Moving Can Be Fun

I was hosting an open house a couple of weekends ago and I heard the same line again.I love this house, but I can't imagine moving. Many people cite a move as one of the most stressful things you will do in life. More than your first real job, more than getting married, and more than having kids! When I tell people that my wife Kim and I have moved 7 times in the past 9 years, all while having 2 kids and establishing our careers, they think we are certifiably insane. Here's my secret though, moving doesn't have to cause nightmares. With the right help and taking the right lifestyle steps ahead of time, a move can be quite exciting.

One of my favourite parts of hosting an open house is when kids go rifling through the upstairs of a house, well ahead of their parents, debating and arguing over who is going to get which room. The excitement in their eyes and voices is evident, if not naïve, as they are likely to go through the exercise in dozens of houses as their parents scope out homes while they plan out a move. My goal is to help parents, or anyone else for that matter, tackle the task of moving with the same youthful excitement as those kids.

One of the biggest fears people have about a move is having to pack. If you are serious about moving at any point in the future, consider doing a yearly purge of household items that you don't need. No, I don't mean sentimental items, there is always room for those. My rule…if you haven't used something in 2 years, you don't need it anymore. You likely have a family member or friend who does, and if not there are countless local charities who would be happy to take most of these items and put them to good use. Be proactive about giving these things to others, or disposing of them if you need to, and the thought of packing will be far more manageable when the time comes.

Perhaps the biggest source of stress in a move is selling your house and seemingly being told 1000 different things by 1000 different people. This is what I refer to facing a massive amount of information overload. What lawyer should you work with? Where should you get your new mortgage? Should you stage your house? How big of a house do you need? Where should you live? What real estate agent should you work with? The constant chatter with anyone who knows that you are considering a move can easily become overwhelming. In a society that is seemingly far less loyal than it used to be, consider teaming up with a REALTOR® that can truly guide you through the process.

My mom Sarit and I have helped countless friends over the years in their purchases and sales of homes, and many more clients who quickly became friends. These individuals often had some of the best moving experiences with us. Not because they were our friends, but because they trusted our guidance to point them in the right direction and filter out the "noise".

In an industry with an abundance of questions to be answered, why not work with someone who at least has the answer to most of them. Whether it's with us or someone else, do yourself a favour and become part of a team. Moving when you feel like you have to make all of your decisions alone must be exhausting and stressful, but moving into the right house with a support network behind you can make you feel like a kid again!