Skip to content

Relocation Checklist

Your week-by-week timeline for the move

Long-distance moves fail on logistics, not on houses. This checklist turns the whole process into six manageable phases, from the strategy work months out to the Illinois-specific paperwork in your first 90 days. Bookmark it, work it in order, and let Teri own the real-estate column while you own the rest.

  1. The strategy phase

    2 to 3 months out

    • Set the budget: purchase price, closing costs, moving costs, and the first year of property taxes and utilities.
    • Choose your towns: compare communities and school districts with the guides on this site.
    • Get pre-approved with a lender who works across Illinois.
    • Hire movers or book a moving container; get quotes for a long-haul move if you are coming from Texas or California.
    • Start a moving binder or folder for documents.

  2. The scouting trip

    About 6 weeks out

    • Visit the region for a long weekend if you can: drive the commutes, walk the downtowns, tour the schools.
    • Tour homes with Teri in your shortlisted towns; get a real feel for streets and boundaries.
    • Open an Illinois bank account and get a feel for local insurance quotes.
    • Notify your current employer, landlord, or property manager.

  3. The paperwork sprint

    30 days before closing

    • Submit your offer and lock your rate; keep the lender’s document list moving.
    • Order the inspection, and the radon and termite checks if recommended.
    • Book your moving date and update the address with banks, cards, and subscriptions.
    • Arrange utilities for your closing date: electric and gas through Ameren Illinois, water through Illinois American Water.
    • Plan the moving weekend: who packs what, where the kids go, and what the first grocery run looks like.

  4. Keys and handshakes

    Closing week

    • Do the final walkthrough: lights, water, appliances, and locks.
    • Bring the cashier’s check or confirm your wire for closing costs.
    • Get the keys, read the meters, and change the locks.
    • Take photos of the empty house for your records and your insurance.

  5. The Illinois paperwork

    The first 30 days

    • Register your vehicle and transfer the title within 30 days of establishing residency.
    • Get Illinois-compliant auto insurance before you register.
    • Meet the 90-day deadline to swap your out-of-state driver’s license at a Secretary of State Driver Services facility.
    • Update your voter registration, health insurance address, and car insurance.
    • Find your primary care practice and pharmacy; ask Teri for local recommendations.

  6. Settled in

    The first 90 days

    • File or track your property-tax bill; understand the escrow or payment plan.
    • Meet the neighbors, find the coffee shop, and claim your library card.
    • Establish your new routines before winter arrives.
    • Reassess: does the town still fit? If anything feels off, Teri is one call away.

The two Illinois deadlines that catch everyone

30 days

Title and register your vehicle

Illinois gives new residents 30 days after establishing residency to title and register a vehicle. You need Illinois-compliant auto insurance first, plus your out-of-state title and the VSD-190 application.

90 days

Swap your driver's license

You may drive on a valid out-of-state license for up to 90 days after becoming a resident. Transfer it in person at a Secretary of State facility; bring proof of identity, birth date, Social Security number, and your new Illinois address.

Requirements from the Illinois Secretary of State. Rules change; confirm details at ilsos.gov before your visit.

Your Move Matters

Want someone to hold the timeline with you?

Teri builds a custom move plan for every relocating client, with the real-estate milestones keyed to your calendar. Send her your target move month and get the plan.

Contact Teri 309-361-4592