Stay safe and stay home is the mantra we are all repeating to ourselves and anyone willing to listen. But what happens if you were already midway through a house purchase when all this happened. Moving home in lockdown might not have been what you planned. But the date of your move has arrived, what do you do next? COVID-19 has thrown up a lot of uncertainty and hopefully I can clear some of that up below.

It Might Still Happen

Your move could still go ahead. If the property is currently empty you can still move into it. The government are okay with that and fortunately, there are removal companies like Eh1 Removals Edinburgh still operating in lockdown. So, if you are one of the fortunate few who can still move go for it and get settled in your lovely new home, providing its going to be your main residence. It is good to carry on as normal if you can do so safely. I think plans for second home purchases should be put on hold right now. If you need recommendations for a good moving company, be sure to consider Mesa Moving and Storage SLC.

You Might Have To Wait A bit Longer

If people are already in the house, then it is advised that you are flexible and come up with an alternative moving date between all involved parties. I remember how excited we were when our moving in day was getting closer. It must be so hard for many with their house hopes and dreams on hold! This might well go on for a considerable time yet. Although if you have not got as far as exchanging contracts you need to be patient and just wait it out a bit.

Estate agents are not considered essential workers right now so staff will be working from home. Some staff might have been furloughed so you may experience delays with your house sale progressing. Fortunately to help with inevitable delays mortgage providers are extending mortgage offers so they are not running out before sales are completed.

Critical House Moves

If you cannot agree on a date to postpone the move, then there is the critical house exemption to allow the sale to go ahead.

Viewings

If you had only decided to sell your house after lockdown started, that can prove much harder. People are not allowed to come out to see your house. Naturally, you could harness the power of the Internet and do online viewings. But personally, I would not be happy buying a house unless I had set foot in it and already had a proper look round! So that could have a big impact on any ideas of moving home in lockdown. In that case it might be best to put the move on the back-foot and wait for the go ahead from the government.

Rather than be sad moving is on hold use your time wisely. Draw up plans for the work you want completed when you move in or have a good clear out, so you don’t have so much to pack when the time comes.