•As soon as your house hits the market you’ll start getting promotional cards in the mail and phone calls. Look through them for interesting deals. Research some of the names and see how they fare on consumer review services.

•Get recommendations from friends and family. Anyone who’s used a moving company will have strong opinions about whether they were good or not. Some of the best companies just get business through word of mouth.

•Get several in-home estimates. No company will be able to tell you an accurate figure of how much it will cost to move your stuff over the phone. A salesperson from the moving company will walk through your home, making note of large furniture, breakable items like china and how much furniture needs to be broken down for moving purposes. Don’t forget to show them the attic, garage and basement where many items get stored.

•If you’re working with a Realtor, ask if they have any discounts or coupons with moving companies. •Pack your own stuff, especially if your moving date is a few weeks down the road. Having a moving company pack your items will double the price. Even tackling a few boxes every weekend is worth saving the money.

•Most moving companies will offer a few options for insurance to cover items that are broken, damaged or lost. You pay a certain amount, usually $4 to $9 for every $1,000 of your items’ value. Movers aren’t perfect so insurance is probably a good way to go. But check with your own insurance policies to see if you already have coverage for moving damages.

•Don’t plan your move for a holiday weekend like Memorial Day or Labor Day. The rates go up on three-day holiday weekends, especially those that fall at the end of the month.

•Once you get a few estimates, figure out who your favorite is and ask if they can tweak their estimate to compete with the others. A mover may bring down the price to match estimates from similar firms.

Washington Post