Three quarters of home movers experienced increased levels of stress as a direct result of their last home move, ranking it as more stressful than the pandemic, having a baby, starting a new job or marriage.
The survey of over 2,000 home movers, commissioned by My Home Move Conveyancing, found that 77% experienced increased stress as a result of their last home move.
What’s more, 72% stated that they experienced stress-related health issues as a result of their last home move, with anxiety, an inability to switch off, sleep deprivation and more frequent arguments with loved ones amongst the most common issues.
When it comes to the most stress-inducing parts of moving home, the moving day itself ranked top. However, the uncertainty of a sale and the threat of a fall through also ranked high, as did a lack of communication between an offer being accepted and the sale completing.
However, My Home Move Conveyancing did find that moving home isn’t the most stressful life event we can suffer.
Those surveyed voted a family bereavement as the most stressful event they’ve faced, while a divorce or break up and losing a job also ranked ahead of moving home.
Moving home did sit at number four in the list, with those surveyed voting it as more stressful than the pandemic, having a baby, starting a new job, completing exams, marriage and learning to drive.
It is unclear if any of the respondents had to home-school their children and work at the same time during the pandemic.
Alistair Singer, director of My Home Move Conveyancing, said: “Moving home is an incredibly stressful experience as not only is there so much to think about, but the process itself can drag on for what seems like forever.
“One of the most stressful parts of this transactional timeline is the fact that the sale isn’t final until it has completed and once they’ve ensured they’re legally ready, there’s not much that home movers can do themselves, which can make the process of reaching completion an extremely worrying time for those involved. As most transactions will involve a chain, where you are reliant on other buyers and sellers coordinating their moves, it amplifies the frustration.
“One of the best things you can do to safeguard your transaction and reduce your stress levels is to instruct a solicitor that can reduce your workload, keep you informed and work to your target date for completion. A digital platform will help with minimising post, the need to visit their office and of course, ensuring you know what is happening. And, don’t forget the track record and customer service rating.”
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And let's be clear.
The stressful aspect of moving day isn't the physical process
It's that neither agent nor conveyancer bother to coach clients on how that day should pan out.
Then, biggest of all, the absolute farce of getting the keys for the new home. Of being left sat, often for hours waiting for dumb humans/ poorly organised firms to perform what is an essentially simple task at pace.
That in those moments they realise that the truly important bit for them (moving day) is actually the moment that Conveyancers couldn't give a toss about making perfect. The disconnect and lack of understanding of what that moment means to their clients is sociopathic.
For too many years 'moving day is stressful' has been misinterpreted as the physical process being to blame.
100% agree Matt, and why there is still an insistence on same day exchange and completion is beyond me, far too stressful for all involved.
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