No, it’s not Fall yet, but the Fall market in central Toronto IS just around the corner. The unofficial start is after Labour Day and it usually runs until the beginning or middle of November, which is when things begin to slow down for the holiday season. I was recently contacted by a couple of couples who told me that they’re thinking of moving some  time in the next year or two. That may sound too early to start getting ready for your move, but it’s not. Believe me. It’s really NEVER too early. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. (This saying doesn’t sound as good when converted into metric.) If you’re thinking of making a move this Fall and haven’t done anything about it yet, I wouldn’t say that you’ve missed the boat, but I WOULD say that it’s time to get snapping so here are a few quick tips to get you started:

IF YOU’RE BUYING

-Determine if you’re better off buying or selling first

-Get  your financing in order by getting pre-approved by your bank or mortgage broker so you’ll know how much you can afford when it comes time to make an offer

-Make a very detailed list of the neighbourhoods in which you’re interested and of the features you’d like your home to have

-Do some research to make sure you’re being realistic (speak to a realtor, scour realtor.ca or visit open houses)

IF YOU’RE SELLING

-Determine if you’re better off buying or selling first

-Start to de-clutter your home and make all necessary repairs so you’re home will be ready to be shown when it comes time to put it on the market (maybe even hire a stager to help you with this)

-Think about where you’d like to move after you sell and investigate your options (you don’t want to end up homeless)

-Find  out the best time to put your home on the market

These are just the basics to get you going. As I said before, it’s NEVER too early to start preparing and gathering information for your move. But my best advice is to seek out a realtor you trust because he or  she will be able to steer you in the right direction and save you loads of time! And it doesn’t have to be me. Just someone trustworthy who knows your market and will  take good care of you.