Home Factors 
When a customer moves, something important happens that most brands never see coming. Their routines disappear overnight. Favorite stores, trusted service providers, and even the brands they’ve used for years suddenly feel optional.
A move resets buying behavior. And with that reset comes real churn risk.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 35 million Americans move every year, with the majority happening during late spring and summer.
Research consistently shows that movers are far more open to switching brands during this window. In fact:
• 90% of new movers are willing to try new brands
• Movers spend significantly more in their first 3–6 months than established households
• Brands that reach movers first are up to 5x more likely to win long-term loyalty
What makes this especially risky is timing. Many brands don’t realize a customer is at risk until they’ve already disengaged. By the time an address change shows-up in a CRM, loyalty decisions have already been made.
That’s why movers represent two things at once:
• One of the highest churn risks in your customer base
• One of the most valuable retention opportunities if you act early
Mover marketing is a strategy that businesses are actively leaning in to.
According to our latest Ascend2 research:
- Just over one‑quarter of organizations (28%) already have a mover marketing strategy in place, and another 26% are currently rolling one out.
- Companies aren’t just testing the waters, they’re investing. Among the most successful marketing organizations, 35% dedicate more than 20% of their marketing budget specifically to targeting movers.
- Nearly half of mover marketing users report that the strategy has a significant impact on overall marketing performance, rating it an eight or higher on a ten‑point scale.
- Brands that incorporate pre‑move indicators (early signals that someone is preparing to move) see even more success. It gives them more time to build a connection, before key purchasing decisions happen.
The data proves it; mover marketing is quickly becoming a top priority for forward-thinking brands.
So it’s up to you to show up early and intentionally.
Why New Movers Are So Likely to Churn
Moving is one of the biggest life disruptions consumers experience. Do you remember your last move? It feels like an exhausting and overwhelming vacation from reality.
A mover’s brand loyalties become unusually flexible- with 9 in 10 new movers saying their willing to try new brands during the move.
That means your long‑standing customers, people who may have purchased from you for years, are suddenly in the market for alternatives. And what makes it so unique is that it’s not because of a bad experience, but simply because everything else in their life is changing.
Several things fuel this risk:
1. New Needs Trigger New Shopping Behavior
New movers make major purchases before, during, and after the move.
The average new mover spends about $11,000 on move‑related and home‑related purchases.
That’s a staggering level of commercial activity and it often involves categories they didn’t shop heavily before.
Our mover marketing study shows just how dramatic that shift can be:
- According to the Ascend2 research, movers increase spending and also expand what they spend on.
- Industries are now leaning heavily into mover marketing. They’re seeing gains in customer acquisition and retention when they reach movers early.
- The move journey forces consumers into new buying cycles; as soon as a home is listed, movers start evaluating things they may not have looked at in years — or ever. For example, they suddenly need to set up insurance policies. They’re reassessing everyday essentials. So, it’s a time when routines evaporate, and brand loyalty becomes flexible.
- Brands who look at the early signals that someone is moving, see significantly greater success. The early weeks are when movers begin the first steps of researching -and they’re already making decisions.
New movers are an open door for your brand, if you approach them the right way.
2. The Moving Timeline Has Distinct Buying Phases
Moving isn’t a one time thing.
At PGM, we break this into four core phases that help brands understand when consumers are shopping and what they’re likely shopping for. Here’s what each stage actually means:
Possible Movers show early signs of a potential move. They could be searching for home improvement services, scrolling real estate content, or simply showing behaviors that often precede a home listing. The indicators suggest a move is coming.
Likely Movers are those who’ve jumped further into the process. This typically aligns with the moment a home is listed (the beginning of a roughly 2.5‑month window of high‑intent buying activity). At this stage, people are researching everything (realtors, moving companies, insurance, you name it!)
Verified Pre‑Movers are definitely moving—for example, their home is under contract or in inspection. They’re making tons of purchases.
Post‑Movers are in the process of unpacking and settling-in. Their buying accelerate; purchasing everything required to make a house feel like home.
So why do these stages matter? New movers are active researchers, no matter what phase they fall under. They compare brands, read reviews, look for “xyz near me” and explore social media. They’re making a million different decisions in a short window of time.
3. Brands Often Engage Too Late
Many companies don’t reach customers until after the move; after they’ve already defected.
By that point, they’ve already rebuilt their life. They’ve made their brand preferences, and it happened well before the change-of-address form was submitted.
What you might not realize, is that movers start buying before the moving truck has even pulled up- maybe even before they’ve packed a single thing.
According to our mover benchmarks, the period from when someone becomes a Likely Mover (the moment their home hits the market) to Post‑Move lasts an average of just 74.8 days. That translates to roughly 2.5 months of intense, high‑intent shopping behavior.
This is when you can expect them to be:
- Comparing service providers
- Setting up utilities
- Shopping for insurance
- Researching furniture and appliances
- Hiring movers and home service pros
Guess what? They’re buying products for both the old home and the new one.
It’s clear that brands who engage during this early stretch see better outcomes. Brands that delay engagement miss:
- The research phase
- The comparison phase
- The budgeting and planning phase
- The “Who should I work with?” phase
- The moment shoppers are willing to try something new- you!
In other words, businesses are losing customers (long before they realize it), because they weren’t present when the customer was actively looking.
Why Losing Movers Hurts More Than You Think
Customer churn is expensive no matter what the reason, but churn caused by moves is uniquely painful because it can hit your best customers who consistently spend their money and time with you.
A customer who moves might decide to:
- Switch to local competitors
- Shop new brands recommended by agents or neighbors
- Revaluate subscriptions and services
- Change purchasing channels
- Replace furniture, appliances, and home services—resetting brand relationships from scratch
Odds are you’re not going to be a part of their new life If you’re not showing up for them during their big transition.
The Good News: Movers Are the Most Valuable Customers You Can Win
Don’t worry, we’re all about focusing on the potential victories, and new movers are the highest-intent shoppers you’ll encounter.
Movers make major purchasing decisions across pretty much every consumer category.
This is why top brands prioritize mover marketing for retention, as well as aquisition. It protects those important existing relationships and makes light of cross‑sell and upsell potential.
How to Reduce Churn Using Mover Intelligence
1. Flag Existing Customers Who Are Moving
Not knowing when your customers are entering the mover journey is a huge mistake to make.
When a customer starts preparing a move, their entire set of needs shifts, and if your brand isn’t aware of that shift, it’s incredibly easy to lose them to a competitor who showed up earlier in the process.
This is where data can help your brand spot when current customers are showing signs of moving. Instead of waiting for a customer to submit a change‑of‑address form.
These mover signals are sourced from verified behaviors across the move timeline, such as:
- A home being listed for sale (Likely Mover)
- A property going under contract or inspection (Verified Pre‑Mover)
- Pre‑move and post‑move utility and home service activity
By identifying customers in the earlier phases of the move, you can:
- Proactively retain customers before they make a switch
- Send relevant offers aligned with their needs in the moment
- Support customers during a major life transition- to build loyalty
- Avoid losing customers
If you don’t know their mindset, you can’t influence or support them — and that’s when churn happens. Data gives you visibility into your customers’ moving status, so you can arrive with open arms, first thing.
2. Personalize Messaging Based on the Mover Phase
People who are thinking about moving have very different needs than people who have just moved into a new home. And someone who’s preparing for a move is making completely different decisions than someone who’s just browsing listings.
Mover intelligence helps you adjust your messaging, so it actually matches what they’re dealing with in the moment.
You can tailor your communication based on things like:
- What they’re shopping for right now
- Details about their current or future home
- Changes in lifestyle or household needs
- Signals that show what they’re about to buy next
When you’re messaging aligns with their needs— planning, preparing, or settling in — you keep your brand relevant and helpful at the exact moment they’re making decisions.
3. Use Omnichannel Activation to Stay Present
Movers shop everywhere.
Keep your brand visible at each step of the move journey using online, offline, social, email, direct mail, and connected TV. An omnichannel strategy lets you meet them in the place they prefer, and that’s a win.
4. Create Offers That Support the Move
The most effective retention campaigns position your brand as a partner in the move. You’ll maintain their trust by coming to them in this hectic time and offering:
- Welcome‑back loyalty checks
- Move‑related service upgrades
- Utility or subscription transfers
- Exclusive new‑home incentives
- “Congrats on your new place!” personalized touches
I remember my last move, and someone who is tackling a huge task list will always value those small gestures that come during such a crazy time.
Churn Isn’t Inevitable
Churn often feels unavoidable. But it doesn’t have to be.
When you understand the mover journey and have the right intelligence to build your strategy around, you can turn a moment of vulnerability into a victory for your brand.
Let your brand become the presence that makes their move easier, because while new movers are a risk-they’re also ready to be won over.
