Making the move from one home to another can be a very daunting experience, whether you’re just moving down the street or halfway across the world. Apart from the natural apprehension about a new neighborhood, you’ll likely also be worried about the safety of your property as they are being transferred.

The best thing you can do to make the process as safe and stress-free as possible is to hire a reliable moving company to handle it for you. That way, you’ll be sure that your possessions are being handled by people who have the experience to do it just right. In choosing a company, here are a few things you should look out for to be sure you make the right choice:

1. Get Recommendations

The odds are that you know someone who has moved homes, even if it’s not very recent. Reach out to as many friends and family members as you can to ask them if they can recommend any company. Since people close to you will give you an honest and objective evaluation of the companies they’ve used before, you’ll be able to see which ones are good options for you to hire.

2. Check Reviews Online

Sometimes, you might not be able to get recommendations from family or friends, and even if you are able to, it’s always a good idea to also check online to see what other people are saying about any company you’re considering. This is especially important if the recommendations you got were from a long time ago, seeing as the company could have changed in very significant ways. Search the company’s name on Google and follow the links to see what has been said about them on the many review websites.

3. Research the Company

When you have a shortlist of companies, the next thing is to get information about them, as it pertains to you. First, find out how long they have been in operation. Ideally, you want a company that has been in operation for a few years at least, though more is definitely better here. Put a call through to them and ask if they have experience with the particular location you’ll be moving to, especially if it’s a long or more complicated route. For instance, if you’re moving between two distant US states, moving your car along with other essentials may be tough, then a company like auto transport services that has vast experience in that would be much better than a new one.

4. Focus on Quality

When you’ve gotten estimates from two or three different companies, you’ll need to evaluate them thoroughly to be sure you’re paying a fair price. Ask for clarification if you don’t understand anything and get a clear assurance that there will be no hidden costs later. The important thing here is to ensure that you do not automatically go for the lowest bid, because that could lead to disappointing service. Be sure to look at the bids in the context of the skill, experience and service you’re going to get.