Realtors are usually out of the picture when new homebuyers hit that dreaded, formulaic, overly-bureaucracy-riddled last step of the moving process: the change-of-address forms.  The bank.  The cable company.  The magazines.  Your wireless provider.  That store credit card you got for 30% off, never used again and forgot about until you found it packing your junk drawer.  The list is endless—and just when you think you're in the clear, you realize you missed something.

We wanted to spare you the agony, so we partnered with Updater, a New York-based start-up that allows users to seamlessly change their address online and update all their contacts without ever setting foot in a post office.

Updater provides users with a seamless transition during a move with a 24/7 moving concierge, the ability to update one’s contacts with a digital announcement and the convenience of forwarding one’s mail:

• Update Accounts: The ability to update over 10,000 business and account records including alumni associations, charities and businesses such as American Airlines and Best Buy.  Updater even offers a complete DMV how-to guide for changing a user’s licenses address.
• Connect Home Services: An Updater representative will assist in setting up all of a user’s digital services including phone, internet and cable, and will identify the best prices or deals offered and schedule appointments.
• Forward mail: Updater will file their user’s official U.S. Postal Service mail-forwarding form, creating a seamless transition for mail delivery without ever having to step into the post office.
• Digital Moving Announcement:  Users can create a custom digital card to let friends and family know they are moving. The announcement can be directly sent to all of one’s contacts, with a custom image and a direct link to Google Maps.
• Claim Exclusive Deals: Updater provides special offers and exclusive deals on how to save – from discounts on a cleaning service for a user’s new and old home, deals on cardboard boxes and recycling bins, and discounted rates on shipping or moving companies.

The service was lauded in a review by The Wall Street Journal: "Widely considered one of life's most stressful moments, moving homes is commonly fraught with overwhelming decisions, unforeseen roadblocks and unexpected costs... Updater makes moving fun, convenient and stress free.

We're proud to be the first to pilot the new technology in the suburbs north of New York City.

“Houlihan Lawrence is truly dedicated to enhancing their over-all client experience, and for our first foray into this market, we are thrilled to be partnering with the area’s leading brokerage,” said David Greenberg, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Updater. “We are happy to work with a company that values service and convenience the way that we do and to assist their clients and agents in streamlining the moving process."