific packing tips.

 

Best Closing Gifts

The best closing gifts are always gift certificates and/or experiences in your client’s new town.  And no, not to a home improvement store. Think dining experiences, massage envy, etc.  Another gift that keeps on giving is a subscription to a wine club, craft beer of the month club, etc.  This gift keeps your name and great service constantly coming up.

 

 

Top Ten Moving Fails

Top Ten Moving Fails

 

Our all-time favorite moving fails – because who doesn’t love a good fail – especially on Friday the 13th.

 

Moving Fail # 1

Low Bridge

 

Rental Truck + Low Bridge = Moving Fail

Moving Fail #2

Packing Boxes That are Too Heavy

Books + Big Boxes = Moving Fail

 

Moving Fail #3

Not Emptying the Fridge

Not Emptying Fridge + Stairs =Moving Fail

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moving Fail #4

 Not Hiring Professional Mover

Not Hiring Professional Movers = Moving Fail

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moving Fail #5

Saving Packing for the Last Minute

Last Minute Packing = Moving Fail

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moving Fail #6

 Not Shutting the Back of Your Moving Truck

Not Shutting the Back of Your Truck = Moving Fail

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moving Fail #7

Not Hiring a Company that uses a Lift Gate

No Lift Gate – Moving Fail

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moving Fail #8

Overloaded Your Car 

Overloaded Vehicle = Moving Fail

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moving Fail #9

 Getting Overcharged

Getting Overcharged = Moving Fail

Moving Fail #10

Trying to Park Your Truck Somewhere it Doesn’t Fit

Bad Parking Job = Moving Fail

Songs To Listen to When You are Moving

Songs for Moving

It’s hard not to get sentimental when you are moving  – thinking of all of those things you will miss and opportunities gone by – your favorite coffee spot, that neighbor you never got to know to well but seemed cool, the nuances of your place only you know about.  Okay  – enough about that – YOU ARE MOVING!

Adventure, learning new things, and hope for the unknown are right around the corner and we have the playlist for you – to get you in the mood to move!

Movin’ On Up is the #1 moving song on our list – can’t go through a move without this oldie.  This theme song reminds us we are always moving on up!  Here are the next songs on our list –

Another goodie that we have to add is Flo Rida’s 2016 tune – My House – a perfect tune for moving in:

Move on Up is a perfect moving song for that last minute in your old residence – time to say good bye.

 

And of course if you can always do what Elsa does and…

 

Also on our list of songs for moving has to be Take U There

 

Brought to you by Monster Movers

 

 

 

 

What is the most cost effective way to move cross country?

What is the Most Effective Way to Move Cross Country

There are a few options when moving cross country – you could move yourself, use a van line or a private residential mover.  Depending on the time of year you are moving, where you are moving to and from and how much flexibility you have will also be key factors in finding the most cost effective way for you to move cross country.

Cross Country Movers
Cross Country Movers
  1. Moving Yourself – Overall, the thought of doing a cross country move alone is terrifying personally.  However, I realize there are some brave souls out there ( and hopefully those that don’t have a ton of heavy furniture) that are thinking about renting a truck themselves.  An average truck rental from New York to Texas is right around $3,000 ( including insurance, taxes, fees) during mid-season.  Here are other costs you will incur during any cross country move.  These figures are for a move of 2,000 miles in a 20 foot truck with 5,000 lbs -longer moves are more expensive:

One-Way Rental Truck: $3000 – The prices online do not have insurance added on ( approximately $100/day) or taxes

Gas: $700

Hotels and Food: $600

Tolls ( much more expensive than a personal vehicle): $250

Labor: If you are hiring labor to help unload your truck – expect to pay $800-$1600 for the load plus the unload.

A few hints for moving yourself:

  1.  Always opt for the full insurance on a rental truck.  Rental truck operations are notorious for charging extreme rates due to any damage.
  2. Watch for low bridges on the way to your new residence – Boston, NYC, and even the back roads of Florida are full of low bridges.  Stay off the Merritt Parkway in CT – half the time I am driving on that road I see a rental truck that attempted this low bridge road causing traffic.
  3. If you are staying in a hotel ask if they have truck parking – some hotels will not let your truck park there overnight.
  4. Rental trucks get pulled over just for being rental trucks.  The DOT pulls them over all the time.  Make sure your rental location has put the registration in the truck for you.   If you have loaded your truck overweight – the DOT will shut you down and you will have to hire another mover/friend to get the weight legal.  Expect heavy fines if this happens to you.
  5. Rental truck operations are not responsible for anything if  your truck breaks down.  FYI – if the truck looks old and scary I would ask for a newer one especially if you are moving cross country.
  6. Rental truck agencies do not have any repercusions if your rental truck is unavailable on your moving day – I suggest leaving a few flex moving days just in case.

 

2. Hiring a Van Line – A van line will be the most cost effective option for moving cross country for those who have a small amount of items and are very flexible.  Van lines are a network of moving companies that book moves and trade and/or sell to others in their network.  15 years ago, moving companies across the country were begging to be a part of a van line – much like drivers for uber used to do.  Motivated by avarice, most van lines lost the exceptional moving companies in their networks.  Many went bankrupt and some still exist with lower standards.  An agent for a van line will be hired ( less 30% or more ) to pick up your items and bring them to a storage facility.  Eventually your shipment will make it cross country where another agent will deliver it.  Here are the approximate fees a move of 2,000 miles in a 20 foot truck with 5,000 lbs:

Line Haul 5,000 lbs x .80/lb = $4,000

Labor $500

Fuel Surcharge – $400

You may have to pay for hotels/food while waiting for your shipment

Additional fees van lines can charge:

Taxes, Tolls, Shuttle Fee, Elevator Fee, Stair Fee, Long Haul, Packing ( if your boxes are not up to par)

 

3. Using Private Cross Country Movers –  Using professional residential cross country movers is definitely the most stress-free option  for moving cross country – but is it the most cost effective.  Private cross country movers should have your shipment to its destination in 5 days or less if you are moving 2,000 miles.  The absolute convenience of rapid shipping and displacement of liability is priceless – nonetheless – here are the fees for using a private cross country mover:

Line Haul: 5,000 lbs x .80/lb = $4,000

Labor: $800

Most private cross country movers will not charge the following fees but they may try:

Fuel surcharge, mileage fee, taxes, tolls, shuttle fee, long haul, stairs, elevator

Moving Cross Country
Moving Cross Country

Overall, moving cross country is not cheap – either way you will have to pay thousands of dollars to relocate. Monster Movers are private cross country movers that have transparent, affordable pricing for any cross country move.

 

 

 

Piano Movers

Piano Movers

Piano Moving requires a special skill set aside from moving boxes and basic furniture.  Most movers will sub-contract another moving company to handle your piano move which can cost hundreds and even thousands of dollars in addition to your moving bill.  Monster Movers staff are highly trained piano movers – every mover is required to move our own upright piano and grand piano before even going on a move.  Our piano movers carry the best piano moving materials including: piano boards, straps, steamed moving blankets, tools and shrink wrap.

Piano Movers

Piano Movers

It is highly suggested that you hire professional piano movers for any type of piano moving.  Injury, damage and inability to reassemble the piano are common issues of those who attempt to do this alone or with a moving company that is not used to moving pianos.  Below is our crew moving a baby grand piano.  Although it looks easy enough, for those who haven’t done this before – it is  much, much harder to move a piano than it looks

 

Monster Movers is a mover you can trust to move your piano.  Approximate piano movers cost:

Upright Local Alone: $425

Upright When Moving Entire Residence: $200

Baby Grand Local Alone: $450

Baby Grand When Moving Entire Residence: $225

Grand Local Alone: $500

Grand When Moving Entire Residence: $300

Monster Movers also offers long distance piano movers to MA, CT, RI, NH, ME, NY, NYC, PA, NJ, OH, IL, MD, DC, VA, NC, SC, GA, FL, TX, CO, CA, AZ, UT, and WA.  Please fill out a moving estimate form for a long distance piano move quote.

Here are links to our most common piano movers needed:

Piano Movers Boston

Piano Movers NYC

Piano Movers CA