Time to find a new place in Seattle? It’s a competitive market, so Congratulations! are in order if you found your dream place. If you’ve been hunting for the perfect spot and hoped the hard work would be behind you once you landed one, you still have another couple of steps ahead of you.
Chances are, you can’t fit all of your worldly belongings into your Tesla or Subaru hatchback. And before you start pulling in favors to find friends willing to dodge raindrops to get you to your new place, consider hiring a Seattle moving company.
Hiring a Seattle mover means you’ll save some sweat. You’ll also save some energy so you can try out one of the great new bars or restaurants in your neighborhood to celebrate your arrival. There is a seemingly endless list of moving companies in Seattle, though, so how do you choose the right one? We’ve put together 5 tips to help narrow down your options.
1. Ask Around
The best place to start is close to home. After all, the people you know wouldn’t lead you astray.
Check with your friends, family, and colleagues to see if any of them have used a moving company recently. Collect first-hand experience from people in your social or professional network. Not only will you hear the good stories about good movers, but you may also learn of some to steer clear of.
2. Do Your Research
Whether you’ve created a shortlist from recommendations or you’re starting from scratch, doing your own research is a good idea. Take your shortlist of moving companies and head out to the internet.
Do a search on sites like Google and Yelp to read more reviews. Check for trends in the write-ups you see. If lots of people dub your mover communicative, reliable, and on-time, that’s a good sign. If multiple former customers state that the mover was late or there were surprise fees in the end, consider it a red flag.
As you begin to find movers that tick some of your boxes, have a chat with them to see how they communicate. Check to see how well they know the city, the weather, and your area. To get the best mover for you, you’ll want someone adept at managing traffic and weather conditions. After all, rain and rush hour are just a part of life here in Seattle!
3. Avoid Scammers
Crucial to finding the best moving company in Seattle is a bit of due diligence. Unfortunately, there are scammers throughout the country who take advantage of people planning a relocation. This isn’t unique to Seattle of course, but you should understand the ways to identify – and avoid – scammers.
- Ask for the moving company’s license number. If they refuse or avoid giving it to you, cross them off your list. A reputable, legal company will have a license number and be happy to share it with you.
- If you head out to the internet but can’t find any information about the company, the alarm bells should be going off. Reputable companies these days will have an online presence.
- Check the address and phone numbers on a company’s site to make sure they’re legitimate. Look up the address on a map site or pass by it to assess its credibility. Call the mover on their listed phone number and pay attention to how they answer. If the company doesn’t answer with the company’s name, move on to the next.
- If a company is uncommunicative, can’t clearly answer your questions, or asks you to pay for the move upfront, be on high alert. The same goes for companies that don’t have their own van or truck and are renting a vehicle to take care of your move.
You’re ultimately trusting a team of strangers with all of your most precious possessions. Make sure you take care and hire a licensed, insured, reliable, trustworthy mover for the job.
4. Compare Quotes
You may be tempted to accept the first quote you get in order to put an end to all the searching. We don’t blame you – at all. You’ve come so far, though… Don’t give up now!
We recommend comparing the quotes of your top three candidates. Not only will you get a good idea of the market price, but you’ll also get a bit more experience in communicating with your mover. Your moving company should seek to understand your move so they can quote you accurately.
They should want to know whether you have oversized or unusual items like a pool table, piano, antique furniture, or large pieces of artwork. These items will require extra care and equipment to ensure they arrive at your new home in perfect condition.
Your mover will also want to know what the parking situation at both of your addresses is like, and what to expect from entryways. Flights of stairs? Tight hallways? No parking leading to a potentially long distance to carry your items? All of these things may cost you extra. Make sure your mover asks you enough questions to fully understand, and that they give space for you to ask questions as well. You can check the rapport with the moving company during the quoting process.
5. Follow Your Gut
Ultimately, you can trust yourself. No matter what your contacts say or what you’ve read on the internet, pay attention to your gut. If at any point you don’t get a good feeling about a mover, you’re under no obligation to hire them. Trust your instincts and know that there are other options available to you. You’ll find the right match!