Blog | reNavigator

When my wife and I decided to sell our home and build a new one, I thought I had a good understanding of what was involved, but it was incomplete.

At a high level, it is: Find a realtor. Sell the house. Buy the new one. Move.

What easy to overlook is how many moving parts there are that have to be tracked and managed: contracts, deadlines, expenses, decisions, appointments, the list goes on.

By the end of the process, I wasn't managing one project. I was managing dozens of smaller projects simultaneously.

If you're selling a house, building a new home, or trying to coordinate both at the same time, a detailed checklist can help prevent missed deadlines, unexpected expenses, and last-minute surprises. This home selling and new construction checklist covers 50 items I tracked during my own move.

Home Selling Checklist

Selecting a realtor
Determining a listing price
Signing the listing agreement
Scheduling professional photos
Preparing the house for photos
Listing date
Scheduling showings
Leaving the house during showings
Keeping the house show-ready
Reviewing offers
Negotiating offer terms
Tracking contract deadlines
Inspection scheduling
Inspection-related repairs
Budgeting repair expenses
Attorney review
Earnest money deposits
Mortgage payoff calculations
Agent commission costs
Final walkthrough
Closing date

Moving Checklist: Preparing for the Move 22. Hiring a moving company 23. Obtaining moving estimates 24. Purchasing boxes 25. Purchasing packing supplies 26. Packing the house 27. Determining what to donate 28. Determining what to discard 29. Determining what to keep 30. Scheduling furniture storage 31. Tracking storage costs 32. Coordinating move-out dates

One lesson I learned: if you're packing yourself, start early. What seems like a weekend project can easily become a month-long effort.

Bridging the Gap Between Homes 33. Temporary rental arrangements 34. Rental costs 35. Move-in and move-out dates 36. Utility setup for the rental 37. Address updates during the transition

This period was more complicated than I expected because there were effectively three locations to think about: the old house, the rental, and the new house.

New Construction Home Checklist 38. Builder deposits 39. Upgrade budgets 40. Upgrade costs 41. Cabinet selections 42. Flooring selections 43. Cabinet design appointments 44. Flooring selection appointments 45. Appliance vendor appointments 46. Appliance delivery schedules 47. Landscaping plans 48. Agent commissions

One surprise was the amount of time required for upgrade decisions. Many selections required multiple appointments and several rounds of review before a final decision could be made.

One lesson we learned involved agent commissions. We misunderstood a provision in one of our agreements and ended up paying more than we expected. Make sure you understand exactly how commissions are calculated, when they are owed and by whom, before signing any contracts.

Another surprise was the impact of winter weather on the construction schedule. Our build took place during the winter, and weather became a factor we hadn't fully appreciated when planning the project. In cold climates, winter conditions can easily add a month or two to the timeline. Even in milder climates, frequent rain and wet conditions can slow progress. If you're building a new home, discuss weather-related delays with your builder and have an attorney review the contract so you understand how schedule extensions are handled.

Moving Into the New Home 49. Utility transfers and activation dates 50. Internet installation and furniture delivery coordination

These last items sound simple, but they often depend on one another. Furniture deliveries may require utilities to be active. Internet installation may require someone to be home. Delays in one area can affect several others.

Final Thoughts

Looking back, none of these items were particularly difficult on their own. The challenge was keeping track of all of them at the same time. Selling a home, moving, living in a temporary rental, and building a new home creates a surprising number of moving parts. Every completed task seems to generate two or three more.

If you're planning a similar move, consider creating a checklist early and updating it often. You may discover, as I did, that success isn't about completing one large project. It's about keeping dozens of smaller projects organized until the day you finally move into your new home.

Hi, I'm Christopher. After selling a home and building a new one, I created reNavigator to help homeowners manage the financial and logistical side of moving. If you'd like to share your experience or ask a question, I'd love to hear from you. You can reach me at:

info@renavigator.app

50 Things to Track When Selling a House and Buying a New Home