Regardless if you purchased a new house and are moving there to have a second home, you will soon find out there are items that can’t go back and forth. Buying a home is exciting, but spending money continues beyond the closing date. Review this list to get a glimpse into some other items you may need to purchase when you move.
What Gets Sold With a House?
When selling a house, you will require title services. A title company does a significant amount to protect you during the sale of your house, but these services can’t move between homes. Therefore, it is only possible to sell your house by utilizing a title company’s service. In addition, a title company assists with the various forms and contracts you need when selling a property. You will find that many title companies have real estate lawyers to help you review contracts to see if they are valid. In addition, the title agency conducts a title search.
A title search is an examination of the public record of the property’s title. This search determines if the property on sale is clear of liens and, therefore, eligible for sale. A good title search uncovers if the property has any issues and resolves them before the closing. This search prevents the seller from buying a property that has issues.
Another role of a title company is to provide title insurance. Most lenders require this process. Title insurance protects the lender as well as the buyer from unseen defects. These defects don’t usually show up during the title search. When you have a title insurance policy, the title company defends you if there are claims against the title.
Installed HVAC Units
When you buy another house, you may want to save as much money as possible by taking your current items with you. This is especially true of any items in your current house that are more recent purchases. For example, you may have a new AC unit that you want to take with you. However, HVAC is one of those items that can’t move between homes.
Air conditioners have flexible lines that are designated for transporting refrigerants. They are delicate hoses that can be damaged easily if an air conditioner is moved to a different location. If you want to move your air conditioner safely, you must drain the refrigerant chemical and put it in an approved container. It’s not a good idea to transport it in your vehicle. Most moving companies will only allow you to place this on their trucks if it is too volatile.
In addition, moving an air conditioner to a new home will cost more than buying a new system. Most home buyers expect a house to have an HVAC unit in the house. They may not be willing to buy your house if it doesn’t have HVAC installed.
Window Films
If you have a decorative film on your windows, you may love it and want to take it with you when you move. However, a window film may be an item that can’t move between homes easily. It may not be impossible, but it may be something you want to consider leaving behind. Any window film you have is capable of being removed. However, you will still be able to reapply it somewhere else. The type of film you have will dictate if the film can be reapplied. Also, how the film is designed indicates if it’s intended to be only applied once or applied multiple times.
Window films that are considered static cling can be removed and reapplied. However, you must be careful when removing, storing, and transporting it. Even if you can remove it, if it’s not transported properly, you may not be able to reapply it. If your window film is adhesive, you will be able to remove it, but most likely, it will not reattach.
Items That Are Made to Suit a Particular Space
When building areas in a house, such as a finished basement, homeowners often build the item in the room. These items likely can’t move between homes. When your basement is a wide open space without walls or barriers, it is easy to get items and equipment. It is more challenging to remove those items from the area once finished. Many homeowners need to think about getting the items out of the space when they are putting them in and building around them.
Other items like exercise equipment, including a stair climber or a treadmill, come into the room in pieces in a box. You build the item in the room but can’t get it out. These items are sometimes intended to be moved through a standard door opening. You can try to disassemble the item, but you may need a technician to reassemble it. You could hire someone to disassemble and reassemble the item at your new home. This is often an expensive service, and it may be cheaper or cost about the same to buy a new piece of equipment.
Home Energy Infrastructure
If you have solar panels on your current roof, this may be another item that you can’t move between homes. If you want to move every solar power panel, consider some items first. First, it is essential that your solar panels are in good condition and cared for properly during the removal and moving process. They are highly technical pieces of equipment that you don’t want to damage. Your new house location may not be compatible with the solar panels you currently have. You have to consider the orientation of the house, the angle of the roof, and how much sunlight the panels can receive.
The solar panels have electrical wiring that must be inspected and may need modifications to be compatible with your new house. You must understand the regulations of the area where you are moving. You may need to obtain a permit and have your solar installation inspected. If you are going to reinstall them at your new house, you should contact a licensed installer and electrician to be sure it’s safe and correct.
Yard Installations
If you have a fence, patio, deck, or other installation in your current yard, you probably can’t move items between homes. On the other hand, when it comes to all the permanent structures in your yard, your fence, even wood privacy fences, can be moved. However, you must ask yourself if it’s worth it.
Removing your fence must be in the best possible condition and have no damage. It is essential that it isn’t damaged during the removal and moving process. You may need special equipment and tools to move the fence properly. If you need to become more experienced with installing and removing fences, you should hire a professional. Your current fence may not be appropriate for your new home. Factors such as the soil, weather, and terrain determine the type of fence best. Your current fence may need to meet the needs of your new space. Your fence may also be too big or too small for your new yard. By the time you pay to have it removed, moved, and updated to match your new home, it is more cost-effective to install a new fence.
Built-In Furniture
Initially, you may think that built-in furniture is one of the items that can’t move between homes. Generally speaking, it is possible to remove items like bookshelves and cabinets from your existing home and move them to a new space. However, there may be better decisions. If you need to gain the skills or knowledge to remove the furniture, take it apart, and reassemble it, you may need to contact a professional. You may love the piece of furniture in your current space, but you have to ask if it fits in your new home. In addition to determining if the size is acceptable, you have to understand the design of the house and if the furniture matches it.
The more complex the piece of furniture is, the more it will cost to move to your new home. It may fit your budget better to have a new item built in your new house. You could also consider cabinet refinishing if you don’t like the ones in your new house. Another consideration is if the built-in furniture doesn’t fit properly in your new space, what type of modifications would have to be made so that it fits? You may have to make structural changes to your home, which may be different from what you want to do.
Bulky Items That Are Expensive to Ship
You may have some bulky items at your current house that you are considering moving to your new space. Some of these items should be on your list of items that can’t move between homes. Firewood is an item you may want to consider leaving behind. Firewood can be heavy and bulky. This makes transporting it in large quantities difficult. Depending on how much you want to move, you are going to need a large vehicle or trailer to transport the firewood. You may also have to make multiple trips.
Another consideration is some areas have regulations that prohibit or restrict the transport of firewood across state or county lines. There is a concern about the spreading of diseases and pests that are harmful to trees. If you really want to move firewood to a new home, it is critical to inspect the wood carefully for signs of pests or diseases before you load it into your vehicle.
Entire Mobile Homes
In some cases, instead of determining what you can’t move between homes, you may want to move your entire house. This is possible with mobile homes. It’s essential to note that moving a mobile home can be expensive and complex. It requires knowledge, experience, permits, and special equipment. The mobile home must be prepared properly for transport. This includes having the utilities disconnected and removing all attachments. Attachments are items like decks or porches.
There also must be a place to put the mobile home. A new site must be prepared by clearing a path and leveling the ground. This may require grading, excavation, and the installation of a foundation or piers. A specialized trailer designed to support the weight and dimensions of the mobile is needed to transport it. Once the mobile home is transported to the new site, it must be reconnected to utilities, including water, sewage, and electricity. The attachments must be reinstalled, and any necessary repairs or modifications must be made.
What If You’re Determined to Move Something?
Even though you know you have an item on the can’t move between homes list, you may still want to move it for varying reasons. You may have a sentimental attachment to it or love the item and can’t part with it. There are a number of ways you may be able to move it. You could consider shipping freight. You can transport goods or cargo by sea, air, rail, or road.
You can transport a number of items this way, including raw materials and finished goods, to vehicles, machinery, and equipment. In addition, there are a number of ways you can ship freight. These include container shipping, bulk shipping, and intermodal transportation. Container shipping is the most common method of shipping freight. Your cargo is loaded into large shipping containers, which are then transported by ship, rail, or truck.
Here are several items that take work to move to a new home. For most of these items, consider leaving them at your old house and purchasing new ones in your new location.