The coronavirus has caused Americans to change their daily routines and has left people uncertain about the future. If you have been planning to move, you’re probably wondering whether you should go ahead with your plans and whether that would even be possible.
Can You Still Move? Should You?
Across the country, many businesses have shut down, while others remain open. States and cities are making their own decisions and policies based on specific local factors, and circumstances are changing from day to day.
If you have a move scheduled and you haven’t heard from the moving company, it most likely intends to go ahead as planned. Contact the company and ask what precautions it’s taking to protect workers and customers, and what will happen if the company chooses to shut down or is ordered to temporarily halt operations.
If you haven’t yet scheduled your move, figure out if you can and should move now or if you would be better off waiting. The situation is fluid, which means that if you booked a moving company today, it might not be able to go ahead with the move on your scheduled date. If you have flexibility, it might be a good idea to postpone your move.
If you or a member of your family has coronavirus or belongs to a high-risk group, delay your move if possible. A person who had the virus could put the movers at risk of infection, and an individual with a compromised immune system could be infected by a mover who unknowingly had the virus.
What to Do if You Have to Postpone Your Move
If you’re buying a house but haven’t closed yet, you might be able to delay the closing. Talk to your real estate agent and find out if the seller would be willing to make a change. The seller may also be nervous about the prospect of moving at such an uncertain time or may be having a hard time booking a moving company, especially if the seller lives in or plans to move to an area that has been hit hard by the coronavirus.
Delaying your move would mean you would have to stay in your current home longer than anticipated. If you’re selling your house, talk to your real estate agent about delaying the closing and find out if the buyer has some flexibility. If you’re currently living in a rental home, get in touch with your landlord and explain your situation. If a new tenant isn’t scheduled to move in right away, you might be able to get permission to stay longer.
Communicate and Work Together
In these stressful times, people are confused, unsure what the future holds and struggling to figure out what to do. Businesses and individuals are doing their best to be flexible and to help each other. If you’re concerned about how COVID-19 could affect your moving plans, talk to everyone involved so you can create a plan.
