May 24, 2005
Don't Forget the DirecTV
You've sold your house, set a closing date and a moving date. You're full of emotions and there are a ton of things to do between now and the time the moving van arrives. Here is a list of things you need to take care of from a services standpoint. Regardless of the service, you will need to provide a cutoff date and a start date. You usually want to stop service on the day of your closing for the property you are selling and start services a few days prior to moving on the property you are purchasing.
DirecTV & Tivo
First and foremost, don't forget your DirecTV. What could be worse then arriving at your new home and not having your DirecTV and Tivo activated? Well maybe not having electricity in your new home, after all, no electricity means no Tivo, but I am digressing. Luckily for us addicts, DirecTV has a great movers program. You simply call them up (1-877-616-MOVE), give them your info and they will schedule a time to have your service switched. Best of all, it's free (with a one-year agreement). They will bring you a new dish and include standard installation. The only thing they ask is that you have your TV's connected. I've personally used this service three times and had great service all three times. Remember that if you are moving into a Condo or any property that has a homeowners association, you need to have written permission for the installer to do the installation.
Local / Long Distance / VOIP
Depending on the distance you are moving, you may be able to transfer your current phone service and retain your phone number. If you are moving to a different county or state, you might even need to change your provider. When you call the provider of your choice (I use Verizon) they will ask you for your zip code and tell you if service is available. If you use a VOIP service such as Vonage, you don't need to do anything except check on 911 regulations.
Electricity and Gas
You usually don't have a lot of options when it comes to electricity and gas providers. There are co-op programs in some states where you can choose a different provider but I have always gone with the large gas or electricity company so I'm not sure how these work.
Garbage
Most cities offer a choice of at least 2 service providers. Waste Management is found in most states and is a good option. Pricing is usually very competitive among providers with the largest difference usually being the pick-up day.
Mail
Don't forget to forward your mail. This can be done online via USPS.com and is a very simple process. You can also go into your local post office and fill out a form. Your mail will usually be forwarded for up to a year but you will still need to contact your banks, credit card providers, magazine subscriptions and other creditors and let them know you are moving. Most of this can be done online so you don't have to spend hours on the phone.
Other considerations:
1. Water and Sewage - almost always provided by the county
2. Snow Removal - Needs to be contracted out.
3. Landscaping - Needs to be contracted out.
As always, each persons situation is a little different so this list is by no means all inclusive. I think I have covered most of the important services but may have forgotten a few. Just remember, don't forget the DirecTV.
Posted by Dogger at May 24, 2005 07:00 PM
Yes, but this company locks the phone to sells. Once you buy it you got married again.
Jair
Posted by: Internet Telephony at October 27, 2005 01:35 PM
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