If a move has been on your heart lately, you’re probably not alone.

This time of year, many families start wondering:

If we’d like to be settled before the next school year… when should we start?

The truth is, sooner than most people think.

Many people wait until summer to begin, then suddenly they’re trying to prep the house, list it, find their next home, pack, move, and get everyone settled all at once.

It can feel like a lot.

The good news? If moving before school starts is something you’re considering, there is still plenty of time—you just need a thoughtful plan.

If you’re thinking about making a move in St. Louis, here’s how I’d recommend approaching it.

May: The Best Time to Start Planning

May is such a valuable month because it gives you room to think clearly and move intentionally.

This is the time to focus on:

• Understanding what your current home may be worth
• Talking through whether buying first or selling first makes the most sense
• Exploring what a simultaneous buy/sell move could look like
• Deciding what prep work is actually worth doing
• Decluttering little by little
• Handling simple repairs if needed
• Building a timeline around your family’s schedule

When I work with sellers, I always want to simplify the process. That often starts with walking through your home together and helping you determine what truly matters before listing—and what you can let go of.

You likely do not need to do everything.

June: A Great Time to Hit the Market

June can be a wonderful time to list because so many buyers are active and hoping to move during the summer months.

That means more eyes on your home and often more motivated buyers.

Listing in June may also give you more breathing room to:

• Accept a strong offer
• Begin shopping for your next home
• Coordinate timelines thoughtfully
• Avoid feeling rushed later in the summer

For buyers, June is often when serious searching begins.

July: Time to Transition

For many families, July becomes the month where everything starts coming together.

This can look like:

• Closing on your current home
• Moving into the next one
• Getting settled room by room
• Exploring your new neighborhood
• Letting the kids adjust before school begins

That extra margin can make such a difference emotionally.

August: Still Possible, Just More Compressed

Moves happen in August all the time—but they often come with a little more pressure.

Now you may be balancing:

• School registration
• Supply shopping
• Sports schedules
• Final packing
• Utility changes
• Trying to feel settled quickly

It’s absolutely doable. It just tends to feel busier.

If You Need to Buy and Sell at the Same Time

This is one of the most common situations I help families navigate.

If you need the equity from your current home to purchase the next one, or you’d prefer to move once instead of twice, a simultaneous buy/sell plan may make the most sense.

That often means allowing a little extra time for:

• Preparing your current home for market
• Coordinating listing and home search timing
• Negotiating flexible possession dates or contingencies
• Aligning closing dates
• Creating backup plans just in case timing shifts

It is absolutely doable—it just benefits from thoughtful strategy and starting earlier whenever possible.

What If You’re Not Ready Yet?

That is completely okay.

You do not need to have every answer before reaching out.

Many families start by simply asking:

• What could our home sell for right now?
• How much equity do we have?
• Do we need to update anything first?
• Could we buy before we sell?
• Is a move this year even realistic?

Those are exactly the right questions to start with.

If moving before the next school year is something you’ve been thinking about, this is a beautiful time to start planning.

Not because you need to rush.
Because you deserve options, clarity, and a plan that feels peaceful.

When I help families in St. Louis make a move, my goal is always to make the process feel simpler, calmer, and more strategic from the very beginning.

If you’d like to talk through what a realistic timeline could look like for your family—including how to navigate buying and selling at the same time—I’d love to help. Let’s chat.