5 Easy Steps to Moving Your House

Some hard-hit areas are begging buyers to grab houses on the cheap — some as low as a few thousand dollars. That begs the question — if you can get a nice house for $10,000 or less, why not move it to the area where you really want to live? That’s where BankingMyWay comes in — with a primer on moving your house.

We’re not saying moving your home is easy — not by a long shot. But it is doable if you take the following steps.

1. Build a budget.

Relocating a home depends on a lot of factors, such as size of the home, length of the move and any zoning and/or utility fees that might pop up. Some moves only go for several thousand dollars and some can cost $100,000 for larger homes. And that price does not include the cost of the lot and the new foundation you’ll need. Find a mover that specializes in home moves and start getting estimates. This Web site has a good home moving calculator, along with a database of movers.

2. Figure out the red tape.

You’ll likely require permits from your old and new towns. The permits should cover the actual move and also cover any work done toward getting the house up to occupancy standards.

3. Who’s responsible for what?

By and large, the moving company handles the moving permits, but any building and occupancy permits usually are handled by the homeowner. In some cases, consent decrees might be needed. For example, some neighbors or community action groups may oppose the move of an historic older home from the neighborhood. In some cases, you’ll need their sign-off to move the house. This is also true for neighbors and community groups in the neighborhood you’re moving to — some people may take issue with an older house in a newer neighborhood.