In this time of pandemic, it is risky to move house. Social distancing is being followed, and moving furniture may violate that rule. After all, a person cannot carry heavy pieces of furniture on their own. The close physical contact carries a risk of catching COVID-19 despite the precautions set by you and the moving company.
However, to move during the pandemic might become worthwhile. In the Philippines, prices for residential units have steadily increased by 34.9 percent. This increase in price is to be expected, as the country has experienced a massive economic drop. Nevertheless, as of December 2020, prices for residential units have dropped. One must take advantage of this period, wherein prices for residential homes are slowly stabilizing.
In a previous article, I have written four reasons of why you can’t move house in less than a week. While I still believe in these reasons, I do think that it is better to add new ones to accommodate the current situation.
Learn the Property’s Market Value
It is important to know the market value of the residential property you are planning to move into. The rapid changing of unit prices can make or break your investments to the house. This is especially true if you plan on reselling it. You will be able to plan out your finances properly, and set aside some money for other uses. If you plan on taking a loan, this step can help you in the long run. There are many online mortgage calculators that you can use as well, so there is no real reason to impulsively buy a property.
Additionally, knowing the market price of the house can also help you avoid scams. If there is a discrepancy to the price and the property itself, then you can quickly back out of the deal. This is crucial, as further home renovations like floor makeovers can be quite expensive.
Plan out your Moving Route and Finalize your Location
It is public knowledge that traffic is always a big issue in the Philippines. If you plan on moving, you need to plan out your route in advance. This helps you avoid traffic jams, and potential crowded areas. If you are planning to move into a different city, then this step becomes even more important. You will want to know the history of the area, the general reputation of the citizens living there, and if there have been any past cases of the COVID-19 virus.
A good house location is one that is far from densely populated areas. However, you would still want to consider its distance to the nearest hospital, mall, grocery stores and other necessities like ISPs.
Prepare an Organized Plan
While this part is a no-brainer for a tip, you have new things to consider when you move house. If you are living with an elderly family member, see to it that they do not get exposed to COVID-19 no matter the cost. Similarly, you should do the same for any children or family member with low immune systems. Try to organize the time of the family members who will be going in and out of the house, so you are able to keep track of the people they interact with.
Packing your stuff should also be done neatly, and each box should be labeled. This way, you will know which ones to unpack immediately, and which ones to simply keep in the storage. This process should be done months or weeks in advanced, as you finalize your next residency.
Try to quickly Make the new House livable in less than a Day.
While I have written an entire article dedicated to this point, I still think it’s crucial I mention this among these tips. The less time you spend travelling between your new and old home, the less time you get exposed to COVID19. Running in the same line of thought, you will need to disinfect your luggage ASAP. Depending on the strain of the coronavirus, it can last on the surface of your cardboard boxes between a few minutes to 5 days. Without proper disinfection and cleaning of your luggage, you are facing a real risk of exposing your family to the pandemic.
Image credits:
Image 1 – Unsplash
Image 2 – Unsplash
Image 3 – Pixabay
This would be helpful, we are moving soon.