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Moving to a new home is a big decision. Moving divides our lives into chapters. Once you move to a new place, life is different. Your environment is different. Maybe you are staying within a familiar neighbourhood, and the new chapter is a fairly familiar continuation and elevation of the last chapter. Or maybe you are moving across the country and starting a whole new chapter of your life. 

We can spend much of our lives waiting for the “right” time to make a move. Ultimately, there is no absolute, universal right time that dictates when you should look for an apartment. The decision will depend on a multitude of factors, many of which are unique and personal to the person making the choice. It will depend on factors such as work flexibility and availability, budget, family matters and weather – to name a few. 

A move to a new home is often the result of a major life change. A shift to a new, and hopefully exciting, stage of life. Let’s explore some of the key factors that determine when you should look for an apartment 

Stage of life

The one constant in life is that everything changes. The more things change, the more they stay the same. When our lives change, where we live our lives often changes along with it. 

Students

When you’re a student, the question of when should you look for an apartment has a relatively easy answer – before the semester begins. This means that post-secondary students all across Canada are all scrambling to move before the Labour Day long weekend rolls around. Labour Day is on Monday, September 6th, 2021. If you’re among the hordes of hopefuls looking to book a moving company, be sure to book early. 

New job

When the student life is in your rearview mirror, hopefully you will find work. Maybe a perfect job opportunity arises but it requires relocation. Embracing the future very often means we have to let go of the past. This is when you should look for an apartment. Maybe it means moving to a new neighbourhood to cut down on your commute, or maybe it means a long distance relocation and a whole new beginning. 

Marriage or new family

The job has been going well. Maybe you’ve even had a promotion or two. You’ve met someone special and the two of you have decided to make a commitment. Congratulations! It’s time to leave the studio apartment behind. A little further down the road of life, mayve you’ve got a baby on the way. That is almost certainly going to mean it’s time to look for a larger apartment. 

Retirement

You’ve worked hard, you’ve put away some money and the kids are looking for apartments of their own. It’s time to retire and start a new chapter again. Maybe you don’t need so much space? Maybe it would be nice to never worry about cutting the lawn, shoveling snow or spending your free time on maintenance and upkeep. Wouldn’t it be nice if all of those responsibilities were someone else’s responsibility? If you were free to travel or relax with fewer things to worry about? This is when you should look for an apartment. 

Time of year

Within the times of life that require you to turn the page to a new chapter, there is also the time of year to consider. When is the best time of year to look for an apartment? 

Fall

The cool, crisp temperatures of fall make for great moving weather. The students have settled in and it may be easier to book a moving company. The downside can be if you have school-aged children of your own who have just started a school year somewhere else. There also may be fewer options on the rental market, but if you find a place you like, fall can be a fabulous time to make a move. 

Winter

If the idea of moving in winter sends a chill down your spine, you may want to warm up to the idea. Winter is a more flexible time to book a moving company and you may even get a lower, off-season rate. Read our pro tips for moving in winter.

Spring

Spring is a season full of renewal and fresh starts. This may be a good time to look for an apartment. The weather is mild, if a bit damp. Demand is still lighter. The busy summer moving season won’t start to heat up until the end of April, when colleges and university students get out of school. 

Summer

Summer is when most people look for an apartment and move. Out of the over 4.4 million Canadians who move each year, over half of them do it between June and September. Students are moving out at the beginning of summer and moving in at the end of summer. Families are looking to move and settle in while the kids are on summer break. You are basically guaranteed good weather – if you don’t mind moving in the heat. 

According to Two Men and a Truck, the busiest moving day of the year is June 30th, with over 68,000 Canadians moving to take advantage of the Canada Day long weekend and not having to book time off work. Keep that in mind when you are deciding when you should look for an apartment. 

Whenever you decide the time is right for you to look for an apartment, Panoramic Properties is here for you – whatever the stage of life, whatever the time of year. 

For information on Panoramic Properties, please visit our website.