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Plain-language guides.
Short, neutral reads for the questions families ask most. No sales pitch, no jargon.
What a senior move costs in Houston
Realistic ranges for each part of a move, and where free help can lower the bill.
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Starting the conversation about moving
How to open the talk so your parent feels heard, not managed.
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Helping a parent from out of town
How to coordinate a move in Houston when you live in another city or state.
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Hurricane season and your parent
How to plan now so a storm doesn't turn a planned move into an emergency.
Read the guideStraight answers for the hard parts.
Open any question for the short version. The full guide is linked inside.
The hardest part usually happens at the kitchen table. A few things help.
- Start before there's a crisis, if you can. A fall or a storm leaves less room to choose.
- Ask what your parent wants to keep: the garden, the church, the neighbor, the independence.
- Take one topic at a time. Where to live, how to pay and what happens to the house are three conversations.
- Keep your parent in the room for every decision. People follow plans they helped make.
- If brothers and sisters disagree, agree first on who decides what.
It usually takes more than one conversation. That's normal.
Read the full guide- Name a local point person: a neighbor, a church member or a paid move manager who can be there when you can't.
- Get powers of attorney and a HIPAA release signed early, so doctors and banks will talk to you.
- Plan two or three trips: one to plan, one for move week, one for the house.
- Use video calls to walk each room and decide what goes.
- Keep one shared plan so everyone in the family works from the same version.
Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30. A plan made in May beats one made the night before landfall.
- Register with STEAR by dialing 2-1-1 if your parent would need help evacuating.
- Look up the evacuation zone on ReadyHarris.
- Pack a go-bag: medications, glasses, hearing aids, chargers, IDs, insurance cards and the power of attorney.
- Decide now where your parent will go and who will drive.
- Photograph every room before the season starts, for insurance.
Typical Greater Houston costs
What moving a parent costs
| Senior move manager (sorting, packing, setup) | $2,000–$9,000 |
|---|---|
| Licensed mover, local move | $800–$3,000 |
| Estate sale or consignment | 30–45% of sales |
| Haul-away | $150–$800 a load |
| Powers of attorney through a private attorney | Up to $2,000 |
| Home safety assessment | Up to $400 |
| Home care aide | $25–$35 an hour |
| Assisted living, monthly | $4,000–$6,500 |
Last checked September 2026. Get written estimates, and never pay a cash-only deposit.
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