Coordinating the big move!
 

Just a bit of a nosey question really! With all these passport requests recently it got me thinking about how the heck you actually sort everything out when its time to go!

I can't get past when the house sells here shall we just go, or rent for a while or stay with mum and dad for a few weeks? :confused:

So how did you or how do you plan to sort everything out?

Re: Coordinating the big move!
 

OH had already left for Canada, we shipped our belongings and the children and I moved in with the outlaws for the last couple of months. Personally I found this a good option as it meant one more thing crossed off the list, only problem was making sure that I did not ship something I would need, so that was another list!

Lots of lists is the way to go, I had lists pointing me in the direction of other lists.

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Depart...K_to_Canada%29

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Arrival_To_Do_List-Canada

Re: Coordinating the big move!
 

:rofl: Your list making made me lol, thats just like me :D

Re: Coordinating the big move!
 

I also made a file to carry on with me which I called my bible - had all my important documents in

Re: Coordinating the big move!
 

Re: Coordinating the big move!
 

Hi

We are at precisely that scary stage at the moment. I will be making lists....when the panic subsides a bit:eek: My biggest worries are the timing of everything. We are provisionally aiming to go in July this year.

We need to sell our house, when do we put it on the market? Don't want to do it too soon and find a buyer straight away. Moving out and into rented is not an option for us. My eldest son is due to start his GCSE's a year early and I do not want that upheaval. Also we have a dog....most rented dont like pets, we have a smaller mortgage payment than rent would cost us and if we rented...a lot of furniture would have to go into storage...more cost and inconvenience. So we are looking for a buyer prepared to wait.......until we test the water...we won't know.

Then there is the How to get there, should we book a Transatlantic crossing on the Queen Mary 2 or fly. Gotta take the dog...but the ship kennels are full for the sailings we are looking at...so she would have to go on a waiting list. Flying is not without its problems...a lot of carriers wont fly pets during summer...so cargo.

We are having a house built in Canada....so there is the worry of that while we are not there, although we do have friends in the area who will send us updates...and a good Realtor friend...who will oversee it all.

Then there is the financial side of things.....due to the sliding $ rate and how the recession has bitten all of us in the bum....won't have as much of a comfort zone....before we need jobs.....so that is a major thing for us....finding jobs straight away.

I could go on.....but thank you for listening.....ask me in a year...how it all went....when we have come out the other side.

Yep...lots going on in this tired mind of mine.....usually through the middle of the night......hubby sleeping like a baby.....typical.

Panicking? WHO ME? You'd better believe it.:eek: But I do think what I am feeling is NORMAL!
lol
Stef

Re: Coordinating the big move!
 

I have my 'Bible' now BB so thanks for that tip!! Naturally it is bright pink....no chance of mislaying it because it is like a beacon :D

Re: Coordinating the big move!
 

Its the dog thing thats giving me a headache too. Mum and Dad have offered to look after her for a month or so whilst we find a house and get settled. But i'm not sure if that will stress her out more than just sending her straight away!

Re: Coordinating the big move!
 

It is difficult - we sold so packed up house a month before me and kids left. Moved into my parents -with the dogs. Hubby went the next week then me kids, dogs and my parents all went on same flight - by then Hubby had got the rental from hell vageuly liveable. Parents stayed for a month to help us all get sorted!

and yes you need the bible - or the brain as we refferred to it - plus extra copies of certificates etc copied and kept in other places in case you lose anything!

Keep copie of all the dogs stuff with you in case the handlers lose the ones attached to the dogs crates on route = otherwise its quarrantine for the hounds!!

Re: Coordinating the big move!
 

I'm another advocate for 'The file'. I still have mine and continue to keep really important things in it.

After X amount of time of it never leaving your sight whilst planning to move here, it becomes your way of life :)

Re: Coordinating the big move!
 

I'm glad you asked this - have been wondering the same.

I am planning to move around the same time as you and think I'm going to put my house on the market in late February. It seems early but if you have a buyer who has their own property to sell - it could really drag things out.

Think we are just going to sell most big items and pack the rest of the things in a few boxes. If I sell a lot of stuff it will declutter the house and make it easier to sell - I hope.

If we did wind up selling way too early, I did think about buying a cheap caravan to live in, then reselling it before we move. I don't know if anyone else has done this and how it would work out.

Re: Coordinating the big move!
 

We are in the early stages of preparing for the move. We have container coming for our stuff on Feb 18th and currently have boxes all over the house. Yes we too have a bible, quickly getting bigger and bigger. We move out of our currently rented house on Feb 19th (sold our house back in July last year) and in with my mum until we fly out march 7th.
We were planning to take our dog, however as it has taken so long for PR and sale of house she is that much older now, she will be staying with MIL. We plan to stay at a guest house when we arrive for 4 weeks or so until we can get ourselves sorted out.
Have a car lined up. I finished work last week. OH only finnishes two days prior to moving. Excitedly worried about everything now. :):fingerscrossed:

Re: Coordinating the big move!
 

Hi
We will put it on the market now, but will not move out until Mid July.....so I just hope that we get a buyer fairly quickly who is prepared to wait till then, if they are not prepared to wait ...then they will just have to find another house to buy. :eek:
We are also not telling the estate agent that we are emigrating as he may pass that info to a prospective buyer and make out that we will take a pathetic offer as we are desperate. We have concocted a story that we are moving south to be nearer to family...and that we have a family home to move into....which is rented out until Mid July....so no upward chain:thumbup:.
Keeping fingers crossed it pans out.:fingerscrossed:
lol
Stef

Re: Coordinating the big move!
 

Good thread this :thumbsup:

Lots of helpful advice, thank you :)

Re: Coordinating the big move!
 

Very good advice this - about 8 years ago when we looking to move we viewed a house where the owners were emigrating to the US - the estate agent told us how they had flights booked etc. & were panicking the house wouldn't be sold in time so they were getting really low offers. From this, we'll definitely not be mentioning that we're emigrating.