IET Real Estate Los Angeles Blog

The Los Angeles housing market has been booming despite the pandemic, but now that coronavirus cases are surging in the area, you might be wary about moving right now. Although LA County is under lockdown, you're still allowed to tour houses for sale provided that everyone adheres to some precautions set in place by the government. However, once the sale has been made and it's time to move, it's up to you to know how to do so safely. 

Should you risk missing out on this seller's market or stay put for several more months? We can't tell you what's right for you and your family, but we can give you some tips on how to maintain your safety and sanity while moving during Los Angeles's coronavirus spike. 

Plan Ahead and Start Early

Planning ahead with a move is good advice under any circumstances, but it's especially important to do so during the pandemic. As we've seen over the last year, things can change overnight. Many businesses and offices have cut down their hours, so scheduling movers, getting certain permits, or processing paperwork could take longer. 

Start the process of packing right away. Moving is always a chore and with all the added stress of living during a pandemic, you really don't want to be scrambling the week before to get it all done in time. Plus, when people frantically rush they often get sloppy and cut corners. Doing things early will help you to stay calm and keep your wits about you so you can be vigilant about maintaining necessary safety measures.

If You Can DIY, Do It

Obviously, the less contact you make with people outside your household, the better. So if you have enough able-bodied people in your household to feasibly move on your own, you should consider taking on a little extra hassle instead of hiring movers. If you can arrange it, you could try moving in increments over a few days or weeks to lessen the strain of doing it on your own. 

If You Can't, Be Annoying 

Now is not the time to be coy. If you're hiring movers, don't be afraid to ask a lot of questions about how they do business during COVID-19.

• What measures do they have in place to ensure that they don't end up with a sick person on the job?
• Are movers frequently tested?
• What safety precautions do they follow during the moving process?
• Can they guarantee that these precautions will be followed?

Also, be sure to ask them about their rescheduling policy. As we mentioned before, things can change overnight. Like, what if you start to feel ill or find out that you might have been exposed to the virus? If so, you should also do your part to keep the movers safe by rescheduling to another time. You don't want to be tempted to roll the dice and move anyway because there's a huge fee looming over your head. 

When the actual move is in progress, don't stop being annoying! If you notice movers aren't following precautions, speak up. If you see that someone isn't wearing their mask correctly, speak up. You might feel like a jerk or a nag, but you're a paying customer and the stakes are high––push through the discomfort of confrontation. 

Circulate and Sanitize 

Keep plenty of hand sanitizer, soap, paper towels, and disinfecting wipes out for you and the movers to use. Air circulation is extremely important in minimizing coronavirus transmission, so before movers arrive open all the windows and doors that you can.

Even with everyone wearing masks, you should still limit the time you spend with movers indoors as much as possible. That means abiding by our first tip of planning ahead so you can be sure there aren't any last-minute things you have to get done in the house while they're also inside. 

Want to learn more about moving in the age of corona? You can check out our other blog "What's House Hunting Like During the Pandemic," or we can answer any specific questions you might have directly. Email us or gives us a call at (323) 412-9060.