For most people, the prospect of moving can be overwhelming. The idea of uprooting your family and packing up your lives brings with it a mixed bag of emotions between excitement and anxiety. When you consider the added logistics and considerations that come with relocating to a new locale altogether, those feelings tend to amplify. 

Whether you’re moving to a completely new neighbourhood, city, province - or out of the country altogether - the team at Royal LePage Connect Realty has compiled the ultimate guide to helping make your relocation as seamless as possible. Read on to discover our basics 101 guide for a stress-free relocation.

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Do your research 

When it comes to your move, the depth of research you need to do will depend greatly on the scope of relocation you’re planning. 

There are countless factors to consider when narrowing down potential new areas to live, especially if the areas of interest are outside of your current familiarity. Things like local transportation, city size, safety and local crime rate, proximity to health care facilities and other local points of interest and need, etc. 

Consider the aspects of day-to-day life in your new area; things like local climate and seasonal averages. You may be moving from an area that is relatively unaffected by harsh winters - but if your new home is situated in an area with “true winters” - you will need to consider this for things like clothing, car tires, what your commute and access looks like in both good - and bad - weather. 

Get to know the ins and outs of your local area: 

• Local schools 
• Services like hospitals and emergency services, police, fire, banks, doctors 
• Entertainment like restaurants, movie theatres
• Recreation - things like community centers and local skating rinks, parks and playgrounds 
• Local traffic scene - is the local traffic reasonable or is your daily commute going to require added time factored in on top of the distance from your home to your place of work - make sure you’re looking at places where the distance to and from won’t drive you crazy on time and gas 
• Get familiar with the local housing market - explore the comparable listings and get a general sense of average costs and current market health in your area 

Choosing a new area, particularly one outside of your usual locale, is a major decision and should only be made once you feel confident that you have found a place that best suits your wants and needs. If you will be relocating with a partner and/or other family members, it’s vital that you factor in their needs and input as well. After all, with other people in the mix, you’ll want to ensure that everyone feels as confident and positive as possible about this major life change. 

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Get to know your area first-hand  

Looking into a place online is one thing, but there is really no substitute to actually setting foot in a place, walking around and getting a real feel for the atmosphere. 

Take the time to walk around and play tourist in your new hometown. This is going to be home, but getting that familiar feel for it will take time. In the meantime, be proactive about getting a lay of the land. If you already know some people in the area, now is a good time to ask them to play tour guide and get you “in the know” on local hot spots, hidden gems and the go-to favourites for area residents. Feedback and references from people you know will go a lot further to pointing you in the right direction versus random online searches. 

If you’re starting fresh and don’t know anyone in the area, be efficient with your searching. Look into the local website and any community forums to get you updated from the people who would know best. And with the good comes the bad, so be sure to ask for input on the less-than-wonderful aspects of the area. After all, the reality of it is that no place is perfect, and the sooner you familiarize yourself with any pitfalls and unpleasant bits, the sooner you can shelf that knowledge and get back to unearthing all the &ldquood stuff”. 

Hire the right team(s) to support you throughout the process

From choosing the right realtor to help you in your search and rental or purchase to securing the best possible moving team - this is the kind of support that will make all the difference throughout your relocation process. So choose carefully in order to ensure your experience is as positive and headache-free as possible. 

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Finding the right realtor 

When choosing your realtor, you will want to consider many factors, including their scope of value-added services to you and their proposed strategy for the sale of your home. If you will also be needing a realtor for the purchase of the next property, you will need to consider whether or not the realtor you choose to work with for your sale is also willing to work with you in your new area, or, as is most often the case, if you will require a secondary realtor to assist you with your purchase. No matter what your specific needs and circumstances require, the right realtor will be able to assist you in covering all of your bases. 

Finding the right realtor is all about finding the right fit in terms of the right professional guide to help you navigate the ins and outs of the real estate market as you work towards meeting your real estate goals. At Royal LePage Connect Realty, there are many reasons to choose us for your real estate needs. An award-winning, full-service brokerage that brings with it the strength and experience of Canada’s oldest and largest Canadian-owned full service real estate company in the country, Royal LePage, our brokerages span across the gta, where our agents are ready to help you meet your real estate goals. 

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Choosing the right moving company 

When searching for a moving company, it is important that you scope out companies that cater to your specific moving needs and checklist for the move. Costs are one major consideration, especially if the move will include some long-distance driving on the part of the movers. Also, the scope of work that the movers offer will make a big difference for you. 

Just a few of the considerations to keep in mind when narrowing down your choices in movers:

• Do they pack up and secure items, or will you be expected to do all the packing and preparation of your items? 
• Do they provide boxes and packing materials? 
• Do they simply load and unload or will they carry the items up stairs, on freight elevators, etc? 
• Does this moving company also unpack larger items to facilitate positioning them in the new space - things like larger sofas and sectionals can require extra hands to set up and move around, and this is where a full-service moving company will make the difference for you. 
• Do they also help with assembly in the case of any newly-purchased or disassembled items you will be having delivered? 

The right moving company will have a tremendous impact on your overall experience in relocating. They will be the ones responsible for physically transitioning your possessions from your old home to your new place, and this shift can be as emotional as it is exciting. 

The best way to alleviate some of the potential stress ahead is by selecting a moving company that will check as many of your moving needs off the list as possible. 

Ultimately, relocating, much like a “regular” move, is full of considerations and important decisions to be made in order to ensure you are making the best choice for yourself and your family. Taking your time with these decisions and doing all the necessary research to support your choices and next steps is crucial, so ensuring you have someone with the expertise and objectivity to help you navigate this process is vital. This is where an expert in property, moving and location can make all the difference in helping you get started. 

Contact us today to connect with a member of our team, who can help you get started on this next chapter!

Royal LePage Connect Realty is an independently-owned Royal LePage franchise, with multiple locations to serve you and your clients. 

Curious to know more about the many communities that Connect Realty serves? Check out our Community Information page for more information and active local property listings today!