For first time buyers who have never owned a home before, moving can be pretty overwhelming.

It’s the very reason some condominium builders, such as Pointe of View, provide a checklist to their homeowners to make the task as seamless as possible.

“Approximately 30 days before the possession date, we send all of our customers a letter that says: this is your possession date; this is your walkthrough date,” reports Melissa Beaton, Marketing Administrator, Pointe of View.

“Every building is different. Some complexes include gas and electric, while others won’t. In the letter, we specify who to contact two weeks prior to set this up, who to contact to set up your phone and cable, if the building offers free cable for the first month, and information about property taxes and condo fees.”

The walkthrough gives you a chance to inspect the home, making sure everything works, and this is also a good time to ask questions with a condominium representative prior to moving day.

Elevators are on a schedule, so book early. Three or four people will be scheduled at staggered times “so you don’t have two people trying to push a couch through the door at the same time.”

Beaton adds, “On the move-in day, you get the keys after your final sign-off.”

While booking an elevator might be your first step once you know your possession date, booking a moving company should be your second.

Marty Stanton, VP of Corporate Sales for AMJ Campbell Van Lines recommends you start the process at least two months in advance of your move date. “What happens is, everybody starts getting possession dates, and it’s supply and demand. Everybody’s trying to move in on the 29th or 30th of the month. You’re going to run out of equipment. In the industry, it is first come, first serve.”

It’s best to have someone from the moving company come to your home to assess what the moving requirements are going to be. Getting a quote over the phone is just an inaccurate guess. A visual assessment is needed to know what you’ll need for equipment and manpower.

“For most local moves, we recommend a van and three men, especially when dealing with an elevator,” says Stanton. “Most local moves are done on an hourly basis. That is based on a van and two, three or four men, depending on the size of the move. A lot of times people will try to move some of their things over earlier if they have that opportunity. They only want us to move the big items. But when the mover shows up and not one box has been packed, although it was up to the customer to pack them, and if the moving company has to add those duties over and above what was decided upon, the price will obviously be a lot higher.

“Taking the beds apart in the morning will save time plus dismantling anything that needs to be dismantled. If you’ve packed all the items yourself, you can start moving them out of the house.”

You may be thinking, why hire a mover when you can hire a U-Haul and get your friends to help? By the time you compile a list of helpers – of those who said they would show up and the ones that actually do, by the time you’re finished buying your pizzas and beer, look at the damage caused from these inexperienced movers, the cost of renting a truck and fuel, the amount of trips you have to make, at the end of the day, it may be more economical to hire a mover. You also risk injury for both you and your friends.

As soon as you receive your possession date, start preparing. The biggest mistake people make is to wait. If you’re downsizing, go room by room and purge each room of the things you don’t want to bring into your condo.

A good practice is counting how many rooms you have in your home and doing one room every second day.

If you plan ahead, are properly prepared and organized, and hire a professional, you can almost guarantee your move will be relatively stress free.

A few tips …
• A household goods carrier cannot transport toxic and flammable substances, such as herbicides and pesticides, anti-freeze, cleaners, propane tanks, and solvents.
• Arrange to have utilities disconnected and reconnected at new location.
• Defrost your refrigerator and freezer.
• Drain fuel from your lawn mower and other power equipment.
• Transport valuables, such as jewelry and documents yourself.