Selling your home: timing the move around closing

When you sell a home, the move-out date depends on something you do not control: the closing. Escrow can run on time, close early, or slip by a few days because of a lender, an appraisal or a buyer's contingency. This guide covers the practical side of planning a Bay Area move around that date. It is not legal or real estate advice; your agent and escrow officer handle the contract terms.

As soon as you have a target closing date, tell us. We cannot hold a reservation without a confirmed date, but we can tell you which days are open around your target and keep you posted. Once the date is firm, booking costs nothing: there is no deposit on a local move, and payment is due at the end of the job. We ask for a final confirmation 3 days before the move. If closing moves after you have booked, changing the date is usually not a problem when the new day is available.

Many sellers plan to move out on closing day itself. It is possible, but it leaves no margin: if the move runs long, you are handing over keys with a truck in the driveway. A move a day or two before closing gives you time for the final walkthrough and cleaning. Morning arrival is 8 to 10 AM in the South Bay and Peninsula and 9 to 11 AM in San Francisco and the East Bay, and the crew calls 30 minutes ahead. An afternoon start depends on how the morning jobs go and is never guaranteed, so do not build a closing-day plan around one.

Selling before buying, or a gap between your closing and your purchase, is common. Interim storage solves it: we move your belongings into storage and deliver them when the new home is ready. Our storage is climate-controlled and billed as a flat monthly fee in 30-day periods. Storage is never discounted, even when the move itself carries a referral or repeat-customer discount. Ask David for storage pricing for your volume. See storage solutions.

Some moves are paid by the seller, some are negotiated into the deal, and occasionally someone asks whether the move can be paid through escrow at closing. David has agreed to arrangements like that case by case. If someone other than you is paying, tell us when you book so he can confirm the billing arrangement directly. Otherwise payment is cash, money order, Visa or Mastercard at the end of the move, with a 3% fee on cards.

Local moves are hourly: $175 per hour for 3 movers, $235 per hour for 4 movers for a 3-bedroom over 1,800 square feet or anything with 4 or more bedrooms. There is a 3-hour minimum and 15-minute increments. As a rough guide, a 1,200 square foot home takes about 5 to 6 hours including double drive time, and a 2,200 square foot 4-bedroom about 7 to 9. If your agent referred you, mention them: real estate agent referrals receive 7% off, with the agent's name or phone as proof.

• When you list: get a quote, and ask about a free on-site inspection with a not-to-exceed price.
• When you accept an offer: pick a target move date a day or two before closing.
• Two weeks out: confirm the date with us; arrange storage if there is a gap.
• Three days out: final confirmation.
• Move day: keep keys, documents and the closing paperwork with you.
• After: final walkthrough and handover.