POV: realtor moving their own house…that’s me!

Moving can be one of the most stressful parts of real estate, especially when it involves relocating your entire family. From personal experience, using a POD for a long-distance move—as from Los Angeles to Carlsbad—can be a game changer. It lets you pack everything carefully and have a secure container for your belongings, but timing is crucial since you’ll need your stuff accessible once you arrive. One challenge we ran into was the need to unpack the POD to retrieve essential items before the moving company could take it the rest of the way. This meant carefully thinning out what went into it during staging and being strategic about what was packed last so it could be accessed first. I found that labeling boxes clearly inside the POD saved a lot of time. Also, keeping a checklist helped track what was packed and what still had to be unpacked. Be prepared for some physical work unpacking in less-than-ideal weather—on our move day, it was about eighty degrees while we worked through the POD. An unexpected benefit of handling the move myself was gaining a new perspective on the home buying and selling process. The personal side—the anxiety, the physical exertion, the organization—adds depth to my realtor role. It’s the part of real estate that isn’t always visible but is very real. For anyone facing a similar move, my advice is to embrace the unfiltered reality of moving: it’s hard, yes, but manageable with the right preparation. Don’t hesitate to ask for professional help when needed, but also recognize the empowerment that comes from hands-on involvement. Moving with a POD long distance is a solid option if planned properly, especially when coordinated with the timing of your new home’s availability.