Preparing for a House Move This Spring? Why April Is a Great Time to Start

Are you thinking of moving house? Has your casual browsing of online property sites become more frequent, more organised, as the weather has improved? If so, you’re not alone - spring is a really busy time for the housing market. 

Why April is the best month to buy or sell a house

Year on year, March and April prove to be the most popular months to buy and sell houses. Maybe it’s the lighter evenings giving everyone a bit more energy; perhaps it’s a sense of new beginnings that’s synonymous with spring. 

April is certainly a good time to look for a new home for practical reasons, too. Finding your ideal home in spring will usually mean you can move in during the summer months, when the weather is more stable. If you have children, it’s also better to move house during the summer holidays so that they don’t have to move schools partway through an academic year.

For all these reasons, there are a lot more properties on the market at this time of year. That means more choice for buyers - with an abundance of houses being put on the market by late April - and more potential buyers ready to make offers. 

What can you do to prepare for buying or selling your house in April?

Moving house is a major expense and massive life event. It can be very stressful, so being organised and prepared is important from the moment you start narrowing your property search or contacting an estate agent.

Preparing to buy a house in April:

Before you even start looking, make sure you know the limit of your budget. It’s important to think cautiously about what you can afford in terms of borrowing. If you’re selling your old house at the same time as buying a new one, remember that the price you’re asking for might decrease by 10% or so once the buyer has negotiated and you’ve paid for legal and estate agent fees. 

Unless you’re downsizing, you’ll also probably need a mortgage; speak with your mortgage lender about what your repayments would be if the interest rates go up, and be honest with yourself about what you can afford. Remember to budget for stamp duty, which has gone up recently.

Once you know how much you’ve got to spend, narrow your search and have some fun finding your next home!  (Remember to book your removals company as early as you can, there will be a lot of demand for those services at this time of year.)

Once you’ve found a house you like, have had your survey done and negotiated any discounts to the asking price,start to think about how you’ll furnish your new home. 

If you’re downsizing, or moving in with your partner, we have lots of advice on what to do with any excess furniture and belongings. If you’re moving to a larger place, or just fancy some new furniture, there are often sales over the Easter bank holiday weekend, so see if you can find a bargain.

How self storage can help you buy a house in April

If you find a bargain in the Easter sales, remember that larger items like sofas and beds can take several weeks to be delivered, so you might be able to plan for them to arrive in time for when you move in. If not, you could consider renting a self storage unit for a few weeks until your new home is ready for you. 

Self storage is also a good option if you want to reduce the stress (and expense) of moving day, as you could move some of your excess, non-essential belongings into storage to minimise the amount you need to pack and move on the day you get your keys.

Preparing to sell a house in April

Make the most of the lighter evenings and give your home a good spring clean to bring out all its best features. If you imagine showing your home to a potential buyer, you’ll find it’s easier to spot all those untidy nooks and crannies that you’re used to seeing but that might be off putting to strangers. 

Deep cleaning your home will make it smell good and look great - so tackle those difficult cleaning jobs like the shower screen, the tiling grout, the carpets and curtains.

Now is also a good time to showcase your garden, if you’re lucky enough to have one. A well-kept garden with flowers in bloom can greatly improve your chances of finding a buyer because it will make them think how lovely it would be to sit in their new garden in the sunshine. Cut the grass, trim the bushes and trees, spend a few pounds on some bedding plants and make your home as attractive from the outside as it is on the inside. 

How self storage can help you to sell a house in April

You don’t want your home or garden to look cramped or untidy - you are selling a dream, not just a home, and buyers dream of an uncluttered, spacious home. To create more space, consider moving excess belongings like your winter clothing, Christmas decorations, and bulky children’s toys into a self storage unit until you find a buyer. 

After you move into your new home, you can be selective about what you bring out of your self storage unit - you might decide you quite like the extra space it affords and decide to keep it all year round, swapping out your winter belongings for your summer gear (camping equipment, garden furniture, gardening equipment etc).

Can we help?

If you think renting a self storage unit for a few weeks could make moving house easier for you, please get in touch with any questions you may have. Our friendly team will be happy to give you the information you need about prices, locations and unit sizes, with no obligation for you to reserve a unit. If you decide to rent a unit, you can do that on the phone, in store or online with no deposit to pay. We hope we can help you to sell your house, and/or help you move into your new home!