Happy July everyone!
We hope you are staying safe and have been able to support some awesome local businesses through this time and are enjoying the outdoors as much as we have!
This summer has definitely been different for all of us, especially those who are Buying or Selling a home! I mean, who does not love planning how the heck you are going to get the piano from “here” to “there” or moving that 500-pound antique couch you have been keeping for years just because it adds character?!
This month’s blog is your official Moving Checklist – your guide to moving houses!
When moving, there are six check boxes to consider.
STEP 1: OLD LOCATION
To start, we recommend hiring a professional moving company. The amount of money is minuscule compared to the amount you would have to spend to buy new furniture because you decided to do it yourself. Once you have made the call, it is time to get your packing materials (we recommend your local grocer for boxes), and then once you are good to go, put boxes in each room and label them by room.
We cannot tell you how many stories we hear about people who “swear they packed it” only to find when they arrive at the new house they cannot find it! We have an easy solution; inventory list, take photos of valuables, pack treasured items and take them with you. Keeping that in mind, it is important to declutter. Donate unworn clothes or non-used items to charity or just “chuck it” because the last thing you want is to move into your beautiful new home, and it looks the same as the previous one!
Once you are done packing the entire old home, make sure you do one last walk through to make sure it is empty (you never know) and arrange for a cleaning service to leave the home sparkling.
STEP 2: CHANGE OF ADDRESS
Yeah, do not forget to do this. Write it on your hand, write it on your wife/husband’s hand, put a reminder on your phone, or even put sticky notes in your wallet. Major address changes to remember are the post office, credit cards, insurance, subscriptions, government services, banks, and of course, friends and relatives.
STEP 3: SHUT OFF SERVICES
Simple and easy, remember to call your hydro, internet/tv/phone, and electricity/other utility companies to transfer over your address. Get a head start because with a TON of people moving right now, the earlier you can call, the better. Also, do not forget the newspaper or grocery delivery!
STEP 4: ORGANIZE YOUR MOVE-IN
Book the elevator and parking. This, of course, applies to those of you who are moving into strata buildings as each strata has its own set of rules on times to move. For instance, there are some that only allow you to book the elevator from 9-5 Monday to Friday, not weekends.
We also encourage you to seek recommendations of repair services, plumbers, electricians, and handyman because you never know when you will need one and to have that trust immediately will be great.
STEP 5: WELCOME TO YOUR NEW HOME!
Once you have arrived at the new house, make sure you supervise unloading and unpacking because there needs to be someone to delegate where things go.
Once everything is in, set up your beds unless you are planning on tenting in the backyard! Once your beds are good to go, next is putting up the shelving units and then the minute that is done go meet the neighbours! This is the best part about moving into a new place because it will give you an excellent feel for the neighbourhood.
STEP 6: LAST BUT NOT LEAST: BUDGET, BUDGET, AND BUDGET!
There are lots of costs to consider when you are moving, and they are very important. Make sure you budget for closing costs like a realtor’s commission (for Seller’s) and Property Transfer Tax (for Buyer’s) and lawyer fees. These can add up quickly, so it is important you are cognisant, so as a result, we recommend setting aside roughly three percent of your home’s purchase price to cover all the closing costs.
Why do so many Buyers and Sellers choose us?
Because not only do we help draft contracts for your property, we also will walk you through the process step-by-step after that as well.
We hope you enjoyed this month’s blog and that this gives you some helpful advice when moving this summer. As always, we are here to answer any questions you may have and make Buying, Selling and moving simple and easy.
It is a hot market right now, so if you or anyone you know is looking to buy or sell, contact us with the information below.
We have a checklist that you can print for yourself! See the image below.
Stay safe, and we will talk next month!
Kim: (604) 720-3659 | Sean: (604) 880-9400 | WhittallRealEstate@gmail.com
