A whopping 50 million Americans move every year, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. With the recent shift to remote work and a greater interest in work/life balance, many people are choosing to move to places that make them happy, like Lake Tahoe and the surrounding region. Follow these best practices for relocating while keeping your pet in mind, presented to you today by Mortgages for America.

Don’t Move Your Pets’ Stuff

Although your dogs or cats may carry toys from room to room throughout your home and sleep in different areas, they value having their belongings kept in the same spot. Avoid moving your pets’ belongings while decluttering or moving any of your things around.

Acclimating Your Pet to New Frontiers

Well before moving, start restricting pet-friendly spaces bit by bit. Your goal here is to gradually acclimate your pet to living in a new space without taking away their favorite rooms, couches, play areas, and other hang-out spaces. This reduces stress after the move.

You may find that your pet is more destructive or unpredictable during this transition. In that case, crate training can come in handy. You’ll want to ensure that they stay comfy with plenty of room to move and lie down, so if you have a larger dog you’ll want a crate that accommodates them. Read up on some online reviews to see what brands are sturdy and portable.

Crate Training Is Essential

During your move, you’ll almost certainly need to put your pet in a crate. Even if you keep them in the cabin of the vehicle with you, temporarily putting your pup in a crate can make moving a lot more convenient. You can find free crate-training guides such as this one from the American Kennel Club.

Once dogs are crate trained, they consider their crates a safe haven. Being in them helps the animal relax and feel protected, which can be very helpful during the hustle and bustle of moving preparations. In fact, your pup may pick up on your stress during this time. If your dog is anxious, they may begin to urinate more often, bite or scratch excessively, or exhibit mood changes. Guiding them back toward their crate to decompress can be a great de-stressor for you both.

Only Move Your Pet Once

One of the risks of moving, particularly when you are moving a short distance, is that the pet keeps traveling with you. Grady Veterinary Hospital points out that this can increase stress, as you probably have the pet in a crate, and your pet doesn’t understand what is going on. Avoid moving your pet more than once, if possible. You may wish to enroll them in a kennel or cattery if your move is going to be particularly disruptive.

Working with a moving company can help speed up your process. You can manage your pet’s supplies even if you have the movers pack up most of your belongings. Let them know that you have a dog, and look for pet-related reviews when you conduct your online search for movers.

Get a Preapproved Mortgage

The Urban Institute notes that around two-thirds of American homeowners have used mortgages to buy their homes since the turn of the millennium. Getting preapproved for a mortgage is usually your best option. Once you’re preapproved, you’ll know how much house you can afford, so you can start looking for prospective homes. Pets’ needs actually influence many prospective homebuyers, with 39% of pet owners who have recently moved reporting they kept their pets in mind while shopping for a new home.

Benefits of a preapproved mortgage include:

• Knowing precisely how much you can afford
• Additional buying power over consumers without preapproved mortgages/those who are not cash buyers
• Showing homeowners and real estate agents you’re serious about buying their properties

Keeping Your Pet Comfortable While Relocating

Moving can be stressful, so don’t overlook the impact your move will have on your pet. The good news is that, if you’re relocating to find a better work/life balance, your pet will likely reap some of those benefits, too. But don’t take the end results for granted as you go through the transition. Keep tabs on your pet, use a crate as you both acclimate, and take precautions to keep them safe and as de-stressed as possible, so you’ll all enjoy your new and beautiful home.

Mortgages for America specializes in lending to our veterans and offers all VA loans, as well as all traditional conventional programs, FHA and USDA. Contact us today to learn more! 888-320-7888