How to Move with Pets: 7 Tips to Make it Easy

• Start packing early
• Find pet-friendly accommodations if needed
• Set up a designated moving day space
• Get the right gear
• Make a travel plan with your current vet
• Update your pet’s microchip
• Schedule a check-up with your new vet

1. Start packing early

Pets aren’t always a fan of change. To ease the transition, it’s important to pack early and gradually. This way, your pet has time to process that something new is happening and adjust accordingly. After all, imagine if you woke up one day and all your belongings were suddenly gone with no explanation. You’d be stressed, too.

2. Find pet-friendly accommodations if needed

Depending on how far you’re moving, you may not need this step. But, if your move involves multiple days of travel or a gap between moving out and moving in, wherever you stay in the interim needs to be equipped for your pet. Beyond simply identifying as a pet-friendly hotel or house, consider all the same factors that went into choosing your new home (outdoor access, windows, etc.) when choosing temporary accommodations. You can afford to be a little less selective here since it’s not for the long term. Still, the more comfortable the move is for your pet, the sooner they’ll settle in and feel at home in the new place.

3. Set up a designated moving day space

For the sake of both your movers and your pets, a designated pet space for moving day is a must. Backyards, friends’ houses, and large crates are all options for your canine kids. Cats can be a little trickier. If they have a favorite hiding spot and it’s in a place that can be closed off from the rest of the home, consider making that their designated area. This can help minimize stress since it’s a place where you know they feel safe. Wherever you set up base, make sure your cat has food, water, and a litter box. And, of course, communicate to your movers which areas are off-limits.

Pro Tip: If you have turtles or other pets that live in their own enclosed environment, keep that enclosure out of the way and clearly marked as NOT an item for your movers to pack up.

4. Get the right gear

Unless you’re moving right across town, you’re going to need more than just a carrier to transport your pet. Your needs will vary according to your pet, but here are some common items to consider:

• Leash with harness that can be hooked to a seatbelt
• Packable food and water bowls
• Disposable litter box
• Collars with current ID tags in case your pet gets out
• Crate with puppy pads

Whatever gear you get, don’t forget to try it out with your pet leading up to the move. The more acclimated they are to their new carrier or harness, the less stressed they’ll be on moving day.

5. Make a travel plan with your current vet

Leading up to the move, consult with your vet to create a travel plan for your animal. Especially if your pet gets carsick or has anxiety, you’ll want to discuss the possibility of sedatives, anti-nausea medicines, or anxiety medicines for the trip.

Does your dog spit out pills without fail? Then a liquid dose might be better. Is your cat hopeless in the car? Then your best bet may be a sedative (in the correct dose) to help them sleep through the drive. These are the details your vet can help you nail down in the safest manner possible.

6. Update your pet’s microchip

We recommend taking care of this as soon as you’re moved out of your old place. That way, if the worst-case scenario happens and your pet gets away from you during the move, any animal shelter that takes them in can find you. This is also just one of those small but important details that tend to get forgotten during the flurry of moving, like updating your billing address or forwarding your mail. The sooner you check it off your list, the sooner you can get back to the bigger issues like unpacking.

Not sure if your pet is microchipped? If you adopted them from a shelter, microchips are typically included along with spaying/neutering. Your vet can also help you check for a microchip. Just keep in mind that microchips can’t track your pet. Their function is to store your contact information so that if your pet ends up at a shelter, the shelter staff can notify you. The average person can’t access information on the microchip, so it’s important to keep your pet’s collar tags up to date, too. If you want to track your pet, there are also plenty of GPS tracking tags available that can be added to their collar. 

7. Schedule a check-up with your new vet

Moving with pets usually entails finding a new vet. Many vet clinics have a weeks-long waitlist for new patients, so don’t put off setting up an appointment until your pet needs one. Schedule a check-up as soon as you can. This is also a good opportunity to address any of your pet’s issues that may have arisen due to the stress of travel, such as gastrointestinal problems, anxiety, or aggression.

Any other tips for how to move with pets?

When it comes to how to move with pets, there’s no single right way to go about it. The best advice we can give you is to adjust to your pet’s unique needs. And don’t forget that their biggest insecurity about moving is likely about you leaving them behind. So, make sure you give your pet some extra head scratches, belly rubs, and treats to let them know you’re not going anywhere. At least, not without them.

The more comfortable you can make your pet during your move, the sooner you can all start to feel at home in your new place.

The post How to Move with Pets: 7 Tips to Make It Easy appeared first on Cardinal Financial.

Your out of state move checklist

• Assess your finances and set a budget
• Compare costs of living to narrow down locations
• Explore potential homes virtually
• Find a great local real estate agent
• Visit the new area and view potential homes
• Get pre-approved for financing from the lender of your choice
• Make an offer
• Start planning your move

1. Assess your finances and set a budget

When you’re moving out of state, your costs won’t just include buying a new house. You’ll also need to budget for things like movers, storage, gas or plane tickets, and accommodations for the period between moving out of your current home and into your new one. As for your new house, don’t forget to include closing costs and appraisal fees in your mortgage budget.

Pro Tip: We may not be able to help you calculate your unique moving expenses, but we can help you calculate how much home you can afford. Take our affordability calculator for a spin to see what’s possible.

2. Compare costs of living

It’s no secret that the cost of living has been on the rise lately. That being said, cost of living does vary by state, city, and even neighborhood. So, once you have your budget, it’s time to use that to narrow down your target location. Cost isn’t everything, of course. When deciding where to house shop, don’t forget to prioritize what matters most to you. That could be school districts, proximity to work, walkability, and anything else you need to be able to put down roots.

3. Explore potential homes virtually

So, you’ve decided on an area. Now, it’s time to explore homes. Even though this step is a challenge with out of state moves, virtual tours have come a long way since Covid. In addition to listing photos, many homes may also provide video tours, FaceTime tours, and more ways to see the space without booking a flight.

4. Find a great local real estate agent

This one is important. Since you’ll be conducting most of your house search from across state lines, having a real estate agent on your team who knows the local area is key to finding great homes in areas you’ll love. A good agent should have:

• In-depth knowledge of the local area
• A track record of closing quickly, for less than the asking price
• Clear communication expectations
• Strong negotiation skills

5. Visit the new area and view potential homes

Whether it’s time, budget, or any number of other obstacles, this step might not be possible for everyone buying a home out of state. But, if you can swing it, it’s always best to see a home in person before you make an offer. To make the most out of your trip, wait until you have specific houses in mind to tour with your real estate agent (and make sure those showings are scheduled ahead of time). You should also use this opportunity to explore the local area and get a feel for the specific neighborhoods you’re considering living in.

6. Get pre-approved for financing from the lender of your choice

So, you’ve got a home in mind. Now it’s time to choose a mortgage lender. If you want to use a lender you’ve already worked with before, great! Just make sure they’re licensed to operate in the state you’re moving to. Especially in a seller’s market, pre-approval is a must-have if you want to bid competitively. Most pre-approval letters are good for up to 60 days, so don’t take this step until you’ve chosen a home and are ready to make an offer.

Especially in a seller’s market, pre-approval is a must-have if you want to bid competitively.

7. Make an offer

Ready to take the plunge? Once you’re pre-approved, your real estate agent can help you make an offer on your home. Just a heads up: You may find yourself in a bidding war with other buyers. To ease the stress and reduce the chances of your offer getting rejected, try these strategies:

• Get pre-approved
• Lower contingencies
• Include an escalation clause
• Stay flexible
• Don’t give up if your first offer isn’t accepted

8. Start planning your move

We could fill a whole separate blog with moving tips, but here’s the general breakdown.

8 weeks before you move

• Take inventory of your stuff. What are you keeping? What are you donating? What needs to be thrown out?
• Arrange moving transportation. For long-distance moves, you’ll likely also need to consider storage for your belongings if they arrive before you do.
• Transfer school and vet records if needed.

6 weeks before you move

• Buy packing supplies (more than you think you’ll need).
• Remember that casserole that’s been sitting in your freezer? Time to use it or lose it.
• Measure your new space to make sure your furniture will fit. No sense lugging a dresser across state lines only to find that it won’t fit through your new doors.

4 weeks before you move

• Packing time! Don’t forget to set aside items that you’ll need to keep with you throughout the move, as anything you pack may be in storage until you can settle into your new home.
• Disassemble furniture you’re not using. Your movers will likely do this anyway, but probably with less care.
• Label your boxes. Your future self will thank you when it’s time to unpack.
• Change your address and update your billing information once USPS has processed your request.

2 weeks before you move

• Submit your workplace PTO requests for moving week if needed.
• Prep your vehicle for the trip.
• Confirm moving day details with your mover.

Week of your move

• Refill prescriptions if you have them.
• If you have pets, update the address associated with their microchips.
• Get cash to tip your movers.

Bonus tips on how to buy a house out of state

Our final advice for how to buy a house out of state? It’s never too early to start planning. An out of state move may not be in your immediate future. But, if it’s something you’re interested in doing down the line, make sure you’re ready when the time comes. Start saving for your move, plan trips to cities you may want to live in, and don’t forget to have fun.

With a little extra research and the right real estate agent, it’s easier to buy a house out of state than you might think.

The post How to Buy a House Out of State in 8 Steps appeared first on Cardinal Financial.