So you are ready to move and you want to hire a moving company. There are many relocation services in Arkansas, so how do you choose the one that is the very best? You want to have an experience that is as easy and as effortless as possible. We’ve made it easier for you by making a list of the lop 10 most important tips to hiring a moving company.

1. Ask for Referrals

Your friends and family are not going to lead you astray. It is likely that you know people who have had either really great or really poor experiences with relocations services in the past. This is a good way to find out if companies are legitimate or not. Moving scams are a very real thing and you do not want to fall victim to a scam. For tips on how to spot a rental scam, check out our blog here.

Stop by your moving company in person to ask questions and make sure that they are real. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration SaferSys Website will have the company’s motor carrier licensing information if they are a legitimate company.

2. Get Estimates

When you speak to your relocation service, go face to face and ask the questions you need and get your estimates in writing. This is a good tool to make sure you don;t get ripped off down the road. It will be very clear what they offer and what the cost will be. Make sure you get more than one estimate too. You are going to be charged based on how much and how far you need to be moved, if the items are packed, etc. You can contact Apartment Hunters and have us help you decide who you should get estimates from.

3. Be Transparent

When getting estimates from your relocations services, do not lie about what you need moved. If you do and then the mover comes out and you have more stuff than you led on, you will be charged extra than what you were prepared for or told that they refuse to move what you did not tell them about. It is easiest to be transparent from the beginning.

4. Ask Them to be Transparent 

While you are being transparent, you want your relocation service to be transparent as well. Make sure that they tell you about any hidden fees that you aren’t aware of. And whenever they come over to examine how much you have to bemoved, leave your contract with other companies out where they can see it. This will likely give them the push to negotiate better pricing with you.

5. Talk About Insurance

The last thing you want to happen is to lose something or have something get broken that you truly care about with no way of replacing it. Make sure you use a relocation service that offers insurance on your belongings. And as always, get everything in writing. Occasionally your homeowners insurance will cover items that are being moved as well. Double check on this, and if it does not cover items in transit, you can get relocation insurance.

6. Check References

This is a big one for us. A businesses reputation is the  most important thing to them, or it should be, anyway. Ask your relocation service for references and they should have a list of former clients that they can share with you. Price is not always the most important factor when it comes to hiring moving services. You want to listen to their references and find out if the company moved their belongings with care, or if they were rushed and unorganized. 

7. Consider Using Packing Services

The most stressful part of moving is actually packing up your belongings. YOu can hire a relocation service that packs and crates all of your belongings , along with moving it all for you.

8. Move During Winter

Who knew this was important? The winter months of October through April is the cheapest time to move.

9. Double Check Your Contract

Always read over your contracts from start to finish. You want to make sure that everything is inwriting as you and your mover discussed. You always want to understand the language in your contract. If you have questions or do not understand something, make sure you ask questions.

10. Check Your Belongings

Once your furniture is set up and your boxes are unloaded into your home, take an inventory of anything that is missing or damaged. If something is missing or has been damaged, make note of it, and tell your relocation service right away. They should be responsible for any losses or damages.

We are the Apartment Hunters of Arkansas and we are a personalized free service helping individuals and families find the perfect place while saving them time and money.  Our team is hands-on and experienced in providing a stress-free experience in finding the perfect apartment home or rental property. If you are looking for an experienced and reliable relocation service, give us a call and let’s discuss what all we can do for you.