Buckle Up... because this is a LOOONNNG one. Today, I delve into the steps involved when planning for your House Hunting Trip. Much of this would apply to those relocating across Canada - particularly those RCMP or BGRS moves. But there are key takeaways for those in Executive-Level or in the Medical Field. We've helped clients from all backgrounds successfully relocate to Winnipeg - and today, we focus on what is important when planning your move to Winnipeg.
Our team specializes in relocations of all types. Whether it be for Canadian Armed Forces, Air Force, Naval or Army, RCMP, Executive relocations, etc. This is an area we are well-versed within. For those that need to check, we are on the BGRS approved Realtor list, and these relocations are something that we specialize in! BGRS alone is responsible for close to 15,000 moves across Canada, every year. They have very strict policies that must be adhered to, so knowing those rules and having a Realtor with that expertise is paramount!
Now for those that have been on a House Hunting Trip before, you know that it is a very rapid-fire and somewhat stressful process. For those that don’t, I warn you, a lot of the process IS trial by fire. Much of the stress is that a typical house hunting trip only lasts about one-week. This time, goes by so incredibly fast!
The timelines when you begin your search, typically looks something like this:
1. Receive notice of your potential job and location change.
2. Register on the BGRS site (if this applies for your specific move).
3. Decide what to do with your existing accommodations.
4. Consult the professionals.
5. Working out HHT timing.
6. With these initial discussions, you will have hopefully gotten a sense of what the market is like at your destination. If you haven’t yet, now is the time to get a pre-approval in place.
7. Schedule your travel.
8. Have your Realtor start sending you listings.
9. Pack for your trip! There are three things that we have agreed on within our team that are necessary: 1. Shoes that you can easily slip on and off (I know this sounds silly, but when you are seeing 30-40 houses in 2-days time – tying and untying shoes can become exhausting. 2. A piece of government-issued photo identification. We are REQUIRED to identify you for anti-money-laundering purposes when writing our offers. 3. A cheque!
10. Send us your top 10-15 listings (ideally in ranked order). We like to load the tours for the favourites quite heavily on the first few days, so that you’ve seen all of your favourites off-the-hop.
11. Arrive! Day 1 is often eaten up with travel, travel delays, getting your rental cars, checking into your accommodations, etc. Depending on your scheduled arrival time, we will sometimes book showings for this day. If we don’t have any showings scheduled for Day 1 though, I highly recommend starting to drive the city.
12. Day 2 and 3 we like to load up on showings. Day 2 is usually the heavier day. If I can, I try to schedule 12-14 showings in. I ONLY recommend this for relocations though.
13. Strategize. Much of your success will come from understanding what parts of the process will lead to success. Also, knowing the local rules and ebbs and flows of the real estate market, are important.
14. Submit an offer.
15. Get connected with a lawyer and insurer. These are usually a bit lower on the priority list, mostly because the process of finding the right home is the biggest challenge. But once a deal finalizes, we are going to need insurance in place prior to possession or the lawyer won’t give you the keys. You will also need to know which lawyer you wish to use. Check with your employer to see if they have a list of approved suppliers. BGRS does have a list, and we can also give advice in this regard.
16. Have fun! The last few days of your travel tend to be lighter in terms of the stress/planning process. Now is a good time to check out the Winnipeg landmarks.
17. Key handover is done by the lawyers in Manitoba. Again, pre-possession walk-throughs are not a common occurrence here, as odd as that sounds. BUT we do WANT to be there. So please keep us in the loop, so we can visit you 😊
18. Don’t forget to file your paperwork! There are a lot of reimbursable expenses that you can often claim, so be sure you are uploading your receipts according to your employers policies!
Let us help you plan your next House Hunting Trip!
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📧 Jennifer@JenniferQueen.com
📍 The Jennifer Queen Team and RE/MAX Professionals
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