MOVING DAY CHECKLIST:

Spring and summer are high season for moving in Canada. Even if you’re moving into your dream home, the actual process of moving itself can be highly stressful. But if you stay organized and pace your preparations over a few weeks, you’ll do a lot to make the big day go more smoothly. Just follow our guidelines below, and good luck in your new home!

Four to six weeks before the move

1 Create a master list of everything you need to do, and keep it handy to jot down things that occur to you in the coming days. Make note of special tasks like booking piano movers, sending change of address forms out, cancelling newspapers and utilities, special packing and storage needs.

2 Clean out closets, drawers, cupboards, chests, shelves, garage, attic, basement. Divide everything into four groups: Throw Away; Recycling; Giveaway/Yard Sale; Keep.

3 Hold a yard sale to get rid of things that are too valuable to throw away or recycle, but that you don’t want to take to your new home. Check your municipal website for items that can be donated for recycling or reuse: electronics, leftover paint, appliances and reusable building materials are a few items that can be dropped off there. Charities like The Furniture Bank will pick up old furniture and mattresses at no charge and give you a tax receipt.

4 Send out change-of-address forms to magazines and other correspondents. (Many periodicals now allow you to do this online.) Arrange with Canada Post to have mail forwarded to your new address starting on moving day. Begin changing over driver’s license and registration, passport, health cards, and other official forms.

5 Notify utilities, cable company, alarm companies, lawn service companies and other service providers of your moving dates.

6 Plan to use up as much of your food as possible, especially frozen items.
 
7 Call your insurance company to set up insurance for your new home and cancel your old policy on moving day.

8 Research schools in your new neighbourhood and register your kids at the new school.

9 Have upholstery and rugs cleaned; book window and eavestrough cleaning services.

10 Begin researching moving companies and getting estimates. Once you have chosen the company you want, confirm and sign the contract. If you are doing the packing, obtain boxes and other packing materials from your mover, or a moving supply or discount store.

11 Start packing less used items and storing the boxes in a convenient but less central room, such as den or family room. (Avoid storing them in the basement, which will just make headaches for the movers on moving day.)

12 If possible, visit your new home and make note of any special issues for the movers, such as narrow hallways or steep or winding staircases.

Two to three weeks before moving day

1 Keep records of all your moving expenses; in some cases, you can deduct them on your income taxes.

2 Continue packing boxes. Be sure to label all boxes clearly with the rooms they are going to.

3 If you live in (or are moving to) a condo, book the freight elevator for moving day.

4 Make sure appliances and house are in good working order and make any repairs agreed upon in your house sale.

One week before moving day

1 Defrost (if necessary) and clean out refrigerator, and clean oven. If you have a wood fireplace, have the chimney cleaned.

2 Start cleaning the house as much as possible, to minimize this task on moving day.

3 Finish packing all but the essentials you’ll need right before and right after the move.

4 Arrange to have pets and small children spend moving day with a sitter.

5 Start to plan for changes to the new house, such as booking painters or contractors.

6 Take down artwork and mirrors and pack them in special boxes or crates designed for this purpose.

7 Be sure arrangements have been made to ensure a smooth handover of keys to both the old house and the new house on moving day; usually these are given to the buyers’ and sellers’ lawyers.

Keep reading for more moving day tips.

The day before you move

1 Take down your perfect curtains, rods and rings (if you are taking these with you).

2 Pack sheets and pillows in a dresser drawer, for easy access on your first night in the new house.

3 Pack a special box with essentials such as toiletries, pajamas, a change of clothing, food and serving utensils, and anything else you might need on the first night. Be sure important documents, including real estate documents and moving company documents, are readily accessible and safe.

Moving day

1 Compare the movers’ inventory with yours to ensure nothing has been left out. Plan to be there while the movers are loading, to make sure they take everything and that there are no problems. Ensure the movers have your cell phone number, or a number where you may be reached if there are any problems.

2 Once the old house is empty, do any final cleaning and sweeping up. Walk through all rooms, ensuring that nothing has been left behind, and that windows are locked and lights turned off. (Check outside as well.)
 
3 Turn the thermostat down to 15 degrees and turn off water heater.

4 At the new house, check to make sure nothing is broken or missing; if so, notify the moving company immediately.

5 Check to make sure appliances, furnace, hot water heater, and air conditioning unit in the new house, and anything else specified in the buyer’s agreement, is in good order; notify your real estate agent if anything is amiss.

Obama administration lowers government mortgage costs, claims Trump won’t reverse:

Future borrowers are about to get a break on their monthly mortgage payments — a parting gift to the housing market from the Obama administration, which may or may not be returned by the Trump administration.

The Federal Housing Administration, the government insurer of low down-payment home loans, is reducing the annual mortgage insurance premium by 25 basis points, which it says will save FHA borrowers an average $500 this year.

The FHA's insurance fund was a major player in the housing bailout, offering borrowers the only low down-payment option available. Borrowers can put as little as 3.5 percent down on a home with a mortgage backed by the FHA.

In 2008, at the height of the crisis, nearly one-quarter of new loans were backed by the FHA. That is now down to about 1 in 6. The housing bailout, however, put the FHA in the red for several years, but strict underwriting and numerous premium hikes totaling 150 basis points, pulled it out.

The FHA's insurance fund has gained $44 billion in value since 2012, according to the agency, and its capital ratio has been above the required 2 percent level for two years.

FHA to lower annual insurance premiums  Monday, 9 Jan 2017 | 10:44 AM ET | 00:34

"After four straight years of growth and with sufficient reserves on hand to meet future claims, it's time for FHA to pass along some modest savings to working families," said Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro. "This is a fiscally responsible measure to price our mortgage insurance in a way that protects our insurance fund while preserving the dream of homeownership for credit-qualified borrowers."

Industry leaders applauded the move, but suggest more needs to be done to juice a housing market that is becoming ever more expensive. First-time homebuyers in particular are struggling to enter today's market, as higher home prices and higher mortgage rates hit affordability. Underwriting, in particular, remains tight, and credit scores for FHA are still higher than they have been historically.

"Reducing the cost of FHA loans benefits borrowers, but other changes to reduce uncertainty for lenders would be required to truly invigorate the FHA program," David Stevens, president and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association, said in a statement. "MBA looks forward to continuing to work with all stakeholders, including the new Administration, to ensure the safety and soundness of the FHA program."

And therein lies the biggest question: Will the Trump administration welcome much-needed housing stimulus or balk at the prospect of more government risk? The Trump transition team has been getting "good briefings" from HUD officials, according to Castro, who says the transition is, "proceeding well." The transition team, however, was not apprised of the premium reduction until Monday because it could move stock prices, especially of mortgage insurers. 

"I have no reason to believe that this will be scaled back," said Castro. "The fund is in a much stronger position than it's been in years." The Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

And not everyone in D.C. was applauding the move. Republican Rep. Jeb Hensarling, chair of the House Financial Services Committee with oversight over the FHA, said: "It seems the Obama administration's parting gift to hardworking taxpayers is to put them at greater risk of footing the bill for yet another bailout. Just three years ago the taxpayers had to spend $1.7 billion to bail out the FHA. Lowering premiums to below market rates now only puts the FHA in a more precarious financial condition. Playing politics with the FHA through cynical, surprise 11th hour rule changes is irresponsible and endangers the integrity and success of the FHA."

Trump's pick for HUD secretary, Ben Carson, is scheduled to go before the Senate Banking Committee this week. Carson, who has no experience in housing policy, advocated scaling back government programs during his presidential campaign but did not address FHA specifically.

"Any pricing cut will likely attract negative attention from Congressional Republicans and the incoming Administration," FBR mortgage market analyst Edward Mills wrote in a note to investors. "We highlight that any cut could quickly be reversed by the Trump Administration in a matter of weeks.

HUD officials said the reduction is likely to lower the cost of housing for approximately 1 million households who are expected to purchase a home or refinance their mortgages using FHA-insured financing in the coming year.

How Much Should I Budget for Utilities After Moving?

Trulia recently partnered with UtilityScore to calculate the median costs of utilities in various metros and how they impact homeowners’ aggregate budgets. The study showed that nationally, individuals in single-family homes spend $226 per month on utilities, or $1.68 per square foot. Thus, utility costs equal 1.4 percent of the median single-family home value.

A few hundred dollars might not seem like much to some, but these hidden incidentals may limit your buying power depending on where you live and your intended budget. For markets like Oakland or Miami, where housing prices are higher, utilities aren’t as staggering when measured as a percentage of monthly home ownership costs. But, when buying in an affordable city like Syracuse, utilities increase monthly expenses at overwhelming proportions.

Utility Costs in Miami, Florida

Miami residents should anticipate utility costs around the median of $157.17 per month. Based on Miami’s median home price of $297,913, homeowners pay $1,535.04 toward their monthly mortgage – taxes and insurance included. After combining both mortgage and utilities, the grand total equals $1,692.29 per month. Therefore, homeowners in Miami pay an estimated 9.3 percent of housing costs on utilities. Miami is no. 8 on the list of U.S. metros where utilities make up a marginal percentage of the monthly budget.

Utility Costs in Oakland, California

The median home price in Oakland is $692,172, which means homeowners pay around $3,566.52 toward their monthly mortgage with taxes and insurance. The median utility costs in Oakland are $276 per month, consequently increasing housing expenses to $3,842.52 per month. Based on these median costs, Oakland residents can anticipate paying 7.2 percent of their monthly housing dues toward gas, electric and water.

Utility Costs in Syracuse, NY

Unlike Miami and Oakland, Syracuse homebuyers suffer a heftier utility bill as a percentage of overall monthly housing costs. The median home price in Syracuse is an affordable $120,291, bringing the average mortgage, taxes and insurance bill to just $619.82 per month. However, given the median utility bill in Syracuse is $216.75 per month, the actual total monthly bill comes out to $836.57 per month. When thought of as a percentage of total housing costs, Syracuse residents spend 25.9 percent of monthly homeownership bills on utilities. Cities like Syracuse act as substantial proof of why calculating utilities before you buy is key. Disregarding over a quarter of your projected homeownership costs is dangerous, especially when home shopping at the top of your price range.

Winter is right around the corner and homebuyers may be even more cautious of their forthcoming bills. Fortunately, Trulia’s analysis found climate does not have the substantial impact on utilities as predominately presumed. Despite Syracuse’s harsh winters, the median utility costs are almost $60 less than those in Oakland where average temperatures in January near a comfortable 60 degrees.

Rather than focus on the thermostat, consider utility costs in relation to your personal usage, yard size, local taxes and rates. This allows buyers to avoid surprising charges, all while living stress-free (and warm) in their new abodes.