Moving trends in 2023

The moving industry, like most others, has been heavily influenced by the recent COVID-19 pandemic. There were many factors that influenced moving trends, with housing markets and inflated moving costs being among the most influential. While it may be impossible to 100% accurately predict the moving trends in 2023, the moving industry is slowly returning to normal. Furthermore, the best moving companies are leaning more toward moving automatization, employers have been offering Core-Flex programs to their employees, and moving costs are stabilizing across the board. In this article, we are going to take a look at everything that is looking to shape the moving industry in the coming year.

Moving trends in 2023 – What does the future bring?

The moving industry tries to bring innovations with each passing year. These days, you have numerous moving options, from moving containers to full-service professional movers. While we can’t expect the reinventing of the wheel, we can observe several notable changes that 2023 may bring. The most notable moving trends in 2023 are:

• Moving automation
• Stabilization of moving costs
• Back to normal
• Core-Flex
• Companies moving to rural areas

However, you may also want to be prepared for rapidly changing conditions. Due to the effect that the recent pandemic had on the country’s economy, nobody is sure what to expect this year. While it definitely looks like things are going back to normal, the industry is still reeling from unprecedented conditions. Even so, you can be certain that many people will still be looking to improve their quality of life by moving and that the moving industry is not going anywhere. As for the specifics, they remain to be seen. That being said, we can still observe the trends from the data that we do have.

Moving automation is on the rise

If you have tried to hire a professional mover, you know what moving estimates are. In case you have been living under a rock for the past 30 years or so, here’s a quick rundown: A moving estimate is the approximation of the associated moving costs. Moving companies can provide their customers with either a free moving estimate or a binding moving estimate. The former is more of a quick reference of the moving costs while the latter guarantees them. You can get a free estimate over the phone or via the company’s website, while binding estimates usually require scheduling an in-home inspection.

Due to the social distancing protocols that were required due to COVID-19, in-home inspections have become much more difficult. This all but forced the moving companies to adapt to the new situation. What many companies started doing is automating the estimation process by allowing clients to send videos of their homes and belongings. This degree of automation allowed the clients to get extremely accurate moving estimates without the need to schedule a home inspection. Furthermore, some companies have started utilizing AI to make the process more efficient for their customers. These days, customers have numerous options when it comes to customizing their relocation experience, from choosing specific temporary storage options for moving, to adjusting their relocation details “on the fly”, through the internet. And it only gets better with each passing year.

We can safely assume that moving companies will utilize automation more and more in the years to come, as both they and their customers stand to benefit.

2023 brings stability to moving costs

The first few years following the pandemic have seen a huge increase in moving costs. Moving companies are not entirely to blame for this, as they had to deal with labor shortages, supply disruptions, and other economic factors. Of course, the customers were expected to brunt most of these costs, which is why the end prices went up. It is no wonder that many people have decided to organize a DIY move instead of hiring a moving company. However, unless we experience a similar world event such as COVID-19, the trends show that the moving prices are largely back to normal.

In 2023, we can expect moving costs to be lowered even further, as there are still some supply chain issues that need to be resolved. At the very least, the prices will stabilize, and we will not see any further increases.

Things are returning to normal

Recent years have shaken the moving industry to its core. Compared to pre-pandemic levels, we are still not seeing a similar number of moves. However, 2023 looks to change that. If things stay as they are, we can expect the moving industry to return to its normal, pre-pandemic state. Simply saying that returning to normal is a notable trend speaks volumes about the state of the industry in the past few years.

Core-Flex programs

Core-Flex policies have been around for quite a while now. A Core-Flex program includes various benefits that are available to all employees, including transportation of household goods, travel costs, home sale benefits, etc. Basically, these programs allow for a smooth transition from one workplace to another. If you are lucky enough to be offered one of these programs, you may not need to rely on moving hacks that will make your relocation easier. The Core-Flex has enough customizability to make any move smooth and efficient.

Pre-COVID, Core-Flex programs were only employed by a few notable companies, mostly in the IT sector. However, this is looking to change in 2023 as more and more companies realize that they can benefit from added flexibility that these programs offer. Some of the primary benefits include easier management of relocation costs, fewer policy exceptions, cost containment, and, of course, flexibility.

Many companies are trying to lower their operating costs by moving into rural areas

One of the most important aspects of the COVID-19 epidemic was that most companies were forced to offer remote working positions to their employees. However, what happens when the now-remote working force does not want to return to working full-time in the office? The answer is that the companies themselves need to adapt. Most companies that are in this position have been forced to experiment and find new solutions. One of the solutions is to simply relocate their headquarters to another location, one that has fewer operational costs.

Therefore, we can safely assume that corporate relocations are going to be featured quite prominently in 2023. What this means is that prices for corporate relocations are going to be lower, as higher demand means higher competition. If you have been looking to prepare your office for relocation and are just waiting for the right time, 2023 might be the year when you move! Furthermore, the companies are not the only ones that are moving into rural areas. Many people who now have access to remote working capabilities are doing the same. While the effects of these relocations might not be readily apparent in 2023, we are certain that they will be a large driving force between future moving trends.

Moving trends in 2023 – Where are people moving from (And where they are moving to)

According to 2021 and 2022 moving statistics, almost 60% of all moves were conducted within the same county, while around 20% of all relocations involved moving from one county to another within the same state. Relocations from one state to another accounted for about 17%, and about 2% of people moved to another country.

The states that received the highest influx of new residents were:

• Montana
• Maine
• Florida
• South Carolina
• Alaska
• Tennessee
• South Dakota
• Vermont
• North Carolina
• Texas

This list is slightly different than the list of states people were moving to in 2022, but it is largely the same. This is to show that moving trends change slowly and that the differences between the states are minimal in some cases. After all, if a state was great in 2022, there is no reason for it not to be great in 2023.

The states that actually had more outbound moves than inbound moves include:

• New Jersey
• California
• Illinois
• Connecticut
• New York
• Maryland
• Ohio
• Rhode Island
• Minnesota
• Pennsylvania

The shifting tide

Furthermore, some states experienced a rather drastic percentage change of inbound to outbound moves. Florida, for example, almost had a 50% increase between 2020 and 2021! Here are some other states that have suddenly become much more popular:

• Alaska – Almost a 40% increase in inbound to outbound moves
• Hawaii – Almost a 30% increase in inbound to outbound moves
• New York – Almost a 25% increase in inbound to outbound moves

While most other states experienced a minuscule change to inbound/outbound moves, some states were not so lucky. Idaho, for example, experienced a net -165% change in inbound to outbound moves! South Dakota experienced a similar change, with -132%. Other states that were negatively affected include:

• Montana: -98%
• North Dakota: -60%
• Oregon: -44%
• Utah: -40%
• Maine: -32%
• Arizona: -30%

While there is no guarantee that these trends will continue into 2023, they are still a good indicator of where people are moving from and to. Furthermore, people have started to mass-move from major metro areas to less populated areas due to large discrepancies in living costs and the fact that remote work is much more available. Remote work, in particular, allowed many people to plan a nationwide family relocation to a suburban area. These days, even suburban areas have great amenities and opportunities, and more and more people are starting to realize that fact. We predict that, given the volatility of the housing market in large metro areas, more and more people are going to choose to live in smaller communities.

The housing market and moving trends in 2023

The inflated housing market has been a significant driving force behind many moving trends in past years. When many people start moving into the same area, the demand for homes rises very quickly. This, in turn, creates housing shortages and inevitably raises prices. Therefore, it is all but impossible to predict exactly where people will move in 2023, as the housing market is constantly shifting. What we can expect, however, is that the market itself will start to stabilize. We can’t expect drastically lower home prices and mortgages, but we can expect them not to inflate any further (major influencing global event notwithstanding). In fact, we may even see at least a 5% drop in national home prices across the board!

This inevitably means that there might be fewer relocations in 2023 than in 2022, but only by a small margin. Unless the housing market crashes (highly unlikely), we are still going to be seeing plenty of moves that are driven solely by the housing market.

What can we learn from moving trends in 2023?

We predict that moving in 2023 is going to be all about streamlined services, relocations from urban areas to suburban ones, and the normalization of moving costs. While we may experience a lower number of total relocations than in 2022, the difference is not going to be large. However, it is anyone’s guess as to what will happen. If the housing market crashes, for example, we may see a large reduction in overall relocations. The moving industry may be affected by a number of other factors, such as state economies, federal policies, etc. While Florida might be one of the most popular states to move to currently, who’s to say that things might not change in the future?

The reality of the current moving situation is that no one can accurately predict anything. We are working with highly uncertain conditions, and we can’t draw back on our previous experiences, as this is the first time we are in this socioeconomic environment. However, even though moving trends in 2023 might change, we still need to rely on statistics from previous years and current predictions.

If you are looking for more moving information, Consumer Opinion Guide is your go-to resource. Our expert, up-to-date articles will help you make the best decisions when the time to relocate arrives! We can also help you find the ideal moving company for your upcoming relocation, provide you with tips and tricks, and allow you to create a smooth, enjoyable moving experience!