Buying a house is exciting. Moving to it? Not so much!

Of course, hiring a professional mover to schlep your belongings from your old home to your new abode can make things a whole lot easier. Choosing the right mover, though, will require some careful vetting.

While you probably know to ask certain questions—like the cost of moving and what COVID-19 precautions the mover has in place—there’s a lot more you can cover that could help you avoid some chaos-inducing curve balls down the road.

To help you find the right movers, here’s everything you should ask upfront before hiring them for the job.

1. Do you offer in-person estimates?

Though you can obtain a moving estimate over the phone or online, getting an in-person estimate is the way to go, says Scott Michael, president and CEO of the American Moving and Storage Association.

“Doing it in person ensures that the mover will see all the items that need to be shipped, and can identify any complications in advance,” Michael says. “For instance, if there are low-hanging tree branches that would prevent the moving truck from being able to pull up to your house, that’s something you want to know ahead of time.”

2. Is there anything you will not move?

Some movers refuse to move certain things, warns Lindsey Schaibly, moving services director at Two Men and a Truck, a franchised moving company based in Lansing, MI.

For example, a moving company may not be willing to transport plants, fragile family heirlooms, or other valuables if it believes the risk of losing or damaging such precious belongings is too great.

3. What kind of liability coverage does your company provide?

Under federal law, most moving companies are required to provide released value protection, or “basic coverage,” where the company is responsible for 30 cents per pound per item for an in-state move, or 60 cents for an interstate move, for any items damaged during the move.

Many moving companies, though, enable customers to purchase “full-value protection”—an insurance policy that offers extra protection. Here’s how it works: If any of your articles are lost, destroyed, or damaged during the move, full-value protection requires the moving company to either have the item repaired so that it’s in the same condition as it was before being damaged, replace it with something similar, or give you cash to replace it.

If you want to purchase full-value protection but a mover doesn’t offer it, you can buy an insurance policy from a third party.

4. Is your crew covered by workers’ compensation?

Reputable moving companies carry workers’ compensation—a form of insurance that pays for medical expenses and lost wages if employees are injured on the job. If you hire a mover that doesn’t offer workers’ compensation, you could be held responsible if an accident occurs during the move.

5. Do you disassemble and reassemble furniture?

Large pieces of furniture—such as bed frames, couches, and dining tables—often have to be dismantled before they can be moved safely through doorways, hallways, and stairs. Many movers will disassemble and reassemble furniture for you, but some won’t—especially when asked to put together antique furniture without an instruction manual—so make sure you know which services the moving company offers.

6. Will you—or a third party—be delivering my items?

While many moving companies have their own movers do the packing and driving, some movers act only as brokers and subcontract their services to a third party. The issue there is that some moving contractors are more experienced than others.

If a moving company says it will be outsourcing the loading, transporting, or unloading of your items, make sure the contractor has a qualified team of moving professionals that is up to the task. Some moving companies will even let you meet the actual movers face to face before the big day.

7. If I pack my own belongings, are there any restrictions on the type of boxes I can use?

Packing stuff up yourself can help you trim your moving costs, but some movers require self-packers to use particular types of boxes or packing materials.

For instance, a moving company may require you to protect items by covering them in protective material instead of towels.

Pro tip: “Boxes and protective material like Bubble Wrap and newsprint are the most effective means of carrying, transporting, and protecting one’s personal items,” says Aaron Steed, CEO and founder of Meathead Movers in California.

8. Can you guarantee my delivery date?

If you’re planning an interstate or cross-country move, certain movers will offer to deliver on a particular day, whereas others may promise to deliver only within a two- or three-day window. The latter can help lower costs, but if you need your stuff by a certain deadline, make sure your movers can accommodate your schedule.

9. How much will it cost—and are there extra fees I should know about?

Moving costs can vary significantly. You can get an instant estimate for your move using Realtor.com’s moving cost calculator, which will give you a ballpark figure on the cost of your move based on the number of rooms you have, how far you’re moving, and other variables.

Brace yourself for some surprises. For one, the average cost of a local household move is $1,250, according to Moving.com. That number climbs to a whopping $4,890 for a long-distance move, based on an average weight of 7,500 pounds and an average distance of 1,000 miles.

Still, every moving company has its own way of evaluating the cost of a move—and some movers will offer significantly lower estimates but bake in hidden fees (e.g., fuel charge, stairs charge, or even heavy-item charge).

10. Do you offer any discounts or promotions?

This question may seem like a no-brainer, but many consumers forget to ask it, Michael says. Some moving companies offer discounts to AAA members, veterans, or customers who are willing to pay in all cash, so don’t leave free money on the table.

Moversmovingmoving companiesmoving costs

Daniel Bortz has written for the New York Times, Washington Post, Money magazine, Consumer Reports, Entrepreneur magazine, and more. He is also a Realtor in Virginia.

Preparing to list your house? If you want to get top dollar, start sprucing up your kitchen now.

“The kitchen is often the centerpiece in a home and the place where most of the entertaining happens,” says Tony Rodriguez-Tellaheche, owner and managing broker of Prestige Realty Group in Miami. “Sellers should not cut corners.”

A killer kitchen is one of the best ways to sell your home. Before you list your place, start making some of these improvements to help swing buyers in the right direction.

1. Refresh your cabinets

If your cabinets are looking drab and dated but are still in good shape, you don’t need to replace them. Instead, pick up some good paint and brushes or a paint sprayer.

“Sometimes a quick ‘face-lift’ to the kitchen cabinets can go a long way,” Rodriguez-Tellaheche says. “Refinishing existing cabinets is more cost-effective than replacing them completely, and can make a big difference when updating a kitchen.”

Before you start putting down the dropcloths, be mindful of your color palette—you’ll want to stick with neutrals to appeal to most buyers.

“If cabinets are darker natural wood or a polarizing color, we recommend painting either soft white or greige,” says Julie Busby, founder of the Busby Group in Chicago.

2. Upgrade to quartz countertops

Photo by Marble of the World 

Today’s buyers aren’t so keen on granite, and they’re definitely not looking for laminate. If you splurge on one upgrade in the kitchen, make it quartz countertops.

“I recommend using quartz in the kitchen,” says Brad Whittaker, an agent with Realty ONE Group Pacifica in Longview, WA. “It is always a nice, hard surface, and there are so many designs and colors to choose from.”

Plus, quartz is more durable and environmentally friendly than other materials, which is especially important in a busy kitchen.

“More sellers are incorporating quartz into their kitchens than traditional material like marble, because it is less porous and therefore less likely to stain,” Rodriguez-Tellaheche says.

3. Update the lighting

Photo by Wynne Taylor Ford

If your light fixtures are old enough to vote or order a beer in a bar, it’s time to replace them (or at least give them a very thorough dusting).

Swap in new fixtures over the island and kitchen sink, or increase your kitchen’s appeal by installing recessed lighting on a dimmer.

“Under-counter lighting also adds a nice touch,” Rodriguez-Tellaheche says.

4. Invest in a good (quiet) dishwasher

If your appliances have seen better days, replacing them with midrange stainless-steel appliances is a safe bet, Whittaker says. Top-of-the-line appliances might not be worth the splurge—you won’t always see a return on that investment.

The one appliance that’s worth spending a little more? The dishwasher.

“Always spend good money on your dishwasher—$700 plus to make sure that it is quiet,” Whittaker says.

5. Bring in a crisp, new backsplash

Photo by Jessica Risko Smith Interior Design 

Installing a neutral, clean backsplash can win you points with prospective buyers.

“Backsplashes can make a huge difference,” Busby says. “If the current one is busy or dated-looking, we recommend going with a classic white subway tile or any other neutrally colored tile.”

Plus, a new backsplash paired with upgraded countertops “can even make dated appliances look more current,” says Simon Isaacs, broker and founder of Simon Isaacs Real Estate in Palm Beach, FL.

6. Brighten up the color palette

“Dark kitchen cabinets with dark granite is a thing of the past and can make a home hard to sell, especially to millennial buyers,” Rodriguez-Tellaheche says.

Aside from painting dark cabinets and replacing countertops, choose a bright, neutral paint color for the walls. A light color can also help make modest-size kitchens look a little more airy and spacious.

7. Add premium touches

Photo by Studio Dearborn 

Quarantine has turned many of us into home cooks, and that means buyers are looking for luxe touches throughout the kitchen where they’re spending more time than ever.

“Most of today’s buyers are self-proclaimed foodies and expect a well-thought-out kitchen,” Isaacs says. “Sophisticated wine fridges, filtered water spouts, and pot fillers are becoming the norm nowadays.”

Busby agrees: “If you have space for a beverage or wine cooler, buyers love this added bonus.”

8. Give the kitchen a serious deep clean

Nothing turns buyers off quicker than a kitchen with the “yuck” factor: food stains, filthy fridges, and even junked-up baseboards.

“Keep it clean, bright, and shiny,” Whittaker says. “There are lots of gloss surfaces in a kitchen, and to see them dull, scratched, scuffed, or chipped is a turnoff to most buyers.”

A sparkling-clean oven is also nonnegotiable, Whittaker adds.

“No one wants to bake inside your gunky oven,” he says. “Remember, if you want top dollar for your home, you need to sell it as if you have taken top-dollar care of it.”

In today’s ultracompetitive real estate market, it’s said that potential buyers make up their minds within seconds of stepping inside a home. That’s why an ever-growing number of sellers turn to professional home stagers—whose services, some say, can add instant appeal and even sell a house up to 40 days faster.

Their secret? An arsenal of optical illusions and psychological tricks that draw buyers’ eyes to all the right places. Yep, that’s right. Home stagers are fooling us! (And we love it). Here are some of the secrets of the dark art.

1. They never leave a room empty

Any home seller’s top goal is to make a small space look bigger. (Serious about selling? Here’s how to find a real estate agent in your area.) To get that look, you might be tempted to empty out the space and remove all your bulky furniture. But there’s a twist: Emptiness can actually make rooms look smaller.

Instead, professional stagers manipulate your visual perception of a room through the use of the right kind of furniture, says psychologist Kristie Barnett, author of “Psychological Staging: The Home Staging Secrets of the Decorologist.”

“An empty room gives buyers no point of reference for size,” Barnett says. “I have seen many buyers walk away from a vacant home because they falsely believe their own furniture will not fit in the master bedroom or that the living room will not provide enough seating for entertaining. Staging rooms with furniture helps establish the room’s size and helps a buyer visualize how they can arrange their own furniture.”

2. They really think about furniture placement

“We scan a room from left to right upon entry,” Barnett says. “If you place the tallest piece of furniture in the room in the far left corner, the room will appear larger.”

Placing a large or tall piece of furniture on either side of an entryway or door makes a room appear smaller, according to Barnett, while placing such pieces farther back in a room makes the space appear larger.

3. They use the ‘Rule of Three’

Photo by Arkee Creative

Interior designers swear by this golden rule of home staging, which involves grouping items—from chairs to lighting to artwork and accessories—in threes (or fives or sevens or nines).

According to Whitney Parrott, lead designer at Everything Creative Designs in San Diego, arranging items in odd numbers forces the eye to move around a space and makes the overall experience more natural and visually rich (compared with the forced feeling you might get from even numbers).

4. They highlight focal points

Photo by Jessica Helgerson Interior Design

Walk into any well-staged home, and you’ll notice great accent accessories positioned near a room’s best attributes. For example, a grouping of (three!) vases near a gorgeous fireplace or a large plant near a window with a view. Stagers also frequently position furniture at an angle to facilitate better movement in a square or skinny room, or to highlight existing focal points.

5. They create cozy conversation spaces

Photo by Urrutia Design

Prospective buyers want to socialize in a home’s common areas without moving chairs. Plus, placing furniture in conversational groups (think a love seat and two chairs) makes rooms feel larger.

In long rooms, consider creating two separate chat areas and delineating them with area rugs to create the illusion of more space. (Pro tip: Using just one rug that’s too large actually makes a room look smaller.) The back of a couch can also be a great divider between rooms in an open floor plan.

6. They don’t overdo it with rugs

“Unbroken floor space makes any room appear larger, which is why I recommend removing most rugs (except to anchor a conversation area), bed skirts, and items off the floor of closets,” Barnett says. She likes using furniture with long legs to further the effect.

7. They use consistent color to make rooms flow

Photo by Martha O’Hara Interiors

Weaving the same pops of color throughout your home allows your space to flow cohesively from one room to the next, according to Parrott. Incorporate similar hues across rooms in pillows, artwork, and accessories. Generally, stagers recommend dedicating 60% of a room’s space to a single color, 30% to a secondary color, and 10% to an accent.

8. They let mirrors create the illusion of space

Photo by Chango & Co.

Designers universally agree that mirrors make small rooms appear bigger by reflecting light. According to Canadian stager Martha Stanton-Smith, when a buyer catches a glimpse of himself in a mirror, “he will literally see himself in the house. The subliminal suggestion will tell him he has a connection.”

9. They never underestimate the power of a well-placed curtain rod

Hanging curtain rods just below the ceiling (as opposed to above the window) adds the illusion of height to an otherwise average-size room.

10. They find a style that works—and stick to it

Consistency in furniture style provides a sense of continuity and calm that prospective buyers expect and will remember.

“If the living room is contemporary, the rest of the home should also be a contemporary style,” Parrott says. “Don’t hop from contemporary to traditional to eclectic. Stick with one.”

11. They skip the dresser

Remember, the objective of staging is generally to make each space look larger. That’s why stagers never include dressers and other “arbitrary” furniture, unless they’re working with a very large space. (If you need a place to stash your duds, consider renting a storage unit or organizing nonessential items in clear plastic bins in a closet or garage.)

12. They stash the TV

Most professionally staged homes ditch television sets, which can occupy valuable wall space and often make rooms appear smaller. If you’re living in your staged home, consider using a laptop or iPad for those Netflix binge sessions. The caveat? If your set is flat-screen, appropriately sized, and wall-mounted, it can stay—just as long as it’s in common living areas and out of bedrooms.

13. They let the light in

Photo by Margaret Donaldson Interiors

Ample lighting adds what pros call “visual square footage”—the illusion of more space. All windows should be thoroughly cleaned to let the light in. Then, swap out heavy, room-darkening drapes or heavy blinds for opaque, light-filtering window treatments or light curtains. Use wall sconces, floor lamps, and task lighting to add more wattage on the cheap.

While these tips might seem overwhelming to design rookies, you don’t really need a degree in psychology to sniff them out—or to use them in your own space.

“At its core, staging is all about creating high-impact vignettes to distract the eye,” Parrott says. “When in doubt, remember this: Less is always more.”