More Australians are escaping to the country since the pandemic started. Offering a change of pace and relaxed lifestyle, it is no surprise that people are looking to make a tree change.
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Operations Manager from Muval, Dave Hillier, understands that moving can be one of the most stressful life events.
"Moving house alone can be an overwhelming process, but moving to a regional town comes with its own set of challenges," says Dave.
If you're looking to make the big move, here are five helpful tips from Muval for a seamless transition.
Get down to basics
Pack your essentials and discard the things you don't need, because everything is calculated on a per-cubic-metre basis. If you are moving to a place without many retail choices, it's wise to buy the things you want to take with you and have your removalist transport them all together. This may turn out to be more cost-effective than paying for individual delivery costs to your new address.
Moving costs can easily add up to thousands of dollars, so it's wise to use companies that give discounted rates per certain amount of space required. The average cost of a city to regional move varies between $2,000 (such as Melbourne to Sunshine Coast) to $7,500 (Sydney to Cairns).
To save on costs, think about backloading for transporting your things, where you can save some cash by sharing truck space with someone else moving to the same region. Muval is a free platform to check and compare backloading options.
Do you research
Plan your move and do your homework to prevent the potential heartache of settling in the wrong location. Think about what you would like around your home - whether that is schools, healthcare or public transportation. Also, it's important to explore your new community and get to know some of the locals. Talk to real estate agents, business owners and local council staff to get a sense of the area.
Assistance eligibility
If you are still looking for work, be sure to assess any employment assistance options. The Australian government has rolled out financial assistance for job seekers in the form of Relocation Assistance to Take Up a Job until December 31, 2021. If eligible, you can get a grant of up to $9,000. That's money to help cover the cost of rent, travel and some employment-related expenses.
Cover yourself
Think about getting end-to-end transit insurance especially if you are moving fragile or electronic items as some roads can get rough, particularly in remote locations. You can compare quotes online and whilst you hope something doesn't go wrong, it's money well spent if you need to make a claim.
Time your move
It is important to have a timeline for everything. April to May are lean seasons and usually better months to make a move. Once you have pinned down your date, give plenty of notice. As a general rule, the more notice you give, the more chances for a lower cost run. November to January are peak months and it could be hard to get a removalist to transport your things at a lower cost.