Relo expert shares personal relocation story
When David Bunnell and his wife Hailey got married just over three years ago, they had many shared visions about their new life together.
One in particular involved their mutual desire to one day move from their home in Houston, to Charlotte, North Carolina.
A couple of months ago, that dream became a reality. So, with a toddler in tow and a second baby on the way, the Bunnells took up residency in Charlotte.
David Bunnell is vice president of sales at Transportation Worldwide Inc., and a relocation industry expert.
He said that the journey to Charlotte began the first time that he and his wife visited Charlotte together.
“When we started going to Charlotte to visit my family, Hailey really liked it, with all of the trees, and the hills, and the temperate climate,” Bunnell explained. “So, I think it just kind of grew on her.”
And although his wife has family in Houston, Bunnell emphasized that this wasn’t a move away from their friends and family here, but towards an opportunity that they saw in Charlotte.
So, after much consideration and a lot of planning, Bunnell said that they initially expected to move in October or November, because that would enable him to support the Houston office of his company during the busy summer moving season.
“What we didn’t know is that we were actually pregnant again, and Hailey’s due date is at the end of November. So, I didn’t think it was a great idea to move a toddler and a 9-month pregnant wife at the same time, along with all the crazy stuff that goes on with a move. So, we pushed the move up a little bit, and moved at the end of August,” said Bunnell.
Like many people who relocate, the Bunnells had a home to sell in Houston and needed to expedite the process. And, although Bunnell had been a home buyer before, this was his first experience as a seller.
Fortunately, he was able to rely on the expertise of his
Realtor, who provided several pointers for staging and decluttering the home as they prepared to go on the market.
The Realtor’s experience, along with Bunnell’s relocation industry expertise, proved to be a valuable combination in selling the home.
“This was where my background and expertise in relocation really came into play. We ended up taking a lot of stuff out of the home and putting it into storage at my company’s facility in Katy. We kept it there while the home was being staged and photographed, and then for the viewings while it was on the market,” Bunnell said.
He added, “Our Realtor had someone come out and do a partial staging of the home for us. She used our furniture, rearranged a couple of things, and hung some different paintings on the walls and stuff like that to spruce up the house a little bit.”
Additionally, he said that he learned how important it was to listen to the advice of his Realtor, and how having a good relationship with her went a long way in terms of his home sale and the overall experience.
“Like everything, I think that if you can develop a relationship with someone, then you know that you will be able to have direct and honest conversations, be able to ask good questions, and know that you will get direct and honest feedback, which is important when selling a house,” explained Bunnell.
So, after only eight days on the market, the Bunnell home went under contract.
Bunnell said that there was a lot of inventory in his neighborhood of Cottage Grove, but that his home was at the lower end of the pricing spectrum. It was also a 2-story home with first floor living, which added to the desirability.
Real estate on the Charlotte end proved a little more challenging. Due to a more competitive market, Bunnell said that he and his wife ended up buying a home sight unseen. Through the use of modern technology, Bunnell’s brother-in-law went to see the house and showed it to them via the FaceTime app.
Now that the Bunnells have had a couple of months to settle into life in Charlotte, they remain excited about their new city. At the same time, they know that there is much to be missed about Houston, as it is a city where they have both planted deep roots.
“I’ve spent over 12 years in Houston, and Hailey has been here since she was 14 years old, so making this move was a big decision for us,” Bunnell said. “Moving away from family and a great community of friends was the tough part of the decision.”