Symptoms of a villager planning to move out?

[Bubblebeam]

I've been reading some guides on how moving in and out works. I'm time travelling but not wanting my favourite animals to move. I'm aware they will ping you about it right off if they're outside, but what about if they're inside their house or a building on main street?

One guide says, as long as the animals mention rumours no one is planning to move, but does that only apply to rumours? What if they talk about random stuff that isn't necessarily a rumour? Will they mention moving if they're on main street shopping?

I just want to play this safe as I hear losing animals can be easily done in NL.

 

[Chrystina]

Spam chat every villager you have. Usually 10 times, if there is no mention of a rumor then move onto the next. Villagers on main st do not count, they have to be in your town. You can get rumors from villagers in their houses, but cannot stop any from moving. To prevent that villager from moving you have to wait for them to ping you outside and in your town.


No one is planning on moving if they mention any of these rumors, by personality (taken from the wiki) ...

Cranky- will state that rumors can be frightening.
Peppy- will beg to hear the latest gossip.
Jock- will ask to spread rumors about their latest world record, or complain that others say that they are a prince from another planet.
Normal- will comment that they will only spread rumors they have seen themselves.
Smug- will remark that they have done things with other villagers, but refuse to elaborate on the details.
Snooty- will use fabricated examples to show the player that simple rumors can spread very quickly.
Uchi- will complain that rumors are circulating that they are known for one sport, when it is in fact another.

Once you hear 1-2 of these, you're good & safe to play without someone moving.

 

[Charcolor]

also, lazy villagers say they messed up and bought an extra thing, and now there's a rumor that they have a world famous collection.

 

[Bubblebeam]

Thanks for the tips.

I forgot to ask, do animals ping you about moving on special days, for example a fishing tourney?

 

[Chrystina]

Thanks for the tips.

I forgot to ask, do animals ping you about moving on special days, for example a fishing tourney?

during the time frame, i think 9am to 6pm they won't mention anything about rumors or ping you about moving.
I have gotten a rumor after an awards ceremony for the fishing tourney once before... I think it's just very less likely.

Villagers will never just up and leave though xD So if you heard that nobody was moving 1-2 days before a "special day/holiday", you should be good. It takes 5 days for them to be in boxes once they decide on moving.

 

[Bubblebeam]

Makes sense, thanks! By the way what's the minimum number of residents required for animals to decide to move? I currently have 8 animals, so that's one space for a camper and another for the last normal move in.

 

[Chrystina]

9 is the minimum.
If you have 9/10 villagers you're in the "moving out" stage. (meaning a villager will want to leave soon ish, could take a couple days since your 9th move in, sometimes a week)

If you have 8 or less you're in the "moving in" stage (meaning you should expect a new plot very soon) and nobody will ever want to move out during this time. c:

 

[Breath Mint]

The villager wanting to move will always be outside the first time you start up your game on any given day, as long as they are awake. They will also ping you to tell you they are moving the first time they see you, as long as you weren't just pinged by another villager beforehand. If you start up your game, get pinged by a villager about something else, that villager is not the mover. As far as villagers telling you rumors about another one moving, they should tell you fairly quickly who is planning to move, if there is a mover. I've never had to talk to more than a couple villagers for one of them to tell me who is planning to move.

 

[Alienfish]

Yeah they can move on holidays/event days, you just have to check on after 8-9 pm on them to be safe.

 

[Bubblebeam]

Are the rumours that someone is moving out always true?

 

[Breath Mint]

Yes. If a villager tells you someone is planning to move out, they will be in boxes within five days if you don't stop them.

 

[stitchmaker]

Tip during events check with the villagers inside for rumors. Most of the time a villager inside will give up who's trying to skip town.
Firework night in the summer play in the morning or early afternoon before the event starts.

Lolly was a rumor mover and it was her birthday. I keep a list of my movers dates so I waited till the next day.
I got a rumor that Miranda was trying to skip town. At the time there were only 4 villagers outside. I found her in retail and than in a clothing store. Save/quit, started the game back up so she would be outside her house.
Other times a rumor mover has been at another villagers birthday.