Take the stress out of moving

BY JAY BRIJPAUL

Ama and Adeka sold their condo and bought a home. The deal was finalized, and it was time to move. One week prior to moving they rented a truck. Ama went to reserve the elevator and was told that on that day, their allotted service time was between 12-3 p.m. Condos have strict rules and do not reserve elevators during peak time. Moving is stressful and careful planning is required.

I recall moving from one home to another. I was fortunate because I had a month to transition. It was a disaster because half of my belongings were in one home and the remainder in another. I finally decided to gather a few friends who could assist with the heavy lifting. They were not experienced movers, and, in the process, we damaged the fridge, scratched the table and my lovely VCR was left rusting in the snow. The next time I hired professional movers.

Professional movers can be expensive. Catharine and Richard sold their Brampton home and bought another house in London, Ontario. They hired professional movers with a time slot from 12 pm to 6 pm. By 1 pm the truck was packed and ready to roll out. The problem they encountered was that the buyer’s lawyer for their current home delayed until 5 pm. Catharine and Richard’s lawyer managed to finalize the deal on the Brampton home but did not have enough time to transfer the money to close the one in London.  The movers transferred the contents into storage. The couple became stressed. They were out of their old home and could not move into the new one until the next day. The movers charged for the original six hours, to unload and reload, as well as an additional 6 hours. Since the buyer closed the transaction on time for the home in Brampton, Catharine and Richard were stuck with the bill.

Proper planning could have prevented this disaster. The couple could have arranged to take their possession of their London home a few days before giving up possession on their Brampton home by arranging a bridge financing. Bridge financing occurs when the lender temporary lends the buyer the full amount of money to bridge the gap between the two different dates. This way, the seller can move two days earlier to their new home without the added stress and financial backlash.

Avoid finalizing a transaction on a Friday near the end of the month because most deals close then. Consequently, there is a surge in demand for trucks and moving companies. Instead of Friday, choose to move on a different weekday. The cost is significantly less. Usually at the end of the month lawyers tend to have many transactions closing and deals with minor issues are side stepped. On an off day, the lawyers have ample time to look over everything. The same goes with lenders.

The purchase of sale agreement stipulates that vacant possession shall be given by 6 pm. In most cases, it is difficult. The sellers may end up overstaying by a few hours. Don’t panic because there is nothing much you can do. It is better to let movers know that there might be a time delay and best to pay for a few hours extra and avoid the hassle.

If you are moving to a condo, then book the elevator at least one month in advance. The condo corporation may need a damage deposit. Most condos will have a temporary storage area to help facilitate the transition.

A new solution is to use portable on demand services (PODS). The moving company will deliver a pod on your driveway. You can then pack it in advance, and they will take it to a temporary storage facility. Once you are ready, they will deliver it to your front door. Pods are economical as the company provides the container, stores it and deliver it to your new address.

Buying and selling real estate requires a multitude of events occurring in synchrony. Add humans to the equation and the product is stress. Planning is essential. Pack small boxes that are properly labeled. Book your move for off peak days and consider bridge financing if you are selling and buying. Make it a stress-free move!