I've Bought a Home. Now What?
Here's a Good Moving Guide

After the Excitement

... of successfully negotiating an offer, you'll need a good moving guide. Here are some helpful moving tips to make your moving day less stressful.

These are great moving tips for sellers too.

They'll also have to contact their own service providers to inform them of their moving day so utility metres can be read, services moved to the new location, etc. So, read on, sellers!

Planning a move means fewer surprises.

Obviously, the first priority of this moving guide is to make your best efforts, during the time permitted, to comply with the conditions. You'll need to complete the mortgage application by delivering to your lender or mortgage broker, a copy of the real estate contract. And if you've not already done so, provide them with employment income confirmation letters, along with confirmation of down payment.

Your REALTOR® can make arrangements for the home inspection. And if you're buying rural property, they can also organize the well tests and anything else that needs doing. Click here for more details about buying rural property.

If you're buying a condominium, your lawyer will want to review the Status Certificate. Your REALTOR® will ensure it's ordered from the property manager. Here is a moving guide with more details on buying a condominium.

Of course, if your offer is conditional upon the sale of your old home, you'll have to get busy with the marketing of it immediately. Click here for more information about this type of condition.

Once these are completed, you'll be asked by your moving guide personified, your REALTOR®, to sign a Notice of Fulfillment of Condition, or a Waiver, to remove the conditions from the agreement of purchase and sale.

The SOLD Sign

But wait - your work isn't over yet. There's lots more to this moving guide.

Now, besides packing (and purging), you must arrange for a moving service. If you learn nothing else from this moving guide, don't leave this to the last minute, especially if you plan your moving day to be at the end of a month. And summer months are particularly busy. It's often cheaper to hire a moving service on a weekday, Monday through to Thursday. They often charge higher fees on other days, and for moves at the end of a month.

A big part in planning a move is contacting the utility companies who'll supply your electricity, heating fuel, cable television, internet and telephone. Will you be having a security system? Water softener rental? Service contracts for your furnace and air conditioner? They'll all need your contact information and moving date. Be aware that there may be administration fees for setting up new accounts for utilities and services.

Also, you must arrange for redirection of any newspaper or magazine subscriptions, finalize your home insurance policy, register the kids at the local school, contact the post office for change of address, as well as banks and credit card companies. Your accountant, stock broker or financial planner would also like to be included.

If you lease your vehicle, let the lessor know your new address. And the same goes for the dealership where you bought your new car in case they need to reach you. Do you keep a boat at a marina? Belong to any clubs? Add them to your moving guide list for contact.

Don't forget government agencies or departments like the Ministries of Transport and Health. Let your life insurance companies and health-care providers, like your doctor, dentist and any therapists, know your new address.

And, of course, it's an integral part of any moving guide to send change of address cards to everyone, and handle the multitude of various other responsibilities connected to moving.

One of the most important moving tips, if you're planning a move into a condominium apartment, is that you must book your moving day with property management or the on-site security staff. They'll reserve the elevator for you, and may require a refundable damage deposit. There may also be restrictions on the days or times of the day when moves are permitted.

If you're planning a move to a rural property, it might be a good idea to ask the current owner for the contact information for anyone they've used to pump the septic tank, service the well equipment or even plow the lane-way. And if there's a swimming pool, the contact info for their pool service company will be helpful.

Completion

And now for the legal stuff of this moving guide.

About a week or so prior to closing (after which you'll have legal possession), someone from your lawyer's office will call you to confirm a meeting to sign the documents. They'll tell you how much money to bring in with you, in the form of a bank draft or certified cheque payable to your lawyer.

These funds will include the balance of your down payment (your deposit submitted with the offer forms part of your total down payment), your lawyer's disbursements (government registration and various search fees, land transfer tax, title insurance premium, etc) and adjustments (property taxes, mortgage interest, and monthly condominium fee or heating oil if applicable) made on your behalf. And of course, their fee for handling your purchase will be included.

For more moving guide details of closing costs, click here.

Due to Canadian federal legislation, even if you've known your lawyer since you were a kid, you'll also be asked by him or her for an acceptable means of identification. A valid driver's license, birth certificate or passport will usually suffice.

Your lawyer will also ask you to tell your mortgage lender to forward mortgage instructions to your lawyer's office as soon as possible. And you must instruct your insurance company to confirm that your new home is insured for fire, effective on the closing date, with any loss payable to the mortgage company.

If you're using funds from your Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) for your down payment, and you have questions, visit the Canada Revenue Agency website CRA I'm sure there's an equivalent program for our American neighbours.

Someone from your lawyer's office will contact you after closing to confirm that you now own your new home. You can then ...

Retrieve Your Keys

... from the law office. Sometimes, arrangements can be made to pick up the key from the conveyancer at the Land Titles/Registry Office. A reporting letter will follow containing your Statement of Adjustments, deed, mortgage and various other documents.

When Can We Actually Move In?

When is our moving day? A common question. A standard agreement of purchase and sale states that the closing will be completed by 6:00 pm on the date fixed for completion. In my experience, I've oft found this misunderstood by sellers and buyers.

It does not mean that the seller has until 6:00 pm to vacate the property. Nor does it mean that the new owner can take possession anytime they wish on that day.

What it technically means is that once the closing takes place, that is title is transferred from the name of the seller into the buyer's name(s), in exchange for the purchase funds, that is when the seller must be out of the house. And anytime after that happens is when the buyer can legally take possession and move in. A closing could occur anytime on the date set for completion, or earlier if agreed between the parties.

An Unpleasant Surprise

.. that can happen is when a buyer's moving service has been forced to wait outside of the house for many hours, waiting while the seller removes their belongings from the property. And the mover's clock keeps ticking. Because this delay has resulted in a more expensive move for the buyer, s/he may have cause for legal action against the seller to recover these unexpected extra costs. The seller is actually in default under the agreement of purchase and sale because they agreed to deliver vacant possession to the buyer upon closing.

To avoid this type of unpleasant situation, I recommend that buyers do not plan to move in on the completion date. In this case, better safe than sorry. To avoid midnight moves, make arrangements for at least the following day.

And I recommend you change the locks on your new home since you don't really know if anyone out there still has a key to your new home.

Are You Happy?

Now, the absolute best part of this moving guide - you can advise all your friends and family that you've bought your first home!! Congratulations!

So, aren't you glad you hired a REALTOR®? By trying to go it alone, you may have missed the opportunity to see the brand new hot listings, and settled for a property that others had passed up. We provide a highly valuable service and usually charge no fee to the buyer. So, choose your agent with care. And if you're in my market area, choose me.

One More Thing

Don't forget to thank your REALTOR® for their hard work. And nothing says thanks more than referring all your friends, relatives and associates to them. Our business is based primarily on satisfied returning clients and their referrals.

Oh - just one more suggestion on this moving guide. Your moving service will surely have more moving tips for you. Just ask.

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