Spring Into Action and Simplify Your Move

Selling and moving out of your home can be a stressful and expensive process. A recent Forbes Home survey showed that most people underestimate the cost of moving by over $700. This is often an added expense on top of the renovations, professional cleaning and maintenance that’s required before sellers put their house on the market. To ensure that you take the stress out of selling your home, with no hidden expenses, Newsweek interviewed U-Haul, which has almost 80 years of experience in one-way and in-town moves, to help plan and facilitate your next sale.

“Late spring and early summer are generally considered the best times to sell a house,” states Bankrate, an independent financial advisory service. And 2024 is an especially good year as a lack of for-sale housing has driven up prices in most areas, making this season, in particular, a seller’s market. In fact, the median sales price for an existing home reached $407,600 according to the National Association of Realtors, up by 5.7 percent compared to the previous year. So, to maximize profit on your home, it’s important to plan ahead.

“It’s crucial to consider the moving process before selling your house or moving on from your rental to ensure a smooth and stress-free transition into your new home,” said Sam Shoen, director of U-Haul’s newest portable moving and storage service, U-Box.

What is U-Box?

U-Box is a portable moving and storage solution that allows movers to pack their household belongings into specialty weather-resistant U-Box containers for both their storage and transport needs. U-Box containers can be delivered directly to your home and packed by U-Haul-partnered movers on the same day, or by homeowners according to their schedule. U-Box containers can then be transported to your new home or anywhere in the world. They were even named the “Best Moving Containers of 2024” by Forbes Home and Bob Vila.

“What sets the U-Box service apart is that it solves two needs at once: extra space for your belongings and a reliable, flexible moving schedule that is tailored for you,” said Shoen. So, what recommendations does U-Haul have for planning the sale of your home?

Preparing Your Home

A well-prepped home can often attract more buyers, avoid lengthy negotiations, and potentially raise its sales price by up to 20 percent, according to the International Association of Home Staging Professionals.

So, consider making upgrades to your home such as:

1. Adding some modern decor to create a move-in ready feel, without significant construction costs.
2. Declutter and depersonalize your home to help buyers envision themselves living there, aiming for a clean and minimalist appearance.
3. Conduct a deep clean, paying particular attention to high traffic areas like the kitchen, bathrooms and outdoor spaces.

Addressing any needed repairs ahead of time can also prevent deal-breakers and potential price reductions. So, it’s important to also:

1. Prioritize any required maintenance and repairs that will add value to your home, focusing on functionality rather than following trends.
2. Add a fresh layer of paint to any required rooms or outdoor walls, and power wash siding and sidewalks to enhance the curb appeal.

“Moving containers often play a key role in the process of staging your home, as they can act as an on-site portable storage unit,” Shoen explains. At the same time, these containers can be helpful to begin the process of moving out and storing personal items out of the way to create a move-in ready feel for potential buyers.

Ordering your U-Box containers is as easy as choosing the number of containers you will need, and which delivery option you would prefer. Then you can use the industry exclusive U-Box instant price quote tool and reserve today. This offers an instant price quotation, as well as the ability to reserve your U-Box containers online, via SMS, or over the phone if you prefer to set up your reservation by speaking with customer service.

You can then arrange to have your U-Box containers delivered to your house at a time that is convenient for you. Storing your items in a U-Box moving container, which can hold approximately one room’s worth of belongings, means that you have the flexibility to pack at your own pace, whether it be over days, weeks or months. Any U-Box containers you don’t use will be collected, and you’re only charged for the number you actually fill.

U-Box containers can either be stored on your property, or you can store them for as long as you need at a clean and secure U-Haul facility. They are protected using a personalized lock and key, which means that no one other than you can open them, and you can access your belongings at the U-Haul facility anytime during regular business hours.

Your Home Has Been Sold and You’re Ready to Move!

Once your home has been sold, many movers will promise a smooth transition to your new property, but this often isn’t the reality.

“A disorganized move can lead to rushed decisions, which often result in higher costs and unnecessary stress,” explained Shoen. U-Haul is upfront about its prices and never includes any hidden fees.

Once your home is packed up, or U-Haul’s partner loaders, Moving Help, have packed your U-Box containers or you, they will transport your belongings to your new home.

In particular, Shoen adds that U-Box is perfect for long-distance transportation, where trusted professionals like U-Haul know how to streamline arrangements and ensure your belongings are safe and secure. You can even add SafeStor coverage to protect your belongings against accidental damage while in storage and SafeHaul damage coverage for extra protection while the box is in transit from one location to another. U-Haul will also provide a phone number with your confirmation, so that you can contact your local team or Moving Help provider directly, and your U-Box shipping timeframe and arrival date at your destination is also guaranteed.

“Not everyone is up for the cross-country adventure of moving with a truck and trailer. Some people may want to use that time to take a vacation or complete things on their relocation to-do list,” he said. “Others might be physically unable to drive or move their belongings long distance in a truck. U-Haul has solutions that fit every moving need.”

Once your belongings have been unloaded at your new home, U-Haul will collect your U-Box containers at no extra cost to you.

Neil, a U-Haul customer, used U-Box as part of his most recent move and said: “Everything arrived on time. U-Box containers even arrived at the final U-Haul destination early, not one thing was broken and all five of our containers were packed floor to ceiling.”

“Best deal out there for moving,” he added.

Peter used U-Box containers for moving his college-age children out of their dorms. “U-Haul’s U-Box is the best option for moving college students,” he said. “We moved everything into the box at the end of the year and they took it away to an air-conditioned storage space and dropped it off on the next year’s move-in day.”

“Uncertainty and lack of flexibility in the moving process can take a toll on individuals and their families, impacting their overall well-being,” said Shoen, whose grandfather built U-Haul almost 80 years ago. “To avoid these stressors, you can count on us to be your moving expert.”

Selling your house is a huge undertaking, that’s why once your sale is complete, U-Box by U-Haul takes all the stress out of your move and allows you to start making memories in your new home.

This article was done in paid partnership with U-Haul.