Your move countdown planner

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Month-by-month checklist

1. 12 months out

   Get clear and get organized

   • Everyone Write down why you are moving and what the next home has to do for you over the next 5 to 10 years: space, stairs, commute, schools, yard, lake or mountain access.
   • Buying Pull your free credit reports from Equifax and TransUnion and get any errors fixed now. Corrections can take weeks.
   • Buying First-time buyer? Open a First Home Savings Account (FHSA). Contribution room only starts building once the account is open. How →
   • Selling Ask a local REALTOR® for a no-pressure walk-through: a realistic price range and the short list of fixes that actually matter to buyers. How →
   • Selling Start the big declutter, one room or one closet a month. Sell, donate or store what will not come with you. How →

2. 9 months out

   Money and big repairs

   • Buying Have a 15-minute pre-qualification chat with a mortgage professional to learn your real price range and the stress test. How →
   • Buying Avoid new credit, big purchases on payment plans, and job changes where you can. Lenders look at the months right before you buy.
   • Everyone Build your savings target: down payment, closing costs, moving costs and a cushion for surprises. How →
   • Selling Book the big-ticket repairs that inspectors flag: roof, furnace, hot water tank, electrical panel, drainage, known leaks. How →
   • Selling Gather paperwork: permits and final inspections for renovations, warranties, receipts, surveys, and 12 months of utility bills. How →
   • Selling Ask your lender what it costs to pay out or move your mortgage early (prepayment penalty or porting). How →

3. 6 months out

   Make the big decisions

   • Everyone Decide: buy first, sell first, or both at once. This choice drives everything else. How →
   • Everyone Tour neighbourhoods at different times of day. Drive the commute and the school run at rush hour. How →
   • Selling Strata owner? Pull your minutes, bylaws, depreciation report and financial statements now so there are no surprises for buyers. How →
   • Selling Optional: book a pre-listing home inspection so you can fix or disclose issues on your terms. How →
   • Everyone Interview two or three REALTORS®. Ask how they would price, market and negotiate for you. How →

4. 4 months out

   Lock in financing, freshen up

   • Buying Get a full pre-approval with a rate hold. Most holds run 90 to 120 days, so time it for when you will actually shop. How →
   • Selling Freshen up: neutral paint, bright bulbs, caulking, new cabinet hardware, cleaned grout, tidy landscaping. How →
   • Everyone Get moving quotes and book early if you are moving between May and September, when crews book up.

5. 3 months out

   Get market-ready

   • Selling Stage for photos: depersonalize, clear counters, rent a storage unit if you need to. How →
   • Buying Set up MLS® alerts for your budget and areas, and line up a home inspector and a lawyer or notary. How →
   • Everyone Get home insurance quotes. Some older homes, wood stoves or oil tanks need extra underwriting time.

6. 2 months out

   List, shop and write offers

   • Selling List the home. Plan showings around pets, kids and work so the house is easy to see. How →
   • Buying Write offers with clear subjects (financing, inspection, strata documents). In B.C. most home purchases have a 3 business day rescission period after acceptance. How →
   • Everyone Changing schools? Contact the school district about registration and catchment. How →

7. 1 month out

   Paperwork, utilities and packing

   • Everyone Book utility transfers (gas, electricity, water and sewer, internet), and set up Canada Post mail forwarding. How →
   • Everyone Pack non-essentials first and label every box by room.
   • Buying Confirm with your lawyer or notary how and when to send your down payment funds. Never follow wiring instructions from an unverified email. How →

8. Moving week

   Keys, meters and the essentials box

   • Selling Leave keys, garage remotes, manuals and warranty papers for the new owners. Take meter photos.
   • Everyone Pack an essentials box: chargers, medications, bedding, kettle, toilet paper, tools, pet food, and important documents.

9. After you move

   Tidy up the details

   • Everyone Update your address with CRA, ICBC, your bank and insurers. New to B.C.? You have 90 days to switch your driver's licence. How →
   • Buying Claim the B.C. Home Owner Grant every year when you pay property taxes on your principal residence. How →
   • Everyone Register with the Health Connect Registry if you need a family doctor or nurse practitioner. How →