The National Records of Scotland estimated that the number of households in Scotland in 2024 was 2.55 million*. Whilst there is no confirmed figure for the number of families moving home each year, it is noted that the number of households is increasing, with migration happening both internally across Scotland** and internationally***. A report on the “Growing Up in Scotland” study found that approximately 50% of children move home in their first 10 years of life which suggests a significant number of family moves occurring during the early stages of a child’s life. I was seven years old when my parents decided to move to a bigger house and I remember the random strangers turning up to view the house and making small chat as I played with my toys. I recall the initial excitement at the prospect of a much bigger bedroom, the sense of confusion and initial disappointment when the original house purchase unfortunately fell through, but the subsequent relief and joy when we moved to an even better house. I remember riding my bike up and down the ramp of the removal van and saying goodbye to my friends in the street. The drive to the new house seemed so long and yet we were only moving a few streets away. That new house is still my parents’ home almost 40 years on and one where grandchildren now cause chaos. Perhaps that early life event is the reason why I do what I do now, helping families with the legal and practical steps of moving home. Here are some pieces of advice that I have if you are planning to purchase a new home for you and your children.
Viewings
Once an Offer is verbally accepted by a Seller, generally, you will not be allowed access to view the property again until you have formally tied yourself into the contract to buy the house (known as “concluding missives”). Remember to ask the Seller for an opportunity to let your children visit their new home. It is important to involve your children in the process as they may have questions about the proposed new home, need to visualise where they are moving to, and have time to prepare themselves for moving closer to or further away from family and friends. It is a good opportunity to include your children in the process as at some point in the future they will ultimately buy their own first home.
When selling, try to arrange viewings when the children are at nursery/school/after school clubs and pre-warn family and friends so that they can help with childcare at short notice.
Highlight the Benefits
Show them the photos, Schedule and floor plan of the property. Your child may be getting their own bedroom, or a bigger room meaning more space for a larger bed or, dare I say, toys. Help them to design the layout of their new bedroom, their own playroom, games room, outdoor garden space and spark their creative side with interior design ideas. You may be moving closer to family, friends, sports venues or better playparks or outdoor adventure. Let them create their own mood board and involve them in the dreaded “Sort your Life Out” exercise of decluttering. Younger children are less likely to hoard and more likely to help you let go of old possessions. They can help choose which old toys to donate to charity or pass on to younger children at their former nursery or after school club. Hold a garage sale or sell items online with the likes of Vinted or e-Bay. Just be careful to get permission. My older brothers still won’t let my mum live down the fact that she gave away their Millenium Falcon to a family friend.
Schools
Check the location of the property and the catchment area for schools. Be aware that catchment areas can change, and popular locations may have strict placement criteria. If you have school age children check the school’s policy for moving home as many schools may require notice to be given when removing children from education. Similarly, the new school will have its own set process for taking on new pupils and you may require to give evidence that you are buying within the catchment area. Your Solicitor will be able to provide you with a letter confirming your move, typically once the contract (“Missives”) is concluded.
The typical timescale for completing a purchase or sale in Scotland is six to eight weeks from the date the Offer is verbally accepted. The Date of Entry (being the date the transaction will complete and when you will get the keys to your new home) is agreed at the outset of the transaction between the Buyer and Seller. This will be a weekday during business hours. Often, clients will aim to time their move during the School Holidays to minimise disruption.
On the Day
Removal costs can be expensive, especially if there are delays on the day. Whilst most clients will complete their sale and purchase on the same day, there can be a period of waiting for the call from your agent to collect the keys, especially if your transaction falls within a chain and there are a series of house moves all happening on the same day. You may want to consider having a small gap between your sale and purchase and use temporary storage or consider temporary accommodation or renting.
If you are moving locally, you may want to send the children to school as normal and stick to their usual routine or ask family or friends to look after them whilst you co-ordinate the packing with the removal team. Ensure you have a cool bag with snacks and flasks of tea and coffee at the ready and your mobile phone is charged and switched on.
Help your child pack a box with some of their favour toys/books/games and pack this last in the removal van so it’s the first box to come out for them to play with.
Do plan an easy option for tea. Say yes to the request for popcorn chicken, fish and chips, or pizza.
Settling In
Spark your child’s creativity and imagination. Let your kids add their own personality to their rooms and encourage them to join local Clubs. Arrange play dates to help them make new friends and invite old friends to come and visit your new home. Create new memories exploring your new surroundings together, let them snap away with a camera/video and create a scrap book, collage, or reel filled with excitement and fun. Importantly, remember to register your family with their new Doctor/Dentist/Optician and re-direct your mail. Ask your child to help you create new address cards to send to family and friends, the Tooth Fairy and Santa. We wouldn’t want anyone to miss out on Birthday and Christmas presents!
Don’t forget Kevin
If you have furry family members consider how you are going to move them to your new home. Do they need to stay in kennels overnight? Do you need to register with a new Vet or update your Pet Insurance? Consider asking the Seller if you can have access to set up a new fish tank or pet hutch for example, ahead of the moving day in preparation. Do you need to fix or install any fences or gates?
At Thorntons, our experienced team of professionals working across Scotland can help you and your family with your house move.
“A house is made of bricks and beams, a home is made of love and dreams”.
FOOTNOTE
*National Record for Scotland – “Households and Dwellings in Scotland, 2024”, Published 26 June 2025
** Around 80,000 people move across health board boundaries within Scotland each year – See Scottish Gov’t: “Internal migration in Scotland and the UK: trends and policy lessons” – published 3 September 2020
***In the year to mid-2023, over 82,000 people moved to Scotland whilst approximately 35,000 emigrated – see Scottish Gov’t: “Migration – Meeting Scotland’s Needs” – published 22 January 2025
